Pull-Apart Cheesy Christmas Tree Garlic Bread

This pull-apart garlic bread is shaped like a Christmas tree, with individual cheese-filled dough balls forming the branches. A garlic-parsley butter brushed on after baking keeps the herbs bright and the bread aromatic. Use low-moisture mozzarella, which melts neatly without releasing enough liquid to make the centers gummy.

Recipe details

• Yield: 24 pieces, about 8 servings
• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Bake time: 18 to 23 minutes
• Equipment: large sheet pan, parchment paper, knife, small bowl, pastry brush

Ingredients

• 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough, brought to cool room temperature
• 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 24 small cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• Warm marinara sauce, for serving

Shape and bake

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment.
2. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Flatten one piece into a small round, place a mozzarella cube in the center, then pinch the dough firmly around it. Roll seam-side down into a ball. Repeat.
3. Arrange 21 balls in rows of six, five, four, three, two, and one to form a tree, leaving only a little space between them. Place the remaining three balls beneath the widest row as the trunk.
4. Brush the dough with olive oil. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, until deeply golden on top and cooked through where the center balls meet. An interior piece should register about 190°F.
5. Stir together the melted butter, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, and salt. Brush the mixture over the hot bread and rest for 5 minutes before serving with marinara.

Shaping cues

If the dough springs back while being flattened, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes; relaxed dough is much easier to seal. Keep cheese cubes small enough to surround completely, and pinch each seam before rolling. Escaping cheese usually means the dough was thin or the seam was left open.

Substitutions and troubleshooting

Cheddar or provolone can replace mozzarella, although sharper cheeses may leak more oil. Prepared garlic-infused olive oil can replace the fresh garlic and butter for a dairy-reduced finish, but choose a commercially prepared product and follow its storage directions. If the outside browns too quickly, loosely tent the tree with foil while the middle finishes.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within three days. Reheat pieces on a sheet pan at 350°F until the cheese is hot and the center reaches 165°F. A microwave softens the bread but will not restore the crust. Freeze cooled pieces for up to one month, then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serve the marinara in a bowl rather than pouring it over the tree.