Bite-Sized Christmas Tree Appetizers
HB-8858 · Hand-built original · American
A buttery cracker crust topped with seasoned cream cheese, pecans, cranberries and parsley, cut into triangles with pretzel stick trunks.
AmericanMain courseVegetarianGluten-freeEgg-free
Main ingredient: sugar
Pairs well with: coleslaw, cornbread, potato salad, baked beans
Serving count not stated for this recipe, so quantities are shown as written.
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups crushed buttery crackers (Ritz or similar)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- For the Creamy Layer:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
- For the Toppings:
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup dried cranberries (coarsely chopped)
- 2–3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional, for glossy finish)
- To Assemble:
- Pretzel sticks (for tree trunks)
- Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional garnish)
Method
- Stir the crushed buttery crackers and melted butter together until the mixture looks like wet sand, then press it firmly into an 8×8-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Chill the crust while you make the filling.
- Beat the cream cheese with the sour cream or Greek yogurt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chilled crust, right to the edges, and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes until firm.
- Mix the chopped pecans, dried cranberries and parsley together and sprinkle them evenly over the firm cheese layer, pressing them down gently so they adhere.
- Cut the chilled block into triangles with a sharp knife, then push a pretzel stick into the base of each triangle as a tree trunk.
- Set a rosemary sprig at the top of each tree, arrange the appetizers on a platter, and keep them chilled until serving.
Nutrition not computed — no serving count in the source recipe (per-serving values cannot be derived without one).