These festive stars really know how to shine on any holiday table.
Perfect for holiday parties, family gatherings, or a cozy December evening, these stars (big star cups and tiny toasts alike) are bursting with flavour, Christmas colours, and a little festive mischief.
With three irresistible flavours, spinach and lemony cream cheese, whipped feta with pomegranate and rosemary, and brie with cranberry, these little stars aren’t just tasty, they bring a sparkle to your spread.
Pile them into a wreath, scatter them across a platter, or let your guests pick their favourites; either way, they’re guaranteed to get a few “wow!” moments (and maybe a second helping)
The Story Behind the Recipe...
It wasn’t my original intention to make star-shaped holiday bites this Christmas. I was looking for something fun and festive... a little lighter than pastry, but still impressive. That’s when it hit me: why not bread?
Inspired by classic vol-au-vents, this idea quickly grew into a batch of bright, festive stars. Proof that the best recipes often come from a spark of inspiration, a dash of curiosity, and a little kitchen play.
Ingredients You'll Need to Make this Christmas Appetiser
Star Cups & Mini Star Toasts
- Bread: I enjoy using wholemeal as it adds a little nutty flavour and works beautifully when toasted. You can also use sourdough, white bread or brioche for extra indulgence and flavour.
- Butter: spreading over the stars helps them crisp up, adds a lovely golden colour and keeps the layers of the cup together. It also gives richness.
Cranberry and Brie
- Brie: melts beautifully into the bread cups/ toasts and pairs with the sweet-tart cranberry sauce. Classic Christmas flavours in a bite-sized format.
- Cranberry Sauce: adds a festive red and a touch of sweetness. Choose one with a slightly chunky texture for extra visual appeal.
Whipped Feta, Pomegranate and Rosemary
- Olive Oil: added to the feta and whipped until smooth.
- Rosemary: infused in the oil for added flavour and a wonderfully aromatic garnish for that mistletoe touch.
- Feta: whipped to not only make it easier to fill the bread cups and top your toasts, but also for the wonderfully creamy texture. For a milder flavour, you can opt for ricotta or soft goat’s cheese.
- Pomegranate: for the burst of colour, freshness and a juicy pop. I like to arrange as mistletoe for that extra festive touch, but you could also sprinkle more as desired.
Spinach and Lemony Cream Cheese
- Cream Cheese: softened so it’s easy to mix and pipe onto the stars.
- Spinach: baby spinach adds a vibrant, fresh green colour to this filling, perfect for Christmas.
- Lemon: adds a bright, festive zing to compliment the cheese.
- Salt and pepper: to taste, helps balance the richness of this filling.
How to Make this Christmas Appetiser
Follow the steps below to create flavour-packed stars for your holiday table…
Shaping Your Festive Star Cups & Mini Star Toasts
1. Cut Your Stars and Build the Cups
Start by cutting out the base of your cups with a star-shaped cookie cutter.
For the “walls,” cut a second star and remove the centre using a smaller cutter or a knife.
Spread butter over the base in a thin layer, then place the hollow star on top and press gently so it sticks and forms a cup.
- Finish with a spread of butter over the top.
Tip: Using a mix of different star shapes adds extra interest and variety, but you can stick to just one if that’s all you have.
Don’t forget to butter the pointy edges of your base stars, that’s where everything holds together!
2. Toast Your Cups & Mini Stars
- Bake two-thirds of your assembled star cups at 180°C for 6-8 minutes or until golden, then set aside to cool.
Note: Toasting the bread first gives your cups a crisp base that holds the filling nicely.
- From the leftover crusts (remaining bread you used to cut out your bread cups), cut out mini stars with a small star cutter.
- Gather the removed star centres and the mini stars, spread lightly with butter. Place two thirds of the stars on a lined baking tray and bake for 3-5 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Preparing Your Flavours
1. Cranberry and Brie
- Place brie cubes in each of the remaining star cups and on top of the remaining mini star. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
2. Whipped feta, Pomegranate and Rosemary
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan and fry a sprig of rosemary for a few minutes or until fragrant. Remove from the stove and cool slightly.
- Remove the rosemary from the oil. Blend feta and rosemary-infused oil until smooth.
Tip: Cool the rosemary oil for a minute or two before mixing with the feta. Just enough to keep the mixture smooth and perfectly creamy.
3. Spinach and Lemony Cream Cheese Filling
- Blend the cream cheese, spinach, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper, and herbs in a food processor until smooth.
Tip: add a handful of parsley or chives to the mix for a burst of green and vibrant flavour.
Assembling your Festive Stars & Plating
1. Cranberry and Brie
- Spoon cranberry sauce on top of your stars.
2. Whipped Feta Pomegranate and Rosemary
- Pipe the mixture into half of the toasted bread cups and onto half of the toasted mini stars.
- Top each with a small cluster of pomegranate arils and rosemary leaves to create mistletoe.
Tip: Want to really deck these out? Scatter a little extra pomegranate and rosemary over the top
3. Spinach and Lemony Cream Cheese
- Pipe the mixture into the remaining toasted bread cups and onto the remaining mini stars.
4. Plating
- Arrange the stars on a platter or plate in the shape of a wreath for the ultimate festive touch.
Tip: Tuck a few rosemary sprigs in and around your wreath for extra greenery and festive flair
MORE Christmas Recipes...
Watch these Festive Stars in Action
Festive Star Cups & Mini Star Toasts Wreath
Equipment
- 6.5 cm star cutter/s
- 3.5cm star cutter/s
Ingredients
Star Cups & Mini Toasts
- 18 slices bread
- softened butter
Cranberry and Brie
- 60g brie cut into small cubes
- cranberry sauce
Whipped Feta, Pomegranate and Rosemary
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 100g feta cheese
- pomegranate arils
- rosemary leaves
Spinach and Lemony Cream Cheese
- 80g cream cheese
- 1 cup baby spinach
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Star Cups & Mini Toasts
- Preheat your oven to bake at 180℃.
- Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the bases for your cups from your bread slices.
- Cut a second star for each base, then remove the centre with a smaller cutter to create a star outline.
- Spread a thin layer of butter over each base star, place the star outline on top, and gently press so it sticks and forms a cup.
- Spread a little more butter over the top.
- Place ⅔ of the assembled star cups on a lined baking tray and bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.
- From the leftover crusts, cut out mini stars with a small star cutter.
- Gather the removed star centres and the mini stars, spread lightly with butter. Place ⅔ of these stars on a lined baking tray and bake for 3-5 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Cranberry and Brie
- Place the remaining star cups and mini stars on a lined baking tray and add brie to the centre of each.
- Bake for 5-6 minutes or until the brie has melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Spoon cranberry sauce on top of each star.
Whipped Feta, Pomegranate and Rosemary
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and fry the rosemary sprig for a few minutes or until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Once cooled, remove the rosemary sprig and blend the rosemary oil with the feta until smooth.
- Pipe the whipped feta into half of the toasted star cups and onto half of the toasted mini stars.
- Top each with a cluster of pomegranate arils and a few rosemary leaves to resemble mistletoe.
Spinach and Lemony Cream Cheese
- Blend cream cheese, spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Pipe the mixture into the remaining star cups and onto the remaining mini stars.
Assembly
- Arrange the star cups and mini stars on a platter or plate in the shape of a wreath.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you give this Christmas appetiser a go, don’t forget to tag @theculinaryletter and #theculinaryletter on Instagram so that I can see all your wonderful creations!
Until next time, stay curious!
Stay connected!
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