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Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread with Mozzarella Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 81 reviews
  • Author: Paula
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 11 servings
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American

Description

This festive Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread is a delightful appetizer featuring bite-sized mozzarella-filled dough balls arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree. Each pull-apart piece is brushed with a flavorful garlic and Italian herb butter, then baked to golden perfection. Serve it warm with marinara sauce for a fun and delicious holiday treat that’s perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough and Cheese

  • Pizza dough, cut into 33 pieces
  • Mozzarella cheese, cut into 33 pieces

Butter Mixture

  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

Dipping Sauce

  • 1 cup marinara sauce, for dipping

Instructions

  1. Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure an even bake.
  2. Portion Dough: Lightly flour your countertop and place the pizza dough on it. Cut the dough into 33 equal small pieces to form bite-size portions.
  3. Portion Cheese: Similarly, cut the mozzarella cheese into 33 small pieces, roughly the same size as the dough portions.
  4. Assemble Cheese Balls: Flatten each piece of dough and place a piece of mozzarella cheese in the center. Carefully gather and wrap the dough around the cheese, sealing it completely to prevent leaking during baking. Repeat for all pieces.
  5. Arrange Balls into Tree Shape: On the prepared baking sheet, arrange the cheese-filled dough balls in rows to form a Christmas tree: start with a base row of 7 balls, then rows of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and finally 1 ball at the top. Add three additional dough balls around the top single ball to create the star, and place the last two balls at the bottom for the tree trunk.
  6. Prepare Butter Mixture: In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried Italian seasoning until combined.
  7. Brush Dough Balls: Generously brush the entire surface of all dough balls with the prepared butter mixture to infuse flavor and help with browning.
  8. Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the bread balls turn a beautiful golden brown and the cheese inside has melted.
  9. Serve: Remove from the oven and serve warm with marinara sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy this fun and festive pull-apart bread!

Notes

  • Ensure each dough ball is sealed tightly around the cheese to avoid cheese leaking during baking.
  • You can prepare the dough balls ahead of time and refrigerate before baking; just increase baking time slightly if baking from cold.
  • Feel free to swap mozzarella with other melty cheeses like provolone or fontina for a different flavor.
  • For a spicier kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the butter mixture.
  • Use gluten-free pizza dough if you require a gluten-free version of this recipe.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/11th of the bread tree (approx. 3 dough balls)
  • Calories: 275
  • Sugar: 2g
  • Sodium: 350mg
  • Fat: 14g
  • Saturated Fat: 7g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 24g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 10g
  • Cholesterol: 30mg

Find it online: https://piesbypaula.com/christmas-tree-pull-apart-bread-with-mozzarella-recipe/