Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Bread (Christmas Tree Style)
This festive tear-and-share bread is stuffed with gooey mozzarella, baked until golden, and brushed with garlic herb butter. The perfect 30-minute holiday appetizer!
Equipment
- Large Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- 2 cans 13.8 oz) Refrigerated Pizza Dough (or 1.5 lbs homemade dough)
- 8 oz Mozzarella cheese block, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large Egg, beaten (for wash)
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped
- 1 cup Marinara sauce (for dipping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the pizza dough into 33 equal pieces.
- Flatten each piece of dough, place a cheese cube in the center, and pinch the edges tightly to seal. Roll into a smooth ball.
- Arrange the balls seam-side down on the baking sheet in a tree shape (rows of 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1). Use extra dough for the trunk.
- Brush the dough tree with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffy and golden brown.
- Whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, parsley, and rosemary.
- Brush the garlic butter over the hot bread immediately after removing from the oven. Serve warm with marinara.
Notes
For an extra festive touch, you can sprinkle pomegranate seeds or place halved cherry tomatoes in the gaps between the dough balls after baking to look like red ornaments!