Pull Apart Christmas Tree
Pull Apart Christmas Tree is made with fluffy cheese-stuffed bread rolls, parmesan cheese, and spices. A savory and delicious way to add some fun to a holiday meal. Just the right touch of butter, herbs, and melted cheese make these little dough balls a favorite appetizer or side dish during the holiday season.
Dip these delicious rolls into our creamy and rich Beer Cheese Dip made with cream cheese and beer. Try this Christmas tree cheese bread as a side to our Cheesy BBQ Chicken Taquitos made with sweet corn, Greek yogurt, and barbecue sauce.
This recipe is perfect for a new Christmas tradition with the kids or grandkids. Let them roll the cheese up into the balls, spread on the egg wash, and then let them decorate the top before cooking.
Try using thinly sliced orange peppers for garland, cherry tomatoes for lights, and make ornaments and a star using a cookie cutter and yellow and red peppers.
Another bread dish for holidays is this Peanut Butter Nutella Danish, which makes a great Christmas breakfast.
Ingredients needed:
Check out our step-by-step instructions and precise measurements on our recipe card at the bottom of the page. But these are the main ingredients you will need:
- Refrigerated pizza dough: Or homemade dough that has been chilled.
- Egg wash: One tablespoon of water mixed with one whisked egg.
- Mozzarella cheese: Cut into one-inch cubes.
- Melted butter: Salted or unsalted are both fine.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly shredded for best results but you can use the prepared type from the grocery store.
- Spices: We used basil and parsley with rosemary for garnish.
How do you make pull apart Christmas tree rolls?
- Preheat: First, heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut: Then, cut each piece of mozzarella into a one-inch cube.
- Divide: Next, divide pizza dough into two pieces on a floured surface and make each piece of dough a long rectangle.
- Cut: Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into two-inch squares.
- Wrap: After, wrap each dough square around a piece of cheese and make it into a tightly sealed ball.
- Make the tree: Then, place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet seam sides down, in the shape of a Christmas tree. Make sure they are touching.
- Bake: Finally, brush egg wash over the top of each ball and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
- Melted butter mixture: While you wait, microwave butter in a small bowl until it is melted and then add parmesan and herbs.
- Serve: Last, brush mixture on the tops of biscuits with a pastry brush and serve it warm with dipping sauce.
Recipe variations:
- Add some color: To make your tree more festive, consider adding green food coloring.
- Stuffed: Add a meatball to each roll for a meatier dish.
- Type of cheese: Feel free to use your own favorite cheese such as cheddar, Monterey jack, or Colby.
- Add Italian seasoning: Use Italian seasoning to make it taste more like pizza.
- Spice it up: Add some red pepper flakes to the butter mixture and use pepper jack cheese for a spicy Christmas tree pull apart bread.
- Sweeten it up: Make your tree shape out of sweet rolls and melt brown sugar, cinnamon, and cream cheese in a small microwavable bowl to use for filling.
How to serve:
This amazing dish will make the perfect Christmas appetizer at a holiday party. Or use it as a side dish for any meal during the holiday season.
- Serve these is with a variety of veggies like olives, pepperoni, and green peppers in small bowls, and let your guests decorate the tree. It is so much fun.
- Try dipping in our creamy warm spinach artichoke dip.
- For a different holiday, feel free to make a different shape such as a heart for Valentine’s Day or a pumpkin for Halloween.
- Another idea is to top these with shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good dips for this recipe?
Although the first dip that comes to mind is marinara sauce, there are many others that would also work well with this dish. Pizza sauce, spinach dip, and ranch dressing are also a few of our favorites.
You could also try salsa, sweet mustard sauce, sour cream and onion dip, barbeque sauce, or even cheese dip.
Can I use homemade bread dough?
Homemade bread dough or pizza dough is a great way to make these delicious pull apart rolls. All you need is water, active dry yeast, olive oil, flour, and salt.
You can add your own flavors as you like such as oregano, garlic, and thyme to make the bread even tastier.
How do you know when it is done?
With our easy recipe, your Christmas tree bread should be done in 15 to 20 minutes baked at 450 degrees F. However, because ovens differ, yours may get done faster or take longer.
You can use your eyes to tell when it is done. Once the top is turning golden brown, it should be done.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: Although these are best eaten warm, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will be good for about three days. However, you will probably have to take it apart to get it to fit in the container.
- Freeze: Your Christmas tree pull-apart bread will stay fresh in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to 90 days.
- Thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving for best results.
- Reheat: For best results, reheat in the oven at 400 degrees F for about five minutes.
More Christmas appetizers:
Cooking tips:
- To save time, use mozzarella sticks instead of block cheese.
- Be sure to pinch the edges of the dough together and place balls seam side down so the cheese does not ooze out.
- To move the tree from the cookie sheet to a platter without it falling apart, use the parchment paper to move it and then use a spatula to loosen it from the paper before pulling it out.
- Be sure to prepare these rolls on a floured surface so they do not stick.
- Crescent rolls: Alternatively, you could also use crescent rolls or another biscuit dough for this recipe.
- Sugar-free: Make this recipe sugar free by making your own pizza dough and using sugar free dipping sauce.
Pull Apart Christmas Tree
Ingredients
- 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
- 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 pound mozzarella cut into 1-inch cubes - you will need 33 cubes
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
- 1 cup marinara warmed - for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, divide the pizza dough into two pieces. Take one piece, stretch it and roll it into a long rectangle, then cut dough into 2” squares.
- Repeat with the other piece, in total, you will need 33 dough squares.
- Place a mozzarella cube in the center of each square and wrap the dough around the cheese, forming a tightly sealed ball.
- Arrange the rolls seam-side down, touching each other, onto the baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree.
- Brush the dough balls with the egg mixture and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and herbs. Brush the baked pizza balls with the cheese mixture.
- Serve warm with marinara for dipping.
- Use fresh rosemary to garnish.
Nutrition
