Description
These festive Christmas Tree Spinach Dip Breadsticks combine creamy spinach dip with layers of cheesy pizza dough, twisted into a beautiful tree shape. Perfect as a holiday appetizer or party snack, they’re baked to golden perfection and brushed with seasoned butter for extra flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Spinach Dip
- 12 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
- 6 oz 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
Dough and Topping
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza crust (13.8 oz)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s ready for baking the breadsticks.
- Prepare the spinach dip: In a mixing bowl, beat together the thawed and drained spinach with softened cream cheese. Add minced garlic, salt, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Continue beating until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
- Shape the dough: Unroll the refrigerated pizza crust onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use a pizza cutter to cut it into one large triangle shaped like a Christmas tree and two smaller triangles.
- Create a second dough triangle: Move the two smaller triangles to a second piece of parchment paper, placing their straight edges together to form another triangle identical in shape to the first.
- Layer with spinach dip: Spread the prepared spinach dip evenly over the second triangle of dough. Then carefully flip the first triangle over the top, creating layered dough with the spinach dip sandwiched in between.
- Cut slices for twisting: Make cuts from near the center outward on both left and right sides, leaving about an inch intact in the center to form ‘slices’ along the edges.
- Twist the breadsticks: Grab each slice and twist it upwards. For shorter slices at the top, twist halfway around; for longer slices at the bottom, twist two or three full turns. This creates a decorative twisted breadstick look resembling a Christmas tree.
- Bake the breadsticks: Place the shaped breadsticks on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is a golden brown and the bottom is fully cooked. Avoid undercooking to ensure crispy texture.
- Brush with seasoned butter: While the breadsticks are baking or immediately after removing from the oven, melt the butter and stir in garlic powder (or garlic salt) and Italian seasoning. Brush this flavorful mixture generously over the breadsticks before serving warm.
Notes
- Ensure the spinach is well-drained to prevent soggy breadsticks.
- Use a sharp pizza cutter for clean, even cuts in the dough.
- You can substitute fresh spinach, but make sure it’s cooked and thoroughly drained.
- Brush with the seasoned butter while the breadsticks are warm for best absorption and flavor.
- Serve immediately for optimal texture; leftovers can be reheated in the oven to restore crispiness.
