Festive Candy Cane Pizza Breadsticks (Printable)

Candy cane-shaped breadsticks with garlic butter, mozzarella, and pepperoni. A fun festive appetizer for holiday gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough (or homemade)

→ Toppings

02 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 24–32 slices pepperoni (or vegetarian pepperoni)
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, or mixed)

→ To Serve

08 - 1 cup marinara sauce (for dipping)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.
03 - Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal strips lengthwise.
04 - Take one strip, twist it slightly, and shape it into a candy cane. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips, spacing them apart.
05 - Brush each breadstick with melted butter mixed with minced garlic.
06 - Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over each breadstick.
07 - Arrange pepperoni slices diagonally along each breadstick to mimic candy cane stripes.
08 - Sprinkle with Parmesan and Italian herbs.
09 - Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
10 - Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Theyre essentially pizza in festive disguise which means everyone actually eats them
  • The candy cane shaping takes zero practice but makes you look like a holiday kitchen wizard
02 -
  • Twisting the dough too tightly will make it snap when you try to bend it into the candy cane shape
  • The breadsticks puff significantly in the oven so give them at least two inches of space on the baking sheet
03 -
  • Let the dough sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling it makes shaping so much easier
  • Use a pastry brush to get butter into all the nooks and crannies for maximum flavor penetration

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