This Nutella Puff Pastry Christmas Tree recipe creates a festive, indulgent dessert, ideal for any Christmas gathering! The combination of flaky, buttery puff pastry and warm, gooey Nutella creates a great texture contrast that’s satisfying and decadent.
The design is naturally suited for sharing. The tree’s branches create individual portions, so guests can easily tear off a piece without needing to cut the dessert.
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Ingredients
This puff pastry Christmas tree couldn't be easier - you need less than an hour and only four ingredients to create it.
- Puff pastry - use store-bought puff pastry, usually found in the freezer section at your grocers, or use my recipe to make your own.
- Nutella - use any trusted brand of chocolate hazelnut spread. Most often found near the peanut butter at your grocers.
- Egg - lightly whip an egg and apply over top of pastry before baking.
- Raw sugar - sprinkle over tree prior to baking for some added crunch and sweetness. You may substitute with granulated sugar.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
1 - Roll out two sheets of puff pastry into 13" x 10" rectangles.
2 - Place one sheet of pastry on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread Nutella over one sheet of puff pastry.
3 - Add second sheet of puff pastry over Nutella. Using your hands, smooth lightly so pastry adheres to Nutella
4 - Place a ruler at the top center of the pastry down to the bottom left corner. Cut along the ruler and repeat for right side. Cut ¾" strips up both sides of the tree leaving space above tree trunk uncut.
5 - With all the strips cut, start twisting each one. Grab the ends, twist three times toward you, and press down the ends to keep the twists in place
6 - Repeat this all the way up the tree making fewer twists as the strips become shorter.
7 - Cut out a star from leftover puff pastry and place on top of the tree. Lightly whip an egg and brush surface of pastry. Sprinkle evenly with raw sugar. Transfer to a baking sheet pan.
8 - Bake for 22 - 24 minutes at 400℉ (205℃). Pastry will be a golden brown and well risen. Let cool for 15 minutes and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Pastry is best served when warm.
Substitutions
This Nutella Puff Pastry Christmas tree is wonderfully versatile and can be adapted to suit a variety of tastes. Here are some ideas to try:
- Gluten-free - the only ingredient in this recipe which contains gluten is the puff pastry. Schär makes a gluten-free puff pastry which may be found in your grocer's freezer aisle.
- Peanut butter or jams - simply replace Nutella with peanut butter or a jam of your choice.
Equipment
Gather the following equipment to make this pull-apart Christmas tree dessert:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Offset spatula
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Baking sheet pan
- Rolling pin
Storage
This puff pastry Christmas tree is best served the day you bake it. If you need to store the dessert for 1 - 2 days, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container before refrigerating. However, note that it may lose some of its crispness.
To bring back some crispness, reheat dessert in an oven (not a microwave) at 350°F (175°C) for about 5.
Time saving tip
As mentioned above, the puff pastry Christmas tree is best enjoyed fresh on the day you make it—and even better when served warm. To save time on the day of your celebration, you can assemble the pastry a day or two in advance. Wrap it well, store in your refrigerator, and bake just before serving.
More puff pastry desserts
Are you a lover of all things puff pastry? If so, check out these recipes:
📋 Recipe
Christmas Tree Nutella Puff Pastry Dessert
Equipment
- Offset spatula
- Knife or pizza cutter
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking Sheet Pan
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 2 Sheets Puff Pastry Rolled 13" x 10" rectangles
- ¼ Cup Nutella Or other chocolate hazelnut spread
- 1 Large Egg Whipped lightly
- 1 Tablespoon Raw sugar Or granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Powdered sugar Optional - for dusting top of tree after baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ (205℃)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Roll out two sheets of puff pastry into 13" x 10" rectangles.2 Sheets Puff Pastry
- Place one sheet of pastry on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Using an offset spatula, evenly spread Nutella over one sheet of puff pastry.¼ Cup Nutella
- Add second sheet of puff pastry over Nutella. Using your hands, smooth lightly so pastry adheres to Nutella
- Cut a short tree trunk at the bottom of the pastry.
- Place a ruler at the top center of the pastry down to the bottom left corner. Cut along the ruler and repeat for right side. Note: cut out stars with left over pastry.
- Cut ¾" strips up both sides of the tree leaving space above tree trunk uncut.
- With all the strips cut, start twisting each one. Grab the ends, twist three times toward you, and press down the ends to keep the twists in place. Repeat this all the way up the tree making less twists as the strips become shorter.
- Place a star cutout on top of the tree.
- Lightly whip an egg and brush the surface of pastry. Sprinkle evenly with raw sugar. Transfer to a baking sheet pan.1 Large Egg, 1 Tablespoon Raw sugar
- Bake for 22 - 24 minutes. Pastry will be a golden brown and well risen.
- Let cool for 15 minutes and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Pastry is best served when warm.2 Tablespoons Powdered sugar
Video
Notes
- After forming each twisted end of the puff pastry, make sure to press it gently onto the baking sheet. This step helps prevent the twists from rising unevenly during baking, which could cause the branches of the tree to lose their shape.
- This puff pastry Christmas tree is best served the day you bake it. If you need to store the dessert for 1 - 2 days, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container before refrigerating. However, note that it may lose some of its crispness.
- Time saving tip: To save time on the day of your celebration, you can assemble the pastry a day or two in advance. Wrap it well, store in the refrigerator, and bake just before serving.
Matt says
This treat was so fun to make and looked beautiful on the table! Loved the flavor, too.
Ntensibe Michael Edgar says
Nniiicceeee...the tree is already looking delish and crystal, from here. Is it allowed for me to use as little raw sugar as possible, for my first trial?
dessertswithstephanie says
Hi, absolutely - skip the raw sugar. It just adds a bit more sweetness and crunch to the pastry.
Leanne Wong says
I love everything about this! Nutella is always great, and the tree is so pretty!
Beth says
I'm so in love with this! The Nutella is so wonderful with the pastry, and it's a lot easier to make the tree than you'd think!