Pizza Dip with Dipping Bread

Pizza Dip with Dipping Bread combines two things I can never resist: warm homemade bread and cheesy pepperoni pizza. Fluffy dinner rolls surround a creamy filling of cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, and pizza sauce. Brush the bread with pesto before baking for even more flavor. Everyone can pull apart a warm roll and scoop up the melted cheese.

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I’M HERE FOR THE BREAD AND THE DIP

I love making appetizers that you can put right in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves. And when there’s warm bread involved, I’m usually the first one reaching for a piece.
For this recipe, I use my homemade dinner roll dough, but instead of baking the rolls in their usual pan, I shape them into smaller balls and arrange them around the outside of the pizza dip. I brush the tops with pesto, which gives the bread so much flavor.
The center gets filled with cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, pizza sauce, and pepperoni. Everything bakes together until the rolls are golden and the cheese is hot and bubbly.

It’s perfect for game day or having friends over because you don’t need to make anything extra for dipping. Just set the dish on the table, pull off a warm piece of bread, and scoop up that cheesy pizza filling.

And if there’s a little cheese stuck to the bottom of the dish, you better believe I’m using one last piece of bread to get it.

• The bread is built right in: Homemade rolls bake around the dip. You get warm, fluffy bread and melted cheese in every bite.
• Perfect for entertaining: Set the baking dish in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in. It’s great for game day, parties, or movie nights.
• Made for sharing: Everyone can pull apart their own roll and scoop up the cheesy filling. No separate bowl of bread or crackers needed.

• For the Dipping Bread
• Homemade dinner roll dough: One batch of my Easy Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls  dough creates the soft, fluffy bread around the pizza dip. Prepare the dough through its second rise, but don’t bake it separately.
• Pesto sauce: Half a cup is brushed over the dough balls before baking, adding basil and garlic flavor to the bread.
• Olive Oil: Use half a tablespoon to grease the baking dish or cast-iron skillet.
• For the Pizza Dip
• Cream cheese: Eight ounces, softened to room temperature, creates a smooth, creamy base for the dip.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Eight ounces of shredded mozzarella gives the dip its melty, cheesy texture. Mix half into the filling and sprinkle the rest over the top.
• Parmesan cheese: Half a cup of grated parmesan adds a rich, savory flavor to the cheese mixture.
• Pizza sauce: Half a cup brings all those familiar pizza flavors together.
• Pepperoni: Half a cup of chopped pepperoni adds a little smoky, savory flavor to every scoop.
• Garlic powder: Half a teaspoon adds extra garlic flavor to the cheese filling.
• Salt: Add just a pinch. The cheese, pesto, and pepperoni already bring plenty of flavor.

• Prepare the Homemade Rolls
• Make the Dough: Prepare one batch of my homemade dinner roll dough through the first rise. Shape it into approximately 1 to 1½-inch balls.
• Arrange the Rolls: Brush a 10 to 12-inch baking dish or cast-iron skillet with olive oil. Arrange the dough balls around the perimeter. Let them complete their second rise.
• Add the Pesto: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the tops of the dough balls with pesto sauce.
• Make the Pizza Dip
• Mix the Cheese Filling: Combine the softened cream cheese, half of the mozzarella, parmesan, garlic powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
• Assemble the Dip: Spread the cheese mixture in the center of the baking dish. Add the pizza sauce, remaining mozzarella, and chopped pepperoni.
• Bake and Serve
• Cover and Bake: Loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil. Leave enough room for the dough to expand. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Finish Baking: Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. The bread should be golden and fully cooked, and the cheese should be hot and bubbly. Continue baking if needed.
• Serve Warm: Let the dish cool for a few minutes. Pull apart the rolls and scoop up the cheesy pizza dip.

• Give the dough time to rise: Homemade dinner roll dough needs both rises to develop its soft, fluffy texture. Don’t rush the process. Let the dough complete its second rise before adding the filling and baking.
• Keep the dough balls small: Aim for approximately 1 to 1½-inch balls. They’ll expand as they rise and bake, so you want to leave enough room for the pizza dip in the center.
• Soften the cream cheese: Room-temperature cream cheese mixes much more easily with the mozzarella and parmesan. Cold cream cheese can leave you with lumps in the filling.
• Leave room under the foil: Cover the dish loosely rather than pressing the foil against the dough. This gives the rolls room to expand without sticking to the foil.
• Check the Bread Before Serving: The cheese may melt and bubble before the dough finishes baking. Check that the rolls have cooked through, especially where they meet the dip.
• Serve it straight from the baking dish: This appetizer is at its best while the bread is warm and the cheese is melty. Let it cool just enough to handle safely, then bring the whole dish to the table.

• Supreme Pizza Dip: Add cooked Italian sausage, sautéed bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and sliced black olives for a loaded pizza dip. Cook the vegetables first and drain any excess moisture before adding them so the cheese filling stays thick and creamy.
• Meat Lovers Pizza Dip: Add cooked, crumbled Italian sausage and chopped cooked bacon along with the pepperoni. This is a great option when you want a heartier appetizer with plenty of savory pizza toppings.
• Hawaiian Pizza Dip: Replace the pepperoni with diced ham and well-drained pineapple. Pat the pineapple dry before adding it to keep extra juice out of the cheese filling.
• Vegetarian Pizza Dip: Leave out the pepperoni and add sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, and black olives. You can also add a little extra mozzarella on top for a cheesy vegetable pizza version.
• Spicy Pepperoni Pizza Dip: Use spicy pepperoni and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the cheese mixture. For even more heat, scatter a few thinly sliced jalapeños over the top before baking.
• Garlic Bread Dipping Rolls: Swap the pesto for melted garlic butter and brush it over the dough balls before baking. Sprinkle with a little Italian seasoning or grated parmesan for a garlic bread version of the pull-apart rolls.
• Shortcut Dipping Bread: Try refrigerated biscuit dough or thawed frozen dinner roll dough instead of homemade dough. Follow the package directions for thawing and rising. Adjust the baking time as needed, and check that the bread cooks through.

• Make Ahead: Prepare the cheese filling and chop the pepperoni up to a day in advance. Keep everything covered in the refrigerator. Prepare the dinner roll dough according to its recipe, allowing time for both rises. Assemble and bake the appetizer shortly before serving for warm bread and melted cheese.
• Storage: Store leftover pizza dip and bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The bread may soften where it touches the cheese filling, but you can warm everything in the oven to bring back some of that freshly baked texture.
• Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing the assembled pizza dip and bread. Freezing can make the cream cheese filling grainy and leave the bread less fluffy. This appetizer tastes best fresh from the oven.

Pizza Dip with Dipping Bread

Danielle Cochran

Warm, fluffy homemade rolls bake around a creamy pepperoni pizza dip loaded with mozzarella, parmesan, and pizza sauce. Brush the bread with pesto for an appetizer everyone can pull apart and share.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

• 10 to 12-inch round baking dish or oven-safe cast-iron skillet
• Mixing bowl
• Pastry brush
• Aluminum foil

Ingredients

  

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Dipping Bread

• 1 batch homemade dinner roll dough, prepared through the second rise
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Pizza Dip

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2. cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup pepperoni, chopped
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of salt

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Instructions

 

• Prepare the Dough: Make one batch of Easy Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls , following the instructions through the first rise. Shape the dough into approximately 1 to 1½-inch balls instead of the larger rolls in the original recipe. Arrange them around the perimeter of your baking dish and allow them to complete their second rise. Do not bake the rolls separately.
• Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush a 10 to 12-inch round baking dish or cast-iron skillet with the olive oil before arranging the dough balls around the perimeter.
• Brush with Pesto: Brush the tops of the dough balls with the pesto sauce.
• Make the Cheese Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, half of the shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix until well combined.
• Assemble the Pizza Dip: Spoon the cheese mixture into the center of the baking dish and spread it evenly up to the dough balls. Spread the pizza sauce over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella, followed by the chopped pepperoni.
• Cover and Bake: Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving enough room for the dough to expand. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Finish Baking: Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Continue baking until the bread turns golden and cooks through and the cheese becomes hot and bubbly.
• Serve: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Pull apart the warm rolls and dip them into the cheesy pizza filling.

Notes

• Dinner Roll Dough: Prepare one full batch of the homemade dinner roll dough through its second rise, but bake it with the pizza dip rather than following the dinner roll recipe’s separate baking instructions. Depending on the size of your baking dish and dough balls, you may have extra dough. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Make Ahead: Prepare the cheese filling and chop the pepperoni up to one day ahead. Refrigerate until ready to assemble. Prepare the dinner roll dough according to its recipe and bake the assembled appetizer shortly before serving.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
• Freezing: Freezing the assembled dip and bread is not recommended because the filling and bread may change texture after thawing.
• Reheating: Reheat leftovers in an oven-safe dish at 325°F, loosely covered with foil, until heated through. Remove the foil near the end to help crisp the bread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 17gFat: 20gSodium: 850mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5g

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