Christmas parties are just vehicles for delicious party appetizers, right? That’s where this Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread comes in: each piece is like a small bread roll stuffed with mozzarella cheese and brushed with buttery garlic and herbs. Make it the centerpiece of your spread and serve it with your favorite marinara. With around fifty dough bites, It will definitely please a crowd.

Equipment needed for Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread

Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

A stand mixer with the dough hook attachment – I use a KitchenAid mixer. The dough hook is needed to properly knead our dough. Do not use a whisk attachment.
A large metal sheet pan – to cook the tree in the oven.
A small saucepan – helpful to warm our milk and prepare it for the yeast. You can always use a bowl and the microwave if you prefer.
A pastry brush – easiest way to brush the rolls with the butter mixture.
parchment paper – so the tree doesn’t stick to the pan.
A thermometer – optional, but helpful to check the temperature of the milk before adding the yeast.
A bench scraper – optional, but makes it easier to cut pieces of our dough to roll into balls. Opt for a knife if you need or just rip it with your hands.

Ingredients needed for the Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread

Here’s what you need to add to your grocery list:

milk – I used almond milk. Feel free to use dairy if you’d like.
granulated sugar – we only need one tablespoon
A packet of active dry yeast (¾ ounces) – Most grocery stores sell them in strips of three. Trader Joe’s stocks them typically around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Fleischmann’s is a pretty popular brand but store brand is fine.
all purpose flour – you will need about three cups
an egg
unsalted butter
flaky sea salt – for topping!
8-ounce mozzarella cheese balls – get the large ones, as those are easy to cube into sizable chunks. I get BelGioioso brand. Buy two!
A head of garlic – we won’t use the whole thing, but you can use the rest on a different dinner.
fresh thyme
Marinara sauce of your choice – I bought a garlic marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s. I also like Rao’s!

Tips for making this Christmas tree pull apart bread

Don’t overheat the milk – The first step of this recipe is actually quite important. If you add yeast to milk that is TOO hot, the yeast will die and your dough will not rise or provide that puffy, airy quality that you want in a piece of bread. It should not feel hot, just warm, and try to aim for it to be around 110℉. If you don’t have a thermometer, touch it with your finger (carefully) to ascertain the heat.

Don’t place the rising dough in a cold area – this dough needs to rest in a warm atmosphere. That can be your countertop, your kitchen table or even the floor near a warm room. Do not put it near a drafty window or patio doors during the winter. The dough will not expand as much!

Really stuff them with cheese – you don’t want the mozzarella cheese to bust out of the dough, but don’t be afraid to really pack a sizable bit of cheese into the dough. As long as you seal the edges well with your fingers, it will be fine.

How to make Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread

Let’s make it together!

Step 1

Start making the dough. In a saucepan, add the milk and sugar. Heat over medium low heat until just warm, approximately 110℉ (use your thermometer to check if you have one). Remove from the stove and pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Be careful – if the yeast isn’t warm enough, it won’t bubble and your dough will not rise. If it’s too hot, the yeast will die.

Step 2

Add the packet of dry yeast to the milk and let sit for at least five minutes (I like to do 10-15 to really ensure that I see it foaming). The mixture should become bubbly and foamy. Then add the egg, unsalted butter, flour and salt. Place the hook attachment onto your mixer and beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping the sides down occasionally so everything gets mixed together.

Step 3

Keep kneading the dough with the mixer for an additional 2-3 minutes on medium speed. If the dough is super sticky (and would be hard to handle with your fingers), add flour one tablespoon at a time until it becomes pliable and soft (but still slightly sticky). I added probably around 3 tablespoons of extra flour when I made this.

Step 4

Grease a separate, large bowl with butter or olive oil and transfer the dough to this new bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise for 2 hours in a warm, dry area – like the kitchen counter.

Step 5

After two hours, remove the towel. The dough should have doubled in size. Punch down the dough a few times to let out some air. Then dump the dough out onto the counter top.

Step 6

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. With your bench scraper, split off a small piece of dough (about a tablespoon’s worth). Use your fingers to flatten it out. Add a few pieces of cubed mozzarella to the center of the dough, and use your fingers to pinch the dough around it and seal it closed. Then use the palm of your hands to roll the dough into a nice, smooth ball.

Step 7

Place the ball onto your baking sheet and repeat the process. Arrange the balls into a Christmas tree as you go along, around 50 balls. Be sure to leave a few to create the trunk of the tree.

Step 8

Let the tree rest for 30 minutes. In the meantime, mix the melted butter, thyme and garlic in a small bowl.

Step 9

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Use a pastry brush to dab the tree with the butter mixture until all of it is well coated. Sprinkle the tree with sea salt before placing it into the oven. Bake the tree for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Step 10

Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes. Serve with marinara on the side. Pull and dip!

finished Christmas tree pull apart bread

Storage and Reheating

To keep these little bites fresh, keep remaining parts wrapped up in a dish or covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. After that, move the rolls to the fridge so they don’t grow mold.

The best way to heat these is to just pop some in the microwave for 10 seconds. If you want to reheat a whole tree (perhaps once you get to a party), preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the tree on a baking sheet and place it in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

Other recipes to try

If you liked this Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread, check out these other recipes:

Rosemary Garlic Dinner Rolls

Tomato Jam and Whipped Ricotta Spread with Pesto

Heirloom Tomato Galette with Pesto and Mozzarella

Slow Cooked Beef, Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Empanadas

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

Print Recipe