Description

These festive Spinach-Artichoke Christmas Tree Skewers are a delightful appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. Layers of creamy spinach, artichoke, and cheese are sandwiched between flaky puff pastry, shaped into charming tree shapes on skewers, and baked to golden perfection. Topped with Provolone cheese stars, they deliver a savory and eye-catching treat that’s both fun to make and delicious to serve.

Ingredients

Scale

Filling

1 (10-oz.) bag frozen spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Pastry & Assembly

All-purpose flour, for dusting surface
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-oz. box), thawed according to package directions
12 wooden skewers
6 slices Provolone cheese

Instructions

Preheat and prepare filling: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the thawed spinach (with excess liquid squeezed out), softened cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, and chopped artichoke hearts. Season the mixture with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Roll out puff pastry: Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out each sheet of puff pastry to a 15″ x 12″ rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Trim edges if necessary to achieve uniform size.
Assemble the layers: Evenly spread the spinach-artichoke filling over one sheet of puff pastry. Carefully place the second puff pastry sheet on top, pressing lightly to adhere the layers together.
Cut into strips and shape trees: With the long side facing you, cut the layered puff pastry into 12 strips about 1 inch thick. Take one strip at a time and fold it back and forth in a zig-zag pattern, each fold narrower than the last, to form a Christmas tree shape. Make sure the filling side faces up for best presentation.
Skewer and arrange: Insert a wooden skewer from the bottom through the top of each folded tree, leaving approximately 1/2 inch of skewer visible at the top. Gently separate layers if needed so the tree shape stays open and not flattened. Arrange the skewered trees on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly.
Bake the trees: Bake in the preheated oven until the puff pastry is golden brown and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Create cheese stars: Stack two slices of Provolone cheese and use a small star-shaped cookie cutter or a paring knife to cut out four small stars per stack. Repeat with remaining Provolone slices.
Top the trees: Carefully skewer the Provolone stars onto the top of each Christmas tree skewer as festive toppers. Serve warm or at room temperature for holiday appetizers.

Notes

Ensure excess liquid is squeezed thoroughly from thawed spinach to prevent soggy pastry.
You can prepare these skewers a few hours in advance and bake just before serving.
Substitute Provolone stars with Parmesan or cheddar if preferred.
Use thawed but cold puff pastry to make rolling and folding easier.
For a spicier kick, increase red pepper flakes slightly or add a dash of garlic powder to the filling.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: spinach artichoke, Christmas appetizer, puff pastry skewers, holiday snacks, vegetarian appetizers, festive finger foods