Searching for a show-stopper holiday treat?! This dairy free & keto pull apart Christmas tree, with its scrumptious ‘cinnamon roll’ filling, is most definitely it!

Gluten Free & Keto Pull-Apart Christmas Tree

With A ‘Cinnamon Roll’ Filling!

I’m fairly certain this keto pull-apart bread ticks every single holidaze box!

It’s a definite show-stopper, absolutely scrumptious, surprisingly easy to put together… and (vip!) you can make it ahead of the big day!

p.s. looking for proper (i.e. fluffy, gooey ‘n yeast-y!) cinnamon rolls? Must check out our fluffy ‘n gooey keto cinnamon rolls!

The Dairy Free & Keto Dough

Im using our famous Crazy Keto Dough (for everything!) here. A little bit wetter, and with a tad bit more baking powder.

It’s super easy to put together and good to work with. Just be sure to keep the dough covered with a damp cloth so it doesn’t dry out while you work on it!

Oh, and be sure not to over-bake to keep the twists nice and dough-y inside. I did 20 minutes, the tree was just beginning to brown so the edges were lightly crisp but the inside still nice and gooey!

We like a mixture of super fine almond flour and coconut flour best. Add a touch of xanthan gum, baking powder, and we’re golden. (Click through for the brands I use!)
No substituting flours here and the xanthan gum is absolutely necessary. And, if possible, weigh your ingredients for consistent results.

The Sweetener

You’ve got good options here. Allulose (my favorite, because no aftertaste! just add 30% more), Lakanto Golden, xylitol (non-corn though to avoid tummy troubles!) and are my top choices.

And if using xylitol, make sure to be careful if you have a pup around the house, as it’s highly toxic to the little guys!

Oh, and if just gluten free (or not restricted by sugars), simply sub 1-to-1 with regular or coconut sugar.

INGREDIENTS

For the keto dough:

  • 192 g almond flour
  • 48 g coconut flour
  • 4 teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 8-12 teaspoons water as needed

For the ‘cinnamon roll’ filling

  • 28 g unsalted grass-fed butter or coconut butter/oil, melted
  • 3-6 tablespoons golden erythritol or xylitol, to taste
  • 2-3 teaspoons cinnamon to taste

For the cream cheese glaze (optional, but highly suggested!)

  • 60 g cream cheese softened
  • 28 g unsalted grass-fed butter softened
  • 2-4 tablespoons powdered erythritol
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1-3 tablespoons almond milk as needed (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS 

For the keto dough:

  • Add almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt to food processor. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Alternatively feel free to use your stand mixer (works just as well) or your hand mixer (dough is very stiff, but works well too with a little more arm muscle). 
  • Pour in apple cider vinegar with the food processor running. Once it has distributed evenly, pour in the egg. Followed by the water. Stop the food processor (or stop beating) once the dough forms into a ball. The dough will be sticky to touch, but very firm.
  • Wrap dough in cling film and knead it through the plastic for a minute or two. Think of it a bit like a stress ball. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes (and up to 5 days in the fridge). 

For the keto pull-apart Christmas tree

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking tray with a baking mat or parchment paper.
  • Divide the dough in two and roll out between two sheets of parchment paper with a rolling pin. I try and roll it out in a rough triangle shape to keep dough trimmings to a minimum. When working with the dough, keep it covered with a moist cloth to keep it from drying out. 
  • Assemble in the prepared tray by brushing both sides with melted butter and sprinkling with the cinnamon ‘sugar’ to taste. Place one piece of dough on top of the other, trim edges into a triangle shape and cut strips of dough (see pictures for reference). Twist gently, pinching the dough together to seal closed. If making ahead, you can refrigerate it at this point (well covered!!) for a couple days. Oh, and don’t forget to make a star with the trimmings!
  • Brush with egg wash and bake for 18-25 minutes (I did 20), until the tree just begins to brown. You want to only bake it briefly so it stays moist and doughy, otherwise you’ll get cookies (still good, but not ideal!). 
  • While your Christmas Tree is in the oven, cream together with an electric mixer the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sweetener, vanilla extract and salt. If you want it more of a drizzling consistency, add a few teaspoons of almond milk to thin it out. 
  • It’s best served warm straight from the oven, with a generous drizzle of cream cheese glaze. But it also does re-warm very well. 

NOTES

Please note that nutrition facts below are estimated for 1/10th of the Christmas Tree. 

NUTRITION

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1.2mg