The Savory Appetizer Your Party Needs

Holiday hosting doesn’t have to mean complicated recipes or hours in the kitchen. This Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Pastry is designed to feel special without the stress — flaky layers of phyllo dough shaped into a festive centerpiece, filled with two savory options and finished with Salty Provisions salts.

The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. One simple build becomes two distinct flavor experiences: a comforting spinach filling finished with Double Onion & Roasted Garlic Salt, and a brighter pesto variation brought to life with Celery Salt. Choose one filling or split the tree in half for contrast — either way, it’s made for sharing.

This is the kind of appetizer that earns its place on the holiday table. It looks impressive, feeds a crowd, and comes together with minimal prep. The salts do the heavy lifting, adding depth and balance without overpowering the dish — exactly what you want when you’re cooking for others.

 Full Recipe Available for Download: 

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Step-by-Step Guide

Ingredients:

Pastry Base:

• 2 sheets phyllo dough
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp milk

Spinach Filling:

• 2 cups spinach, chopped
• 4 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp Salty Provisions Double Onion & Roasted Garlic Salt

Pesto Filling:

• 4 tbsp pesto
• ½ cup goat cheese
• 3 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp walnuts, chopped
• 1 tbsp Salty Provisions Celery Salt

 Instructions:

 1. Prepare the Fillings:

     Spinach Filling:

• In a medium bowl, mix;
  • Spinach, cream cheese, parmesan, and Double Onion & Roasted Garlic Salt until well combined. Set aside.

    Pesto Filling:

• In a second medium sized bowl, mix;
  • Pesto, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, and Celery Salt until smooth. Set aside.

        - Preheat oven to 375°F 

  2. Assemble the Pastry

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the phyllo sheets on the baking sheet and cut into a large triangle.
  

   Assembly continued

• Remove one sheet and spread the spinach filling over half of the triangle and the pesto filling over the other half.
  
• Place the second phyllo sheet on top of the fillings.

3. Build the Tree

• Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut slits along both sides of the triangle, spacing about ½ inch apart and leaving the center intact. Twist each strip two to three times, gently pressing the ends into the baking sheet.
  
• Cut a small star from the remaining phyllo dough and place it at the top of the tree.

4. Brush & Bake

• Whisk the egg yolk and milk together and brush over the pastry.
• Bake until golden brown, about 20–25 minutes.

5. Finish & Serve

• Just before serving, scatter a little extra pinch of the Double Onion Roasted Garlic Sea Salt over the top for sparkle, crunch, and more flavor.

Shop the Salts Used in this Recipe:

DOUBLE ONION + ROASTED GARLIC Definitely our most popular flavor!!! Fresh, crisp Flake Sea Salt hand-harvested from the Norwegian Sea, infused with California Garlic & our amazingly flavorful double onion blend.	CELERY SALT BLEND If you like celery salt, you'll love our blend! It is made with hand harvested Norwegian Flake Sea Salt, dried celery stalks and leaves, celery powder and celery seed. Is that enough celery for ya?