Description
Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread is a festive and fun appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. It features bite-sized mozzarella-filled dough balls arranged in a tree shape, brushed with a flavorful herb butter and parmesan topping, and served with marinara or pesto for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough and Cheese
- 13 ounce canned refrigerator pizza dough
- 6-7 mozzarella cheese sticks
- Parchment paper for lining baking sheet
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Herb Butter Topping
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 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 Sauces
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 1 jar pesto sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Prepare Dough and Cheese: Cut the pizza dough into 30 approximately equal squares. Then cut the mozzarella cheese sticks into 30 bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch each.
- Fill and Shape: Place one piece of mozzarella on each dough square, then roll into a ball, smoothing and sealing the edges with your hands to enclose the cheese.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the dough balls seam side down on the prepared baking sheet, arranging them close together in the shape of a Christmas tree.
- Apply Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush each dough ball with the egg wash to ensure a golden finish.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until the dough balls turn a golden brown.
- Prepare Herb Butter: While baking, microwave the butter until melted. Stir in half of the parmesan cheese, grated garlic, parsley, rosemary, and basil to create a flavorful herb butter.
- Brush and Garnish: Once baked, brush the hot bread balls generously with the herb butter mixture. Then sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- Serve: Serve the cheesy Christmas tree bread immediately with marinara and/or pesto sauces for dipping.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute mozzarella with a plant-based cheese and use dairy-free butter.
- If fresh herbs are unavailable, use 1 teaspoon each of dried parsley, rosemary, and basil.
- Make sure to seal each dough ball tightly to prevent cheese from leaking during baking.
- Arrange the dough balls tightly to maintain the tree shape while baking.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up the bread again.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
