Fresh Milled Cheesy Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread

If you’re looking to add a bit of festive flair to your kitchen this holiday season, this Fresh Milled Cheesy Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread with herbs and garlic is just the ticket. Imagine pulling apart soft, warm layers of bread, each oozing with melty cheese and bursting with fragrant herbs and garlic. It’s a fun, interactive dish that fills your kitchen with an inviting aroma and gives everyone at the table a festive delight to share. Plus, it’s surprisingly easy to make—even if your holiday schedule is bursting at the seams. Whether you’re sharing it with family or bringing it to a holiday party, the cheesy, herb-filled layers create a delicious moment worth savoring.

Course Breads

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesy pull apart bread

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 15

Rise Time 1 30

Total Time 2 45

Servings people

Calories 407kcal

Ingredients

Dough:

¾ cup warm water 165 grams
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil 52 grams
¼ cup honey 64 grams
3 - 3 ½ cups freshly milled hard white wheat flour finely milled (390-455 grams)
1 ½ teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Garlic Butter:

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter 58 grams
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon thyme
7 mozzarella sticks each cut into 5 equal pieces, for stuffing

Instructions

Combine the warm water, salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Next add half of the flour. Mix until well combined.
Allow the dough to rest in the mixer for 10 minutes.
Add the yeast and the rest of the flour, ½ cup at a time and watch how the dough reacts. You don’t want to add too much flour. Add just enough to where a soft dough forms and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead the dough until it reaches windowpane.
Cover the dough and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 33 equal pieces. Flatten each piece of dough and stuff with a piece of the mozzarella stick. Place the cheese in the center of the dough, then pull the corners up over it and roll into a tightly sealed ball.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Starting at the top, place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet in the following order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, to form a tree. Place two balls at the bottom to form the tree trunk and fill in any gaps with the remaining 3 balls.
Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Combine all of the ingredients for the garlic butter and brush on top of the bread.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, until golden brown.

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