Festive Candy Cane Pizza Breadsticks (Print Version)

Soft fluffy breadsticks twisted into candy cane shapes with garlic butter, mozzarella and pepperoni—ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough

→ Toppings

02 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 24-32 slices pepperoni
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ To Serve

08 - 1 cup marinara sauce for dipping

# How to Prepare:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These are basically just pizza in disguise, which means even picky eaters who claim they hate festive foods will happily devour them
  • The twisted shape looks impressive but takes zero actual skill to pull off, making you look like a kitchen genius with minimal effort
02 -
  • Do not skip the parchment paper because the cheese will melt off the breadsticks and glue itself to your baking sheet forever
  • Twisting the dough too tightly will make it snap when you try to curve it, so keep it gentle and relaxed
03 -
  • Let the dough sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling so it is more cooperative and less likely to shrink back
  • Brush the baked breadsticks with a little more garlic butter right after they come out of the oven for an extra flavor boost

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