Looking for a quick, show-stopping Halloween recipe? These Pizza Bomb Pumpkins are the ultimate spooky treat! Made simple by using refrigerated pizza dough and filled with your favorite toppings like mini pepperoni, Italian sausage, and mozzarella cheese, these savory Halloween appetizers are fun for kids to help make and disappear fast at any party.
Jump to:
Why You'll Want To Make Pizza Bomb Pumpkins
- Kid-Friendly Fun: The shaping process is simple, making it a perfect, safe kitchen activity for children.
- Ultimate Party Appetizer: They're perfectly portioned for mingling and are a guaranteed hit at any fall or Halloween party.
- Quick & Easy: Thanks to store-bought refrigerated pizza dough, prep time is minimal, taking less than 20 minutes.
- Totally Customizable: Easily swap fillings to match your family's favorite pizza flavors or cater to dietary needs.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Steps to Make Pizza Bomb Pumpkins
- First, unroll the pizza dough onto a floured piece of parchment paper and rolled it to approximately 15 inches by 12 inches. Then, cut the pizza dough in half longways and cut each strip into three pieces. I ended up with six pieces of pizza dough that were roughly 6 inches by 5 inches.
- Next, stretch each piece of dough out to about six inches.
- Start building the pizza bombs by placing some shredded mozzarella cheese in the center of the pizza dough.
- After that, place some mini pepperoni on top of the shredded cheese.
- Then place cooked, drained, and crumbled Italian sausage on top of the pepperoni.
- Next, spoon some pizza sauce on top of the Italian sausage.
- And finally top with more mozzarella cheese.
- Then gather up the sides, pinching them together, to form a ball.
- Next, tie each pizza bomb with four pieces of kitchen twine, creating indentations, to form the pumpkin.
- Place the six pizza bomb pumpkins on a silicone lined baking sheet, brushed them each with an egg wash, and bake them at 400°F for 20 minutes.
- Remove them from oven and carefully cut away the twine, making sure not to tear the pumpkins as the twine will be slightly imbedded into the baked dough. Finally, insert a pretzel twist into each one for the stems.
These spooky Pizza Bomb Pumpkins prove that the best Halloween snacks can be both festive and incredibly simple. Whether you're hosting a big party or just looking for a fun seasonal dinner, this recipe-made easy with refrigerated pizza dough-is a must-make. Don't forget to customize your fillings and serve them with a big bowl of marinara for dipping!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can assemble them completely (including the twine) up to 24 hours in advance. Cover them tightly and refrigerate. Add 3-5 minutes to the baking time since they will be starting cold.
Marinara sauce is a classic, but try a side of creamy ranch dressing, a homemade garlic butter sauce, or a spicy sriracha mayo for extra flavor and variety.
Be sure to wrap the twine snugly but not tightly. After baking, the dough will puff up between the twine strands, creating the signature lobed pumpkin look.
Absolutely! Homemade dough works perfectly, just ensure it's well-chilled for easier handling and shaping when forming the pizza balls.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Do Not Overfill: Too much filling will cause the bombs to burst during baking. Stick to a maximum of 1 tablespoon of cheese and 1 tablespoon of meat/toppings per ball.
- The Twine Trick: Always use natural, food-safe cotton butcher's twine. The twine is only for shaping; it must be cut and removed before serving.
- For a Flatter Bottom: Place the assembled bombs on a pre-heated pizza stone or a dark baking sheet. This helps create a crispier crust.
- The Stem: For the classic pumpkin look, insert a pretzel stick, small piece of green bell pepper, or green onion into the top after the bombs are finished baking and the twine has been removed.
Other Great Halloween Recipes
Did you make this recipe? We'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a review below. Then, share a picture on Instagram and tag @pudgefactor so we can see it.
Don't forget to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Flipboard, and Instagram.
Thank you so much for visiting PudgeFactor. We hope you'll come back!
Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, enjoy weekly doses of culinary inspiration as a bonus!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Pudge Factor.
Pizza Bomb Pumpkins
Equipment
- Kitchen Twine
Ingredients
- 1 13 oz Store Bought Pizza Dough
- 1 ½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- ¾ cup Mini Pepperoni
- ¾ cup Italian Sausage - cooked, crumbled and drained
- ½ cup Pizza Sauce
- 6 Pretzel Twists
Instructions
- Unroll pizza dough onto a floured surface and cut into six pieces.
- Top each piece with 2 tbs. mozzarella cheese, 2 tbs. mini pepperoni, 2 tbs. Italian sausage, 1 tbs. pizza sauce, and 2 more tbs. mozzarella cheese.
- Gather sides of pizza dough up, pinching them together to form a ball.
- Cut 24 pieces of kitchen twine, about ten inches long each.
- Wrap each Pizza Bomb with four pieces of kitchen twine to shape the pumpkin. Trim the excess ends of the twine before baking.
- Place all six onto a silicone lined baking sheet and brush with and eggs wash.
- Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully cut away the kitchen twine, making sure not to tear the pumpkins as the twine will likely be slightly imbedded.
Leave a Reply