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This festive Pull Apart Christmas Tree Garlic Bread is light, soft, buttery, garlicky, perfectly salted, and SO delicious. Serve this warm right out of the oven with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt and marinara for dipping. It’s melt in your mouth good…and oh so impressive. This is simpler than you’d think to make, and such a fun pull-apart bread for all of your upcoming holiday dinners.
I’ve already made a pull apart wreath so I figured it was time to add a Christmas tree to the mix! I’ve seen these for years, but wanted to give it my own touch. And you guys, I love this bread!
It’s oddly simpler than you’d think to make (you have to look at the photos, visuals make it much easier). And so flipping good! It’s hard to beat garlic bread, but shape it like a Christmas tree?
Yes, it’s just that much better.
I’ve wanted to make this for a long time. Last year I ran out of days in December. So this year I put it on our content calendar way back in October…and never moved it off. When I told my mom the idea, she immediately said, “oh you have to make that!!”.
In our house, no holiday dinner is complete without a side of homemade bread. Most of the time I’ll make some form of a soft, buttery roll. But this year I wanted something a bit more festive.
Going into this recipe I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, I was actually nervous. I just wanted it to work and turn out great so badly! I had a vision in my head and it needed to match! And thankfully I got it just right!
It’s delicious, festive, and well…it smells amazing while baking away in the oven.
The details
I know this bread might look like it takes hours to make, but trust me, it’s not as tricky as you think. First, make a milk-based bread dough, roll it out, then cut the dough into a triangle. Next, spread on plenty of roasted garlic butter. Then add another triangle of dough on top.
From here, simply cut slits up the tree and twist them! Seems crazy, I know, but it’s going to be great!!
Use the photos as a visual guide, they will really help!
The dough
Flour, instant yeast, and a pinch of salt with milk, eggs, and butter. The combination creates a beautiful golden crust on the outside, but the inside stays incredibly soft and fluffy.
I prefer to use instant yeast to keep the dough making process quick and simple! It also prevents the dough from rising too much in the oven, which helps the tree keep its shape better.
The roasted garlic butter
Roasting garlic is really easy. If you’ve never done it before it really adds a layer of deliciousness to your recipes.
Slice the top portion of the garlic head off to reveal the cloves. Then place the garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap the garlic up. Roast for about forty minutes, until the garlic is deeply golden and soft.
I like to mash the garlic with butter, parmesan, and herbs. Nothing fancy, but wow, so good.
What’s great about this pull apart bread is that while it’s a nice addition to your dinner party menu, it also works as an appetizer. It would be nice to have this ready just as your guests arrive. They can snack on bread and enjoy cocktails before dinner. It’s always nice to have something for people to graze over while chatting away.
The most important thing you must do? Serve the bread warm with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Truly nothing is more delicious. I can’t wait to serve this to my family on Christmas Eve…my brothers and Asher are already excited. They all love a soft garlic bread!
Looking for other bread recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Easy Pull Apart Garlic Parmesan Bread
Salted Honey Butter Parker House Rolls
Herby Everything Cheddar Swirl Buns
Lastly, if you make this Pull Apart Christmas Tree Garlic Bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pull Apart Christmas Tree Garlic Bread
Servings: 16
Calories Per Serving: 132 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 large eggs
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick + 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 pinch chili flakes
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. Slice off the top portion of the garlic head to expose some of the cloves. Place the garlic on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap it up, and bake for 40-55 minutes, until deeply golden and very soft.3. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, honey, eggs, and 2 tablespoons butter. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add the remaining 1/4-1/2 cup of flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.4. Let the garlic cool, then squeeze the cloves out into a bowl. Add 1 stick butter, the parmesan, sage, basil, oregano, parsley, and chili flakes. Mash the cloves into the butter with a fork. 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each dough into a large rectangle (roughly 15×11 inches). Place one rectangle on top of the other. To cut a large triangle, cut from the bottom corner to the center of the top. Repeat on the other side to make a large triangle in the middle. Peel away the corners and save for another use. 6. Separate the 2 triangles and place 1 triangle on the prepared baking sheet. Spread 2/3 of the garlic butter over the triangle, carefully place the second triangle on top, matching the corners. Cut the triangle into horizontal slices about 1 inch apart from the top to bottom, leaving the middle “trunk” of the tree intact. Pull the strips and twist (see above photo).8. Brush the top with the remaining garlic butter. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce.
Bake the bread at 400°??
Hi Patty,
Yes, because you are only baking for 25 minutes:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Could I substitute the instant yeast for sourdough starter?
Hey Amanda,
I’ve not tried that with this recipe, but let me know if you give it a try! I hope this turns out well for you! xT
The ingredients list flour “plus more for rolling” but the instructions state to add the flour, etc, and “if the dough seems sticky, add the remaining 1/4-1/2 cup flour”. We are confused — is this included in the 3 1/2 cups called for? An additional amount? We are midway through the recipe and are hoping it’s not too dry! Clarification for the future would be helpful
Hi Zoe,
You are going to start with the 3 1/4 cups of flour, if your dough is sticky and you need more, you can add 1/4-1/2 cup of flour. I hope this helps! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you! xT
Thanks for asking this! I was also confused. Hope it turns out ok anyway
The dough you cut from the sides can be fit together to form the top layer. I did that and make two trees from one recipe. Each one only took about 15 minutes to bake. Delicious! Thank you!
Oh that’s a great idea! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing what worked well for you! Happy Holidays! xT
My girlfriend used pizza dough for this recipe and she said it turned out beautifully. 🙂 I’m excited to try it.
Thanks so much Michelle, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Would gluten free flour work? Thanks!
Hi Colleen,
Yes, you can use an equal amount of gluten free flour:) Let me know how this recipe turns out, I hope it’s delish! xT
Curious what you use for dipping sauce. Excited to try this!
Hey Becky,
For this recipe, I just use marinara sauce. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I was planning on making this for a potluck tomorrow. I was thinking I would bake it today and re-heat it to make it soft prior to serving? What is the best way to do this
Hey Morgan,
I would wait to bake this, you can prep ahead of time and keep covered in the fridge and then bake when you are ready to serve. Let me know how this turns out, I hope you love it! xT
I made this tonight! It’s delicious. I was short on time so I used pillsbury crescent roll dough instead of making the dough from scratch. It worked perfectly and turned out really cute and everyone devoured it. Thank you for all your amazing recipes!
My girlfriend used pizza dough for this recipe and she said it turned out beautifully. 🙂 I’m excited to try it.
Hey Lora,
Happy Holidays!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try! 🎄❄️
Super fun! I think I would double/ triple the garlic, add more cheese plus lots of mozzerella and do a premade dough next time. I didn’t have a dough hook so I’ll happily trade for the convenience. Otherwise such a cool recipe!!! People loved it.
Hey Lyndsey,
Happy Holidays!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you!🎁🎅
I’m not from the US, what is a “Stick” of butter?
It’s 4 ounces, 1/4 pound.
Hey Elesha,
1 stick of butter is equal to 113 grams or 1/2 cup. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Could I make this a cheesy pull apart bread? Maybe adding shredded mozzarella in the middle?
Hey Kate,
Sure, that would be delicious! Let me know how this recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xT
Do you think this could be done with one later of puff pastry?
Hey there,
I’m not sure that would give the best results, store bought dough would be a better idea:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Is pizza dough the right store bought dough to use?
Hi Sarah,
Pizza dough or a bread dough will work well for you! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Did your dough double or rise much???
Love this recipe! So cute! Curious for someone who’s dairy free, have you ever tried subbing the warm whole milk for a dairy free milk instead? Is there a certain one you’d recommend trying first?
Hey Rosie,
Almond milk or oat milk will work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hello! So excited to try this recipe, thank you for sharing! How far in advance could you make this and let it sit before baking? Hoping to make in the morning and throw it in the oven that evening when we get home from Christmas Eve festivities. Thank you!
Hey Kelsey,
That would be totally fine for you to do, just keep it covered with a dish cloth! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xx
Looks good for a starter, but where is the Christmas/Christmas Eve Menu Plan?
It’s getting late and I need a plan
Hi Annie,
Sorry, I don’t have that ready to share. Feel free to look at the ones for past years:)
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/our-2019-christmas-eve-and-christmas-dinner-menu/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/our-2020-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-dinner-menu/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/our-2021-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-dinner-menu/
Happy Holidays! xx
Could this be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen to bake a couple days later? Would love to bring to my family Christmas Eve dinner!
Hi Kalia,
Sure, you can keep covered in the fridge for a day or two until you are ready to bake. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT