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Dazzle friends and family this holiday season with a fabulous Cheese Board Christmas Tree that everyone will love. Featuring puff pastry braids, three different cheeses, and fruit, it’s a fun (not to mention delicious) way to be festive.

A Christmas tree-shaped pastry topped with cubes of cheese and surrounded by kiwi slices, displayed on a round wooden board.
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Serve the tree as an appetizer at a Christmas party or as an after-dinner treat on the big day. You can even make a smaller version to share with a loved one as a snack. 

Recipe Tip

Feel free to customize the cheese and fruit. You can even add cured meats and nuts (check out my tree charcuterie board for more ideas). Enjoy!

A braided pastry shaped like a Cheese Board Christmas Tree sits on a round wooden board, with decorative houses and a green tree nearby.

Cheese Board Tree Ingredients

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details! 

  • Cheese: I use Manchego, Cheddar, and Comte.
  • Puff pastry: You will need a rectangular sheet for this recipe. Keep the pastry cool until you are ready to prepare it.
  • Kiwi: Use firm kiwis. They are delicious paired with the bold cheese.
  • Mango: For the best mango, it should be firm with a slight give at the top. 
  • Rosemary: To garnish.
A mango, four kiwis, a bowl of cream, three bowls of cubed cheese, and a sheet of pastry are arranged beautifully on a gray surface.

How to Make a Christmas Tree Cheese Board

  1. Shape the puff pastry tree: Cut the pastry into long strips. Braid three strips together. Arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Brush with heavy cream and bake til golden (see photos below).
  2. Prepare the cheese and fruit: Cube the cheese, slice the peeled kiwis, and cut a piece of mango into a star.
  3. Assemble: Place the baked pastry tree on a serving platter. Fill the tree with the cheese and kiwi. Top the tree with the mango star.
Three strips of dough are laid out side by side on a round wooden cutting board, with a hand reaching toward them from the left.
Two hands braiding three strips of dough on a round wooden board.
Two hands shape a strip of braided dough on a parchment-lined surface.
A hand uses a pastry brush to apply cream to braided dough shaped like a tree on parchment paper.

Tips and Tricks

  • Keep the puff pastry cold before preparing. This makes it easier to work with. 
  • Dice the cheese into similar-sized cubes.
  • Serve the tree on a large cutting board or a platter. A tree-shaped platter would be perfect!
A cheese board is arranged decoratively with sliced kiwi, cubed white cheese, braided puff pastry, and a star-shaped cheese piece on top.

Possible Variations

  • Cheese: Use any hard cheese you like.
  • Kiwi: Grapes, apples, strawberries, plums, apricots, etc, will all make great alternatives, or use a selection of fruits to add variety.
  • Mango: Yellow pepper would work, or use a star-shaped bowl and top it with honey. 
  • Pastry: Try storebought crescent rolls, pizza dough, or shape the tree from rectangular crackers.
  • Make it a dessert: Sprinkle the puff pastry tree with powdered sugar and swap the cheese for your favorite festive treats.
  • Double up: This board serves 8-10 people, but feel free to make a larger tree if serving a crowd.

FAQs

Can I make the puff pastry tree ahead of time? 

Yes, bake it a few hours before serving and let it cool completely.

I have lots of leftovers. What do I do? 

Add the cheese to your next salad, and top the kiwi onto a yogurt bowl, or freeze it to add to your next smoothie. The puff pastry makes a tasty snack (try it with peanut butter and jam ).

I don’t know how to braid, is there another way to make the tree?

Yes! You can take two strips of pastry and twist them together.

More Festive Boards

A Christmas tree-shaped pastry braid topped with cheese cubes and surrounded by kiwi slices on a wooden board, with decorative ceramic houses in the background.
Servings: 8 people

Cheese Board Christmas Tree

Braided puff pastry Christmas tree filled with kiwi, cheddar, Comte, and manchego.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 140 grams puff pastry
  • 100 grams Comte
  • 100 grams cheddar, mature
  • 60 grams Manchego
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream, or egg wash
  • 4 kiwis, peeled
  • 1/2 mango
  • 8 sprigs rosemary, small

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (392℉).
  • Roll out your puff pastry and cut into 1/3 inch strips.
  • Press three strips of pastry together at one end, and braid all the way down.
  • Fold the ends underneath the braid.
  • Repeat until you have four braids.
  • Assemble the braids into a Christmas tree shape.
  • Brush with heavy cream.
  • Bake the tree for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  • Allow to cool.
  • Slice the mango, and cut out the star with the cookie cutter.
  • Cube the cheese into similar sized pieces.
  • Slice the peeled kiwi, then halve each slice.
  • Arrange the cheese and kiwi inside the tree.
  • Place the kiwi halves around the outer edge of the tree.
  • Top with the rosemary sprigs and serve.

Video

Notes

You can freeze any remaining puff pastry, or use it to make cinnamon squares: roll out your pastry and brush with egg wash or heavy cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, cut into 1 inch rectangles, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 264mg, Potassium: 148mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 547IU, Vitamin C: 39mg, Calcium: 318mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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