Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pizza dough into a large rectangle, roughly 12×18 inches. It doesn’t need to be perfectly symmetrical, as we’ll be shaping it.
Step 3: Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough to your prepared baking sheet. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into a Christmas tree shape. Start by cutting two diagonal lines from the top center outwards to form the branches, tapering down to a wider base. You can use the leftover dough scraps to form a small tree trunk at the bottom or even small ‘star’ or ‘ornament’ shapes to bake alongside!
Step 4: Spread the marinara sauce evenly over the Christmas tree-shaped dough, leaving a small border around the edges for the crust. Don’t overload it with sauce, as this can make the pizza soggy.
Step 5: Sprinkle a generous layer of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. This is your ‘snowy’ base!
Step 6: Now for the fun part: decorating! Arrange your toppings like pepperoni, bell peppers (red and yellow for ‘lights’), olives, or mushrooms to resemble festive ornaments on your Christmas tree pizza. A yellow bell pepper cut into a star shape can go on top!
Step 7: Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Keep an eye on it, as oven temperatures can vary.
Step 8: Once out of the oven, let the Christmas tree pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the cheese to set slightly, making for cleaner slices. You can even sprinkle with fresh parsley or basil for extra ‘foliage’ and color!