Description
This Easy Christmas Tree Pizza is a festive and fun appetizer perfect for the holiday season. Featuring a cheese-filled dough base shaped like a Christmas tree and topped with a blend of mozzarella, Alfredo sauce, pesto, and colorful vegetables, this recipe is a crowd-pleaser that combines simple ingredients with creative presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough and Sauce
- 1 pound pizza dough (or two 11-ounce cans refrigerated bread dough)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup Alfredo sauce (store-bought is fine)
- 1 tablespoon jarred pesto sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs
Cheese
- 5 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Toppings and Garnishes
- ½ small green bell pepper (sliced to make garland)
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
- 2 tablespoons mini pepperoni slices
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Dough: Roll out the pizza dough into a large triangle shape to resemble a Christmas tree. Make sure the size fits nicely on your prepared baking sheet.
- Fill Dough with Cheese: Lay the mozzarella cheese sticks evenly on the dough, leaving space around the edges, then fold the dough edges over to enclose the cheese, creating a stuffed crust resembling the tree shape.
- Apply Sauces: In a small bowl, mix the Alfredo sauce and pesto together, then spread this mixture evenly over the top of the dough tree, ensuring that it is well coated for flavor.
- Add Herbs and Cheese: Sprinkle the Italian herbs, shredded mozzarella cheese, and grated Parmesan evenly on top of the sauced dough for extra flavor and cheesiness.
- Decorate with Toppings: Use the sliced green bell pepper to create a garland look across the tree. Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes and mini pepperoni slices to mimic ornaments across the surface.
- Bake: Place the pizza tree on the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm and enjoy your festive Christmas Tree Pizza!
Notes
- This pizza is a delightful and festive appetizer for holiday gatherings.
- You can substitute the mozzarella sticks with shredded mozzarella if preferred.
- Feel free to customize the toppings to your liking to create your own Christmas pizza decorations.
- Using refrigerated bread dough is a quick alternative to homemade pizza dough, saving time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 186 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 547 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
