Cinnamon Sugar Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

T-minus 3 days until Christmas, and my kitchen has officially become a holiday baking factory… I am in no way complaining – but if you were to walk into my kitchen right now it would look like a holiday baking bomb exploded, and smell as though you were inside of a gingerbread house.

I absolutely adore baking, so it never feels like a chore to me – but let’s be honest, the holidays can be stressful, and the idea of baking something completely from scratch can seem like a daunting task that you just don’t have time for.

So my friend Kelsey (@kelsey_thefarmersdaughter) got together to come up with a couple what we call “half-homemade” recipes to help you out this Holiday season. These desserts are so simple that even if you have left your planning to the very last minute, you can totally pull them off and absolutely wow your crowd.

Store bought puff pastry is a revelation; a game changer; downright life changing. It can be used in so many applications, and it’s always flaky, buttery, deliciousness.

This Puff Pastry Christmas Tree has got to be one of my favourite festive Holiday recipes. It comes together in minutes with just a handful of ingredients; Puff pastry, butter, and cinnamon sugar… I mean it really doesn’t get much more simple than that! Plus it’s just downright festive and adorable!

Simple as this dessert may be – it is a guaranteed showstopper that is guaranteed to leave your guests swooning. Like this tree will be the talk of your Holiday Party season – so be prepared to be showered with compliments on your mad baking skillz.

Oh and did I mention, on top of its all around butter, flaky, cinnamon sugar deliciousness, it’s also drizzled with a cream cheese glaze?? Yeah… cream cheese glaze… Pro tip; It’s probably a good idea to make two 😀

The full recipe is below, and if you would like more of a visual on how to make this adorable tree happen – You can watch the full step by step tutorial I made with Kelsey over on my Instagram TV channel here!

I would love nothing more than to see your adorable trees and any flavour variations you try – so don’t forget to tag me @thesweetandsimplekitchen in your pictures!

Happy Holiday Baking!

KP xoxo

Cinnamon Sugar Puff Pastry Christmas Tree with Cream Cheese Glaze

Things you need…

Tree
3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp all purpose flour
4 tbsp butter, softened

Egg Wash
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tbsp cream

Cream Cheese Glaze (optional)
2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbsp milk
1 cup powdered sugar 

How to make… 

Tree
Remove your frozen puff pastry from the freezer and place in the refrigerator overnight or 1 day prior to when you plan to use it.  

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. 

In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, cinnamon and flour.

Place 1 sheet of thawed, yet still chilled, puff pastry onto a parchment lined surface. Spread 2 tbsp of the softened butter evenly over the entire surface. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on top and repeat the process. Spread with remaining 2 tbsp of butter, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.

Place the final sheet of puff pastry on top and gently press down over the surface.

I have a tutorial on my Instagram TV channel showing the process of cutting your tree banches here

Use a sharp knife to free form the shape of a Christmas tree, including a stump at the bottom. Place the excess pieces onto a separate parchment lined baking sheet to bake, as they will still be delicious and you don’t want to waste them.

Next use the tip of your knife to trace a guide line from the top of the trunk to the top of the tree on each side– you are not trying to cut through here, just making yourself a guide for cutting the tree branches along the trunk of the tree.

Next, use your knife to slice the branches. Start at the base of your tree, and slice branches that are about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. This is where the tree trunk guide comes in handy, as you will only want to slice trough to the point of that tree trunk guide on either side.

Next working one branch at a time, begin to twist the branches 2-3 times each, working your way up to the top.

Once you have twisted all the branches, brush the tree with your egg wash using a pastry brush.

Gently lift the parchment onto a baking sheet and bake the tree for 20-25 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before glazing.

Cream Cheese Glaze
In a medium bowl, beat your cream cheese with an electric mixer until smoothand there are no lumps. Add in vanilla and 1 tbsp of milk; beat untilsmooth.Add in the powdered sugar 1 /2 cup at a time, mixing on low untilsmooth. If your glaze is too stiff, add another 1 tbsp of milk. 

Drizzle glaze over baked puff pastry tree & decorate with sugared cranberries if desired. Enjoy!