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Cheese Christmas Trees with Pistachios Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 143 reviews
  • Author: Villerius
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 16 cheese trees
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These charming Cheese Christmas Trees are a festive and easy appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. Creamy Laughing Cow cheese wedges are transformed into delightful trees by coating them with a colorful mix of finely chopped pistachios, fresh rosemary, and dried cranberries, then topped with pretzel sticks as tree trunks. Quick to assemble and visually impressive, these cheese wedges add a playful, seasonal touch to your party spread.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Trees

  • 16 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese (from 2 packages), at room temperature

Coating Mixture

  • 1/4 cup salted and roasted shelled pistachios, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, finely chopped

Tree Trunks

  • 8 small pretzel sticks, broken into 2 pieces each

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Coating Mix: Finely chop the fresh rosemary, salted pistachios, and dried cranberries until the pieces are very small. This ensures the coating sticks well to the cheese and creates a visually appealing, festive green and red mixture. Combine these chopped ingredients in a shallow bowl or dessert plate and mix thoroughly.
  2. Add the Tree Trunks: Gently insert one pretzel stick piece into the bottom end of each Laughing Cow cheese wedge to create the tree trunk. Be careful to push softly to avoid breaking the soft cheese. If needed, create a small hole beforehand using a toothpick or skewer.
  3. Coat the Cheese Wedges: Carefully press each cheese wedge into the coating mixture, covering all visible surfaces evenly with the pistachio-rosemary-cranberry blend. This gives each wedge the appearance of a decorated Christmas tree.
  4. Serve and Display: Arrange the coated cheese trees on a serving platter attractively and serve immediately for the best texture and freshness. Alternatively, prepare in advance but add pretzel sticks just before serving to maintain crispness.

Notes

  • Pretzel Stick Tip: Insert pretzel sticks gently or use a toothpick/skewer to pre-make a hole to prevent splitting the cheese.
  • Coating Ingredients: Chop pistachios, dried cranberries, and rosemary finely for better adhesion and neat appearance.
  • Make Ahead Option: Assemble coated cheese wedges up to 4 hours ahead, but insert pretzel sticks just prior to serving to keep them crisp.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cheese tree wedge
  • Calories: 90
  • Sugar: 1.5g
  • Sodium: 210mg
  • Fat: 7g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 3g
  • Fiber: 0.5g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 10mg

Find it online: https://evelynseats.com/cheese-christmas-trees-with-pistachios-recipe/