Ingredients

• 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 cheddar OR mozzarella cheese [I use mozzarella.]
• 1 tube refrigerated thin crust pizza crust
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a bowl, beat together the spinach and cream cheese.
• Add garlic, salt, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, and Italian seasoning and beat to combine.
• Add parmesan cheese and 1/2 of the cheddar or mozzarella cheese and beat to combine. (The other half of the cheddar or mozzarella cheese will be sprinkled over the filling when you shape the Christmas tree.)
• Shape into Christmas tree as directed below.
• Bake for about 22 minutes until quite golden brown on top and cooked through on the bottom.
• Melt butter and stir in garlic salt and seasoning, then brush over breadsticks. (I omit garlic salt.)
• Serve warm.

Unroll the pizza crust on a piece of parchment paper. I used the “thin” style pizza crust. Using a pizza slicer, cut the crust as shown below:

This gives you one large triangle and two smaller ones.

Transfer the smaller triangles to a second piece of parchment paper (centered on your cooking sheet), placing the long side edges together, to make another large triangle.

The dough will stretch out a little as you move it around – no biggie, just gently tug it into the shape you want, pressing the two halves together in the middle. This will be the base (or bottom) of the breadsticks. I also gave the base a short little trunk.

Spread the spinach dip over the base. (I make the dip as early as a day in advance to allow the flavors to gel. Take it out at least 30 minutes prior to spreading it on the dough so it spreads more easily.)

Sprinkle on the remaining cheese, and then top with the first triangle of dough. You’ll likely have to tug at the dough a little bit to make sure it completely covers the base triangle. (I ensure the sides are sealed.)

Using a pizza cutter, cut slices from the middle to each edge about every inch down the triangle as shown below. Don’t slice all the way across; leave about an inch down the middle of the tree intact.

Grab each “slice” and twist it to form a tree shape. For the top slice that’s very short you’ll just give it a half twist; as you go further down the tree and hit longer slices you’ll give them two or three full twists.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 22 minutes until the bottom is completely cooked through. The top is going to get nice and browned, but make sure to check that the bottom is cooked through. If you are cooking on a heavy cookie sheet, you may want to cook this on the lower rack in your oven.

Once out of the oven you can brush the breadsticks with melted butter, garlic salt, and seasonings.

Then serve it up while it’s still warm. Everyone can tear off a breadstick or two to enjoy.

Source: Christmas tree spinach dip breadsticks – It’s Always Autumn

Content in parenthesis added by Linda Leier Thomason.

December 2020.