Description
This Pull-Apart Cheesy Garlic Christmas Tree Bread is a festive and fun appetizer perfect for sharing during the holidays. Soft biscuit dough is filled with gooey mozzarella, baked to golden perfection, and brushed with a flavorful garlic butter and Italian seasoning. Serve with marinara or pesto sauce for an irresistible crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough and Cheese
- 16 oz can jumbo biscuits, each biscuit cut into fourths
- 7-8 mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into 31 pieces
Butter Mixture
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Other
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Optional: grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Prepare Dough and Cheese: Cut each biscuit into fourths to yield 32 pieces; you will use 31 pieces. Cut mozzarella sticks into 31 pieces to match the dough pieces.
- Assemble Cheese Balls: Place a small portion of mozzarella cheese on each dough square. Seal the edges securely by pinching the dough closed, then roll each sealed piece smoothly between your hands to form a ball.
- Shape the Tree: Arrange the dough balls on the lined baking sheet, forming a tree shape with the seams facing downward. Make sure the balls slightly touch each other to allow pull-apart effect.
- Brush with Egg Wash: Whisk the beaten egg and gently brush it over the entire dough tree to promote golden browning during baking.
- Bake: Bake the shaped dough for 17 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on it, and if the bread browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil to prevent burning.
- Prepare Garlic Butter: While the bread bakes, melt the butter and mix in the minced garlic and Italian seasoning.
- Apply Garlic Butter and Garnish: When the bread is out of the oven, brush the garlic butter mixture all over the rolls. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top if desired for extra flavor.
- Serve: Serve the pull-apart cheesy garlic bread warm, accompanied by marinara or pesto sauce for dipping.
Notes
- You can prepare the unbaked Christmas tree a day ahead by assembling it on the baking sheet and covering it in the fridge. Bake when ready to serve.
- For serving, offer pesto and marinara sauces as dips, and toothpicks if serving a crowd for easy sharing.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheated in the microwave or air fryer.
- Keep any leftover garlic butter in a sealed container for use on baked potatoes, extra garlic bread, or other recipes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheese ball
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
