The Kitschy Vintage Appetizer My Mom Makes Every Holiday Season

As the holidays start to roll around, I start to crave dishes from my childhood. The recipes I ate for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years as a child are the same foods I eat—and make—today. There’s such a strong nostalgic tie to the holidays, and in my opinion, there’s no better way to relive those memories than enjoying the same tried-and-true dishes my family has made for generations. 

From tasty cookies I enjoy only once a year, to specialty cocktails, dinners, and appetizers—there’s plenty of opportunity to get into the kitchen and recreate your favorite childhood dishes. And it doesn’t have to be fancy either. Some of the most nostalgic dishes are made with just a few, simple ingredients. 

Such is the case with this Christmas Pizza Appetizer, a very simple, very kitschy dish that my mom makes every Christmas Eve or Christmas. I have many memories of enjoying this dish, in fact, I’d ignore several other appetizers on the table and just stay close to this cold veggie “pizza.”

It’s fresh, balanced, and bright. The combination of the crunchy vegetables, creamy spread, and flaky dough gives a reprieve from the heavy dishes we enjoy during the holiday season. It’s always my favorite bite of the day. 

The Pizza-Style Appetizer My Mom Serves Every Christmas 

My Mom’s Christmas Pizza practically screams “found on the back of a crescent‑roll can” and likely came right from Pillsbury (the brand still shares a version of this recipe on its website). It’s an easy recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes of active prep time—mostly chopping veggies.

To make it, unroll the crescent roll dough, separate it into triangles, and layer them point‑down and off to the side to form a pine‑tree shape. Bake until golden and crisp. While your tree is in the oven, stir together softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, ranch seasoning (plus herbs if you like), and chop your veggies into tiny pieces (or use store‑bought). Once the dough has cooled, spread the creamy mixture evenly, sprinkle on shredded Cheddar, top with the veggies, then chill until serving time. 

My mom, like so many home cooks, put her own spin on the dish. She included black olives, and didn’t add any additional cheese on top. She also cut the dough into rounds, then shaped the rounds into a tree shape. But there’s no real wrong way to enjoy this vintage appetizer. Add your favorite herbs to the cheese mixture or your favorite veggie on top—it will still be festive, fun, and full of cheer! 

Praise and Tips From the Allrecipes Community

• Feel free to keep the crescent roll dough rolled up, cutting into several thin rounds. Arrange the rounds in a tree shape, saving one round for the “trunk.” This will help make prepping the base even easier.
• “Delicious,” said Allrecipes Allstar Sunny Days Nora. “I did end up with almost exactly twice as much topping as needed so if I make it again I will definitely cut it in half. I forgot to add the cheddar cheese and it was still wonderful. Maybe I’m missing something obvious, but I didn’t find making the crescent triangles into a tree shape to be intuitive, I pressed the seams together and kind of winged it.”
• As my mom did, feel free to add your favorite veggies, herbs, or cheese to the mix. My mom adds black olives, and I sometimes add finely-diced red onion. But I’ve also seen diced carrots, cauliflower, and cucumbers on top.