Festive Candy Cane Pizza Breadsticks (Printable)

Twisted candy cane shaped breadsticks with garlic butter, mozzarella, and pepperoni stripes. A festive holiday appetizer.

# 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)

# How to Make It:

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. Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
09 - Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The festive shapes make everyone smile before they even take a bite
  • They come together in under 40 minutes with almost zero effort
  • The combination of garlic butter and melted cheese is impossible to resist
02 -
  • The candy cane shapes will puff and spread slightly during baking, so space them about 2 inches apart
  • Twisting the dough before shaping creates better texture pockets for cheese to melt into
  • If your hooks start to straighten in the oven, gently reshape them immediately after removing from the oven while they are still pliable
03 -
  • Room temperature dough is much easier to work with than cold dough, so let it sit out for 20 minutes before rolling
  • A little flour on your hands prevents sticking when you are twisting and shaping the strips

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