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Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Tree Appetizers

Published: Dec 17, 2012 · Recipe by: Beth · This post may contain affiliate links.

Add a touch of whimsy to your holiday meal by serving Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees instead of dinner rolls. They are fun and easy to make.

Add a touch of whimsy to your holiday meal by serving Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees instead of dinner rolls. They are fun and easy to make.

Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees 

My most popular project here on Hungry Happenings is my Crescent Roll Carrots and I’ve been thinking a lot about variations of this idea and am finally sharing one today. There are a lot of you who have purchased the cream horn forms to make those carrots, and I thought you’d like another recipe that will put them to use.

I tried to come up with a way of creating a green Christmas tree out of Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheets and didn’t want to just use food coloring. I wanted to create a tree that would taste great all on it’s own, but could be filled too. There were a few failed attempts, but I finally landed on something I think tastes great and looks festive and fun for a Christmas party.Each of the trees pictured above is coated with green pesto and sprinkled with some Parmesan cheese to make them look snow covered. I think the Christmas Tree Appetizers look good just as they are, but it would also be fun to decorate them, if you want to take that kind of time.

For the tree pictured at left, I cut some roasted red peppers into small circles and attached them to one of my trees. I also added a small star to the top, which fell off once baked. This tree was covered in dill, which I thought looked great, but ultimately tasted like you were eating grass on a crescent roll, so I don’t suggest it, but I do love the addition of the red Christmas ornaments.

Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees (makes 12-15)

You’ll need:

flour to dust cutting board
|Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheets or puff pastry
about a cup of pesto (store bought or homemade – see recipe below)
2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Supplies:

cutting board
pizza wheel or knife
metal cream horn forms
baking sheet lined with parchment paper or non-stick tin foil
tongs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wrap crescent dough around cream horn forms to make Crescent Roll Christmas Trees.

Dust cutting board liberally with flour. Unroll Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet onto cutting board. Use a pizza wheel or knife to cut the dough into 3/8 inch wide strips. Wrap one strip around each of your cream horn forms in a spiral.

Brush crescent roll dough with green pesto to make Christmas Tree Rolls.

Set your crescent dough covered cream horn forms on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Liberally brush green pesto all over your crescent roll trees.

Brush crescent roll dough with green pesto to make Christmas Tree Rolls.

Place in a preheated oven and bake for about 8 minutes until the trees get golden brown.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top of the Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Return to oven for 30 seconds, just to make sure the cheese melts enough to stick to the trees.

Bake Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees on cream horn forms.

While your crescent roll Christmas trees are still hot, remove them from the cream horn forms. Hold the open end of the cream horn mold with tongs. Gently tug on the widest end of the crescent roll tree and slowly pull it off the cream horn mold.

Bake Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees on cream horn forms.

Serve your Green Pesto Christmas Tree Appetizers warm or cold. You can bake them ahead of your party and re-heat them before serving.  They taste great all on their own, but if you prefer, you can fill them with something savory, like I did with the crescent roll carrots. I used ham and egg salad for the carrots, but chicken salad or a cheese spread would taste great in these pesto trees.

 

Add a touch of whimsy to your holiday meal by serving Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees instead of dinner rolls. They are fun and easy to make.

If you’d like your trees to stand up, you will need to trim the bottoms to level them out. Just cut off any bumps using kitchen shears (scissors.) If any of the trees come apart when you pull them off the cream horn forms, just serve the now spiral tree alongside the whole trees, like I did!

Green Basil Pesto Recipe:

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (see how to toast nuts here)
4-5 cloves roasted garlic (see directions here) or use 2-3 raw garlic cloves for a sharper flavor
2 1/4 cups packed basil leaves
7 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese or good quality Parmesan

Place the pine nuts, roasted garlic, and basil leaves in a food processor and pulse until the leaves and nuts are chopped. With the food processor running, drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Then add the cheese and pulse just to combine.

NOTE: For really bright green pesto – before you begin the pesto recipe, bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the basil leaves. Stir for 20-30 seconds. Then immediately remove the basil and place in an ice water bath to cool. Spin dry in a salad spinner then proceed with the recipe above.

Add a touch of whimsy to your holiday meal by serving Green Pesto Crescent Roll Christmas Trees instead of dinner rolls. They are fun and easy to make.

Be sure to check out all my fun Christmas Recipes!

Find over 100 wonderful Christmas Recipes to make cute desserts, festive party food, and homemade gifts at HungryHappenings.com. See step-by-step and video tutorials so you can easily recreate all the fun food crafts, sweet treats, and savory appetizers at home.

About the Author, Beth Jackson Klosterboer

Beth is a professional chocolatier, recipe developer, event planner, and cookbook author who loves to make fun food.

Read More about Beth...

Previous Post: « Reese’s Cup Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Treats for Christmas
Next Post: Dark Chocolate Nutter Butter Penguins with Marshmallow Bellies »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. lupus wiki

    November 11, 2015 at 1:11 am

    Wow! This idea is really amazing. It’s more than a month until Christmas but why I feel so excited :3

    Reply
  2. Randi Lynne

    December 22, 2012 at 12:32 am

    These are incredibly creative!

    Reply
  3. Carmen Nuland

    December 21, 2012 at 2:53 am

    I Follow Hungry Happenings on Pinterest

    Reply
  4. Carmen Nuland

    December 21, 2012 at 2:53 am

    I Follow Hungry Happenings on Twitter

    Reply
  5. Carmen Nuland

    December 21, 2012 at 2:53 am

    I Like Hungry Happenings on Facebook

    Reply
  6. Carmen Nuland

    December 21, 2012 at 2:53 am

    Those trees are amazing!

    Reply
  7. Salina

    December 19, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    Just started following you on Pinterest. Can't wait to start making some of your awesome creations!

    Reply
  8. CuteEverything.com

    December 19, 2012 at 4:33 am

    This is great for an appetizer, the pesto works really well for it, too, and would be delicious.

    Reply
  9. Chriss

    December 19, 2012 at 4:17 am

    I Follow Hungry Happenings on Pinterest

    Reply
  10. Chriss

    December 19, 2012 at 4:16 am

    Like Hungry Happenings on Facebook

    Reply
  11. Chriss

    December 19, 2012 at 4:13 am

    Following Hungry Happenings on twitter

    Reply
  12. Chriss

    December 19, 2012 at 4:13 am

    I'd love to win this.

    Reply
  13. Jessie

    December 19, 2012 at 1:22 am

    Adorable trees – and they look so tasty!

    Reply
  14. wilma2389

    December 18, 2012 at 8:01 pm

    Would love to win the olive oil. You come up with really unique ideas.

    Reply
  15. Anonymous

    December 18, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    Oh, keep the great ideas comming!!!!

    Deanna

    Orsega65@comcast.net

    Reply
  16. Brenda

    December 18, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    You are so, so smart!

    Reply
  17. dragonswing

    December 18, 2012 at 4:25 pm

    I liked you on facebook.

    Reply
  18. dragonswing

    December 18, 2012 at 4:25 pm

    I am already a follower of Hungry Happenings.

    Reply
  19. dragonswing

    December 18, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    Thank you for such a creative idea. I had not seen the carrots before. And thanks for the pesto recipe. Can't wait to try it.

    Reply
  20. Tami

    December 18, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    I follow you on Facebook!

    Reply
  21. Tami

    December 18, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    I follow you on Pinterest!

    Reply
  22. Tami

    December 18, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    I follow you on twitter!

    Reply
  23. Tami

    December 18, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Always looking for a great Olive Oil to try!

    Reply
  24. Amy

    December 18, 2012 at 6:29 am

    Following Hungry Happenings on Pinterest

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Reply
  25. Amy

    December 18, 2012 at 6:29 am

    Following Hungry Happenings on Twitter

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Reply
  26. Amy

    December 18, 2012 at 6:29 am

    Liked Hungry Happenings on Facebook

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Reply
  27. Amy

    December 18, 2012 at 6:29 am

    What a creative treat! I have those cream horn molds. I'm gonna give this a try. 🙂 Love this Olive Oil giveaway.

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Reply
  28. Tia

    December 18, 2012 at 4:30 am

    I just have to try this olive oil. It sounds delicious!

    Reply
  29. Lou

    December 18, 2012 at 1:31 am

    The olive oil sounds great!

    Reply
  30. Meryl

    December 18, 2012 at 1:29 am

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  31. mlaiuppa

    December 17, 2012 at 11:49 pm

    I'm up for anything pesto and those are darling. But I'll skip the Pillsbury crescent rolls and go directly to the puff pastry. I've been wanting an excuse to buy cream horn molds. I already have cannoli tubes.

    Reply
  32. KCorb

    December 17, 2012 at 11:24 pm

    The Olive Oil sounds delicous. The box sounds brilliant!
    I will look to see if they sell it at Dorothy Lane Market.

    Reply
  33. Chrissy

    December 17, 2012 at 9:54 pm

    I follow on Pinterest.

    Reply
  34. Chrissy

    December 17, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    I follow on Twitter (@kawaiidragon88).

    Reply
  35. Chrissy

    December 17, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    I like you on Facebook (Christina Chang).

    Reply
  36. Chrissy

    December 17, 2012 at 9:52 pm

    Wow, I've never seen boxed olive oil before. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  37. Anonymous

    December 17, 2012 at 9:40 pm

    I follow you on Facebook.
    garynonnemacher@comcast.net

    Reply
  38. Anonymous

    December 17, 2012 at 9:39 pm

    I'd love to win!
    garynonnemacher@cocmast.net

    Reply
  39. Catie

    December 17, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    I follow you on Twitter (@something_else)

    Reply
  40. Catie

    December 17, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    I like you on Facebook.

    Reply
  41. Catie

    December 17, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    I've never made my own pesto before – you have inspired me!

    Reply
  42. Victoria W

    December 17, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    I'm following on Pinterest.
    elkcrvic@windstream.net

    Reply
  43. Victoria W

    December 17, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    I'm following on Twitter..
    elkcrvic@windstream.net

    Reply
  44. Victoria W

    December 17, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Going to give these a try. They are so cute!
    elkcrvic@windstream.net

    Reply
  45. sandy

    December 17, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    i also follow on pinterest

    Reply
  46. sandy

    December 17, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    i follow on facebook

    Reply
  47. sandy

    December 17, 2012 at 6:10 pm

    i use olive oil all the time brings out the flavor

    Reply
  48. Chris Coyle

    December 17, 2012 at 5:56 pm

    I follow you on Pinterest as @HyeThymeCafe

    Reply
  49. Chris Coyle

    December 17, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    I follow you on Twitter as @HyeThymeCafe

    Reply
  50. Chris Coyle

    December 17, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    I follow you on FB as Hye Thyme Cafe.

    Reply
  51. Chris Coyle

    December 17, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    What a cute idea! I was planning to bake some dill rolls or some other bread to go with dinner, but I might have to try a version of this now if I can rig something to use for the cones.

    Reply
  52. Carole

    December 17, 2012 at 4:34 pm

    I follow on Pintrest

    Reply
  53. Carole

    December 17, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    I like on FB

    Reply
  54. Carole

    December 17, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    I am almost out of olive oil

    Reply
    • Beth Jackson Klosterboer

      December 25, 2012 at 3:49 pm

      Congratulations Carole, you have won the Extra Virgin Olive Oil from The Virgin Press. Merry Christmas. Please send your mailing information to beth@hungryhappenings.com and I'll forward it on to the company.

      Reply
  55. mustard seeds

    December 17, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    I am a follower on Pinterest.
    Sheila
    whitjsss@aol.com

    Reply
  56. mustard seeds

    December 17, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    I think these would be great with chicken salad. I will have to try them.
    Sheila
    whitjsss@aol.com

    Reply
  57. mustard seeds

    December 17, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    I follow you on Facebook.
    Sheila
    whitjsss@aol.com

    Reply
  58. Donna

    December 17, 2012 at 4:16 pm

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  59. Dawn

    December 17, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    I love those metal forms. They are so easy to work with!

    Reply
  60. Enda

    December 17, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    it looks nice and delicious !
    http://detailsbyenda.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  61. ELNM

    December 17, 2012 at 2:46 pm

    I already like Hungry Happenings on Facebook – thanks for a yummy giveaway!
    ellen(at)myerly(dot)net

    Reply
  62. ELNM

    December 17, 2012 at 2:46 pm

    I love using olive oil and I do make pesto, so this would be a fantastic prize – thanks for the chance!
    ellen(at)myerly(dot)net

    Reply
  63. bakerunlive.com

    December 17, 2012 at 2:44 pm

    The trees are such a cute idea and would great on the dinner table on Christmas!
    I have never seen olive oil in a box.

    Reply
  64. nana

    December 17, 2012 at 2:44 pm

    So cute!

    Reply
  65. emily w

    December 17, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    This olive oil sounds delicious!

    Reply

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