Description
These Christmas Cheese Trees are a festive and easy appetizer featuring creamy cheese wedges coated in fresh herbs and spices, adorned with pretzel stick ‘trunks’ for a charming holiday presentation. Perfect for quick holiday parties and gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese
- 8 Cheese Wedges (such as Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges)
Herbs & Spices
- 1/3 cup mixed herbs (such as basil, rosemary, dill; diced or chopped)
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Garnish
- 4 Pretzel Sticks (cut in half)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheese Wedges: Unwrap the Laughing Cow cheese wedges or other soft cheeses sliced into wedges like brie or white cheese. Ensure all wedges are ready for seasoning.
- Mix Seasonings and Herbs: In a shallow bowl or plate, combine the diced or chopped fresh herbs with the crushed red pepper and smoked paprika to create a flavorful herb and spice mixture.
- Coat the Cheese: Press each cheese wedge firmly down into the herb-spice mixture to coat one side thoroughly with the seasoning.
- Assemble the Trees: Flip each coated cheese wedge over and insert one half of a pretzel stick into the uncoated side, forming the ‘trunk’ of the Christmas tree.
- Serve: Arrange the cheese trees on a serving platter and serve immediately for the best texture and presentation.
Notes
- Use a mix of fresh herbs for a more vibrant flavor and appearance.
- The pretzel stick trunk adds a salty crunch complementing the creamy cheese and herbs.
- This appetizer is best served fresh as the cheese may soften and herbs lose their vibrancy over time.
- Feel free to experiment with different cheese varieties to suit your taste.
- For a spicy kick, increase the crushed red pepper amount according to preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese tree
- Calories: 75
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
