Cheesy Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread: A Festive Holiday Appetizer to Share

Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread

Picture a bread that arrives at the table shaped like a Christmas tree, golden on top, glistening with herb butter, and made of small, soft, fluffy pieces that pull apart with one gentle tug.

That is exactly what this cheesy pull apart Christmas tree bread delivers. Every little piece hides a pocket of melted mozzarella, the crust is brushed with savory butter mixed with fresh herbs, and the finish is a shower of Parmesan with just a hint of red pepper flakes.

The author of this recipe treats an elaborate holiday bread platter as a seasonal tradition, and this tree is the centerpiece version of that idea.

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It looks like a serious project, but it is built from a simple milk dough, a short ingredient list, and one baking sheet. Warm marinara on the side turns every pull into a dip, which is why the platter empties so fast.

If you would like a smaller warm up before the big day, a Garlic Herb Cheese Pull Apart Bread takes the same pull apart idea into a simpler shape.

Two reminders before you begin. The rise and proof times are guidelines, and a warm kitchen moves faster than a chilly one. The resting time of 2 hours 30 minutes is part of the process, so plan a relaxed afternoon around the dough.

This festive bake is adapted from the original Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread recipe.

Notes About A Few Key Ingredients

Small ingredient decisions add up in bread baking, so here is what matters most before you start.

• Bread flour. Its higher protein and gluten content gives baked goods a chewier texture and more structure, which is why the recipe calls for it. All purpose flour can stand in if that is what you have on hand.
• Instant dry yeast. It can go straight in with the dry ingredients, with no blooming step. If you only have active dry yeast, use double the amount, about 8 grams, mix it with the milk or water and a small amount of the sugar, then let it sit for 10 minutes until it looks bubbly or foamy. No bubbles means the yeast is not alive, so begin again with a fresh packet.
• Milk or water. Milk is preferred because it makes a softer dough and helps the crust turn golden.
• Unsalted butter. It goes into the dough at room temperature. If you use salted butter instead, adjust the salt in the recipe.
• Mozzarella. Cut it into cubes, or use about 8 string cheese sticks. Either way, keep the pieces small enough to tuck inside a dough ball.
• Fresh herbs. Basil, parsley, and rosemary make the herb butter sing. If you only have dried herbs, reduce each tablespoon of fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon.
• Parmesan. Freshly grated Parmesan melts and clings far better than the pre shredded kind.
• Red pepper flakes and marinara. Both are optional. Warm the marinara slightly and stir in any remaining herbs before serving.

The full ingredient list, grouped the way the recipe card presents it:

Dough

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup milk or water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Cheese

• 8 1/2 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed

Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Herb Butter

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Toppings

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• Red pepper flakes, optional
• Marinara, for dipping, optional

Equipment is simple: a large baking sheet, parchment paper, a pastry brush, and an optional stand mixer. A stand mixer is handy, but this dough can absolutely be kneaded by hand, and doing it by hand can help newer bakers learn what a well kneaded dough feels like.

How To Make Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread

The method runs as one continuous flow: mix, knead, rise, stuff, shape, proof, bake, and finish.

1. Mix the dough. Combine all the dough ingredients except the butter and mix until no dry flour is visible. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. Add the butter and knead. Work the softened butter into the rested dough, then knead with a stand mixer or by hand for 10 to 15 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Cover and let it rise for 1 to 1 and a half hours, until it doubles in size.
3. Cut the cheese. While the dough rises, cut the mozzarella into 30 to 33 pieces, about 7 grams each.
4. Divide and relax. Punch down the dough to release the gas, then divide it into balls weighing about 19 to 20 grams each. Cover them and let the dough relax for 10 minutes, which makes the stuffing step much easier.
5. Stuff and shape the tree. Insert a piece of cheese into each dough ball, pinch the opening closed, and arrange the balls on a parchment lined baking sheet in a Christmas tree design. Leave a small space between the balls so they have room to expand. Cover and let the tree proof for 1 hour.
6. Preheat and check. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C), then perform the finger poke test to confirm the dough is ready.
7. Egg wash and bake. Mix the egg and water in a small ramekin, brush the egg wash over each dough ball, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
8. Finish and serve. Stir the chopped herbs into the melted butter, brush it generously over the hot bread, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and any extra herbs. Warm the marinara in a small serving bowl for dipping.

The tree layout uses 33 dough balls. If your count lands a ball or two higher or lower, that is completely fine. Keep the spacing even and the silhouette balanced, and the tree will bake beautifully.

Suzy’s Tips For Success

These tips come from the recipe itself, and they are the difference between a good tree and a spectacular one.

Make the dough ahead. Knead the dough, cover it, and refrigerate it instead of giving it its first rise. The next day, bring it to room temperature and let it double in volume. Once the dough looks puffy and airy, punch it down and divide it into balls. This is a great way to spread the work over two days.

Weigh your ingredients. A kitchen scale is strongly recommended, especially for flour. One cup of flour measured by volume gives a different weight from person to person, and an early inaccuracy can undermine the whole bake. Volume measuring can still succeed, but a scale removes the guesswork.

Knead until it passes the windowpane test. Use a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, or knead by hand, until a small piece of dough can be stretched thin enough to let light through without tearing easily. That is the signal that enough gluten has developed.

Give the dough its time. Fermentation traps carbon dioxide in the gluten, and that gas is what makes the crumb light. Allow the full rise after kneading, and allow the shaped tree to proof as well.

The shaped rise may not double the way the first rise does, but the dough should visibly grow in volume before it goes into the oven.

Use the poke test. After the tree is arranged and ready to proof, press a finger about half an inch into the dough and read what happens next.

• Under proofed: the dough springs back very quickly and leaves no indent, and it feels tight and dense. Give it more time.
• Over proofed: the dough does not spring back at all, the indent stays, and it may feel slightly deflated. Bake it anyway and take notes for the next bake.
• Properly proofed: the indent springs back slowly and fills in after a few seconds. The tree is ready for the oven.

Slow spring back with the indent filling in after a few seconds is your green light to bake.

One more practical note: the dough can also be kneaded entirely by hand, and many bakers find that hand kneading teaches them what a properly developed dough feels like before they ever reach for a mixer.

How To Store/Reheat Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread

This bread is at its best on the day it is baked, while the cheese is still soft and the herb butter is still glossy.

For leftovers, wrap the bread in aluminum foil, place the wrapped bundle in a ziplock bag, and store it in the fridge.

To reheat, bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes, or use an air fryer instead. Either way you get warm, soft pieces again without drying out the crust.

More Breads & Toasts

If this tree won you over to the pull apart side of baking, there is plenty more to try. The shape is what makes this bread feel like a celebration, so a dessert with the same silhouette, like Christmas Tree Cake Balls, makes a natural companion on a holiday table and keeps the theme going from the first bite to the last.

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Cheesy Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread

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Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread Picture a bread that arrives at the table shaped like a Christmas tree, golden on top, glistening with herb butter, and made of small, soft, fluffy pieces that pull apart with one gentle tug. That is exactly what this cheesy pull apart Christmas tree bread delivers.

• Total Time: 200 min
• Yield: 15 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk or water
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Cheese
8½ oz mozzarella cheese, cubed

Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Herb Butter
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Toppings
½ cup grated parmesan
red pepper flakes
marinara, for dipping

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Instructions

1-Combine all the dough ingredients except for: Combine all the dough ingredients except for the butter. Mix until no more dry flour is visible. Cover and let dough rest for 10 mins. in the softened butter. Knead with stand mixer or by hand for 10-15 minutes until dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Cover and let rise for 1-1½ hrs until dough doubles in size.
2-Meanwhile, cut the cheese 30-33 pieces, weighing: Meanwhile, cut the cheese 30-33 pieces, weighing approx 7 grams each.
3-Punch out dough: Punch out dough. Divide into balls weighing approx 19-20 g each. Cover and allow dough to relax for 10 mins. Insert cheese into each dough ball and lay out onto parchment paper and baking sheet in Christmas tree design. Be sure to leave space in between to allow dough to expand. Cover and let proof for 1 hour.
4-Preheat oven to 425º (218ºC): Preheat oven to 425º (218ºC).
5-To see if dough is ready to: To see if dough is ready to bake, perform a finger poke test. Poke the dough to leave an indent. If the indent doesn’t stay and springs back quickly, let it proof a little longer. If indent stays and slowly retracts back, it’s ready to bake.
6-Mix egg and water in a small: Mix egg and water in a small ramekin. Apply egg wash to each dough ball. Bake for 20 mins or until golden.
7-Combine chopped herbs with melted butter and: Combine chopped herbs with melted butter and mix. Brush butter on dough, then sprinkle with grated cheese and red pepper flakes. Warm marinara in a small serving bowl for dipping.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2dough balls
• Calories: 207kcal
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 321mg
• Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 20g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 40mg