Christmas Tree Appetizer

Is there anything more festive than a Christmas Tree Appetizer? Light, airy and full of flavor, these savory cheese puffs make a wonderful appetizer and an elegant party bite!

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If you like to run with a holiday theme, then you’ll love this fun and festive Christmas Tree Appetizer made with light and airy cheese puffs!

While “gougères” are actually savory French pastries made from a choux dough, this version contains garlic, oregano and Italian cheeses, giving them a bit of Mediterranean flair.

When baked, these bites puff up resulting in a light, airy texture with a crispy exterior. Their piped, rounded shape makes them ideal for arranging onto a cone to turn them into a beautiful holiday spectacle.

Served as an appetizer or snack, these are great for enjoying with wine or cocktails.

Looking for more delicious Christmas appetizers? Try my Cranberry Jalapeno Dip, Sausage Reuben Puffs or Gingerbread Crusted Baked Brie.

Ingredients

• Water
• Unsalted butter
• Salt
• All purpose flour
• Garlic powder
• Dried oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Eggs
• Italian cheese blend (or cheese of your choice; see variations below)

Instructions

To begin, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

If you want to use a piping bag for a decorative touch, fit it with a large open star tip.

In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil. While that heats up, whisk together flour, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl—set this mixture aside.

Once the butter has melted, remove the pot from heat and swiftly add all the dry ingredients. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a dough. Reduce heat to medium, return the pot, and cook the dough for 1-2 minutes to reduce moisture.

Transfer the dough to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the dough for about 30 seconds, then add eggs one by one until smooth. Blend in the cheese until well combined.

Using the prepared piping bag, pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in swirls, leaving space between each puff. If needed, flatten any peaks with a wet fingertip.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Let them cool on a rack or serve them warm if preferred.

Assemble Christmas Tree Appetizer

For a festive touch, create a Christmas tree arrangement by getting a Styrofoam cone from a craft store. You can wrap it with a piece of foil or plastic wrap to avoid having the food touch the Styrofoam.

Insert toothpicks halfway into the cone, then place a cheese puff on each toothpick, layering them around the cone. Fill any gaps with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves if desired.

Note: If you don’t have a piping bag, simply use a small scoop or spoons to place the dough on the baking sheet—they might look less decorative but will taste just as good!

Recipe FAQ’s

Variations & Substitutions

Try these mouthwatering variations!

• Herb and Garlic Gougères: Add a mix of freshly chopped herbs like parsley, thyme, and chives along with minced garlic to the dough for a fragrant and flavorful twist.
• Bacon and Gruyère Gougères: Incorporate crispy cooked bacon bits and Gruyère cheese into the dough for a savory and indulgent flavor combination.
• Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Gougères: Mix chopped sun-dried tomatoes and finely shredded fresh basil into the dough to infuse a burst of tanginess and herbaceous notes.
• Spicy Jalapeño and Cheddar Gougères: Fold diced jalapeños and sharp cheddar cheese into the dough for a kick of heat and bold, cheesy taste.

Christmas Tree Appetizer

Is there anything more festive than a Christmas Tree Appetizer? Light, airy and full of flavor, these savory cheese puffs make a wonderful appetizer and an elegant party bite!

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Course Appetizer, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 50 cheese puffs

Author Dianna Muscari

Ingredients  

• 1 cup water
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup shredded or grated Italian cheese blend

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Prepare a piping bag by fitting with a large open star tip attachment.
• Bring water, butter and salt to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together flour, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper. Set aside.
• When the butter has melted, remove the pot from the heat and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix vigorously until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Reduce the heat to medium and return the pot to the heat, stirring the dough and cooking it for 1-2 minutes to help remove some of the moisture.
• Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the dough for about 30 seconds to cool it slightly, then add one egg at a time until each is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
• Add cheese and mix until fully blended.
• Scrape the dough into the prepared piping bag. Pipe cheese puffs onto prepared baking pans. You’ll want to make a little swirl as if you’re frosting a mini cupcake, about 1 tablespoon per puff, leaving about 2 inches between each one. If peaks remain after piping, wet the tip of your finger and flatten them slightly.
• Bake for about 18-20 minutes until the puffs turn golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the baking pan and cool on a rack or serve warm if desired.

Arrange Christmas Tree

• If you'd like to arrange the cheese puffs like a Christmas tree, you'll need to buy a styrofoam cone shape from the craft store {usually in the floral section}.
• Starting at the bottom of the cone, insert a toothpick half way into the cone, then push a cheese puff onto the toothpick to adhere. Do this all the way around the cone, then continue the next layer above the first, placing toothpicks and cheese puffs all the way up and around the cone.
• Fill in any gaps with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves if desired.

Dianna’s Tips

Note: If you don’t have a piping bag and tips, you can simply scoop the dough onto the prepared baking pan using a small cookie scoop or two spoons. They will have a rounded, less decorative appearance, but will still be just as tasty!

Variations

• Herb and Garlic Gougères: Add a mix of freshly chopped herbs like parsley, thyme, and chives along with minced garlic to the dough for a fragrant and flavorful twist.

• Bacon and Gruyère Gougères: Incorporate crispy cooked bacon bits and Gruyère cheese into the dough for a savory and indulgent flavor combination.

• Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Gougères: Mix chopped sun-dried tomatoes and finely shredded fresh basil into the dough to infuse a burst of tanginess and herbaceous notes.

• Spicy Jalapeño and Cheddar Gougères: Fold diced jalapeños and sharp cheddar cheese into the dough for a kick of heat and bold, cheesy taste.