Edible Christmas Tree – Meatballs & Cheese Balls

If you love meat and cheese then I’m sure you’ll love this Edible Christmas Tree. It is made out of cheese balls and appetizer meatballs. It doesn’t take too long to assemble and it makes for an amazing edible centrepiece for your Christmas day. I used ~ 250 cheese & meat balls for a 24’’ (61 cm) tall tree. You can certainly downsize and make a smaller tree but you need to adjust the ingredients below. You can buy the styrofoam cone at your local crafts store (e.g. Michael’s) but you should hurry to buy one as these cones are in high demand during this time! Or, you can buy it from Amazon, although only the smaller cone sizes are usually available there.

Ingredients

Cheese Balls

750 g finely shredded cheddar cheese or a blend of shredded cheeses (I used Black Diamond Italiano pre-shredded blend of cheeses)
250 g grated parmesan cheese
5 eggs
10 Tbsp white flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
oil for frying

European Appetizer Meatballs

1.6 kg ground pork
250 g bread
3.5 tsp sweet paprika
3.5 tsp dried thyme
6-7 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium-sized red onions (~ 150 g)
a handful of fresh dill and parsley, chopped finely (~ 80 g)
3 eggs
salt & pepper
oil for frying

Other Tools/Supplies

cheddar cheese block for the star
star cookie cutter
a 5.75’’ x 24’’ (14.6 cm x 60.9 cm) styrofoam or recycled plastic cone usually used for crafts & flower arrangements
250 toothpicks

Directions

Making the Cheese Balls and European Appetizer Meatballs

Prepare your cheese balls using the ingredients listed above and following the steps in this post. Or you can watch this video tutorial to see how they are made.

Prepare your European appetizer meatballs using the ingredients listed above and following the steps in this post. Or you can watch this video tutorial to see how they are made.

Assembling the Edible Christmas Tree

Begin by placing the styrofoam or recycled plastic cone on your workspace. This cone will serve as the stable base for your Meatball and Cheese Ball Christmas Tree.

To protect the cone and make it food-safe, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or cling film. Ensure that you cover the entire surface.

Start by taking a toothpick and skewering a cheese ball. Insert the toothpick with the cheese ball into the styrofoam cone at the bottom, slightly angling it upwards. This will create the first row of cheese balls in a spiral pattern.

Continue inserting toothpick-skewered cheese balls in a spiral pattern around the cone, working your way up. The spiral pattern will give your tree a whimsical and captivating appearance.

Once you’ve completed the row of cheese balls, switch to meatballs. Skewer a meatball with a toothpick and insert it into the cone, just above the row of cheese balls. This will create the first row of meatballs in a spiral pattern.

Continue inserting toothpick-skewered meatballs in a spiral pattern around the cone, working your way up alongside the cheese ball row. The alternating layers of meatballs and cheese balls will give your tree a delightful and savoury contrast.

To complete your Meatball and Cheese Ball Christmas Tree, you can craft a star topper using a cheddar cheese block and a star-shaped cookie cutter. Simply cut out a star shape and attach it to the very top of your tree using a toothpick to secure it in place.

Watch this video tutorial to see how it’s done.

You might also like this video with 5 Festive Christmas Trees:

Your savoury masterpiece is now ready to take centre stage on your holiday table. Share it with your guests and encourage them to pluck off the meatballs and cheese balls for a delicious and festive treat.

Creating a Meatball and Cheese Ball Christmas Tree is not only a feast for your taste buds but also a whimsical and fun way to celebrate the holiday season. It’s a perfect representation of the joy of the season, combining the flavours of savoury delights with the spirit of creative holiday decor. Share the flavours, share the joy, and have a savoury and festive holiday season!