Puff Pastry Christmas Tree (Candy or Savory)

Made with buttery puff pastry and your alternative of a candy or savory filling, this puff pastry Christmas tree is a simple and enjoyable vacation breakfast, appetizer, or dessert!

I’m not the type of mother that makes holiday-themed treats all too usually. Most of my Christmas recipes are primarily based extra on seasonal flavors than dressing the treats up like Santa or reindeers.

However each from time to time I’ll whip up one thing that’s simply as cute and festive as it’s scrumptious. Generally it’s snowflake sugar cookies, typically it’s melted snowman cookies, and typically it’s Christmas mild cupcakes.

And typically it’s this puff pastry Christmas tree.

This recipe is very nice as a result of it’s so versatile. It’s cute sufficient to thrill your kiddos however nonetheless elegant sufficient to serve at your annual vacation occasion. Plus, you may change up the fillings to make it a candy deal with or a savory snack!

What’s a puff pastry Christmas tree?

This puff pastry Christmas tree is a candy or savory deal with made with two sheets of puff pastry and the filling of your alternative. 

After sandwiching the puff pastry round your required filling, you narrow the entire thing right into a triangle and create twisted “branches” to show it right into a tree. Prime the entire thing with a puff pastry star and it turns into a Christmas tree!

I contemplate this to be a “tear and share” recipe. Of us can tear off the branches to snack on, finally leaving the “trunk” of the tree for much more deliciousness.

Since you should utilize any unfold you want for the filling, you may flip it right into a Christmas morning breakfast, a vacation appetizer, or a candy and easy dessert. 

I’ll even share some suggestions for prepping it forward of time! In any case, we love a make-ahead recipe.

Find out how to make a candy or savory puff pastry Christmas tree

This puff pastry Christmas tree seems to be actually fairly and chic, however it’s actually fairly easy to place collectively. When you love working with puff pastry to make recipes like my puff pastry apple tart, puff pastry cinnamon rolls, or cherry turnovers, you’re gonna adore this recipe, too. 

Elements you’ll want

You solely want a small handful of substances to make my puff pastry Christmas tree:

• 2 sheets thawed puff pastry 
• ¼ to ⅓ cup candy or savory unfold 
• 1 massive egg
• Flaky salt for sprinkling (savory model solely)
• Powdered sugar or parmesan cheese to complete

Earlier than you begin assembling your tree, make sure that each sheets of the puff pastry are thawed in line with the bundle instructions. I discover the quickest and most dependable means to do that is to let it relaxation on the countertop for about half-hour.

What filling you utilize is as much as you! I’ve a complete bunch of concepts listed beneath beneath “filling choices” so that you can take a look at.

I prefer to high my savory bushes with a little bit of flaky sea salt earlier than baking, however that’s elective.

For a fairly snow-like impact, mud your completed bushes with powdered sugar (for candy fillings) or Parmesan cheese (for savory ones).

Making this recipe

To assemble your puff pastry Christmas tree, begin by rolling one of many puff pastry sheets out on a evenly floured floor into a ten×13-inch rectangle. Fastidiously transfer this to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Unfold your filling over this sheet of puff pastry. Make certain it will get all the way in which to the sides!

Now repeat the rolling course of with the second sheet of pastry and place it on high of the primary sheet, sandwiching the filling within the center. 

Now it’s time to show this right into a tree!

Use a pointy knife or pizza cutter to chop the pastry into a big triangle. Put aside the trimmed corners, however don’t discard them. In order for you the tree to have a trunk, minimize that form from the underside of the triangle, setting apart the trimmed corners.

To make the branches, begin from the underside of the tree and minimize into the tree at 1-inch intervals. Ensure you go away a 1-inch uncut strip within the center for the trunk. 

Depart the highest 3 inches or so of the tree uncut, since these items can be too brief to twist. 

Fastidiously twist every strip. You’ll be capable of twist the longer strips 3 occasions and the shorter strips 1-2 occasions. 

Use a knife or a cookie cutter to chop a star from the scraps. Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash.

Use the egg wash to “glue” the star to the highest of the tree, then gently brush the whole tree with the egg wash.

At this level, you’ll nonetheless have some scraps left. I like to chop these into strips, twist them, and bake them too for further snacks. Place them on a separate baking sheet or prepare them across the tree – simply make sure that they don’t contact one another or the tree.

When you’re utilizing a savory filling, now is an effective time to evenly sprinkle the highest with a little bit of flaky sea salt.

Bake the tree at 375°F for 20-25 minutes. You need the highest to be deeply golden and the underside to be cooked via.

Let the tree cool for 5-10 minutes earlier than dusting it with powdered sugar or Parmesan cheese and serving.

Filling choices

You need to use nearly any candy or savory unfold because the filling in your puff pastry Christmas tree. A few of my favourite candy fillings embody:

Use a savory filling to show this right into a festive appetizer in your annual Christmas occasion. A few of my favourite savory fillings embody:

Make-ahead suggestions

When you’re serving this puff pastry Christmas tree for a Christmas-morning breakfast or a celebration appetizer, you in all probability wish to prep it forward of time.

Make the tree as described, however go away off the egg wash. Place it within the fridge for as much as 2-3 hours earlier than baking. Brush with egg wash simply earlier than baking.

​If it is advisable make it various hours forward, place the pan within the freezer. As soon as the tree is frozen although after 1-2 hours, you may wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap adopted by a layer of foil. Freeze for as much as 2 months.

When able to bake, unwrap and place the tree on a lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and bake from frozen in line with the recipe instructions, including a couple of minutes on to the baking time if wanted.