Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread
A fun and festive cheesy bread shaped like a Christmas tree, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough or 2 cans (16 oz each) refrigerated biscuit dough
Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed or shredded
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Herb Butter Mixture
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Other
- 1 each egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 bunch Fresh rosemary sprigs For garnishing
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved For garnishing
- 1 each Small bell pepper (yellow), cut into star shape For decorating the top of the tree
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and position the rack in the center. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Let the refrigerated dough sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to soften.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with minced garlic, chopped parsley, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- If using pizza dough: Roll into a 12"x16" rectangle and cut into 24-30 circles using a 2.5-3 inch biscuit cutter. If using biscuit dough: Separate biscuits and flatten each into 3-inch circles.
- Mix shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses together in a bowl.
Assembly
- Brush one side of each dough circle with the garlic herb butter mixture, reserving some for later.
- Place one dough circle at the bottom center of the baking sheet for the tree trunk. Add a small pinch of cheese.
- Stack 2-3 more circles vertically on the trunk, adding cheese between layers.
- Arrange 5-6 circles in a row above the trunk for the bottom tree layer, overlapping edges slightly. Add cheese on top.
- Continue building the tree with progressively fewer circles per row (4-5, then 3-4, then 2-3, and finally 1-2), adding cheese between each row until you form a pointed top.
- Brush the entire tree surface with the remaining garlic herb butter.
- Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the egg wash over all exposed dough.
- Press fresh rosemary sprigs into the tree as a 'garland' and position cherry tomato halves as 'ornaments.'
- Cut yellow bell pepper into a star shape and place it at the top of the tree.
Baking
- Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to set slightly.
Notes
Serve Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread warm straight from the oven. It makes a great centerpiece for your holiday table, and it’s perfect for dipping into marinara sauce or your favorite dipping sauce. Guests can pull apart the cheesy layers, making it a fun and interactive dish! If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also wrap the bread tightly in foil or plastic wrap before refrigerating. For longer storage, consider freezing it, which is best done before baking.