Spinach-Artichoke Crescent Candy Cane

Your favorite party dip is now baked and served inside a candy cane-shaped crescent! With its candy cane shape, crowd-pleasing flavor profile, and festive red and green colors, this delicious appetizer is perfect for a holiday party. Spread a creamy spinach-artichoke mixture onto Pillsbury™ crescent dough, then top with cheese and peppers. Fold and bake dough into a buttery, golden brown candy cane, and serve as a festive appetizer at your next holiday gathering.

Cook Time 17

Servings Servings

Ingredients

1 package 10 oz frozen chopped spinach
3 oz from 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup Progresso™ artichoke hearts drained, chopped and patted dry (from 14-oz can)
1 can 8 oz Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 slices mozzarella cheese 0.8 oz each, cut in half
¼ cup chopped roasted red bell pepper drained well and patted dry
1 tablespoon butter melted
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

Cook spinach as directed on package; drain. Cool 15 minutes. With hands, squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Measure 1/2 cup of the spinach; set aside for filling. Cover and refrigerate remaining spinach for another use.
Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper; spray generously with cooking spray.
In small bowl, beat cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder with spoon until blended. Stir in the 1/2 cup spinach and the artichoke hearts until mixed well.
Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles. With pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut each triangle in half lengthwise to get 16 triangles. On cookie sheet, place crescent triangles lengthwise in long row, pointing same direction, with edges overlapping slightly on cookie sheet. Press overlapping edges together to help seal, but leave triangle points free. Add cheese halves on overlapping wide ends.
Spread cream cheese mixture in 2 1/2-inch wide strip lengthwise on top of mozzarella cheese. Top with bell pepper.
Fold over tips of dough to enclose filling; pinch ends of dough on edge to attach. Gently picking up top end of dough, curve one end of strip to form top of cane. Brush dough with melted butter; sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet. Use spatula to carefully help slide crescent from parchment to serving platter, loosening edges with spatula first, if needed.