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Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread

A delightful, festive treat of warm, buttery bread filled with gooey mozzarella and aromatic herbs, perfect for holiday gatherings.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough and Base Ingredients
  • 13 ounces canned refrigerator pizza dough
  • 1 large egg (+ 1 tablespoon water for egg wash)
  • 3 tablespoons butter (melted)
Cheese and Herbs
  • 6-7 sticks mozzarella cheese (cut into 30 bite-sized pieces)
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (divided)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil (finely chopped)
  • 1 clove garlic (grated)
Dipping Sauce
  • 1 jar marinara and/or pesto (for dipping)
Miscellaneous
  • 1 sheet parchment paper (for lining the baking sheet)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Open the pizza dough and cut it into approximately 30 equal squares.
  4. Cut the mozzarella cheese sticks into 30 bite-sized pieces.
Assembly
  1. Take a square of dough, place a piece of mozzarella cheese inside, and form a ball. Seal the edges well.
  2. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, shaping them like a Christmas tree.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and one tablespoon of water to prepare the egg wash.
  4. Brush each dough ball lightly with the egg wash.
Baking
  1. Bake the dough balls for about 16 to 18 minutes, until they are golden brown.
  2. While the bread is baking, melt the butter and stir in half of the grated parmesan cheese, garlic, and chopped herbs.
  3. After removing the bread from the oven, brush the melted herb butter over the rolls while they are still warm.
  4. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top before serving.
Serving
  1. Serve warm with marinara and/or pesto for dipping.

Notes

Store cooled bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the oven for best results.