Description

This festive Christmas Lights Appetizer Spread is a colorful and delicious cheese-based dish designed to resemble a string of holiday lights. Creamy and flavorful with sharp cheddar, garlic, and chives, the spread is artfully decorated with an assortment of fresh mini bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, and fresh herbs. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it pairs wonderfully with gluten-free crackers and vegetable sticks, creating a visually appealing and tasty starter that delights both eyes and taste buds.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Spread

8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp dried chives
Salt, to taste

Vegetable Decorations

12–16 mini sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green), sliced lengthwise and seeded
½ cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
Black olives, sliced
Fresh parsley or dill sprigs
1 bunch fresh chives or green onions

Serving

Gluten-free crackers or baguette slices
Assorted vegetable dippers such as carrot sticks and celery

Instructions

Prepare Cheese Spread: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, minced garlic, black pepper, paprika, dried chives, and salt. Stir thoroughly until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
Shape Spread on Platter: Transfer the cheese mixture onto a large serving platter. Spread it evenly and shape into a wide oval or rectangle to mimic the shape of a string of lights, providing a base for your decoration.
Lay Out Wires: Take fresh chives or green onion strips and arrange them in a winding, looping pattern across the spread to resemble the wires of holiday string lights.
Add Decorative Bulbs: Place the sliced mini sweet bell pepper halves, halved grape or cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and sliced black olives intermittently along the chive wires. This will create the visual effect of Christmas light bulbs and sockets.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish the entire arrangement with fresh parsley or dill sprigs to add a touch of greenery and fresh aroma. Serve immediately alongside gluten-free crackers and a variety of vegetable dippers such as carrot sticks and celery for a delightful festive appetizer.

Notes

For best results, soften cream cheese to room temperature ahead of time to ensure easy mixing.
If preferred, add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a mild spicy kick to the cheese spread.
Use fresh, colorful mini bell peppers for an eye-catching presentation.
This spread can be prepared a few hours in advance and refrigerated; just add the fresh vegetable decorations just before serving to keep them crisp.
Gluten-free crackers can be substituted with toasted baguette slices if gluten is not a concern.
Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas appetizer, cheese spread, holiday party food, festive appetizer, gluten-free appetizers, vegetable dip, cream cheese spread