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Cheese Ball Christmas Tree is the ultimate holiday centerpiece! Forget the usual platters; this Christmas cheese tree takes your appetizers to the next level with festive flavor and show-stopping presentation.
Inside, it’s creamy and loaded with sun dried tomatoes, red bell peppers, chives, and seasonings. But it’s the outside that really shines—decorated with antipasto Christmas tree toppings like olives, herbs, and peppers, making every bite just as fun as it looks. Serve your Christmas cheese tree platter with salami, prosciutto, and plenty of crackers for a spread that’s as merry as it is delicious.
What Makes This Recipe Work
This Cheese Ball Christmas Tree isn’t just about looks; it’s packed with flavor. The creamy cheese ball base is blended with sun dried tomatoes, red bell peppers, chives, and seasonings, giving every bite a savory and slightly tangy punch.
The magic is in the presentation. Whether you call it an antipasto Christmas tree cheese ball or serve it as part of a Christmas cheese tree platter, it’s a recipe that looks impressive, tastes incredible, and always gets your guests talking.
What Goes Into This Cheese Ball Christmas Tree
This festive Cheese Ball Christmas Tree starts with a creamy, flavorful dip base, then gets dressed up with colorful antipasto toppings. Here are a few of the standout ingredients that make it shine:
- Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese forms the base, giving the tree its smooth, creamy texture and perfect structure for shaping.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: Mixed into the cheese ball and scattered on the outside, they add bursts of tangy, savory flavor that balance the richness.
- Red Bell Peppers: Diced peppers bring sweetness, crunch, and a festive pop of color inside the dip.
- Mixed Olives: A variety of green, black, and Kalamata olives are used to decorate, giving this antipasto Christmas tree cheese ball its signature holiday sparkle.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make This Cheese Ball Christmas Tree
- Mix the Dip: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, red bell peppers, dill pickles, chives, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth and evenly combined.
- Wrap and Mound: Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface and scoop the mixture onto the center. Cover completely with a second sheet of wrap, sealing the edges to enclose the mixture.
- Shape the Tree: Using your hands, mold into a cone that resembles a Christmas tree. Lift the cone, peel away the bottom layer of wrap, then place onto a serving plate.
- Smooth the Surface: Remove the remaining wrap and use a cake spatula to smooth the sides and tip so it holds its shape. Wipe the plate edges clean if needed for a neat presentation.
- Decorate the Tree: Press olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and rosemary leaves or sprigs into the surface, spacing them like ornaments. Lightly brush with a little sun-dried tomato oil for extra flavor and shine.
- Finish and Serve: Cut a star from yellow or orange bell pepper or use a thick slice of cheese and set it on top. Serve with crackers, rolled salami, and prosciutto, then present your Cheese Ball Christmas Tree.
For a cozy balance, pair your Cheese Ball Christmas Tree with Creamy Pumpkin and Spinach Soup with Crispy Bacon. The creamy pumpkin base and smoky bacon cut through the richness of the cheese ball while keeping the holiday table warm and inviting.
Add some flair with Pull-Apart Stuffed Bread with Chipotle Carne Asada for a smoky, bold kick, and keep things festive with Crispy Greek Lemon Smashed Potatoes. Together, they create a spread that’s colorful, hearty, and anything but ordinary.
Recipe FAQ’s
Chilling the mixture for 30 minutes before shaping makes it firmer and easier to handle. You can also lightly spray the wrap with non-stick spray.
For a lighter version, swap half the cream cheese with Greek yogurt or ricotta. Just note it may be a little softer in texture.
Absolutely! Divide the mixture into smaller portions and shape into mini Christmas trees, perfect for individual servings or smaller gatherings.
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Antipasto Cheese Ball Christmas Tree
Ingredients
For The Dip:
- 4 cups cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell peppers diced
- 1/4 cup dill pickles finely diced
- 1/4 cup chives chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder

- 1 pinch salt to taste
For The Decorations:

- 1 1/2 – 2 cups pitted mixed olives I use a variety of black, green and Kalamata olives – dried with paper towel
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped (dried with paper towel)
- rosemary leaves sprigs to decorate
- Ritz crackers or water crackers or pretzels for serving
- 8 Salami slices for serving
- 8 Prosciutto slices for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dip and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
- Place a piece of non-stick plastic wrap on a clean bench top or work surface. Scoop the cream cheese mixture out onto the plastic wrap and completely cover with another piece of wrap (you may need two pieces to cover it).
- Use your hands to mould the cream cheese into a tree shape. Then, carefully pick up the tree with one hand and peel off the plastic wrap on the bottom of the tree with your other hand. Place the tree straight onto a serving plate.
- Use a cake spatula to smooth the edges. Decorate with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary leaves/sprigs, lightly pressing each element into the cream cheese to ensure they stay on. Brush with some sun dried tomato oil from the jar (optional but adds even more flavour)!
- Top with a star cut out of a yellow or orange bell pepper OR a thick slice of cheese.
- Serve with crackers of your choice, salami and prosciutto slices rolled up!ENJOY!
Notes
- The cream cheese is more stable in a wider tree shape rather than a tall, thin tree. The taller tree folds over and collapses.
- If you find your cream cheese has softened too much and won’t hold its shape, refrigerate it until it thickens again (about 20 minutes).
- Pat dry each olive and sun dried tomato on a sheet of paper towel before decorating your tree to make sure they stay on, or they may slide off if covered in oil from the jar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can’t wait to try this for our New Years Eve Festivities. Christmas is very low key this year but the family will be together for the New Year. I might try shaping it into a star shape instead.
Cheese ball has been a family favourite for years. We always have it Christmas Eve. My son now makes it. I’ve never shaped mine into a tree but it does look pretty. I’m sitting here in my apron taking a break from preparing appys for tonight. Best get back to it! ?
I really enjoy your recipes they are wonderful I can not wait too make this as well this is so pretty for presentation I sure it is amazing in taste as well, we are going too have a small gathering together making Personsl favorites and sharing memories with a fire and pictures And make homemade hot cocoa with everyone involved and participating in, too remember this holiday for when time passes and we are 20 years down the road too treasure I can not thank you again for the amazing recipes you bring us too share and make too share with our families, Merry Christmas Lynda
We will be spending Christmas a day early as I am working on Christmas Day. The kids are NOT disappointed at all 😉
Looking forward to face-timing with my daughter in Italy where she is stationed with the United States Air Force! Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!
For Christmas Eve I’m going to a friend’s house for dinner. I wasn’t sure about what to bring. Now I have an idea. This tree is just too cute, I have to make it. I’m sure it’s something the guests will be impressed with. Thank you!
This year was especially meaningful to me. My Daughter and Great Grand Daughter from Arizona and my Grand Daughter and her newly found boyfriend (future daddy to her son), and my new Great Grandson (1 1/2) from Texas, both of whom I am meeting for the first time will be joining me in my home in Las Vegas this year. I didn’t have much to spend on them this year as I am retired and living on that now and I got caught up in 2 scams which took my money but didn’t get anything in return but the riches I got by having my adoring family with me and them ALL being SO understanding lifted my spirits up to the highest level this year. I LOVE them ALL so much and hoping God will keep me around till next year so I can see them ALL again here in my home. By the way, Karina, you MUST let ALL of us know just how YOU and your family spent Christmas this year…if WE can tell, then SO can you…..
my spouse passed away last year so spending this Christmas with friends. I just love your recipes ive tried several and they are all amazingly good and easy!
What a delightful presentation for a cheese ball appetizer. I can see making many different sizes with different ingredients on each of them. Less chance for then to tip over. Great idea and I love all your recipes. It is so great to have a go to website when I want to try something new.
Me and my two kids will be at mom’s for Christmas and we’re having a beef roast for dinner. Something differe t this year. This antipasta Christmas Tree is fabulous! What a great centerpiece. It would definitely steal the show. Can’t wait to try it!
I look forward to making this yummy appetizer and bringing it to my Daughter’s for Christmas day to watch my Grandchildren open their presents!