Get ready to bake a festive centerpiece that's as fun to make as it is to eat! This Christmas tree pull-apart bread is a gorgeous, cheesy masterpiece, featuring soft dough balls stuffed with mozzarella.
Each piece pulls away to reveal a delicious, melty center, making it the ultimate shareable appetizer. It’s sure to bring everyone to the table with its garlic-herb butter aroma and holiday charm!
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- This festive pull-apart bread recipe for holiday gatherings is super simple to follow - you don’t even need to make your own pizza dough for it!
- The Italian seasoning and melted cheeses provides an irresistible combination of flavors - perfect for providing that special touch to any meal.
- It's incredibly versatile! Serve it as a tasty holiday appetizer bread with marinara sauce or as a stunning side dish to your main meal.
This holiday pull-apart bread made with pizza dough and garlic butter is the guaranteed star of any holiday spread.
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients for the Christmas tree bread recipe. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Pizza crust (13.8 oz.) – Store-bought refrigerated pizza dough adds massive convenience to this quick and easy pull-apart bread, but you can use homemade pizza dough, if you prefer.
- Mozzarella cheese – Cut the cheese sticks into uniform pieces so that you get an equal portion of gooey cheese inside each bread ball. You can cut them with sharp kitchen scissors or a knife.
- Butter (salted) – I've used salted butter to enhance the flavors of these mozzarella stuffed rolls. Feel free to use unsalted, if you prefer.
- Italian seasoning – A classic seasoning to give this dish its traditional pizza flavor! A mix of dried basil and oregano is great if you don't have Italian seasoning.
- Garlic clove – Grated and combined with the butter mixture to add an extra depth of flavor to this Christmas tree pull-apart bread. ½ teaspoon of garlic powder can be used instead, in a pinch.
- Parmesan cheese – Sprinkled on top of the assembled Christmas tree bread balls just before baking with the remaining shredded cheese added on top to serve, delivering maximum cheesy flavor!
- Fresh rosemary and parsley – Sprinkled over the baked pull-apart Christmas bread just before serving for a pop of brightness.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the Christmas tree bread instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 30 equal pieces. Cut the cheese sticks into 30 small pieces. Place one piece of cheese onto one piece of pizza dough. Gather the edges of the dough around the cheese and pinch the bottom firmly to seal it. Then, roll the sealed dough into a smooth ball. Repeat for all but the final two pieces of dough and cheese. For these, stack the two pieces of dough together and place both pieces of cheese inside them. This double portion acts as the "tree trunk". Place 7 balls on the bottom, 6 on the next row up, and so on. Place the "trunk" portion at the bottom.
- Heat the butter, grated garlic, and Italian seasoning in a microwave for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan cheese, and mix. Brush each ball with the butter mixture, reserving some for later.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with remaining butter mixture, and sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan cheese.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary and parsley. Serve with marinara sauce, and enjoy!
🥫 Storage
Once completely cool, store any leftover garlic butter rolls, preferably wrapped, in a sealed container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If you intend to keep this festive party bread for an extended amount of time, consider wrapping it and freezing it instead.
📚 Variations
- Use gluten-free pizza dough when assembling these easy mozzarella bread bites for those with dietary sensitivities.
- You can brush the tops of the bread balls with olive oil or an egg wash instead of melted butter, if you prefer.
- While I love how festive these garlic butter rolls look in the shape of a Christmas tree, you could line them up in a high-rimmed baking dish or even in a bundt cake pan to make an adorable pull-apart bread wreath!
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Store-bought refrigerated pizza dough is great for convenience, but make sure that it has been brought to room temperature for easier assembly and to prevent the dough from tearing.
- Always use freshly shredded Parmesan from a block for maximum flavor. It also melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Make sure to pinch the seams of the pizza dough to prevent any cheese spilling out.
- This holiday appetizer bread is best served immediately for that dreamy, melty texture!
- I like to preheat the baking sheet when making bread and pizza to ensure a crispy base, and the same is true for these Mozzarella stuffed rolls.
🤔 FAQs
Before you preheat the oven and enjoy that cheesy pull, here are some tips to help your Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread. These tips will make it turn out perfectly every time, just like mine did, golden and bubbly! 💛
Can I use homemade pizza dough for this recipe?
Absolutely! Homemade pizza dough gives this Christmas Tree Bread an even better flavor and texture. I enjoy using my own Classic Pizza Dough Recipe. It is soft, easy to handle, and bakes to a beautiful golden color. But if you’re short on time, refrigerated pizza dough will work too!
Mozzarella is the classic choice. It gives that beautiful cheese pull! You can also add a little provolone, fontina, or even a bit of parmesan for extra flavor. If you prefer a stronger cheese, try a few cubes of smoked mozzarella or Gouda — delizioso!
Yes! You can put the tree together a few hours before. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Then, refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. Just let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking so it puffs up nicely.
Marinara sauce is a natural match — it turns the bread into a fun, dippable appetizer. You can also serve it with pesto, warm tomato cream sauce, or a drizzle of herbed olive oil. It’s also lovely alongside soups or pasta dishes for a full Italian-inspired meal.
Once baked, you can keep it warm in a low oven (around 200°F / 95°C) for up to 30 minutes. Or wrap it loosely in foil until ready to serve. If it cools down, a quick 5-minute warm-up in the oven brings back that soft, cheesy magic.
So there you have it — all the little secrets to making this Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread as festive and foolproof as possible! Whether you’re baking it for a party, a cozy family dinner, or just because you can’t resist melty mozzarella (no judgment here!), it’s guaranteed to spread a little holiday cheer.
📗 Related Recipes
Looking for other cheesy breads to add as a festive bread centerpiece to your holiday gatherings? Here are some of my top picks you don't want to miss:
- Garlic Cheesy Bread - This versatile garlic cheese bread, seasoned with herbs and cheese, is delicious as a snack or as a side to an endless list of main meals.
- Parmesan Herb Pizza Bread - This no-knead pizza bread fills your home with the rich aroma of Italian herbs, cheese, and salami as it bakes. It's a quick and fragrant homemade loaf.
- Stuffed Italian Bread - This beautiful savory bread features swirls of basil, garlic, onion, and two cheeses. It's perfect for a special occasion yet easy enough to make any day of the week.
🍽 What to serve with Christmas tree pull-apart bread
Enjoy this easy holiday appetizer made with refrigerated dough alongside other satisfying party snacks, such as Italian Pinwheels, Buffalo Ranch Pretzel Nuggets, Cheesy Turkey Sliders, Air Fryer Zucchini Chips, or this holiday-inspired Reindeer Chow Snack Mix.
While I love dipping these mozzarella stuffed rolls into marinara sauce, they're just as great with No-Cook Pizza Sauce or Spicy Bourbon Barbecue Sauce.
Don't forget to add them as a stunning centerpiece to serve as a tasty side with your holiday roast chicken or turkey, Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb, Grilled Pork Sirloin Tip Roast, or meatloaf.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Baking sheet – A standard baking sheet will be large enough to assemble the pull-apart Christmas bread.
- Parchment paper – Prevents sticking for an easy release and quick cleanup.
- Cheese grater – Creates finely grated garlic and parmesan for the flavorful butter sauce and cheesy topping.
- Dry measuring spoon – Precisely measures the Italian seasoning and other dry ingredients.
- Small microwaveable bowl – Used to melt and combine the butter, garlic, and herbs.
- Pastry brush – Distributes the garlic-herb butter mixture evenly over the dough for a golden finish.
- Chef's knife – Cuts the dough and mozzarella sticks into uniform pieces.
- Cutting board – Provides a stable, clean surface for prepping the dough and cheese.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
There’s something special about pulling apart those golden rolls. Watching the mozzarella stretch is like holiday tinsel, right? You can serve this pull-apart Christmas Tree Bread as a warm appetizer, a party centerpiece, or just for fun. It will disappear faster than you can say Buon Natale!
I love how easy it is to make, and yet it looks like something straight out of a bakery window. A bit of garlic butter, some herbs, and soft, cheesy goodness make a great dish. It’s the perfect way to gather people around the table. Dip it in marinara, pass it around, and watch everyone’s faces light up with that first warm, melty bite.
So go ahead — pour yourself a glass of vino, put on some Christmas music, and bake up a little joy. After all, the holidays are meant for sharing… and this bread is definitely worth sharing (though no one will blame you if you keep a few rolls for yourself 😉).
Buon appetito, amici miei — and may your cucina be filled with love, laughter, and the scent of freshly baked Christmas magic! ❤️✨
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📖 Recipe
Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 13.8 oz can pizza crust or dough you can use homemade here too!
- 6-7 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 4 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese divided
- Fresh rosemary and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425F.
- On a lightly floured surface, lay out the pizza dough and cut it into 30 equal pieces.
- Cut the mozzarella sticks into 30 small pieces.
- Place a piece of cheese into a piece of pizza dough. Gather the sides and pinch the bottom together. Roll into a ball. Repeat until you get to the last 2 pieces of dough and cheese. Place the two pieces of dough together, and place the 2 pieces of cheese in there. This creates the tree trunk at the bottom.
- Start placing them with 7 on the bottom, 6 on the next row up, 5 on the next, then 4, 3, 2, and finally 1 on the top. Take the piece of dough with 2 cheese sticks In it, and place on the bottom as the tree trunk.
- Place the butter, grated garlic, and Italian seasoning in a microwave safe dish. Heat for 1 minute.
- Add 2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan cheese and mix to combine. Save the other 2 tablespoons of cheese to top with later. Brush the butter mixture over top of the tree, reserving some to top with later too.
- Bake at 425F for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and top with remaining butter mixture, and sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan cheese.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary and parsley. Serve with marinara sauce. Enjoy!
