Description

Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Bread is a golden, gooey, and festively shaped holiday appetizer featuring soft pizza dough balls stuffed with mozzarella, arranged into a Christmas tree, brushed with garlic butter, and baked until puffed and golden. Serve with marinara or pesto for dipping—fast, fun, and crowd-pleasing.

Ingredients

Scale

1 can refrigerated pizza dough
20–24 small cubes mozzarella cheese
3 tbsp melted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
Fresh parsley for garnish
Marinara or pesto for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut pizza dough into 20–24 equal pieces.
Press each piece flat, place a cube of mozzarella in the center, and pinch closed to form a sealed ball.
Arrange dough balls on the baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree.
Mix melted butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Brush generously over the dough balls.
Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden and lightly puffed.
Sprinkle warm bread with Parmesan and parsley.
Serve immediately with marinara or pesto for dipping.

Notes

Make ahead: Assemble up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before baking.
For a crisper crust, bake a little longer until deeply golden.
Marinara or pesto can be warmed for dipping.
Nutrition and bake time can vary slightly depending on dough brand and oven.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 1 ball)
Calories: 120
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 250 mg
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 6 g
Cholesterol: 15 mg

Keywords: Cheesy Pull Apart Christmas Bread, Christmas Tree Bread, mozzarella bread, garlic butter bread, holiday appetizer, crowd-pleasing bread, marinara dipping, pesto dipping, festive bread, easy Christmas recipe