Description
A festive and cheesy bread shaped like a Christmas tree, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 13 ounces refrigerated pizza dough
- 6 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted 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
- 1 jar marinara or pesto sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut pizza dough into 30 evenly sized squares. Slice mozzarella sticks into 30 pieces, each about 1 inch in length.
- Wrap each cheese piece with a dough square, sealing the edges completely and rolling to form smooth balls.
- Place dough balls seam-side down on the parchment-lined sheet, positioning them to create a tree shape so all pieces touch.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water, then gently brush the balls with this mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 16–18 minutes, until the bread is golden and cooked through.
- While the bread bakes, melt butter in the microwave and stir in half the parmesan plus all of the garlic and chopped herbs.
- Once out of the oven, brush the warm bread with the herb butter. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan evenly on top and serve immediately with marinara or pesto sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Make sure to seal the edges of the dough well to keep the cheese from leaking out while baking.
- Experiment with different cheese types for a unique flavor.
- This bread is best served warm and fresh out of the oven.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bread ball
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 30mg