This Christmas Tree Pizza is such a fun and easy Christmas Eve dinner that kids can help make. Simply cut ready-made pizza dough into a Christmas tree shape, add cheese and decorate with colourful toppings. It's ready in about 25 minutes and a great way to get everyone involved in the kitchen.
Making Christmas pizza has become a bit of a tradition in our house. Christmas Eve is already busy enough, so I love having a simple dinner planned that doubles up as an activity for the kids.
They get to decorate the pizza however they like, and I get one less thing to organise before the big day!
Recipe update: This recipe was originally published on 21 December 2019 and was fully retested in November 2026 to check the cooking time and ingredient quantities. The original recipe still worked well, but I've expanded the instructions, tips and FAQs.
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Why You'll Love It
- Perfect for Christmas Eve - A fun festive dinner without lots of preparation or washing up.
- Kids can help - Let them decorate their own Christmas tree pizzas with their favourite toppings.
- Quick and easy - Using shop-bought pizza dough means it's ready in about 25 minutes.
- Easy to adapt - Use whatever pizza toppings you have in the fridge, including leftover cheese and vegetables.
Recipe Overview
- Recipe Overview
- Time: 10 minutes to prepare and 12-15 minutes to cook. Ready in about 25 minutes.
- Servings: Makes 1 Christmas tree-shaped pizza, serving 2 people.
- Oven temperature: 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
- Pizza base: We use approximately 200g of ready-rolled pizza dough from a 400g pack. The leftovers can be used to make cheese-stuffed dough balls.
- Toppings: Cheddar, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olives and sweetcorn, although you can use your family's favourites.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Pizza dough - We used ready-rolled pizza dough to keep things simple. You could also use our whole wheat pizza dough or Greek yogurt pizza dough if you prefer homemade.
- Pizza sauce - Our easy pizza sauce works well, but shop-bought sauce or a thin layer of tomato purée mixed with Italian herbs is fine too.
- Cheese - We used mature cheddar and mozzarella. Mature cheddar adds lots of flavour, whilst mozzarella gives you that lovely melted cheese topping.
- Toppings - We used cherry tomatoes, olives and sweetcorn to look like Christmas decorations. There are plenty more festive topping ideas below.
- Fresh basil - Optional, but lovely scattered over the pizza just before serving.
How to Make a Christmas Tree Pizza
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
- Shape the dough. Unroll the pizza dough onto baking paper and cut it into a large Christmas tree shape using a sharp knife. Use some of the offcuts to make a small trunk and a star for the top. Transfer to a baking tray and save the remaining dough for another pizza or the dough balls below.
Note: We used 200g of a 400g roll of pizza dough.
- Add the sauce. Spread the pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Add the cheese. Sprinkle over the grated cheddar.
- Decorate. Add the mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn and olives to make your Christmas tree decorations. This is the fun bit for the kids!
- Bake. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is cooked through, the edges are golden and the cheese has melted. Scatter over some fresh basil before serving.
Christmas Tree Pizza Toppings
The best thing about this Christmas pizza is getting creative with the toppings. Put a selection into little bowls and let everyone decorate their own tree.
Here are some of our favourite Christmas pizza ideas:
- Baubles - Halved cherry tomatoes, sliced olives or mini pepperoni.
- Christmas lights - Sweetcorn and little pieces of red and yellow pepper.
- Tinsel - Thin strips of red, green or yellow pepper.
- Green branches - Spinach leaves or little spoonfuls of pesto.
- Snow - Small pieces of mozzarella or a sprinkling of Parmesan.
- Star - Cut a little star from the leftover pizza dough and put it at the top of the tree.
You could also use up leftover cheese from your Christmas cheeseboard. A little goat's cheese, Stilton or extra cheddar would be delicious.
If you're making these with younger children, chop all the toppings beforehand so they only need to decorate their pizzas.
How to Use Leftover Pizza Dough
We used approximately half of a 400g roll of pizza dough to make our Christmas tree pizza, so there was plenty left over.
Rather than throwing it away, you can use it to make another pizza or turn it into a pull-apart Christmas tree made with cheese-stuffed dough balls.
- Gather the leftover dough into a ball and divide it into approximately 15 small pieces.
- Flatten each piece, add a little mozzarella in the centre and pinch the dough together to seal it.
- Roll into balls and arrange them in a Christmas tree shape on a lined baking tray.
- Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
- Brush with garlic and herb butter while warm and serve with a little pizza sauce for dipping.
These are great for a Christmas buffet too, especially if you are making the pizza with a group of children.
The extra dough, mozzarella, butter and dipping sauce for these dough balls aren't included in the main pizza recipe or nutritional information.
Serving Suggestions
This Christmas Tree Pizza is a lovely easy Christmas Eve dinner on its own, but you can add some simple sides or make a whole festive meal out of it.
I like serving it with something fresh, especially as there are usually plenty of Christmas treats around at this time of year.
Storage
Store: Once cooled, keep leftover pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freeze: You can freeze the cooked pizza for up to 2 months. Allow it to cool, wrap individual portions well and place them in a freezer-safe container.
Reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer until piping hot throughout. You can also use the microwave, although the base will be softer. Reheat leftovers only once.
This pizza is best enjoyed freshly made, when the base is crisp and the cheese is melted.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Use ready-rolled dough - A rectangular sheet makes cutting out a Christmas tree much easier. We used approximately 200g from a 400g roll.
- Don't waste the offcuts - Roll them out for more pizzas or make the stuffed Christmas tree dough balls above.
- Don't overload the base - Too much sauce or lots of wet toppings can make the pizza soggy. Pat mozzarella dry before adding it.
- Make mini pizzas - Cut smaller Christmas tree shapes so everyone can decorate their own. They're great for Christmas parties.
- Use leftover cheese - This is a good way to use up little bits from a Christmas cheeseboard.
- Try puff pastry - For a different version, use ready-rolled puff pastry instead. Follow the packet's cooking guidance and bake until the pastry is crisp and golden.
- Have a pizza decorating party - Put out bowls of toppings and let the kids get creative. It's a fun activity that takes care of dinner too.
Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Christmas tree loses its shape. | The dough has stretched when being moved. | Cut the tree directly on baking paper and transfer the paper onto the baking tray, rather than lifting the dough. |
| he pizza is still doughy in the middle. | Too much sauce or too many toppings, or it needs longer in the oven. | Use a thin layer of sauce, don't overload the base and bake until the dough is cooked through. |
| The star or tip is browning too quickly. | The narrow pieces of dough cook faster than the rest of the pizza. | Avoid cutting the star too thinly and check it towards the end of cooking. Cover the narrow points loosely with foil if needed. |
| The toppings keep sliding off. | Too much sauce or wet toppings. | Pat the mozzarella and vegetables dry, and leave a small border around the edges of the pizza. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare most of it in advance. Cut the pizza dough into Christmas tree shapes and prepare all the toppings, then keep them separately in the fridge until needed. I wouldn't add the sauce and toppings until just before baking, as the base could become soggy.
Use a fairly thick pizza sauce and spread it thinly. Avoid adding too many toppings, especially watery ingredients like fresh mozzarella and tomatoes. Make sure the oven is fully preheated before baking.
Yes, you can use a gluten-free pizza dough suitable for rolling or shaping. Some gluten-free doughs are more delicate, so shaping them directly on baking paper helps. Follow the manufacturer's baking instructions, as the cooking time may be different.
Absolutely! Instead of one large Christmas tree, cut several smaller trees from the dough. Let everyone choose their own toppings, then bake until the bases are cooked through and golden. Smaller pizzas may take less time to cook, so keep an eye on them.
More Christmas Recipes
If you've tried this Christmas pizza, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy and use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Christmas Tree Pizza
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) of Ready rolled pizza dough
- 70 g (¼ cups) of Pizza sauce
- 60 g (2 oz) of Light mature cheddar - grated
- 30 g (1 oz) of Light Mozzarella - torn
- 5 Cherry tomatoes - halved
- 20 g (1 ½ tablespoons) of Sweetcorn
- 15 g (⅛ cup) of Olives - sliced
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
- Shape the dough. Unroll the pizza dough onto baking paper and cut it into a large Christmas tree shape using a sharp knife. Use some of the offcuts to make a small trunk and a star for the top.Transfer to a baking tray and save the remaining dough for another pizza or the dough balls below.
- Add the sauce. Spread 70g of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Add the cheese. Sprinkle over the 60g of grated light mature cheddar.
- Decorate. Add 30g of torn mozzarella, 5 cherry tomatoes (halved), 20g of sweetcorn and 15g of olives (sliced) to make your Christmas tree decorations. This is the fun bit for the kids!
- Bake. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is cooked through, the edges are golden and the cheese has melted. Scatter over some fresh basil before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Use ready-rolled dough - A rectangular sheet makes cutting out a Christmas tree much easier. We used approximately 200g from a 400g roll.
- Don't waste the offcuts - Roll them out for more pizzas or make the stuffed Christmas tree dough balls above.
- Don't overload the base - Too much sauce or lots of wet toppings can make the pizza soggy. Pat mozzarella dry before adding it.
- Make mini pizzas - Cut smaller Christmas tree shapes so everyone can decorate their own. They're great for Christmas parties.
- Use leftover cheese - This is a good way to use up little bits from a Christmas cheeseboard.
- Try puff pastry - For a different version, use ready-rolled puff pastry instead. Follow the packet's cooking guidance and bake until the pastry is crisp and golden.
- Have a pizza decorating party - Put out bowls of toppings and let the kids get creative. It's a fun activity that takes care of dinner too.
Nutritional Information
Where nutritional information is provided, it is approximate and calculated using online tools. Values can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, but we endeavour to be as accurate as possible.
All timings are a guide and may vary depending on the ingredients, equipment and, where relevant, the appliance used. Changing the serving size may also affect the time needed.
SHANIKA says
This is such a cute, fun way to create pizza, especially with the kids for the Holidays!
Kacie says
This is so cute. It would be lovely for kids but it would also steal the limelight on the Christmas buffet table, no doubt! Getting tempted to rustle up one of my own now :)
kim says
Love this recipe! So easy and festive for the holidays! I will definitely be making this.
Heidy L. McCallum says
What a cute and creative way to kick start the holidays! My children loved making your recipe and the smiles on their faces after it came out of the oven were priceless! Bookmarking! We totally loved it!!!
Anita says
I'm loving the pizza, and the dough ball version too. This is such a creative and fun way to make a pizza or two. :)
Jenn says
What an adorable and unique idea! I can't wait to make this festive pizza with my kids!
neha says
Wow such a festive shape to bake pizza! I am looking forward to make some pizza now. ;)
Mary says
This is so creative and cute! I love savory holiday party inspiration!
Demeter says
This is such a cute idea for the holidays! It’ll be perfect for dinner tonight.