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Description
These adorable pizza-stuffed pumpkins are a fun and festive way to enjoy a savory treat. Using pre-made biscuit dough and a creamy ricotta filling, these bite-sized pumpkins are shaped and tied with kitchen twine to resemble mini pumpkins, then baked until golden brown and brushed with a fragrant garlic butter. Perfect for parties or a playful appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 oz.) ricotta
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (16.3-oz. tube) Pillsbury Grands Southern Homestyle Biscuits
- 1 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 16 (1-inch-long) thin pretzel sticks
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cut biscuits into 16 pieces; form each into a ball with your hands. Roll out each ball to a 3 1/2″ to 4″ round.
- Place 1 Tbsp. ricotta mixture in the center of each round. Gather sides of dough; pinch to seal.
- Gently press down on dough to create a flat bottom. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rounds.
- Refrigerate until cold, about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cut 16 (17″ to 20″) pieces of kitchen twine.
- On a cutting board, lay out 1 strip of twine. Place 1 piece of stuffed dough in the center of twine.
- Loosely tie around dough, then flip and tie as if you were tying a bow around a gift.
- Turn dough and tie twine around it one more time to look like a pumpkin. Make a loose knot to secure. Trim off excess twine.
- Repeat with remaining stuffed dough and twine. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 1″ to 2″ apart.
- Bake pumpkins until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small pot over medium-low heat, melt butter.
- Add garlic, parsley, and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fragrant and slightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool.
- Brush pumpkins with garlic butter. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
- Carefully remove twine.
- Insert a pretzel stick into the top of each pumpkin. Serve with marinara sauce alongside.
Notes
- Ensure the kitchen twine is tied loosely enough to allow the dough to expand during baking.
- The pretzel sticks add a fun visual element and can be used to help lift the stuffed pumpkins.
- Adjust baking time as needed based on your oven.