Christmas Cheese Trees

Christmas Cheese Trees- These simple, no cook appetizers are sure to add a little holiday flare to any table.

December 3, 2024 by Nicole Collins

Jump to Print Recipe

Today, we’re making Christmas Cheese Trees!

It’s Day 3 in our 12 Days of Cheese series, and today’s super simple, no cook handheld bite is the surefire way to add a little extra holiday flare to your table this year. We’re going to turn boring little cheese wedges into the most adorable little Christmas trees!

Let’s start with the cheese. Laughing Cow cheese is the easiest way to go here. It naturally comes in the perfect Christmas tree shape, and it’s just sticky enough for us to glue on a little festive cheer. I prefer the original flavor for these little trees, but use the flavor you like!

To turn our cheese wedges into Christmas trees, we’re going to coat them in leafy herbs. I like to use minced parsley mixed with some minced fresh chives to add a little extra pop of flavor. A few tips for success…1. Make sure your herbs are really really dry before you mince the herbs. If they’re at all a little wet, the herbs will have trouble sticking to the cheese. 2. Mince the herbs as finely as possible. The cheese wedges are small, so we need our tree leaves to be small too!

Once our herbs are minced, it’s as simple as unwrapping a cheese wedge, dipping it in the herb mix, and pressing gently to help the herbs stick to the cheese. Since every tree needs a trunk, we’re going to gently insert half a pretzel stick into the cheese to make our tree trunk. Now this cheese is very delicate, so we have to be careful with it. But if it breaks while you’re coating it or adding the pretzel, you should be able to press and mold it right back together.

The last thing our trees need is a Christmas star! We’ll cut off the flattest side of a yellow bell pepper (or use a mini bell pepper to make it even easier), then use a small star shaped fondant stamper to punch out little stars. I find it’s easiest to punch the pepper shiny side up, so you don’t have trouble piercing the skin with the stamp. Then, top each tree with a little star, and that’s all there is to it!

These festive little bites are truly so simple, but they add so much holiday pizazz to any spread or cheeseboard. You can make as many or as few of these as you need. And, they’re pretty delicious too! Plop them on a cracker, and that’s that!

Tomorrow, we’re making the creamiest, dreamiest, cheesiest dish in all the land. So, stay tuned!

I hope you enjoy, and let’s eat!

---

Christmas Cheese Trees

Serves: 16          Print

Ingredients:

• 1 cup parsley, finely minced

• 1 tbsp chives, finely minced

• 2 packs (16 wedges) Laughing Cow cheese (I like original flavor)

• 8 pretzel sticks, broken in half

• ¼ yellow bell pepper (flattest piece possible)

• Crackers, for serving

Directions:

1. Add parsley and chives to a small bowl, and mix well to combine.

2. Carefully unwrap cheese wedges, and place into the parsley mix, gently pressing to adhere. Gently insert pretzel stick half through the center of the wide part of the wedge.

3. Using a small star shaped fondant stamp, press 16 stars out of the slice of yellow bell pepper. Gently press 1 star onto the point of each wedge. Serve with crackers, if desired. Enjoy!
   

Recipe notes:

*I find it’s easier to stamp the pepper with the outside (shiny side) of the pepper facing up. You get a cleaner cut through the skin that way. 

*Be gentle when you’re pushing the pretzel into the cheese, because if you push too hard or too far, the cheese will break. If that happens, just press and mold the cheese back together.

*Make sure your herbs are nice and dry. That will help them stick to the cheese.