Eggless Savory Shortcrust Trees – Easy Recipe for Christmas Appetizers
If you are looking for easy and quick Christmas recipes, these eggless savory shortcrust trees are the perfect idea to enrich your holiday menu. Made with a crumbly savory shortcrust pastry, they transform into delicious tree-shaped savory cookies, ideal as Christmas appetizers, finger food for aperitifs, or as a delightful centerpiece.
This recipe is eggless, making it suitable for those who are intolerant or follow a vegetarian (or vegan, if you substitute butter and cheese with plant-based alternatives) diet. You can fill them with savory fillings of your choice – spinach and ricotta, cheese and walnuts, olive cream, or potatoes and aromatic herbs – to bring an original and scenic proposal to the table.
Preparing these savory Christmas cookies is simple: just make the shortcrust, fill it as you like, seal in the mold, and bake until golden. Perfect to serve during Christmas lunch, Christmas Eve dinner, or New Year’s Eve dinner.
Try also these savory trees:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: New Year’s, Christmas
Ingredients for Eggless Savory Shortcrust Trees – Easy Recipe for Christmas Appetizers:
about 12 trees
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 tbsps milk
- salt
- 1 tsp instant yeast for savory preparations
- spices (to taste)
- 1/2 cup ricotta (or spreadable cheese)
- 1 1/2 oz spinach
- salt
- pepper
Tools
Steps
For the preparation of Eggless Savory Shortcrust Trees – Easy Recipe for Christmas Appetizers watch the video HERE.
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In a bowl (or stand mixer), combine flour, salt, and spices.
Add the cold butter cubes and work with your fingertips (or K beater) until you get a sandy texture.
Add the milk gradually and knead quickly until a smooth dough forms.
Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.
Mix ricotta, spinach, salt, and pepper. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut out circles then slightly elongate them with a rolling pin.
Place a piece of dough in the mold then add a teaspoon of cream in the center of the dough layer, leaving about 1/4 inch free from the edge.
Cover with a second piece of dough.
Close the mold and seal the edges well by pressing gently.
Remove the excess dough to achieve a smooth and regular tree.
Immediately unmold the tree and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little milk and add seeds to taste.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 338°F for about 12-14 minutes, until they become slightly golden.
Enjoy your meal!
🧊 Storage
The stuffed savory shortcrust trees can be stored:
At room temperature (in an airtight container): up to 1 day if the filling is based on fresh vegetables and cheese.
In the fridge (closed in an airtight container): up to 2-3 days. Before serving, warm them up in the oven at 302°F for a few minutes to regain crispness.
In the freezer (raw, already formed): up to 1 month. You can bake them directly from frozen, extending the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.
