Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree
A Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree is a festive and fresh appetizer that’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat! Perfect for holiday gatherings, this creative dish features crisp Little Gem lettuce cups arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree on a 12×36 inch board.
I love a fun appetizer board to serve at Christmastime. These Lettuce Cups are so cute, shaped like a Christmas tree, that are filled with deliciousness. Each cup is filled with bacon, creamy Boursin cheese, cherry tomatoes (think BLT!), decorated to resemble ornaments, and topped with a cheddar cheese star at the top for a joyful touch. Plus, how fun that this recipe is served on our 12×36″ big board?
Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree
Drizzled with chunky blue cheese dressing and served with crackers at the base, these BLT lettuce cups are an eye-catching centerpiece to serve for your holiday guests! This is a fun display of food that can be set out as an appetizer or a side salad with a meal–during the holidays.
Read more: Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree
Why I love this recipe
- Lettuce Cups are a great appetizer for Christmas.
- They’re also delicious to serve as a “salad” alongside a “soup night.”
- For smaller bites, use the same ingredients and replace the lettuce gems with endive leaves.
Gather these ingredients
- Little Gem Lettuce – Trader Joe’s
- Bacon – cooked and crumbled
- Boursin cheese – crumbled
- Raincoast Crisp crackers
- Cherry tomatoes – halved
- Green onions – thinly sliced
- Cheddar cheese – thick slice – star on top of tree
- Litehouse Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing – small squeeze bottle
- Black cracked pepper
How to make Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree
- Lay your lettuce leaves on a large BIG BOARD in the shape of a Christmas tree. Place progressively smaller and smaller leaves on the platter as you work toward the top of the platter, so it resembles the cone-shaped of a Christmas tree.
- Add crackers to the base of the tree, to form a “tree trunk.”
- Sprinkle on the bacon, Boursin cheese, and green onions in the lettuce cups. Strategically lay down the cherry halves, to look like ornaments.
- Cut a thick slice of Cheddar cheese to make the star. Using a cookie cutter, cut a star out of the cheese and place it on the top of the tree for the “tree topper”.
- Drizzle the Blue Cheese dressing (lightly) over all of the lettuce gems right before serving.
- Enjoy!
Tips & substitutions
- Swap out the Boursin for crumbled blue cheese.
- Add chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie or chicken breast) if you want to serve this board as a lunch or a more hearty appetizer.
- In place of green onions, add finely diced red onion.
- Don’t like blue cheese dressing? Use Ranch dressing.
- Make extras and store on a platter or baking sheet in the fridge. Add to the board as needed and as guests eat them.
- Lettuce leaves with a good cupped shape works best for this recipe. I prefer Trader Joe’s Little Gem Lettuce that comes in a bag and works perfectly! They break apart beautifully.
- Optional to make smaller bites with endive in place of the lettuce gems.
Serving suggestions
Serve this Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree appetizer alongside a warm holiday soup, like creamy tomato or butternut squash, with a potato cheese bread. It’s also fun to bring a board to an “appetizer party.”
Big board sale
Use our big board for extra large (in photos) or halve the recipe for the 12×24″ board. Right now you can buy (2) 12 x 24″ boards and get $50 off the total. Use this code at check out: BUY2
Storage
These Lettuce Cups are best enjoyed fresh but can be prepared up to one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator (no dressing) to maintain crispness. Only drizzle with dressing right before serving. They are best served the day of!
Check out these other Christmas Boards while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Lettuce Cups Christmas Tree
Ingredients
- 2 10 oz pkg Little Gem Lettuce, Trader Joe’s
- 12 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 5.3 oz Boursin cheese, crumbled (or 2 pkg if you want more cheese)
- 1 5.3 oz Raincoast Crisp crackers, for the base of the tree
- ¾ pound cherry tomatoes, halved (or about 2 cups)
- 3-5 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 thick slice of Cheddar cheese, for the star on top of tree
- 1 small squeeze bottle Litehouse Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing, or favorite dressing
- Black cracked pepper
Equipment
- 1 12×36" BIG BOARD
Instructions
- Lay your lettuce leaves (gems) on a large BIG BOARD in the shape of a Christmas tree. Place progressively smaller and smaller leaves on the platter as you work toward the top of the board, so it resembles the cone-shape of a Christmas tree.
- For the base of the tree, add the crackers.
- Sprinkle on the bacon, Boursin cheese, and green onions in the lettuce cups. Strategically lay down the cherry halves, to look like ornaments.
- Make the star: Cut a thick slice of Cheddar cheese. Using a cookie cutter, cut out a star out of the cheese and place it on the top of the tree for the “tree topper.”
- Right before serving, drizzle on the dressing (lightly) onto the lettuce cups.
- Serve!
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...
