Little Tree Cheesecake Bites Platter (Print)

Graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake, and fun tree decorations make these bites a festive delight.

# Components:

→ Cheesecake Base and Filling

01 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
02 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 cup whipped cream or whipped topping

→ Tree Decoration

07 - 1 cup white chocolate chips
08 - 3-4 drops green gel food coloring
09 - Assorted sprinkles or sanding sugar
10 - Mini pretzel sticks

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of a parchment-lined 8x8 inch baking pan to form a thin crust. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Gently fold in the whipped cream until just combined.
03 - Spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the prepared graham cracker crust. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is firm.
04 - Once chilled, cut the cheesecake into desired triangle shapes resembling trees. Melt the white chocolate chips. Stir in the green gel food coloring until evenly distributed. Dip the top portion of each cheesecake triangle into the green-tinted white chocolate. Immediately sprinkle with assorted decorations and attach a mini pretzel stick to the bottom of each as a trunk.
05 - Place the decorated cheesecake trees back in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Arrange them on a cookie platter for serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No baking required making these perfect for busy holiday schedules
  • Ready in under 3 hours including chill time
  • Customizable with different sprinkles and decorations for any season
02 -
  • Can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator
  • Each bite delivers the perfect ratio of crust to filling to decoration
  • These travel well in a container with parchment between layers
03 -
  • When cutting the cheesecake into triangles measure and mark the top with toothpicks first to ensure uniform sizes.
  • For the smoothest cream cheese filling make absolutely sure it has completely softened at room temperature for at least two hours before beating.
  • The green chocolate sets quickly so work with just 3 to 4 trees at a time rather than trying to decorate the entire batch at once. This prevents the chocolate from hardening before you can add the sprinkles.
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