Pizza Stick Twists

What are Pizza Stick Twists?

Think of these as a combination of a pizza stick, breadstick, and cheesy pizza appetizer all rolled into one.

Pizza dough is stretched or rolled out and layered with cheese and toppings. The dough is then folded and twisted, creating a spiral shape that keeps all those delicious ingredients tucked inside.

As the pizza twists cook, the outside becomes golden brown and slightly crisp while the cheese melts inside. The result is a handheld pizza snack with plenty of texture and flavor.

And because you can change the fillings, there are practically endless ways to make them.

Why You’ll Love Them!

There are plenty of reasons to make these homemade pizza twists, but here are a few of my favorites.

• Easy to make. You don’t need complicated ingredients or special cooking skills. A few simple ingredients come together to create an incredible snack.

• Perfect for dipping. What’s pizza without sauce? These crispy pizza twists are made for dipping into warm marinara or pizza sauce.

• Great for parties. They are easy to serve, easy to eat, and don’t require plates or utensils.

• Family friendly. Let everyone create their own combination of toppings. Kids especially love helping twist the dough. Perfect as an after school snack.

• Easy to customize. Pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, or even different cheeses can all be used to make your own version.

• Perfect for the grill. If you already have the grill fired up, there is no reason to heat up the kitchen. These make an awesome grilled appetizer.

Ingredients needed to make Grilled Pizza Stick Twists

• Pizza dough: Use your favorite homemade or store-bought pizza dough. Store-bought dough is a great shortcut when you want to get these on the table quickly.
• Pizza sauce: Warm pizza sauce or marinara sauce is the perfect dipping sauce for these cheesy pizza twists. A jar of store bought sauce is ideal.
• Cheese: Mozzarella cheese for the filling and pull, grated parmesan as a topping adds a salty, savory finish.
• Toppings: I used mini pepperoni’s on my Pizza Stick Twists.
• Eggs: used as egg wash for the crispy finish.
• Seasoning: I used a Garlic and Italian seasoning mix for the classic pizza/garlic bread flavors.

Prepare the dough

To make this the easiest recipe you’ll ever make, I highly recommend using store bought dough. But, if you have a great recipe, use it.

I’m a big fan of Pillsbury products and their pizza dough is perfect for the Pizza Stick Twists. Open the packaging and roll out the dough. Gently pull the sides to make the sheet as even as possible.

On only half the sheet, spread the pizza sauce. Next, add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Don’t be shy here. You want a stringing Pizza Stick Twist. And finally sprinkle some grated parmesan.

There are so many fillings to use, but just be careful to not overstuff it. Too much will make it difficult to twist and most will fall out.

Other ingredients to consider:

• Italian sausage
• Cooked bacon
• Diced ham
• Banana peppers
• Jalapeños
• Mushrooms
• Black olives
• Roasted red peppers
• Caramelized onions

Pull the empty side over to cover the toppings. Do NOT press down to seal shut.

How to Make Pizza Twists

These Pizza Stick Twists are the perfect family friendly recipe to get the kids involved.

With a pizza slicer, cut 2 inch wide strips. Then take each strip and twist until you get a spiral stick.

Place these on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush some egg wash over the Pizza Stick Twist. This will build a nice crispy golden brown top.

Finally, season the top with some Italian seasoning, garlic salt, grated parmesan and mini pepperoni’s.

Grill the Pizza Twists

In true Grillin With Dad fashion I make these Pizza Stick Twists on the grill, but you can replicate this recipe in your oven for the same results.

Preheat the grill to 375°F and set for indirect heat. I used my Traeger Pellet Grill which is perfect for these types of cooks. You get small hints of smoke on the twists making these extra good.

Grill or bake for about 30 minutes or until the crust turns a nice golden color. Remove the Twists from the grill and let them rest a few minutes before serving. The cheese will be extremely hot right out of the oven or off the grill.

We dipped our Pizza Stick Twists in ranch. How are you eating yours?

Different Pizza Stick Twist Variations:

Garlic Parmesan Pizza Twists

Skip the meat and load the dough with mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, butter, and Italian seasoning.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Twists

Use chopped cooked chicken tossed in buffalo sauce with mozzarella cheese. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Twists

Add chopped smoked or grilled chicken, mozzarella, and a little barbecue sauce. These are especially good when you’re already cooking chicken on the grill.

Sausage Pizza Twists

Brown Italian sausage before adding it to the dough. Combine it with mozzarella and Parmesan for a hearty pizza appetizer.

Jalapeño Popper Pizza Twists

Add cream cheese, mozzarella, diced jalapeños, and cooked bacon for a spicy, cheesy twist.

Final Thoughts

These Pizza Stick Twists are one of those recipes that prove pizza doesn’t always have to come in a round pie.

They’re cheesy, crispy, easy to customize, and perfect for dipping. Whether you’re looking for an easy pizza appetizer, a fun game day snack, a snack, or something different to throw on the grill, these pizza twists check all the boxes.

And don’t be afraid to make them your own. Change up the toppings, experiment with different cheeses, or add a little heat with jalapeños and hot honey.

Fire up the grill, grab some pizza dough, and get twisting. These are going to disappear fast! Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions:

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