Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree Appetizer

CHEESE & BACON CHRISTMAS TREE

12/15/2020

Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree

I can't think of anything I've ever made that was more fun, or more exciting to serve! This Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree is perfect for holiday entertaining, and also a fabulous idea for a north woods or outdoor themed party.

Since I posted this recipe last year, it is one of most requested!

Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree

Why serve a regular 'old cheeseball when you can create something so spectacular? This is a great appetizer to make with your little ones - they have so much fun shaping the cheese ball, sprinkling the chopped parsley, and poking pretzel sticks and mini-butter crackers into the cheeseball.

The almond slices and pomegranate seeds are a little more fragile, so you may want to do that by yourself. A sprinkle of parsley and a dusting of parmesan cheese "snow" and you're ready to party!

Who knew something so easy and delicious to make could be so much fun? Enjoy!

Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree Appetizer

CHEESE & BACON CHRISTMAS TREE

Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree?
Or perhaps for a northwoods or outdoor themed party appetizer?

Whatever you decide, this is perfect for holiday entertaining and oh-so-much fun to prepare!

Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree

INGREDIENTS:
2 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese (room temperature)
8 slices hickory-smoked bacon (cooked & crumbled)
¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
5 cups (16 oz.) shredded white cheddar cheese

1 large pretzel rod
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
small pretzel sticks (about 40 pieces)
mini butter crackers (about 40 pieces)
sliced almonds
Fresh pomegranate seeds
Parmesan cheese (grated)

SERVE WITH:
Assorted butter crackers & pretzel sticks

HOW I MAKE THESE:

PREPARE CHEESE & BACON CHEESE BALL MIXTURE: Place the cream cheese, chopped bacon, chopped sweet onion, Worcestershire sauce and shredded cheddar cheese in the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment) and pulse and mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides with a silicone spatula as needed.
ASSEMBLE CHEESE BALL TREE: Mound about ¼ cup of the cheese ball mixture on a serving platter and insert the pretzel rod vertically in the center of the cheese base. Using your hands, press the cheese base firmly around the pretzel rod to create a firm base.
Using your hands, add remaining cheeseball mixture, forming it around the pretzel rod and into a cone shape about 6 inches wide and 10 inches tall. Place in refrigerator and let chill for 1 hour.
Remove from refrigerator and carefully press the chopped parsley onto the surface of the cheeseball tree to make it green, trying to cover the entire surface. Return to refrigerator until firm, about 30 more minutes.
Remove from the fridge, and insert the small pretzel sticks, mini butter crackers and slivered almonds alternately into the tree, angle downwards to create branches. You may find it helpful to break the pretzel sticks in half so that they are proportional to the size of your tree.
Insert several almond slices at the top of the tree to make a star and sporadically place fresh pomegranate seeds on top of tree branches to look like ornaments.
From the top, sprinkle the tree branch edges with finely chopped fresh parsley and dust with finely grated parmesan cheese “snow.”
Cover entire cheese ball tree lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

YIELD: 8 – 10 serving

Originally posted December 2019; reposted December 2020

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