Easy and Beautiful Christmas Tree Pastry

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This Christmas tree pastry is another one of those recipes that *looks* super complicated but is surprisingly quick and simple! I filled mine with Nutella, but there are so many easy variations to make it a favorite holiday dish that is perfect for parties!

Happy holidays, friends! What I love about this dish is that it’s versatile enough to be an appetizer or dessert and can feed a large amount of people with very little prep. It came out so pretty and festive that I might have to start referring to this Christmas tree pastry as a Christmas “Pas-TREE.” (Thanks for forgiving my puns!) 🙂

What Do I Need to Make This Puff “Pas-Tree?”

Not much! Just 6 easy-to-find ingredients:

• One package of puff pastry, or two individual pastry sheets
• Nutella (to your preference – I used about half a cup to make a thin layer)
• One egg
• Approximately 1/3 cup of powdered sugar
• Candy canes for garnish (chopped into small pieces)
• Star cookie cutter (if you don’t have one, you could print out or draw a star, cut it out, then place over the pastry to trace and cut out with a knife)
• Optional: parchment paper, cooking spray, or oil so the pastry doesn’t stick to the pan

Substitutions

This recipe has so many variations you could do! You could even create a savory option for an appetizer instead of a dessert:

• Instead of Nutella, you could use jam, peanut butter, melted chocolate, or fruit filling
• If you like a crunch, add in almonds, a different type of nut, or Rice Krispies!
• If candy canes aren’t your thing, swap them out for fresh berries like raspberries, finely chopped strawberries, or pomegranates as garnishes
• If you prefer savory over sweet, substitute the Nutella for your favorite pasta sauce and add in mozzarella. Then, use parmesan cheese instead of powdered sugar and small tomatoes instead of the candy cane garnish

Directions:

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. (Parchment paper is a great way to make sure your creations don’t get stuck to the pan and is safe for up to 425 degrees. Just don’t leave your dish on it for too long after it cooks so it doesn’t burn.) If you don’t have any, lightly greasing the pan works great, too!

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees celcius)
• Unroll both puff pastries onto the parchment paper directly on top of each other. They will be a rectangular shape.
• Using a sharp knife, cut a Christmas tree triangular shape out of both pastries. This will ensure their shape is identical.
• Carefully lift off the top pastry and set it aside for the top layer. (Tip: Hold onto the scraps – you’ll need those for the star topper! You can also make small ornament cut-outs with scraps if you’d like.)
• Make star topper out of scraps and set aside.

Assembling the Pas-Tree:

• Spread pastry with Nutella or other filling of your choice. Place second pastry back on top.
• Cut perpendicular lines into both sides of the triangle for the tree branches. Do not go all the way to the middle; leave about two inches in the middle uncut for the tree trunk. The branches will be longer on the bottom and shorter as you make your way up the triangle. Leave the very top part of the triangle uncut so it’s a flat surface for the star.
• Once all of the branches are cut (except for the very top), twist each one into a small role. Tip: this can get messy with the Nutella getting on your hands, so I keep a paper towel nearby to clean my hands so I don’t get chocolatey fingerprints all over the tree!

Adding the Decorations

• Place the star and/or ornament cut-outs on top of the tree. You can also layer several for a puffier effect.
• Beat the egg in a small bowl and lightly brush the tree with the yolk.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully transfer to serving platter.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar. I love this shaker tool so too much doesn’t come out too fast!
• Top with chopped peppermints or berry garnishes.

You Can Watch a Video Tutorial Here!

Perfect Presentation Platters

There are so many options for this Christmas Pastry! You could use a platter, special holiday dish, or wooden serving board. I’d definitely recommend having a wooden serving board on hand because you can get so much use out it, like displaying everything from cheese boards to desserts to main courses like chicken or steak.

The one that I used is from Home Goods, but you can also find a similar version on Amazon or even a fun serving tray like this one from Michaels. Other options from Target that I love are this distressed black wooden board, this wooden serving trivet, this, elevated wooden serving board, or this choice with double wooden handles.

For a higher-end choice, you could go with Mackenzie Child’s checkered chopping board or this from Kirkland’s or this lovely choice from Williams-Sonoma.

(The size of your pastry may vary depending on the size of your serving platter, so just be sure to go with one that is large or small enough to fit your needs.)

Can I Make This In Advance?

Yes! You can prep the pastry and refrigerate for 2-3 days prior to baking. I’d recommend serving it warm, so wait to cook or reheat it until you are ready to serve. Save the powdered sugar, candy canes, or other garnishes until after it is cooked.

How Should I Store Leftovers?

If you used a filling like Nutella, chocolate, or peanut butter, this can be stored in the fridge or at room-temperature for 2-3 days (just cover with Saran Wrap or aluminum foil.) If you substituted your filling with fruit or cheese, cover and store in the refrigerator, where it should stay fresh for 3-4 days. Microwave before serving.

Enjoy!

I hope you and your loved ones enjoyed this holiday Pas-Tree! Thanks so much for eatwell101.com for the recipe and thank YOU for being here on our little corner of the internet. Happy Holidays, friends!

Ho Ho Ho,

Leanna

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