To add something impressive (and festive) to your holiday spread without adding much work, make this quicker, easier version of our savory Christmas Tree Bread. It starts with our Pull-Apart Garlic Bread Mix Kit, which comes with its own ultra-flavorful blend of cheese and herbs, so the rest of the ingredient list is streamlined — you won’t even have to grate garlic or chop herbs. This Christmas tree pull-apart bread is simple to pull off as you’re juggling a million other menu items, yet stunning enough to serve as the centerpiece for your party.
Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and seasoning packet.
In a medium bowl, use a spoon or a flexible spatula to mix together the bread mix, water, yeast, and 2 tablespoons (about 30g) of the seasoned butter. The dough will look a little dry at first but will become soft and somewhat cohesive as you stir. It’s OK if it looks a little rough at this stage.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until it becomes smooth and somewhat bouncy, about 1 minute.
Pat the dough into a rectangle about 7" x 6". Use a bench knife or sharp knife to cut it into 5 rows and 6 columns to make 30 pieces (about 23g each). Working with one piece at a time and keeping the rest covered, shape each piece into a ball (between your hands or on the work surface) and arrange, 1/4" apart, in a tree formation — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 2, 2 — on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Alternatively, place the dough balls in a lightly greased paper Christmas tree pan placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange balls in the corners first, then fill in the rest. They won’t be touching.)
Cover the baking sheet and let the dough rise for about 30 minutes, until slightly puffy. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center.
Uncover the rolls, brush generously with about half of the remaining seasoned butter, then re-cover and let rise for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, until the dough is puffier and springs back slowly when pressed.
Brush the dough once more with seasoned butter, then top evenly with the mozzarella.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the rolls are golden brown.
Remove the bread from the oven and brush it with any remaining seasoned butter; sprinkle with red pepper flakes and/or Parmesan.
Serve the Christmas tree pull-apart bread warm with pizza sauce dolloped over or served on the side for dipping.
The Christmas tree pull-apart bread is best enjoyed warm from the oven. To reheat, cover in foil and place in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until warmed through.
