This Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread is fluffy, tasty and also easy to make! It is the perfect savory treat that you can serve on the festive lunch or dinner. Every roll hides a tasty surprise and makes eating this bread even more exciting!
What kind of bread is that
This is a very easy recipe for bread rolls arranged in a Christmas Tree shape. The bread dough is easy to make and requires simple ingredients, mostly pantry staples. Each roll is filled with cheese or with an olive. That makes the bread the perfect appetizer for the Christmas or New Years Eve dinner.
What ingredients you need
For the dough you would need: all-purpose flour, yeast, a teaspoon of sugar, salt, olive oil and water. For the filling you would need some cheese like cheddar or gruyere and also pitted olives. You would also need one egg to brush the rolls with it and some rosemary for decoration and for additional flavor.
You will find the complete list of ingredients and their quantities below the post, in the recipe card.
How to make the bread
This is one of the easiest breads that you can make. You can prepare it in a single bowl, usng just a wooden spoon.
Alternatively you can also make it in a stand mixer. In any case It doesn't require long kneading and even a novice can make it.
As with most yeast breads, it is important to allow the dough to proof at a warm place.
When the dough proofs, you need to roll out the individual rolls and fill them with cheese and olives, before arranging them on the baking sheet.
How much time is required
It would take about two hours for the dough to proof but the actual time when you would be busy with preparation is not more than 30 minutes. Then you would also need about 25 minutes for baking which totals to 3 hours from start to finish.
Recipe Variations
- Filling: don't hesitate to use different kinds of cheese or other treats you like. Caramelized onions, ham or salami are just few of the options for the meat lovers.
- You can make this Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread completely vegan by skipping the cheese filling and the egg wash on top. The rolls would be perfectly tasty plain or filled just with olives
- You don't need to wait for the winter holidays to enjoy this fluffy pull-apart bread! The rolls can be made all year round: just arrange them in a different shape on the baking sheet or use a pan, no matter if rectangular or round.
I hope you enjoy this post and the recipe below! Please let me know in the comments what you think! If you made it I will be very happy to receive your feedback, as always.
I have selected below some more bread recipes that you might like:
- Fluffy Einkorn Dinner Rolls - no yeast
- Easy Focaccia Bread Recipe
- Easy Rustic Olive Bread
- Лесен тутманик
📝 Recipe
Easy Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups + 2 tbsp/ 500 g all-purpose flour
- 2 cups + 1 tbsp/ 300 ml lukewarm water
- 2,5 tsp/ 7 g active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tbsp/ 40 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 5,3 oz/ 150 g cheddar or gouda, gruyere, or similar, diced
- 5-6 olives, pitted or stuffed with almond, anchovies, peppers, etc.
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- rosemary leaves
- ⅓ cup/ 40 g dried cranberries, optional
Instructions
- In a cup or a small bowl combine the yeast and the sugar with about ⅓ of the water. Stir and set aside.
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and add the yeast mixture and the salt. Start stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the oil and continue stirring.
- Gradually add the rest of the water and stir/ knead with your hand to form a relatively soft and not too sticky dough.
- Alternatively use a stand mixer with a dough attachment to make the dough.
- Make a ball out of the dough and leave it in the bowl. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and then wrap the bowl with 1-2 tea towels. Leave it at a warm place for 1,5 to 2 hours. It should double its size.
- Divide the dough in 15-16 pieces. Knead each one shortly and then extend it on your hand. Optionally mix in 4-5 dried cranberries in each roll.
- Place a a piece of cheese or an olive in the middle of the extended dough and then close it to wrap the filling. Roll it around your hand to close well any opening and avoid the cheese leaking during baking.
- Arrange the rolls in a Christmas Tree shape on top of a large baking tin, lined with parchment paper.
- Let the rolls sit for another 15 minutes at a warm place: for example in the oven just with the light on.
- Preheat the oven to 400º F/ 200º C (remove the bread if it is proofing inside).
- Brush the Christmas tree bread with the lightly beaten egg. Sprinkle rosemary leaves on top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until the rolls become golden and puffy. Serve warm.
Notes
- Keep the leftovers in airtight container for up to 2 days.
Amanda says
What temperature do you bake the bread at?
Daniela Lambova says
Hi Amanda, it is 400º F/ 200º C