Your holidays are about to get elevated with this simple yet festive Christmas tree pull apart bread! We'll make the savory dough from scratch and shape it into buns stuffed with gooey cheese. Then the golden rolls are brushed with melted butter and fresh herbs for a little holiday baking magic.
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This Holiday Pull Apart Bread is Like Edible Decor
Every December, we used to make a fancy gingerbread house, but after having my son, there's no way I have the time or patience to mess around with complicated piping and cookie construction anymore. Instead, the centerpiece on our holiday table is this rustic Christmas tree pull apart bread stuffed with Italian herbs, melted cheddar, and garlic butter! I arrange the stuffed rolls on a baking sheet in the shape of a pine tree, so it's holiday-ready without the fuss.
I created this festive tear-and-share bread with a dough made from scratch, so we can pack it full of flavor with garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian herbs. It's similar to my triple cheese bread rolls, but made for your holiday table! Or if you're looking for a sweet take, my cinnamon star bread is always a hit!
Let's Gather Our Ingredients: milk, yeast, sugar, butter, eggs, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and cheddar cheese.
Let's Bake Bread Together!
1. Mix the milk, yeast, sugar, eggs, and butter.
2. Mix in the flour, dried seasonings, and salt.
3. Knead the dough.
5. Divide the dough in 16 pieces, roll them out & top with cheese.
7. Arrange on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash.
4. Let it rise.
6. Pinch the edges of the dough together & roll into balls.
8. Bake until golden, then brush with melted butter.
Carissa's Baking Hack
To create a recognizable tree shape, arrange your buns so they're just barely touching on the baking sheet so they have room to expand as they proof and bake.
Baking Tips for Foolproof Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread
- Dough: I always keep my dough covered with a kitchen towel as I roll, fill, and shape them, to prevent it from drying out.
- Evenly Sized: I usually just eyeball the sizes of my buns when I divide the dough. But when I'm trying to be precise, I weigh each ball on my kitchen scale.
- Avoid Leaks: Make sure you pinch the dough closed around the cheese on the bottom of each bun to prevent the cheese from bubbling out.
Cheesy Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
Bread Rolls
- ¾ cup milk
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (one packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature, divided
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup fresh basil or oregano, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Warm the milk: In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute, until it's between 98°F to 105°F.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the warm milk with the sugar, instant yeast, softened butter, one whole egg and one egg yolk. (Save the egg white in a small bowl in the fridge for the egg wash topping later.)
- Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Mix with a large wooden spoon until it forms a shaggy dough.
- Knead: On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. (Or knead the dough in a stand mixer with a hook attachment for about 3 minutes.)
- Rise: Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, after about 1 hour.
- Divide: Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized pieces, and keep them covered with a kitchen towel so the dough doesn't dry out.
- Shape and Fill: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out one piece of dough into a flat circle with a rolling pin, then add a handful of shredded cheese on top in the center. Fold the edges of the dough over the cheese and pinch the edges together, so the cheese is fully enveloped in the dough. Place the dough seam-side-down in the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough & cheese.
- Proof: Cover the dough loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside to proof for 30 minutes, until the dough balls have puffed up.
- Egg Wash: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the egg white with ½ teaspoon of water in a small ball to make an egg wash. Once the rolls are done proofing, brush the tops of each roll with the egg wash.
- Bake: Bake the bread for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden on top.
- Toppings: Brush the tops and sides of the buns with the melted butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Notes
- To divide the dough in 16 equal-sized pieces, cut it into fourths. Then cut each piece into fourths again.
- To create the Christmas tree shape, start with 5 bread rolls on the bottom, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1 at the top. Place the final bread roll below the bottom roll for the tree trunk.
I'm eggcited to hear from you :)