Cheese Stuffed Christmas Tree Bread
Christmas Tree Bread with creamy garlic cheese filling. Soft, homemade, and perfect for Christmas lunch or with soup
Ingredients
bread
- 1⅓ teaspoon yeast, instant
- 1¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk + 1 tablespoon
- 2⅓ tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
Filled bread
- 1⅓ oz. shredded Mozzarella
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 1 clove garlic chopped finely
Topping
- 2 tablespoons herb compound butter melted
- 3 tablespoons Italian herbs very fine chopped like fresh basil / rosemary and thyme
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
Make the dough
- Add the buttermilk, melted butter, flour, yeast, sugar, and salt to the bread machine in the order your machine recommends. Set it to the dough setting. This kneads the dough and gives it the first rise.1⅓ teaspoon yeast, instant, 1¼ teaspoon sugar, 1 cup buttermilk, 2⅓ tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a rectangle about 18 x 12 inches / 45 x 30 cm .
- Cut it into 24 roughly equal pieces.
Filled bread
- In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, mozzarella, and finely chopped garlic until combined.1⅓ oz. shredded Mozzarella, ½ cup cream cheese, 1 clove garlic
- Place 1 teaspoon of filling on each dough piece.
- Fold the dough around the filling, pinch the edges closed well, and roll into a smooth ball.
- Arrange the dough balls on a baking sheet or in a baking pan in the shape of a Christmas tree, with a small trunk at the bottom.
- Lightly grease a piece of plastic wrap and place it over the dough. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to
430 °F or 
400 °F. - Bake for 17 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.
Finish
- Brush the hot bread right away with the melted herb compound butter.2 tablespoons herb compound butter
- Sprinkle with the chopped fresh herbs and serve warm.3 tablespoons Italian herbs
NOTES
1. Measure carefully. Bread dough really notices when the flour or liquid is off.
2. The second rise is done when the dough has doubled and springs back lightly when you press it with your finger.
3. No buttermilk? Mix 1 cup with 1 tablespoon (250 ml) milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.
4. You can shape the dough balls a day ahead and chill them under greased plastic wrap. Let them come to room temperature before baking and see if they need a little more rising.
5. Brush the herb compound butter on while the bread is hot. That keeps the rolls soft and adds extra flavor.
6. Storage
This bread is best served warm on the day you bake it. That’s when the rolls are softest and the filling is warm and creamy.
- Room temperature: To store, wrap it well in aluminum foil and keep it at room temperature. To reheat, warm it for 10 minutes at 430 °F (220 °C). Leave the foil around it while reheating so it stays soft.
- Freezer: This bread freezes well for up to 2 weeks. Wrap it first in aluminum foil, then in plastic wrap. When you want to serve it, remove the plastic wrap but leave the foil on. Bake it straight from frozen for 20 minutes at 430 °F (220 °C).
Nutrition
Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Iron: 1mg
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