• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Fall Baking
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Fall Baking
×
Home » Recipes » Rolls & Buns

Cheesy Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread

Published: Sep 30, 2025 by Carissa Erzen · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
Leave your rating!

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.

Bread buns topped with chopped herbs and arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree.

This website uses affiliate links which may earn commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you.

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!

Bowls of flour, milk, sugar, spices, and cheddar cheese next to eggs, butter, and a packet of yeast.

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!

A hand whisking butter, milk, eggs, yeast, and sugar in a large metal bowl.

1. Mix the milk, yeast, sugar, eggs, and butter.

A hand mixing bread dough in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

2. Mix in the flour, dried seasonings, and salt.

A hand kneading bread dough on a white surface.

3. Knead the dough.

A hand sprinkling shredded cheese on a circle of bread dough.

5. Divide the dough in 16 pieces, roll them out & top with cheese.

Bread buns on a baking sheet being brushed with an egg wash.

7. Arrange on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash.

A risen ball of bread dough in a metal bowl.

4. Let it rise.

A hand holding a ball of bread dough next to a rolling pin.

6. Pinch the edges of the dough together & roll into balls.

Baked bread rolls on a baking sheet arranged in the form of a Christmas tree.

8. Bake until golden, then brush with melted butter.

A girl smiling with a coffee mug.

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.
A cheese-filled bread bun torn in half and topped with chopped herbs.
Bread buns topped with chopped herbs and arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree.

Cheesy Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread

Carissa Erzen
Your holidays are about to get elevated with this simple yet festive Christmas tree pull apart bread! The dough is packed with savory flavor and shaped into buns stuffed with cheddar. Then everything gets brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with fresh herbs.
Leave your rating!
Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 40 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Rise Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 16 rolls
Calories 236 kcal

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet

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. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 (of 16)Calories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 252mgPotassium: 92mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 322IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 2mg
Keyword cheese bread rolls, christmas tree pull apart bread, pull apart bread
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below - I love hearing from you!

More Easy Bread Rolls and Buns

  • A half-eaten fluffy dinner roll with melted cheese inside.
    Simple Garlic 3 Cheese Bread Rolls
  • A hand holding a dark brown pretzel bun topped with coarse salt cut in half.
    Soft Homemade Pretzel Buns for Burgers and Sliders
  • Two stacked scones on a plate next to three blackberries.
    Glazed Lemon Blackberry Scones (with Frozen Blackberries)
  • An onion bread roll torn in half on a plate.
    Soft Caramelized Onion Bread Rolls with Gruyére | Zwiebelbrotchen

About Carissa Erzen

Growing up in Germany, I fell head-over-heels in love with ALL the German baked goods, from Lebkuchen to pretzels. Now I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade, where I test and share German sweets lovingly created from scratch. So pull up a chair, and stay a while!

Reader Interactions

I'm eggcited to hear from you :) Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

A girl in a pink apron sitting on a kitchen counter.

Hello, I'm Carissa!

I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade. Inspired by my childhood growing up in Germany, I share recipes of delicious German bakes from scratch.

Learn More

Stay Connected

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Sign Up + Never Miss a New Recipe!

Fall Baking

  • Two slices of cranberry bread next to an artisan loaf.
    Dried Cranberry Walnut Bread (Dutch Oven)
  • Close-up of a large cookie topped with crumbly streusel and a bite taken out of it.
    Applesauce Cookies with Cinnamon Streusel
  • Three slices of whole wheat bread standing upright on a wooden cutting board.
    Rustic No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread in the Dutch Oven
  • Pear Frangipane Tart (Fresh Pears with a No Chill Crust!)

Trending Recipes

  • A glass mug with hot chocolate and marshmallows.
    German Hot Chocolate | Heiße Schokolade
  • Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Berries
  • Cooking Vintage Recipes from the 1940's
  • 4th of July Fruit Tray | Easy Red White and Blue Appetizer

Footer

Let's Get Baking!

No baking experience? No problem! I've spent the past six years developing fool-proof recipes that anyone can create.

About

  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Shop

Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Cookies
  • Cake
  • Bread
  • Dessert
  • Breakfast

Connect

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Copyright © 2025 Humbly Homemade. All rights reserved.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Rate This Recipe!

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe - it was absolutely delish!!

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required