Description
Adorable and delicious appetizers shaped like Christmas trees, featuring a creamy cheese base, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
12-15 small pretzel sticks
Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Assorted crackers or pretzel crisps, for serving
Instructions
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, finely chopped dried cranberries, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Step 2: Take small portions of the cream cheese mixture (about 1.5-2 tablespoons each) and gently shape them into conical forms, resembling mini Christmas trees. Place them on a serving platter.
Step 3: Decorate each cream cheese tree. Gently press additional chopped pecans onto the surface of each tree to create a textured 'garland'. For the 'tree trunk', insert a small pretzel stick into the base of each tree. For the 'star' on top, place a small sprig of fresh rosemary at the peak of each tree.
Step 4: Cover the platter loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the trees to firm up for easier serving.
Step 5: Serve cold with an assortment of crackers, pretzel crisps, or fresh vegetable sticks.
Notes
For best results, ensure your cream cheese is very soft before mixing. You can also add a pinch of garlic powder or a dash of hot sauce to the cream cheese mixture for an extra layer of flavor. For a slightly different presentation, you could roll the entire tree in finely chopped pecans.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 appetizer
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg