Transform your holiday spread into an edible centerpiece with this Christmas Tree Focaccia Bread – where a savory canvas of golden dough meets a merry medley of festive “evergreen” made from rosemary sprigs, tomatoes, shallots and garlic. It’s as flavorful as it is eye-catching.
This focaccia bread is the perfect statement piece for your holiday spread. It’s almost too pretty to eat, but once you savor those initial bites, you’ll find yourself with an empty baking dish in no time.
This edible centerpiece has a golden, olive oil-kissed crust that’s perfectly crisp on the outside and tender within. Its simplicity lets you enjoy the subtle richness of the bread itself.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Minimal effort in exchange for the perfect holiday centerpiece.
- Can be made year-round without the Christmas tree.
- Something different besides rolls for dinner.
- Great for a Christmas Eve celebration.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Adds richness to the dough, contributes to the golden crust, and adds flavor when drizzled over the finished focaccia.
- Active Dry Yeast: The leavening agent, causing the dough to rise and become light and airy.
- Warm Water: Activates the yeast and helps create the right environment for the dough to rise.
- Granulated Sugar: Feeds the yeast, promoting fermentation.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the dough, balancing the sweetness of the sugar and adding depth.
- All-Purpose Flour: Serves as the main structure of the focaccia.
- Grape Tomatoes: Add bursts of juicy sweetness to the bread and vibrant color as festive edible “ornaments”.
- Fresh Rosemary Sprigs: Serves as the decorative branches for the Christmas tree design.
- Yellow Bell Pepper: Makes the shining star atop the Christmas tree.
- Garlic Cloves and Shallot: Serves as more decorative ornaments on the tree.
- Julienne-Style Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Forms the trunk of the Christmas tree.
Substitutions
- You can use a flavored extra-virgin olive for drizzling over the top of the finished focaccia bread, garlic or rosemary infused is a great choice.
- Cherry tomatoes or any small, flavorful tomatoes can be used as alternatives. Any colors work.
- Sliced red onions are good, colorful alternative for the shallots.
- Finely chopped or sliced from whole sun-dried tomatoes can be used as an alternative for a similar visual effect as the julienne-sliced.
How to Make Focaccia Bread
- In a large mixing bowl, blend together olive oil, yeast, warm water, flour, sugar, and salt. Use a a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
- Generously coat a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the baking pan and press it to the edges.
- Cover with saran wrap and let it rise.
- Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven.
- Remove the saran wrap and use your fingers to poke the dough, creating multiple little divots.
- Craft the trunk and branches of the tree with sun-dried tomatoes, arranging them on the focaccia in a tree shape.
- Adorn each “branch” with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
- Cut the bell pepper into five triangles and fashion a star at the top of the tree.
- Place grape tomatoes on the tree as “ornaments,” repeating with sliced garlic and shallots.
- Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until the bread achieves a golden color.
- Allow it to cool for 5 minutes before slicing the bread. And drizzle the top or each slice with more olive oil.
Variations
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan or mozzarella cheese over the dough before baking for an extra layer of savory and cheesy goodness.
- Mix finely chopped herbs like thyme, oregano, or basil into the dough for a more herbaceous final flavor.
- Add olives, feta cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes to the dough for a Mediterranean-inspired flair.
- Serve with your favorite pesto for dipping.
- Sprinkle pine nuts over the tree for added texture and flavor.
- Using the same decorative elements as the tree, make a wreath design instead.
Expert Tips
- Make sure your warm water is just right—too hot can harm the yeast, and too cold will slow down the rising process. Aim for a comfortably warm temperature to activate the yeast effectively.
- Don’t be shy with the olive oil! Generously coat the baking dish, dough, and the final bread. The more, the merrier for a golden, flavorful finish.
- To create an ideal rising environment, place the covered dough in a draft-free area. The saran wrap acts as a protective shield, allowing the dough to rise undisturbed.
- When pushing the sticky dough into the corners of the baking dish, coat your fingers liberally with olive oil. This not only prevents sticking, but also adds an extra layer of flavor to the dough.
- When creating divots with your fingers, the more, the merrier. These dimples enhance the visual appeal, but also catch extra drizzled olive oil, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Don’t hesitate to get creative with your Christmas tree or wreath design. Experiment with different patterns, shapes, and arrangements to make your focaccia unique.
- When it’s time to slice and serve, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter for clean slices without squishing the arranged toppings.
- For the best experience, serve the focaccia warm.
- While this bread is best enjoyed fresh, it can keep well for 1-2 days in an airtight container. Simply reheat for a few minutes in the oven to revive it.
Recipe FAQs
- Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast? Yes. Substitute instant yeast in a 1:1 ratio, but be mindful of the faster rising time. Adjust accordingly.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time? You can. Prepare the dough, let it rise, then refrigerate it overnight. Bring it to room temperature before shaping and baking.
- Can I freeze the focaccia dough? Yes. Freeze the dough after the first rise. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and proceed with shaping and baking.
- What if I don’t have a 9×13 baking dish? Use a similarly sized baking dish or sheet. Adjust baking times as needed based on the thickness of the dough.
- Can I make it gluten-free? Yes, you can use gluten-free flour, but the texture will be very different.
- How do I reheat leftovers? For optimal freshness, reheat slices in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes or until warm. It’ll revive the crust and maintain the flavors.
- What if my dough is too sticky to handle? Coat your fingers with olive oil to prevent sticking. It adds extra flavor and makes the shaping process smoother.
- Can I add more toppings? Yes, make it as unique as you like.
More Festive Christmas Recipes
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Christmas Tree Focaccia Bread
Equipment
- Stand Mixer use with dough hook attachment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsps. olive oil good quality, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tbsps. active dry yeast
- 1-1/2 cups warm water (95-110 degrees F)
- 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps. granulated sugar
- 2 tsps. sea salt plus more for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil julienne-style
- lots of fresh rosemary
- 1/4 of a yellow bell pepper
- grape tomatoes, halved
- 2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 a shallot, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, yeast, warm water, flour, sugar, and salt. Mix with a stand mixer (using the dough hook attachments) until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.3 tbsps. olive oil, 1 tbsps. active dry yeast, 1-1/2 cups warm water, 2 tsps. granulated sugar, 2 tsps. sea salt, 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- In a 9x13 baking slab or dish, generously coat with olive oil. Place dough in the baking dish and push the dough to the edges. (It's going to naturally snap back as you push it to the corners, just keep gently pressing it outwards from the middle.) Cover with saran wrap and allow to rise for an hour.
- Once dough has risen, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Remove saran wrap from the baking dish and poke the dough with your fingers, leaving multiple little divots all over the dough.
- Create the trunk and branches of the tree with the sun-dried tomatoes, placing them on the focaccia dough in a tree shape. Cover each “branch” with a sprig of fresh rosemary.1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, lots of fresh rosemary
- Cut the bell pepper into five triangles and form a star on the top of the tree.1/4 of a yellow bell pepper
- Place the grape tomatoes on the tree to act as “ornaments”. Repeat with the sliced garlic and shallots.grape tomatoes, halved, 2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, 1/2 a shallot, thinly sliced
- Drizzle with lots of extra olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 30 minutes. The bread will be a golden color!
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes then slice the bread and enjoy! Sprinkle with more olive oil as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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