Cranberry Christmas Star (Printable)

A show-stopping holiday dish with tart cranberries, creamy cheeses, and puff pastry in a star shape.

# Ingredient list:

→ Cheese Filling

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 3.5 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 2 oz crumbled feta cheese
04 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Cranberry Mixture

06 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
07 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
08 - 1 tbsp orange zest
09 - 2 tbsp orange juice
10 - 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

→ Pastry

11 - 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed (17.6 oz total)
12 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)
14 - 2 tbsp chopped pistachios (optional)
15 - Fresh rosemary sprigs, for decoration

# Cooking steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until berries burst and mixture thickens, about 7 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
03 - In a mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, mozzarella, feta, chives, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Roll out one sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface. Cut into a 12-inch circle and place on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.
06 - Distribute the cooled cranberry mixture evenly atop the cheese layer.
07 - Cover with the second puff pastry sheet and trim to match the bottom circle.
08 - Place a small bowl approximately 3 inches in diameter at the center. Using a sharp knife, cut from the edge of the bowl outward, dividing the pastry into five equal rays to form a star.
09 - Gently twist each of the five rays outward to reveal layers and filling. Remove the bowl from the center.
10 - Brush the entire pastry surface with the beaten egg to ensure a golden finish.
11 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
12 - Allow to cool slightly. Optionally garnish with pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and rosemary sprigs. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen but actually comes together in under an hour.
  • The sweet-tart cranberries cut through the rich cheese in a way that makes people ask for seconds.
  • You can prep everything ahead and bake it right before guests arrive, which is a game changer for stress-free hosting.
02 -
  • Let your cranberry mixture cool completely before adding it to the cheese layer, or the heat will cause the pastry to soften prematurely and your layers will blur together instead of staying distinct.
  • Don't skip the egg wash—it's the difference between a pale, ordinary pastry and one that looks like it belongs on a restaurant table.
  • The five cuts need to be clean and confident; hesitant sawing will create uneven rays that don't spiral properly and won't look like the star you're imagining.
03 -
  • Keep your puff pastry cold right up until you brush it with egg wash; warm pastry won't puff as dramatically in the oven.
  • If your pastry sheets are slightly smaller than you need for a 12-inch circle, you can overlap and press them together gently with a wet finger and they'll seal and puff as one.
  • Have everything prepped before you pull out the pastry because it thaws quickly and becomes harder to work with if it sits out too long.
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