Looking for the perfect Christmas appetizer or holiday side dish? You’re in the right place! This Cheesy Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread is made with just a few simple ingredients to keep your holiday party stress-free and delicious.
We start with canned biscuits and fresh mozzarella cheese to make the dough balls, then arrange them in the shape of a Christmas tree. Before baking, we brush the tree with melted butter mixed with Italian seasoning and granulated garlic then add a sprinkle of dried parsley to give it a festive, green-tree appearance.
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Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
biscuits – we use Grands biscuits that come in the can, use your favorite brand and opt for large or jumbo biscuits.
mozzarella cheese – fresh mozzarella pearls found in the deli section of the grocery store are ideal for this recipe because they melt beautifully.
butter – I like unsalted butter for this recipe, but salted butter works great too if that’s what you have.
garlic powder – this ingredient is key for adding that classic flavor to cheesy bread.
herbs – we use Italian seasoning because it has several herbs in it. We top our Christmas tree with dried parsley to give a green appearance that mimics a real tree.
dipping sauce – Store-bought marinara sauce or pizza sauce keeps things simple. Feel free to use homemade sauce if you have it on hand.
How to make biscuit Christmas tree recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Separate each biscuit into 2 pieces. Flatten each piece of biscuit dough to about 4″ diameter, giving you 32 rounds.
- Put 3 mozzarella pearls onto each piece of dough then fold the dough around the cheese and pinch the seams well on the bottom.
- Place balls onto the prepared baking sheet seam side down in the shape of a tree. Place four balls at the bottom for the tree trunk.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, stir in the garlic powder and Italian seasoning then use a pastry brush to evenly coat the dough balls with herbed garlic butter.
- Bake for 28-33 minutes or until golden brown.
- Warm the dipping sauce in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-60 seconds. Serve with warm Christmas tree cheese bread.
Tips
- To get the Christmas tree shape, start with one dough ball at the top, then two below it, continuing in rows of three, four, five, six, and seven. Then add four balls for the base.
- Warm butter and sauce in the microwave at 15-second intervals to avoid splattering.
- To transfer to a serving platter carefully lift the tree by the parchment paper and place on the platter, run a spatula around the edges, then gently lift the bread on one side and slide the paper out.
Step-by-step photo of how to shape the biscuits
Substitutions and variations
- Swap biscuits for crescent rolls. Cut each piece into two lengthwise with a pizza cutter or sharp knife then put the cheese on the wide end and roll up. Place on the baking sheet in the same manner and bake at 375°F for 20-24 minutes. Top with melted butter after it comes out of the oven.
- Try store-bought pizza dough: cut a 13-ounce can into 30 pieces, arrange similarly but use only two pieces for the trunk, and bake at 400°F for 16-18 minutes.
- Use mozzarella sticks instead of pearls. Cut 10-12 sticks into three or four pieces, place two pieces on each dough round, or piece of crescent roll dough, and continue with the recipe.
- For extra flair, tuck sprigs of fresh herbs into the finished Christmas tree rolls for a festive look.
- Place some mini pepperoni or salami slices under the cheese for a meaty cheese bread.
- Grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the warm bread so it will melt and be delicious!
Storage and reheating
This cheesy pull-apart bread is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, warm individual cheese balls in the microwave for 20-40 seconds. For the whole remaining tree, wrap it in aluminum foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warm.
Make these recipes for your holiday table too!
Made with just a few ingredients, this quick setup can be customized with your favorite veggies and dip.
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Cheesy Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cans large biscuits 16.3 oz each
- 2 pkg mozzarella pearls 8 ounces each
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- pizza or marinara sauce
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Separate each biscuit into 2 pieces. Flatten each piece to about 4" diameter, giving you 32 rounds. Put 3 mozzarella pearls onto each piece of dough then fold dough around cheese and pinch seams well.2 cans large biscuits, 2 pkg mozzarella pearls
- Place balls onto prepared baking sheet seam side down in the shape of a tree. Place four balls at the bottom for the tree trunk.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, stir in garlic powder and Italian seasoning then use a pastry brush to evenly coat dough balls with herbed garlic butter. Sprinkle with dried parsley2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- Bake 28-33 minutes or until golden brown.
- Warm dipping sauce in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-60 seconds. Serve with warm Christmas tree cheese bread.pizza or marinara sauce
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