Description
Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread is a festive and fun appetizer perfect for holiday parties. Soft pizza dough is filled with gooey mozzarella cheese, rolled into bite-sized balls, and arranged to form a Christmas tree shape. After baking to golden perfection, the bread is brushed with a savory garlic herb butter and sprinkled with Parmesan and parsley, served warm with marinara sauce for delicious dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough and Cheese
- 1 pound pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasoned Butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Garnish and Dipping
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- Warm marinara or pizza sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Shape the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the pizza dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick to ensure even baking.
- Cut and Fill: Cut the dough into 33–36 equal squares. Place about 1 teaspoon of shredded mozzarella in the center of each square, then pinch the edges tightly to seal the cheese inside and roll each into a smooth ball.
- Arrange the Tree: Place the cheese-filled dough balls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, arranging them in a Christmas tree shape — start with 1 ball at the top and add increasing numbers per row to form a tree.
- Bake: Bake for 18–22 minutes until the bread balls are puffed up and golden brown on top.
- Make Seasoned Butter: While baking, combine the melted butter with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese to create a flavorful brush-on topping.
- Brush and Garnish: Once the bread is out of the oven, immediately brush the warm bread tree with the seasoned butter. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top if desired for color and freshness.
- Serve: Serve the cheesy Christmas tree bread warm alongside warm marinara or pizza sauce for dipping and enjoy your festive party treat.
Notes
- You can prepare and shape the dough balls up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerate them until ready to bake.
- For a meaty variation, add small pieces of pepperoni or cooked sausage inside the cheese in each dough ball before sealing.
- Make sure to seal the dough balls tightly to prevent cheese from leaking during baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 430mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
