Frozen bread dough provides the most incredible base for these Pull Apart Pepperoni Bread Sticks. Serve them hot straight from the oven with a side of warm pizza sauce for dipping and they’ll turn snack time into party time.
Pull Apart Pepperoni Bread Sticks
I truly love making sweet and savory baked goods from scratch. It’s therapeutic in many ways and allows me me to focus on the task at hand and the satisfaction of creating something delicious from the ground up. Some days, life just doesn’t allow the luxury of having the time and patience to do so. Frozen or homemade pizza dough is a fantastic alternative as it allows you to get on with the preparation and in turn satisfy your hungry eaters more quickly. To make these, the dough is slathered with butter and sprinkled generously with cheese. Next, pepperoni slices are arranged over the cheese, then each is twisted into cheesy pepperoni goodness.
Helpful tips for Making Pepperoni Bread Sticks
While these bread sticks require some assembly, just follow the step-by-step pictures and you’ll have it down in no-time. A super popular sweet variation you may enjoy are these pull apart cinnamon sugar bread sticks.
- If you’re unable to find frozen loaves of dough to divide for this recipe, you can be adapt using unbaked rounds of dinner yeast rolls. When doing so, you’ll need 24 rolls. 12 rolls for each side of the bread sticks.
- If adapting using rolls, flatten and press them together exactly as if you’re working with pieces of bread dough, as instructed in the recipe. In fact, they thaw rather quickly and may speed up preparation.
- You can also adapt using frozen or homemade pizza dough.
- I recommend using 30 slices of pepperoni but, feel free to use more, this is an estimate of how many you’ll need.
- Likewise, use as much butter as you like for brushing the rolls. There’s no such thing as too much butter for bread, in my kitchen.
Don’t dare serve them without plenty of warm pizza sauce on the side for dipping and any leftovers will reheat beautifully, as well. It’s one of those “shareable” treats that always gets the party started. You may also like this recipe for Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks from Cooking Classy.
Thanks for visiting come back soon!
Disclosure ~ If a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
Helpful Kitchen Items:
Pull Apart Pepperoni Bread Sticks
Ingredients
- 2 (8-inch) loaves frozen bread dough, thawed but still cold (i.e. Rhodes or similar)
- 2 Tbsp butter melted (Plus additional to brush pan)
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 3/4 tsp garlic salt divided
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 30 slices pepperoni May use more if desired
- 1/4 tsp dry Italian seasoning
- 2 cups warm pizza sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Thaw frozen bread in the refrigerator covered per the package instructions. Cut each loaf into 9 equal pieces. (See Cook's note)
- Lay dough pieces side by side and press together to form roughly two 10 x 16 inch rectangles.
- Brush the entire surface of each rectangle with melted butter. Sprinkle each side with 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, and ¼ tsp garlic salt..
- Sprinkle one side of dough with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Arrange pepperoni slices over the cheese then sprinkle with another 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Carefully, cover with the second piece of dough to form the top. Press the edges to seal.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut from top to bottom through the middle.
- Next, cut the dough crosswise into approximate 1-inches thick strips. Separate the pieces and twist. Tuck any loose pieces of cheese into the dough.
- Arrange the twisted bread sticks side by side in a buttered 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Brush the tops with remaining butter.
- Sprinkle the top with remaining 1/4 tsp garlic salt, dry Italian seasoning and last 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
- To prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake bread sticks for 25-35 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
- Pull apart and serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.
Notes
- If you're unable to find frozen loaves of dough to divide for this recipe, you can be adapt using unbaked rounds of dinner yeast rolls. When doing so, you'll need 24 rolls. 12 rolls to make each side of the bread sticks.
- If adapting using rolls, flatten and press them together exactly as if you're working with pieces of bread dough, as instructed in the recipe. In fact, they thaw rather quickly and may speed up preparation.
- You can also adapt using frozen or homemade pizza dough.
Cheryl Newton says
Hello, Melissa,
This recipe needs to be in my recipe binders. Well, to clarify, it will go in only 1 of them. I think I have 13. Yikes! Anyway, call me lazy, but could I just take each loaf of dough and press it into a rectangle, skipping the cutting into pieces and joining those?
Thanks,
Cheryl
Melissa says
If you like but, it’s harder to do because the dough is pretty elastic hence the reason I do it this way, it makes it easier to shape.
Cheryl Newton says
I figured you had a good reason for doing it the way you do! Thanks for the speedy reply.
Melissa says
Always, if I include it as a step it’s because it’s the best way to do it usually based on my own trial and error. Happy to help!