4.47 from 13 votes

Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread

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Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread is a perfect festive appetizer. Shaped into a Christmas tree, this pull-apart bread is not only beautiful but full of cheesy goodness. Such a cute holiday appetizer for a themed Christmas party!

christmas tree twist bread laying on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Why you will love making Christmas Tree Bread 

You won’t believe how incredibly easy a tree appetizer is to make and so tasty to eat.

Holiday Friendly: Incredibly adorable and easy to stuff with, well, whatever you love, this Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread is a fun way to set up a goodie-filled table this holiday season with delicious bread.

Seasonal ingredient changes are easy. This recipe includes herb cream cheese and fresh veggies to give it a little bite, but you can easily make a sweet tree by altering the ingredients to Nutella or turning it into a pizza with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and pizza sauce. 

image that lists out all ingredients to make Christmas tree bread twists

Pull-Apart Bread Ingredients

  • Pillsbury Dough Crescent dough sheet: Pillsbury makes a full crescent dough sheet; you will need two. This dough comes out in one full sheet to use a pizza roller to shape. It also cooks evenly and quickly.
  • Additional ingredients: Cream Cheese, sour cream, fresh spinach leaves, red peppers
  • Shredded cheese: I recommend Asiago cheese or freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (not grated)  

How to make Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread.

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream and spinach. Mix well.

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and carefully unroll the dough.

Press crescent roll dough into a large rectangle.

Cut dough into a triangle shape (like a Christmas Tree), saving the excess pieces (a pizza or pastry cutter is good for this)

Spread cream cheese mixture onto the large tree triangle. Sprinkle with peppers and cheese.

6 image collage on how to lay out bread dough and cut into a tree

Place the remaining pieces of dough on top of the cheese and gently press the center seam together. Continue to press the outer seams together to seal the dough.

Use a knife to cut 1″ to 1.5″ slits into each side of the triangle dough, leaving about .5 – 1″ in the center uncut.

Starting at the bottom, pick up each piece of dough and twist it twice and replace it on the pan. Continue up the row of dough strips (these are your tree branches). You may find you will only need to twist the short ones once instead of twice.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving warm with your choice of Christmas dips

4 collage images showing how to twist bread dough

——-> A well rounded holiday table also includes Christmas Tree Cake Dip!

Expert Christmas Tree Bread Tips 

To make a more compact tree: To keep the center small, use the pizza cutter to cut it a little more into the center so the center is smaller and the bread pulls are longer.

Removing the tree from the baking sheet: Simply (and carefully) slide the tree from the parchment paper (tipping the baking sheet works fine) onto a cheese board or large wooden cutting board. If you use a charcuterie board, just add dips around the tree for a full holiday appetizer display.

Skip the stuffing: This twist trick works well for making Christmas Tree bread sticks too! Just cut and place the dough on a baking sheet with parchment paper, twist the outside, and bake as directed without any stuffing.

piece of bread pulled off main dough with stuffed herb cream cheese.

FAQ’S

What dipping sauce goes well with pull-apart bread?

This depends on the center ingredients, but in this case, a garlic butter or cowboy butter would be a great sauce for dipping. Pesto sauce or your favorite marinara sauce are also both welcome choices.

Can I add food coloring to the bread dough?

Absolutely! I try to keep it simple because mixing food coloring would require kneading the dough out, and I would lose the already perfectly flat sheet, but you could definitely mix in green food coloring if you are feeling adventurous.

4.47 from 13 votes

Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread


Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread is a perfect Christmas Appetizer. Shaped in a tree, this pull apart bread is not only beautiful but delicious. Incredibly easy to make, you cannot go wrong with the creamy texture and slightly crunchy peppers. Perfect for a Christmas Party, this trick also works to make regular twist bread.

Ingredients
 

  • 8 oz. crescent dough sheet
  • 1/2 cup garlic and herb cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  • 1/3 cup diced red peppers
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream and spinach. Mix well.
    1/2 cup garlic and herb cream cheese, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and unroll dough. Press dough into a large rectangle. Cut dough into a triangle shape, saving the excess pieces.
    8 oz. crescent dough sheet
  • Spread cream cheese mixture onto the large triangle.
  • Sprinkle with peppers and cheese. Place remaining dough pieces on top of the cheese and gently press the center seam together. Continue to press the outer seams together to seal the dough.
    1/3 cup diced red peppers, 1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
  • Use a knife to cut 1" slits into each side of the triangle dough, leaving about 1" in the center uncut. Starting at the bottom, pick up each piece of dough and twist it twice and replace it on the pan.
  • Continue up the row of dough strips. You may find you will only need to twist the short ones once instead of twice.
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes (this process helps it set) before serving warm with a variety of sauces for dipping.

Notes

To make a more compact tree: To keep the center small, use the pizza cutter to cut it a little more into the center so the center is smaller and the bread pulls are longer. 
Removing tree from baking sheet: Simply (and carefully) slide the tree from the parchment paper (tipping the baking sheet works fine) onto a cheese board or large wooden cutting board. If you use a charcuterie board, just add dips around the tree for a full holiday appetizer display. 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Servings | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 425mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

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4.47 from 13 votes
4.47 from 13 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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