Easy, cheesy holiday appetizer recipes: Pizza pull-apart Christmas tree, Brie wreath

If you need a festive snack while rockin' around the Christmas tree this holiday season, check out these two flaky and savory pastries to add to the holiday table that are as easy to make as they are to eat.

Pull-apart cheese and spinach Christmas tree recipe

First up, food content creator Diane Morrisey shared her recipe with "Good Morning America" for a cheese- and spinach-filled, pull-apart, tree-shaped appetizer.

Ingredients

12 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry

6 ounces cream cheese softened

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 tube refrigerated thin crust pizza crust

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, beat together the spinach and cream cheese.

Add garlic, salt, onion powder, chili powder, pepper and Italian seasoning and beat to combine.

Add parmesan cheese and 1/2 of mozzarella cheese and beat to combine. (The other half of the mozzarella cheese will be sprinkled over the filling when you shape the Christmas tree.)

Shape into Christmas tree as directed in the post.

Bake for about 22 minutes until quite golden brown on top and cooked through on the bottom.

Melt butter and stir in garlic salt and seasoning, then brush over breadsticks.

Recipe reprinted courtesy of Diane Morrisey.

Cranberry Brie Crescent Holiday Wreath

Christina Musgrave of Tasting with Tina shared her recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to bake and packs all the holiday flavors with cranberry, orange, brie and of course -- golden, buttery pastry.

Total Time: 25 Minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup cranberry juice
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 pack crescent rolls
4 ounces sliced brie

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small saucepan, bring cranberry juice to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in honey, mix, and then stir in cranberries and orange juice. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until liquid reduces and a jam forms.

On a lined baking sheet, line crescent rolls in a ring, with the wide ends overlapping and the narrow ends facing outwards.

Spoon cranberry mixture over the wide ends of the crescent rolls. Next, add brie slices on top of cranberries. Fold the narrow ends of the crescent roll over and tuck under the wide end of the roll.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.

Editor's note: This was originally published on Dec. 13, 2021.