Halloween Pizza-Stuffed Pumpkins Recipe
These Easy Pizza-Stuffed Pumpkins are a festive and delicious Halloween dinner treat. Soft biscuit dough balls are filled with a savory ricotta and mozzarella cheese mixture, wrapped with kitchen twine to resemble miniature pumpkins, and baked to golden perfection. Brushed with a flavorful garlic butter and topped with pretzel sticks for stems, they’re perfect served with marinara sauce for dipping.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 stuffed pumpkin-shaped biscuits 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Filling
- 2 cups (16 oz.) ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Dough
- 1 (16.3-oz.) tube Pillsbury Grands Southern Homestyle Biscuits
Garlic Butter Topping
- 1 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp. paprika
Assembly and Serving
- 16 (1″-long) thin pretzel sticks
- Marinara sauce, for serving
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, kosher salt, and black pepper until thoroughly mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Chilling helps flavors meld and firms up the mixture for easier scooping.
- Form Dough Rounds: Cut biscuits into 16 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a ball, then flatten each ball into a 3 1/2 to 4-inch round disk.
- Fill and Shape: Place about 1 tablespoon of the chilled cheese mixture in the center of each dough round. Gather and pinch the edges together to seal the filling inside, then gently press the bottom to create a flat base so they stand upright. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes to help dough firm before baking.
- Wrap to Resemble Pumpkins: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut sixteen 17 to 20-inch pieces of kitchen twine. Lay a piece of twine on a clean surface, set a stuffed dough ball in the middle, then wrap and tie it around the dough ball like a gift, rotating and tying two more times to create the ridges of a pumpkin. Secure with a loose knot and trim off excess twine. Repeat for all dough balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 1 to 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake the wrapped dough pumpkins in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Make Garlic Butter: While baking, melt butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Add chopped garlic, parsley, and paprika and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Brush and Cool: After baking, brush each pumpkin with the prepared garlic butter. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, then carefully remove the kitchen twine from each.
- Finish and Serve: Insert a pretzel stick into the top center of each pumpkin to serve as a stem. Serve warm alongside marinara sauce for dipping. Optionally, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese before serving for extra cheesiness.
Notes
- Chilling the cheese filling and dough helps maintain shape during baking.
- Be gentle when tying the twine to avoid tearing the dough.
- For a spicier twist, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cheese mixture.
- Use marinara sauce warmed for best dipping experience.
- These can be made ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic, and baked on the day of serving.
Keywords: Halloween recipe, stuffed pumpkins, pizza stuffed biscuits, appetizer, party snacks, cheese stuffed dough, festive appetizer
