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Savory Christmas Tree Bites

Savory Christmas tree bites are made with cold puff pastry layered around basil pesto and mozzarella, then baked until puffed and golden brown. Their crisp, flaky pastry and festive tree shape make them easy to serve as a holiday appetizer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Resting 5 minutes
Total Time 43 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 112
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pastry
  • 1 package (17.3 oz) puff pastry frozen; 2 sheets; thawed in the refrigerator but still cold
For the filling
  • 0.5 cup basil pesto
  • 0.5 cup mozzarella finely shredded
For the egg wash
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tbsp water

Equipment

  • 2 rimmed baking sheets
  • 1 2-inch tree-shaped cookie cutter

Method
 

Prepare the pastry
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Unfold each cold pastry sheet and cut out 24 tree shapes with a 2-inch tree-shaped cookie cutter, rerolling the scraps once if needed.
  3. Arrange 24 trees on the prepared baking sheets and set the remaining 24 aside.
Fill the trees
  1. Spoon 1 teaspoon pesto onto each pastry tree on the baking sheets, spreading it thinly and leaving a 1/4-inch border.
  2. Top each tree with 1 teaspoon mozzarella.
  3. Cover with the remaining pastry trees and gently press the edges to seal.
Brush and bake
  1. Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl, then brush the egg wash over the tops of the trees.
  2. Bake for 14–18 minutes, switching the pans’ positions halfway through, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
  3. Let the bites rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Keep the pastry cold while working for the flakiest results. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze baked bites for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free pesto, mozzarella, and puff pastry.