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Christmas Pizza Bites

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  • Prep Time: 20 minutes

  • Cook Time: 15 minutes

  • Total Time: 35 minutes

  • Skill Level: Easy

  • Yield: 24 pizza bites

  • Category: Appetizer / Holiday

  • Cuisine: Italian-American Fusion

Introduction

Bring the joy of the season to your party spread with these irresistible Christmas Pizza Bites! These festive, shareable morsels transform classic pizza flavors into a holiday-themed treat. Using simple ingredients like puff pastry and pizza sauce, they’re topped with mozzarella and vibrant cherry tomatoes cut to resemble cheerful holly berries and leaves. Quick to assemble and always a crowd-pleaser, they’re the perfect hands-on appetizer for your Christmas Eve gathering, game-day feast, or a fun family cooking project. The buttery, flaky crust combined with gooey cheese and tangy sauce is guaranteed to make these the first platter to empty!

Ingredients

For the Pizza Bites:

  • 1 sheet (approx. 9×9 inches) frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold

  • ½ cup (120ml) good-quality pizza sauce or marinara

  • 1 cup (110g) shredded whole-milk low-moisture mozzarella cheese

  • 24 mini fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine), or 1 large ball cut into ¾” cubes

  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

  • Fresh basil leaves (for garnish, 24 small or 12 large leaves torn)

  • 1 tbsp olive oil, for brushing

  • Flour, for dusting

For the Optional Garnish:

  • Flaky sea salt

  • Grated Parmesan cheese

  • Balsamic glaze drizzle

Equipment

  • Rolling pin

  • Standard 24-cup mini muffin tin

  • Round cookie cutter or drinking glass (2-inch diameter)

  • Pastry brush

  • Small bowls for ingredients

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or a thin brush of olive oil. Ensure your puff pastry is thawed according to package directions—it should be cold and pliable but not warm.

Step 2: Cut the Pastry Bases

On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the puff pastry sheet to smooth any seams. Using your 2-inch round cutter, cut out 24 circles of pastry. You may need to re-roll the scraps once. Press each circle gently into a cup of the prepared muffin tin, forming a small cup. The pastry should come just to the top of the cup.

Step 3: Assemble with Holiday Spirit

  1. Sauce: Add about 1 teaspoon of pizza sauce to the bottom of each pastry cup.

  2. Cheese: Sprinkle a pinch of shredded mozzarella over the sauce.

  3. The “Holly”: Now for the festive touch! Place one mini mozzarella ball (or cube) in the center of each cup. Take two halved cherry tomatoes and place them on one side of the mozzarella ball, cut-side-up, to look like a pair of holly berries. Tuck a small fresh basil leaf (or a piece of one) next to the “berries” to resemble a holly leaf. Repeat for all bites.

Step 4: Bake to Perfection

Lightly brush the exposed pastry edges with a little olive oil. This will help them turn a beautiful golden brown. Bake in the preheated oven for 13-17 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step 5: Serve & Garnish

Let the pizza bites cool in the tin for 3-4 minutes—they will be extremely hot! Then, carefully use a small offset spatula or butter knife to lift them onto a serving platter. While still warm, you can garnish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt, grated Parmesan, or a delicate drizzle of balsamic glaze for an extra flavor boost. Serve immediately.

Chef’s Notes & Tips for Success

  • Keep it Cold: For the flakiest pastry, work quickly and keep the dough cold. If it becomes too soft while cutting, pop it back in the fridge for 5 minutes.

  • No Puff Pastry? Refrigerated crescent roll dough can be pressed into the cups as a quick substitute, though the texture will be softer.

  • Make Them Your Own: Feel free to add mini pepperoni slices under the cheese, use pesto instead of red sauce, or add a sliver of black olive to the “holly” for contrast.

  • Make-Ahead Strategy: You can assemble the unbaked pizza bites in the muffin tin, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before baking. Add 1-2 minutes to the bake time if starting from cold.

  • Serving Suggestion: Pair with a small bowl of warmed extra pizza sauce for dipping.

Nutritional Information

(Per serving, 1 pizza bite. Information is an estimate.)

  • Calories: ~85 kcal

  • Total Fat: 5g

  • Saturated Fat: 2g

  • Cholesterol: 5mg

  • Sodium: 105mg

  • Total Carbohydrates: 7g

  • Dietary Fiber: 0.5g

  • Sugars: 0.5g

  • Protein: 3g

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