This festive air fryer Christmas tree flatbread is a perfect holiday appetizer!
Pizza dough is shaped into a tree and covered with green pesto as the “needles,” with cherry tomatoes added as ornaments.
At 350°F for 6-8 minutes, it becomes perfectly crispy!
Brushing the edges with olive oil creates extra crunch, and using parchment paper prevents sticking.
Kids enjoy helping decorate their trees, and guests frequently request the recipe.
Below are some mouthwatering variations to try!
Ingredients
- Flatbread or pizza dough
- Green pesto
- Cherry tomatoes
- Shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
- Olive oil
Shishito peppers are a great addition to a variety of dishes, including a quick snack delight.
Recommended Tools
Creating this festive Air Fryer Christmas Tree Flatbread is super simple with just a handful of kitchen tools. The right equipment helps you shape, assemble and air fry your pizza to perfection so you can enjoy a delicious holiday appetizer that looks as good as it tastes.
- Air Fryer:The star of the show that cooks your flatbread to crispy perfection in just 6-8 minutes.
- Kitchen Scissors:Makes cutting the flatbread into a Christmas tree shape much easier than using a knife.
- Parchment Paper:Prevents the dough from sticking to your air fryer basket and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Silicone Pastry Brush:Perfect for brushing olive oil along the edges of the dough for that golden crust.
- Spreading Spatula:Helps distribute the green pesto evenly across your Christmas tree-shaped dough.
- Pizza Cutter:Useful for slicing your finished Christmas tree flatbread into servable portions.
Additionally, using an air fryer can give you crispy results that are healthier compared to traditional frying methods. </p
Instructions
Get ready to transform a simple flatbread into a festive holiday centerpiece that’s as fun to make as it’s to eat!
1. Start by preheating your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) – this ensures your flatbread will cook evenly and get that perfect crispy texture.
2. Take 1 flatbread or pizza dough and roll it out on a clean surface. Now for the fun part – use a sharp knife or cookie cutter to shape it into a Christmas tree!
Don’t worry if it’s not perfect – rustic trees have character!
3. Spread 1/4 cup of green pesto evenly over your tree-shaped dough. The vibrant green color creates the perfect “pine tree” base for your festive pizza.
4. Arrange your cherry tomato halves across the tree like ornaments. Feel free to create patterns or simply scatter them randomly – there’s no wrong way to decorate your tree!
5. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top if you’re feeling extra indulgent (and who isn’t during the holidays?).
The cheese will melt into gooey, delicious “snow” on your tree.
6. Before popping it into your air fryer, brush the edges lightly with olive oil to help them crisp up beautifully.
7. Place your creation in the air fryer basket (pro tip: lay down a piece of parchment paper first to prevent sticking) and cook for 6-8 minutes until the edges turn golden brown and any cheese is perfectly melted.
8. Remove carefully, let cool for just a minute so you don’t burn your fingers, and slice it up to share with your hungry holiday guests!
This festive flatbread is perfect as an appetizer for Christmas gatherings or just a fun dinner activity with the kids.
Serve it warm and watch it disappear faster than presents on Christmas morning!
Pro Tips
For the cleanest Christmas tree shape, freeze your flatbread or pizza dough for 10-15 minutes before cutting – the slightly firmer texture prevents stretching or tearing when using cookie cutters or knives.
Substitutions & Variations
While the classic Christmas tree flatbread pizza is delightful on its own, you can easily customize it to match your taste preferences or dietary needs.
- Mediterranean Style: Replace pesto with hummus, add feta cheese crumbles, kalamata olives and roasted red peppers for a Greek-inspired holiday tree.
- Gluten-Free Version: Substitute regular flatbread with a cauliflower crust, chickpea flatbread or your favorite gluten-free pizza dough base.
- Dairy-Free Option: Skip the mozzarella and use dairy-free pesto or substitute with a flavorful olive tapenade and extra vegetables.
- Sweet Dessert Twist: Use a sugar-dusted flatbread base, spread with Nutella or cream cheese frosting and decorate with green kiwi slices and red strawberry “ornaments”.
- BBQ Chicken: Swap pesto for BBQ sauce, add shredded rotisserie chicken, red onions and cilantro for a savory southwestern version.
Leftovers & Storage Tips
Although holiday gatherings usually leave little behind, you might find yourself with leftover Christmas tree flatbread that’s too good to waste.
Store it in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, pop it back in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 325°F to restore that delicious crispy texture!
Holiday Party Hit!
Air Fryer Christmas Tree Flatbread Pizza
A festive holiday flatbread pizza shaped like a Christmas tree and cooked to perfection in the air fryer.
- 1 flatbread or pizza dough
- 1/4 cup green pesto
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
- Olive oil for brushing
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll out dough/flatbread and cut into a Christmas tree shape.
- Spread green pesto evenly over the dough.
- Top with cherry tomato halves as "ornaments" and mozzarella if using.
- Lightly brush edges with olive oil.
- Air fry for 6-8 minutes until crust is golden and cheese melts.
