Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (2024)

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Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread – warm, buttery, garlicky pull apart bread loaded with melty cheese. Easy fun Christmas food and the perfect kick-off to the holiday season.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (1)

Irresistible warm, garlic-buttery pull-apart Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread filled with gooey, melty mozzarella cheese.

Easy Christmas Tree bread filled with its cheesy goodness is a show-stopping treat perfect for your holiday party and one the whole family will love.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (2)

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

  • This gorgeous Christmas Tree Bread is simple to make from pre-made pizza crust and a few simple grocery store ingredients.
  • Cheesy bread is popular with almost everyone so it’s a great Christmas party (or any holiday) appetizer.
  • The shape of a Christmas tree makes it so festive.
  • It’s even a great side dish with your Christmas dinner!

What’s in Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread RECIPE?

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (3)

HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY CHRISTMAS TREE BREAD:

Preheat the oven to 400° then line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

Open the tube of pizza dough and spread out on a lightly floured surface. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 30 squares.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (4)

Next cut the mozzarella cheese sticks into 30 (1″) approximatley equal pieces and a chunk of mozzarella to each piece of dough.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (5)

Roll the dough to form a tightly sealed ball, pinching to seal the edges.

Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet seam side down in the shape of a Christmas tree (the balls should be lightly touching).

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (6)

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together then lightly brush with egg wash.

Bake 16-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Microwave butter 15-30 seconds or until melted then stir in half of the parmesan cheese and all of the garlic and herbs to the melted butter.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (7)

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (8)

When the bread is finished baking, remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to brush on the herb garlic butter then sprinkle with the rest of the parm cheese.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (9)

Serve with a side of marinara, pizza sauce or pesto for dipping.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (10)

What goes with christmas bread?

This bread is a solid appetizer on its own but also goes perfectly so many entrees, including the ones below.

Baked Mostaccioli

Braised Beef Ragu

Garlic Butter Scallops

Lasagna Soup

CAN I MAKE CHRISTMAS TREE BREAD AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes! Here’s how you do it.

  1. Roll cheese filled balls per recipe instructions then place the balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (do NOT add the egg wash).
  2. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and transfer it to the freezer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the dough is frozen.
  3. Place frozen balls in a zip top bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to bake (they take up less room this way).
  4. Freeze without egg wash.
  5. When you’re ready to bake the bread, remove the balls from the freezer and thaw on the counter about 45 minutes.
  6. After the dough balls are thawed, assemble the tree, brush with egg wash and bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (15)

Let’s cook together!

Tried this Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread? Leave a comment, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and TAG ME with your photo on social media! @agoudalife or #agoudalife

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (16)

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread from refrigerated pizza dough. Warm, pull apart bread loaded with herby garlic butter and plenty of cheese. Dip in marinara or pesto for the ultimate appetizer or side dish.

3.66 from 989 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 16 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 15

Calories

Ingredients

  • 13 ounce canned refrigerator pizza dough
  • parchment paper for lining baking sheet
  • 6-7 mozzarella cheese sticks
  • 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese divided
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 1 jar marinara and/or pesto for dipping

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400° then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Cut the dough into 30 approximately equal squares then cut the mozzarella cheese sticks into 30 bite size (1 inch) pieces.

  • Add a piece of mozzarella to each square of dough then form a ball, rolling with your hands to smooth and seal the edges.

  • Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet seam side down in the shape of a tree (see photos) - so the balls are touching. Blend the egg and water in a small bowl and lightly brush each ball with the egg wash.

  • Bake 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. While the bread is baking, microwave the butter until melted then stir in half of the parmesan cheese and all of the grated garlic and herbs. Brush onto the rolls, then sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese over the top then serve right away with marinara and/or pesto for dipping.

Keyword pull apart bread, cheesy pull apart bread, holiday appetizers

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread - easy recipe! - A Gouda Life (2024)

FAQs

How do you score sourdough Christmas tree? ›

Use a piece of dental floss or string to mark out a tall triangle that will form the main part of your Christmas Tree. Then, use a large kitchen knife to cut the two sides of the dough away to form the triangle. What is this? Then cut the bottom of the loaf to form the stump of the tree.

How do you make a meat Christmas tree? ›

Get yourself a styrofoam cone and set it on a serving board, then chop up your chosen meats, cheese, fruits and pickles into uniform bite-sized pieces. Olives and cherry tomatoes also work well. Next, use toothpicks to attach your pieces onto the cone in pretty patterns.

How to make your own Christmas tree? ›

Grab a pack of plastic spoons or forks, and cut off the ends. Decorate them with anything from spray paint to glitter glue for an easy, festive tree you can display every year.

What is the easiest sourdough score? ›

Score directly from the refrigerator - cold dough is much easier to score, and the contrast in temperature will help with the dough rise even higher. Use a specialized tool - even the sharpest bread paring knife won't have an edge that can neatly cut through wet dough.

How deep to cut sourdough before baking? ›

Make sure to score deep enough, from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch deep, erring on the later. This ensures the score doesn't fuse back together when the dough expands in the oven. Pull the blade towards you while gliding the blade into the surface of the dough and continue to pull the blade through the length of the cut.

What is the best tool to score sourdough bread? ›

A bread lame is a razor encased within a piece of wood. This is the tool that bakers use to score their sourdough loaves. I have a few bread lames that I would recommend from Wiremonkey: UFO Corbeau, Poco, and Arc bread lame. My first purchase was the UFO Corbeau which I love and my second purchase was the Poco.

How do you make a charcuterie tree step by step? ›

Directions. The Base: Place the longest board at the bottom and arrange an assortment of crackers and toasted bread slices. The Meats: Place the next longest board above the crackers and top with a selection of prosciutto, mortadella, salami, speck, and lomo. It's a good idea to have extra to replenish as needed.

How far in advance can I make a charcuterie tree? ›

Store it smartly.

Your tree can be made two to three days before your party. I recommend my favorite food styling tip I learned working in the prep kitchen at Rachael Ray—cover the tree with damp paper towels and then wrap in plastic wrap to prevent the meats and cheeses from drying out.

How to make a charcuterie board that looks like a Christmas tree? ›

Take a roll of string and create an even triangle shape on the board, taping each of the 3 corners of the triangle to the board so it stays in place. Use one layer of crackers to create the 1st row in the tree at the bottom of the triangle. Then add sticks of cheese, and a row of purple grapes above that.

How do you fold meat for charcuterie tree? ›

Fold the slice in half lengthwise. Starting at one end, roll the meat tightly, creating a spiral shape. Fan out the edges slightly to resemble petals. Place the meat rose on your charcuterie board, and repeat the process until you have the desired number of roses.

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