Pull-Apart Pizza Tree

This recipe from Rosanna Pansino, YouTube baker and cookbook author, gives pizza night a festive flair. It’s easy, snackable, and each piece of fluffy dough has gooey mozzarella inside.

Pull-Apart Pizza Tree

Pull-Apart Pizza Tree

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Difficulty

Beginner

Yield

Serves 4–6

Prep Time

35 minutes

Rise Time

10 minutes

Bake Time

20 minutes

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Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 cup flour, plus more for rolling
  • 1 packet Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Instant Yeast
  • 1-½ teaspoons sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup very warm water (120°F–130°F)
  • 3 tablespoons corn oil
  • 5 string cheese sticks
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water

Topping

  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon basil, sliced finely
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped finely
  • ¼ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions

For the Dough:


  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Instant Yeast, sugar and salt.

  3. Add the warm water and corn oil and mix together until well combined.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 3 minutes. The dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky.
  5. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 10 minutes.


To Assemble:


  1. Cut the mozzarella sticks into 1" pieces and set it aside.
  2. On a floured surface, form the dough into a soft ball and divide into two.
  3. Roll the dough into a long rectangle and cut into 2" squares. You will need 22 total.
  4. Take a piece of mozzarella cheese and wrap it with the cut dough. Form it into a ball and place it seam side down on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese pieces to form a tree shape.
  5. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water to make an egg wash.
  6. Use the pastry brush to cover the dough with the egg wash.
  7. Bake until crust is golden brown, 18–20 minutes.
  8. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, garlic powder and rosemary until well combined.
  9. While warm, brush the topping generously on top of the pizza balls.
  10. Sprinkle with parmesan, basil, parsley and red pepper flakes.
  11. Serve warm with marinara sauce.


The Tradition

It isn’t just pizza that’s been passed down through Rosanna’s family—it’s the tradition of making it from scratch and finding joy in kneading dough by hand. Nothing like it!

Tip

Switch this up to a pull-apart wreath by arranging the balls of dough into a circle before baking. It will take two rows of dough balls to make a wreath shape. Leave plenty of space in the center, and, after baking, you can set a dish of marinara in that hole to use for dipping.

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