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Christmas Pastries - add cherries
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Christmas Pastries {Semi-Homemade}

Christmas Pastries are a gorgeous and delicious Christmas bread that are easy enough that anyone can make them! They have a yummy little surprise inside that will make you fall in love with them!
Course Bread, Christmas, Holiday
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12
Author Amy

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf Rhodes frozen bread
  • 2 T. melted butter
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1 T. dry instant pudding mix vanilla, butterscotch, or caramel
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • ICING:
  • 1/4 c. butter room temperature
  • 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
  • 1-2 T milk start with just a little and add more as needed
  • 1 /4 tsp. almond extract
  • GARNISH:
  • 6 red cherries the kind you would use for fruit cake
  • 6 green cherries the kind you would use for fruit cake

Instructions

  • Roll the dough into a rectangle that’s as close to 12 x 18 inches as you can get it. It’s hard to make it exactly even and that’s okay. Try to roll it until the thickness is pretty even if you can. If the dough is different thicknesses you will end up with different sized pastries which my mom wouldn’t have ever allowed. But you know they eat the same!
  • Cut the dough 6 x 3 inch squares. So basically in half lengthwise then in 3 inch strips.
  • Mix butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and caramel pudding mix together. Divide and set on one end of each rectangle in a little mound.
  • Pull the edges of the rectangle over the brown sugar mixture tucking it inside. Then roll pastry up as tight as you can.
  • Set the pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet seam side down. With a sharp knife or scissors snip three little vent holes in the top of the pastry. The need to be about ½ inch long.
  • Let pastries rise until they are about doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.
  • While they are cooling mix powdered sugar, butter, milk and almond extract together creating an icing. Start with just a little bit of milk and add more until you get desired consistency. Once pastries are cooled a bit ice the tops.
  • Cut red cherries in half. Cut green cherries in half, then in half again creating the holly leaves. Set one half of a red cherry in the center of the pastry then add one green cherry piece on each side of the red cherry. Sprinkle with green sugar.
  • These are best served warm. I like to microwave them for a few seconds right before serving!