This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Balls of mozzarella cheese and pizza dough are assembled in the shape of a tree and baked until the cheese is gooey and the dough is perfectly browned to make this Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread. Brushed with garlic-herb butter, it’s a quick and easy appetizer for all your holiday parties.
I love taking recipes we already love and giving them a festive twist. A regular charcuterie board becomes a charcuterie Christmas tree, a cheese ball becomes a Rudolph Christmas cheese ball, and cheesy pull apart bread becomes this Christmas tree pull apart bread.
Unlike my regular pull apart bread that’s made with a loaf of bread stuffed with cheese, this Christmas tree pull apart bread is made with pizza dough. Each piece of dough is wrapped around a piece of cheese and then assembled in the shape of a tree. The only main ingredients are pizza dough and mozzarella cheese sticks. A simple garlic-herb butter is brushed on top for flavor and then it’s ready to be served with marinara sauce for dipping.
Why This Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread Is A Holiday Favorite
- Fun & festive. Assembling a simple recipe in the shape of a Christmas tree automatically makes it more fun! It adds some flair to an appetizer table and you can get creative with the assembly, too.
- Great for sharing. One Christmas tree pull apart bread contains 32 individual cheesy bread rolls. That makes it great for larger gatherings, though I am warning you that they are so good people will definitely want more than one!
- Easy to make. You only need a couple of ingredients for this recipe and it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare. It can also be prepared a few hours ahead and popped in the oven right before the party!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s an overview of the few ingredients needed to make this fun Christmas appetizer. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Pizza crust – I used Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust. You can use any, but I recommend 1 pound of premade pizza dough. If there’s a Trader Joe’s near you, they sell a 1 pound bag of refrigerated pizza dough for just under $2 dollars. Local grocery stores sometimes have fresh refrigerated pizza dough in their deli section.
- Mozzarella string cheese sticks – You can use a brick of mozzarella cheese instead of cheese sticks if you want to save a few dollars or you can’t find cheese sticks in the store. You will use 6 ounces of cheese cut into 36 equal pieces.
- Butter – I use salted. If you use unsalted, add a tiny pinch of salt.
- Herbs & aromatics – Finely grated garlic, fresh basil, and fresh parsley make the garlic-herb butter.
- Parmesan cheese – I like to top the tree with finely grated (and freshly grated!) parmesan.
- Cherry tomatoes – They add a little bit of festive flair by acting as ornaments.
How To Make Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread
This holiday appetizer is quick and easy to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the ingredients. Cut each mozzarella stick into 6 equal pieces. Unroll the pizza dough and cut each one into 16 equal pieces.
- Assemble. Place a piece of mozzarella in the center of each piece of dough. Wrap completely around the cheese and pinch the seams closed. Roll into a ball. Repeat.
- Let rest. Arrange the dough balls in a tree shape. Cover with a kitchen dough and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Bake. Bake for 22-26 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if the rolls begin to brown too much.
- Make the butter. Combine the melted butter, garlic, basil, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Garnish. Let the bread cool for 5 minutes then brush with the garlic-herb butter. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and decorate with the tomatoes.
- Enjoy. Serve warm with marinara sauce.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are a few general tips and tricks for making this Christmas tree pull apart bread.
- Expect extras. You will have 4 extra pieces of cheese stick and 3 dough balls. Eat the cheese as a snack, and you can add the extra rolls to the pan along with the tree or bake separately.
- Keep the smaller pieces of cheese. I tried this recipe with larger pieces of cheese by cutting the cheese stick into fourths instead of sixths. The cheese was much more likely to spill out during baking and did not fit inside the dough very well, so I don’t recommend it.
- The cheese is still going to break out of a few pieces. Personally, I like reaching for those pieces because the cheese gets a little crispy.
- Use parchment paper. I highly recommend lining the pan with parchment paper because it makes it much easier to remove the tree, especially when some cheese has leaked out.
- Seal the dough completely. Make sure the dough is sealed well around the cheese to prevent leaks.
- Manipulate the dough as little as possible. It toughens the more you work with it.
Serving Suggestions
This Christmas tree pull apart bread should be served warm. I like to offer some homemade marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
It makes such a fun addition to holiday parties and appetizer spreads. Some of my other favorite festive appetizers for parties include a candy cane charcuterie board, Christmas tree cake dip, and Christmas tree veggie trays.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Assemble the Christmas tree up to 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Bake as directed. Add the garlic-basil butter and toppings after baking.
- Storage: If you have any leftover pieces from your pull apart bread, keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days. Individual cheesy bread balls can be reheated in the microwave or, if you still have a partial tree, you can pop it back into the oven until hot.
Add as Google Trusted SourceChristmas Tree Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cans Pillsbury Pizza Crust
- 6 sticks mozzarella string cheese, chilled
Garlic-Herb Butter
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut each mozzarella stick into 6 equal pieces, for 36 pieces total.
- Unroll both cans of pizza dough. Cut each into 16 equal pieces, for 32 pieces total.
- Place a piece of mozzarella in the center of a piece of dough. Wrap the dough completely around the cheese and pinch the seams closed. Roll gently into a smooth ball. Repeat with remaining dough and cheese.
- Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet in a tree shape.
- Loosely cover the tree with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 22–26 minutes. If the rolls begin to brown too much, cover loosely with tin foil.
- While the bread bakes, combine melted butter, garlic, basil and parsley.
- Let cool for 5 minutes then brush generously with the Garlic-Herb butter. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and top with tomatoes. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Assemble the Christmas tree up to 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Bake as directed. Add the garlic-basil butter and toppings after baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Leave a comment & rating below, or tag @kitchenfunwithmy3sons on social media!
