Boursin Christmas Tree
Transform your holiday table with this stunning Boursin Christmas Tree, a savory appetizer that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. This easy Christmas appetizer combines creamy Boursin cheese with Delallo’s flavorful Jubilee olives, topped with a cherry tomato and sprigs of fresh rosemary. Serve with a baguette!
I love a fun, pretty holiday appetizer! This “cheese board” says it all – Merry Christmas, with a Boursin Cheese Tree with toothpicks and olives. It’s so simple! We made this last year in 2023, inspired by the great @kitchenachim.
Boursin Cheese Tree
Serve this cheese appetizer with slices of crispy baguette and a drizzle of balsamic glaze for a show-stopping addition to your holiday spread. Shared on Instagram last year, this crowd-pleaser feeds at least 12 and brings PURE Christmas magic to the BIG BOARD.
Now, you can print the recipe and make it the star of your Christmas parties and celebrations this year! The big board is great to fill it up – but you don’t have to. See how we set out the plates, bread, appetizer, and the drizzles – all on the board? You can even add small paper napkins. The complete set-up on the big board.
Why I love this recipe
- Super easy to prepare.
- You can use any flavors of olives, and your favorite herbs.
- Serves well with either crackers or baguette.
- Festive and fun for a party – don’t forget the ring of fresh rosemary for a festive, evergreen touch.
Gather these ingredients
- Boursin cheese
- Delallo pitted olives – Jubilee – make sure olives are pitted
- Party toothpicks
- Baguettes
- Delallo balsamic glaze – for drizzling
- Delallo Castelvetrano Olive oil – for bread dipping
- Fresh rosemary
- Red cherry pepper – topping (or a cherry tomato)
How to make Boursin Christmas Tree
- Unwrap the three packages of Boursin cheese and place them on top of a large piece of plastic wrap. Press into the shape of a tree (see photos). Your hands will get messy, so feel free to wear kitchen gloves. You can also spray your hands with cooking spray before you begin.
- Cover the cheese (once it is in the shape of a tree) with plastic wrap and make some final adjustments to ensure it looks like a tree. Once you have achieved the correct shape and size, remove the plastic wrap and place on a plate.
- Insert olives (using a toothpick) into the cheese, one at a time, filling up the tree to make “ornaments.” You can insert different types of olives, but make sure they’re pitted.
- Position a small sprig of rosemary and insert/poke the rosemary in the space between the olives in the cheese.
- Add a red cherry pepper (or tomato) on top of the tree for the “tree topper.”
- Place fresh baguette bread around the base of the tree (love using a BIG BOARD for this). Optional to add crackers.
- Serve alongside olive oil for dipping and balsamic glaze to drizzle on top and enjoy!
Tips & substitutions
- Instead of Boursin cheese, you can try using cream cheese, goat cheese or a blend of different cheeses. Feel free to experiment with different cheeses, herbs, nuts or other fillings to make this cheesy Christmas tree your own!
- Make a big tree – use 5 packages. Make a smaller tree – use 2 or 3.
- Instead of a cherry pepper on top you can make your own star out of cheese. How to make the star: Using a small cookie cutter, cut out a star for the top with a thick slice of cheddar cheese. Or, you can use a knife to cut out the shape of a star with cheese. We made a star here with cheese, for these lettuce cups.
- If you make the tree ahead of time, make sure it remains in the fridge and is nice and cold until ready to add the olives, rosemary etc.
Serving suggestions
This Boursin Christmas Tree pairs wonderfully with other holiday favorites like cranberry goat cheese stuffed dates, stuffed mushrooms, holiday charcuterie board, and a winter salad with pecans.
Storage
Recommend enjoying this fresh, any leftovers could go in the refrigerator for a day but the texture and appearance may not hold as well.
The Big Board
Get your favorite size of board for holiday entertaining.
- The boards are made in the USA.
- Food safe.
- All boards have a lip/raised edge around the outside so the food stays on the board.
Check out these other holiday appetizers while you’re here
- Cranberry Lemon Pull Apart Bread
- Spinach Dip Crescent Wreath
- Honeycrisp Goat Cheese Crostini
- Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree
Get the Recipe:
Boursin Cheese Christmas Tree
Ingredients
- 5 5.2 oz Boursin cheese
- 2 7 oz Delallo pitted olives Jubilee
- Party toothpicks
- 2 baguettes, sliced & toasted
- 1 bottle Delallo balsamic glaze, for drizzling
- 1 bottle Delallo Castelvetrano Olive oil, for bread dipping – make sure the olives are pitted.
- Fresh rosemary
- 1 cherry pepper, (topping)
Instructions
- Unwrap the three packages of Boursin cheese and place them on top of a large piece of plastic wrap. Press into the shape of a tree (see photos). Your hands will get messy, so feel free to wear kitchen gloves. You can also spray your hands with cooking spray before you begin.
- Once you have the shape you want, cover the cheese with the plastic wrap and finalize the shape of a Christmas Tree. Once you have achieved the shape and size, remove the plastic wrap and place on a plate.
- Next, using a toothpick, insert the olives into the cheese one at a time, filling up the tree to make “ornaments.” You can insert different types of olives, but make sure they’re pitted.
- The last step is to take a small sprig of rosemary, and insert/poke the rosemary in the spaces between the olives.
- Add a red pepper on top of the tree for the “tree topper.”
- Around the olive Christmas tree, add fresh baguette bread. Optional to add crackers. We love to serve this dish with a side of balsamic glaze.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
