Puff Pastry Christmas Tree with Pesto

Puff pastry Christmas tree with pesto is a flaky holiday appetizer with homemade red pesto, ready in 30 minutes.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Course Appetizers and Snacks

Cuisine Other

Servings persons

Calories 1131 kcal

Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic

Put the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, thyme, walnuts, and Parmesan in a blender bowl.
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, ½ tablespoon dried thyme, 2 oz. walnuts, 2 oz. Parmesan cheese
Pulse briefly, then add the olive oil. Blend until smooth.
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Half the pastry and cut each part into a simple Christmas tree shape.
2¼ pound puff pastry
Lay one puff pastry sheet on the baking sheet and spread the red pesto in a thin, even layer. Leave a small border around the edge.
Place the second puff pastry sheet on top.
Cut the pastry so you'll get 'Christmas tree branches' on both sides, keeping the center trunk area intact.
Brush the whole tree with milk.
2 tablespoons milk
Twist each strip gently two to three times.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Serve warm.

1. Can I use store-bought red pesto instead? Yes. It works well when you want to save time.

2. Why should the puff pastry stay cold? Cold pastry is easier to cut and twist neatly. If it gets too warm, it turns sticky fast.

3. Do I need to leave a border around the edge? Yes. That helps the pastry sheets seal better.

4. When is it best to serve this? Serve it warm, the same day you bake it, while the pastry is still crisp.

5. Storage

This Christmas tree is best the day it is baked. If you have leftovers, let them cool completely and store them covered in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheat in a hot oven for a few minutes to crisp the pastry again.
Red pesto: Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

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