Gingerbread Fruit Christmas Wreath

🥘 Ingredient Notes

You can buy the chocolate cream cheese or quickly make your own chocolate cream cheese with just 3 ingredients (and that way you control the WW points)! And I think these are the fruits that go well with gingerbread.

• Gingerbread cookie recipe. The gingerbread recipe I use is very strong but it's not too hard, and still tastes delicious, so it's ideal for this recipe.
• Chocolate cream cheese . The chocolate cream cheese adds a lovely creamy and tangy texture that pairs perfectly with the gingerbread and fruit. Plus, chocolate just makes everything better, right?!  * or you can use store-bought instead
• Green grapes. It's important to get green grapes -the red won't look as good. You don't have to spray them if you prefer not to.
• Pecan halves. Make sure they are the halves - chopped or whole pecans won't have the same look.
• Chocolate candy melts. These are easier than melted chocolate and can be found at craft stores, in the cake decorating aisle or online.
• Tootsie rolls. Weight Watchers has said these are the best candies to eat at Halloween if you're on WW. Hopefully you still have some around.
• edible gold spray (affiliate link)

*See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities

📖 Variations

• Nut-free: If you need this Christmas fruit wreath to be nut free, leave out the nut pine cones (or you could make pine cone shaped cookies with the excess gingerbread.) Either way, you'll want to give this is delicious, healthy and festive holiday edible wreath a try. You won't be disappointed!
• Gingerbread cookie recipe: you can use any recipe you like or use a gingerbread cookie mix or substitute a sugar cookie mix (affiliate links).
• Fruit: you can use a variety of fruits, including green fruits, but these are the ones I like to use.
• Tootsie Rolls: You can use taffy instead.
• Chocolate Cream cheese: You can use regular cream cheese instead and sweeten it with a little powdered sugar or agave.

🔪 How to Make a Gingerbread Fruit Wreath for Christmas

This edible Christmas wreath is easier to put together than you may think!

PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees Celcius). Spray a 12 inch round pizza pan with non- stick cooking spray.

MAKE THE DOUGH (STEP 1): Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside (Image 1) Combine light corn syrup, light brown sugar and margarine in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat  on stove top until margarine is melted. (Image 2). Stir the liquid into the flour mixture. Mix well with a spoon, then using hands as dough becomes stiff (Image 3). *Chill the dough until it is easy to handle (10 – 15 minutes approximately) Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness directly onto pizza pan (it is easier than trying to transfer the dough after it's rolled out).

NOTE: *If using a package gingerbread cookie mix, prepare as per package instructions then skip down to instructions (Note: it may not be as strong and sturdy as the homemade one I recommend). Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside.

BAKE THE DOUGH (STEP 2):. Then trim around the edges of the pizza pan (Image 5 )Use the rim of a bowl (or anything round that is approximately 4-5 inches across) to cut out the centre of the gingerbread wreath. Place it in the middle (Image 6 ). Cut around the shape and remove excess dough  * you can use it to cut into shapes for cookies, as desired (Image 7). Bake at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for 12- 15 minutes or until golden brown- check for air bubbles in the dough and poke them with toothpick or cake tester (Image 8).

PREPARE THE BASE (STEP 3) : Then gently lift around edges, with a pie lifter (or similar utensil), while it's still warm, so it will be easier to remove from the pan (Image 9). Transfer by sliding onto large cooling rack. If you don't have a large cooling rack that will accommodate this size of cookie, then leave it on the pan until completely cooled. When completely cooled, transfer to large (14 inch) cardboard cake tray, large flat platter or cake platter (Image 10). Spread all the chocolate cream cheese evenly over the gingerbread cookie wreath, using a butter knife (Image 11).

MAKE THE PINE CONES (STEP 3): Cut large tootsie rolls in half. Microwave tootsie roll on ½ power in microwave for about 20 seconds or until it is a little soft and therefore pliable. Lay tootsie roll on parchment paper (Image 12) . Melt chocolate melts in microwave on ½ power (5 power on my microwave) in 30 second intervals for up to 1 ½ - 2 minutes, stirring each time, until melted. * do not get any water near utensils, bowls etc as the chocolate will seize. Rub some melted chocolate candy melt on the tootsie roll and add a layer of pecans. Allow to harden for about 5 minutes (Image 13). Rub a little chocolate melt on each pecan halves as you layer pecans to  build the pine cone upwards and outwards. You will likely need to stop and allow the 2nd layer to harden before putting on the final layer. You only have to worry about doing one side, as they are laying flat- they are 2D (Image 14). When pine cones are completely hardened, transfer to wreath and place them equal distance from one another.

DECORATE THE WREATH (STEP 4): Add kiwi fruit slices over the chocolate cream cheese (Image 15). Spray the grapes and allow to dry (Image 16). Add grapes and maraschino cherries to wreath. *Be sure to pat the cherries dry with a paper towel before placing on wreath (Image 17 ) *If you're not sure how to peel a kiwi, check out this video: Video: How to peel a kiwi

MAKE THE RASPERRY BOW (STEP 5): Place raspberries on 2 wooden skewers and lay on top of wreath at the bottom (Image 18). Poke the top, sharp end of the skewer into the fruit at the top so it will stay in place (Image 19). Then arrange remaining berries in a circle on each side to look like a bow (Image 20). Sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the wreath.

👪 Serving Size

This gingerbread wreath is a made on one 12' pizza pan (the the middle cut out), but serves 16. 

🔢WW Points

This fruit wreath is ww friendly at 6 points per slice. You get the best of both worlds- cookie and fruit in a healthy wreath!

🌡️Storage

• This Christmas wreath is best made fresh. However, if you want to make it in advance, store the sliced fruit, pecan pine cones, cookie and cream cheese separately and assemble just prior to serving. The cookie should be stored at room temperature, but the pine cones, cream cheese and fruit should be refrigerated. Cover in plastic wrap.
• Leftovers can be stored, in a fridge, in an airtight container, for 1-2 days.

❔Recipe FAQs