Pesto Crostini Christmas Tree
Bring a touch of classy and festive fun to your next holiday gathering with this delicious pesto crostini Christmas tree! Made with crispy toasted crostini, a vibrant creamy pesto, cherry tomatoes, and a balsamic glaze – this edible Christmas tree will be your favorite new Christmas appetizer!
Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 153kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 20 small toasted French bread slices
- ½ cup pesto homemade or store-bought
- 20 mozzarella cheese pearls
- 20 cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 slice cheddar cheese
- Balsamic glaze optional
Instructions
- Start by placing your spinach (or basil) leaves down on a large wood charcuterie board in the shape of a Christmas tree.2 cups fresh baby spinach
- Add the toasted bread slices on top of the spinach. You want to cover the majority of the spinach and keep that Christmas tree shape.20 small toasted French bread slices
- Add pesto, a mozzarella pearl, and a cherry tomato to each of the toasted brea slices.1/2 cup pesto, 20 mozzarella cheese pearls, 20 cherry tomatoes
- Sprinkles toasted pine nuts across the entire Christmas tree.1/4 cup pine nuts
- Use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut out a star out of the cheese and add to the top of the tree.1 slice cheddar cheese
- If desired, drizzle the entire tree (but not the star) with the balsamic glaze. Or just serve on the side for people to drizzle on their own.Balsamic glaze
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
- Pesto – you can use either homemade pesto (this creamy pesto is my favorite) or store-bought pesto to save time.
- Spinach – this is totally optional, but it’s a fun way to give your entire Christmas tree that green color. You could also use fresh basil if that’s easier to get. It’s for looks totally so if you don’t want to use it, just skip it.
- Cherry tomatoes – cherry or grape work, you just want something small enough that when you cut them, they fit on the crostinis.
- Pine nuts – I like to toast mine. Just put them in a cold pan on the stove over medium heat and heat them until they toast lightly (you’ll start to smell them when they are toasting) – just be careful not to burn them because they go from toasted to burnt fast!
- French bread – you can use pre-cut crostini (typically find them in your grocery store bakery) or buy a loaf of French bread and cut and toast yourself.
- Balsamic glaze – this is optional, but I sure love pesto and balsamic together! Use the instructions in my eggplant rolls post to make a balsamic glaze or buy one at the store.
- Mozzarella cheese – if you can find the little mozzarella cheese pearls, they’re perfect because they fit really well on the crostinis. If you can’t, you can cut pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh goat cheese, or even feta cheese crumbles would be great!
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 498IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 1mg