Pizza twist is a pull-apart bread made from easy homemade crescent dough, marinara sauce, bacon bits, and melted American cheese (or Velveeta.) This twisted pizza is a favorite pull apart pizza braid for a tasty reason! Try this pull-apart pizza with a twist and see what the hype is about! We love tasty bread recipes! Whether it’s Pepperoni Hot Pockets, New York Pizza Dough, pull-apart Cinnamon Rolls, or Homemade Pillsbury Crescent Dough, we love it all! Including sweet Donuts, Chocolate Cupcakes, or Puff Pastry Cake!
Watch How To Make Cheesy Bacon Pull Apart Pizza Twist:
Pull-Apart Pizza Twist
This pizza twist recipe is amazing! It’s one of those quick and easy recipes to throw together when in a hurry and the children rave about it! It’s incredibly easy to make, even from Homemade Pillsbury Crescent Dough! However, you can totally use any refrigerated store-bought dough as a shortcut, preferably the tube crescent dough but refrigerated pizza dough will do too.
So, my friend Susanna was inspired by a Pinterest pull-apart pizza braid when she created this twist pizza. It was a total hit at her dinner table before she introduced me to this cheesy pizza twist with bacon! You can be confident these pizza twists are a hit if they spread from table to table! Although it’s not a Chicago pizza with a twist, I can ensure you it’s super delicious! I think you’ll love this pull-apart pizza bread!
Make the crust for pizza twists from crescents, puff pastry, or using pizza dough and fill with toppings of your choice! We are in love with the bacon and Velveeta cheese combo and if you don’t have any Velveeta, melt orange American cheese with a little cream to make an easy cheese sauce substitute. We want to hear your combo, inspire us by leaving a comment below!
Ingredients for Pull Apart Pizza Twist:
Pull-apart pizza bread is twisted with the simplest ingredients! It also makes a pull-apart pizza ring that’s perfect for a tasty snack or quick pizza fix! Here is our twist on the pull-apart pizza!
- Crescent Dough- use 2 tubes of refrigerated crescents or one batch of my Homemade Crescent roll dough.
- Marinara Sauce- is usually sweeter than Pizza Sauce. I use my Canned Marinara Sauce for this pizza pull-apart bread.
- Velveeta- is a processed cheese similar to American cheese, I usually melt 4 oz of American cheese slices over low heat in my saucepan with a little cream. This helps make it spreadable for cheesy pull-apart bread.
- Bacon Bits- if you haven’t made my Oven Baked Bacon for freezing, then use bacon bits.
How To Make Pull-Apart Pizza Twists:
Start by making this Copycat Pillsbury Pull-Apart Dough, or use two of the refrigerated tube crescents. The dough gets rolled out, stuffed, twisted, and then torn into a pizza stick when serving. It looks like a pizza ring with fingers and the dipping sauce can be placed right into the center for entertaining finger foods! Here is how to make this ring;
- Divide dough into three (if using store crescents clump together and form into a mass then divide with a bench scraper.)
- Roll out each piece of dough to about 13-inches wide.
- Top with marinara sauce, cheese sauce, and bacon bits. Repeat one more time.
- Slit the edges with about 3-4-inch deep slits to make twists.
- Twist each piece of dough.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-25 minutes until golden brown and done.
- Serve with marinara dipping sauce.
Pizza Twist Variations:
There are limitless combinations and toppings for pull-apart bread recipes! I’ve even seen a Christmas tree pull-apart bread! Here are some creative ways to serve up pizza twists! Don’t forget additional pizza sauce for dipping!
- Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Bread: drizzle with Ranch or blue cheese dressing and sprinkle with Buffalo Chicken and mozzarella cheese!
- Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread: brush layers with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon!
- Pull-Apart Cheese Bread: make this cheesy bread pull apart with simple mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce!
- Pepperoni Pizza Twist: spread with classic marinara sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni slices.
- BBQ Chicken Pull-Apart Bread: spread with bbq sauce, mozzarella, sliced onions, grilled chicken strips, and cheddar cheese.
- Meat Lovers Twists: add marinara sauce, ham, pepperoni, bacon, and cheese.
- Garlic Chicken Alfredo Pizza Twist: Spread with garlic-infused white Alfredo Sauce, grilled chicken strips, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese.
Tip: Brush pizza pull-apart bread with melted butter and garlic for tons of flavor!
What To Serve With Pull-Apart Pizza:
A pizza twist is a hearty main dish meal. It can also be served as one of many sides or appetizers, however, we usually have it for lunch or dinner. It’s kid-friendly and super easy to pull together. Here are other sides to make for this pizza dish!
- How To Make Homemade Juice
- Canned Marinara Sauce
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Southwest Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
- Roasted Vegetables
Equipment For Making Pizza Twists:
- 16-inch pizza pan- to bake the pull-apart pizza on.
- Sharp knife- to cut the edges of the dough.
- Saucer bowl- for the dipping sauce.
Q&A
What is Pull-Apart Pizza Bread?
Pizza Pull apart bread is dough stuffed with pizza toppings and formed for tearing apart to then serve with dipping sauce. It is sometimes in the shape of a ring or layered into a mold similar to pull-apart monkey bread (with biscuits.)
This pizza twist bread is made with pieces of homemade dough, which are rolled out, and topped with pizza toppings. I then cut slits along the edges to make pizza twists and bake. It is usually served hot with dipping sauce and is eaten by hand like finger food.
Can I Use Different Dough?
Pizza Pull apart bread can be made from puff pastry, biscuit dough, pizza dough, or any type of basic bread dough.
Can I Make Ahead?
Homemade Crescent Roll Dough can be refrigerated for days in advance. Simply top with pizza sauce, cheese, and bacon when you are ready to bake it. If using butter for the homemade dough, you may need extra thawing time.
Storing Pizza Twist Pull-Apart Bread:
This recipe makes one tasty pizza twist but, if you happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat pull-apart bread simply microwave it or warm-up at 350°F for 7-8 minutes.
Best Dipping Sauces:
We love to dip this pizza twist in thick homemade marinara sauce, however, any sweetened tomato sauce will work! Dip these pizza sticks into any of the sauce suggestions below.
- Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Canned Marinara Sauce
- Robust Pizza Sauce
- Subway Chipotle Southwest Sauce
Pizza Twist Tips:
- Leave a border for the edges when stacking the dough on top of each other, this helps seal the ends when twisting.
- Don’t add too much marinara sauce it can be hard to seal the dough.
- Make 3 or 4-inch deep slits around the dough to make pizza twists.
- Each piece of dough should be rolled out to about a 12 or 13-inch circle, so the twists come out nice.
- Place a clear dipping bowl in the center of the Pizza Twist for a pretty presentation.
- Melt the cheese for easy spreading. I like to drizzle the warm cheese over the pizza sauce.
- Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for even browning.
- Pizza twists are perfect for gatherings or potlucks, especially for an easy weeknight dinner meal! They are good cold or hot!
More Pizza Recipes:
- Dominos Pizza Dough (Copycat)
- Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust Pizza
- Copycat Costco Chicken Bake
- Pizza Dough Recipe
- Alfredo Pizza
- Easy Fruit Pizza
More Bread Recipes To Try:
- French Bread Recipe– make a pull-apart garlic bread wreath from this dough!
- Feather-Light Hamburger Buns– try our Cheeseburger sliders with this bread!
- Subway Bread Recipe (Italian Herb and Cheese Copycat)
How To Make a Pull-apart Pizza Twist:
Cheesy Bacon Pull Apart Pizza Twist
Ingredients
Crescent Pizza Dough:
- 4 Tbsp Marinara Sauce (divided)
- 4 oz melted Velveeta cheese*
- 1/2 cup bacon bits (or 6 slices bacon)
Instructions
Directions:
- Melt the cheese over low heat in a small saucepan.
- Evenly divide the crescent dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 13-inch circle.
- Transfer one piece onto a foiled-lined pizza pan. Spread with 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce, leaving a small border, and top with 1/4 cup of melted cheese and 1/4 cup of bacon.
- Repeat once more for the second layer ending with the third piece of dough on top.
- Pinch edges together to seal the filling. Cut 9 strips around the edge about 3-inches deep.
- Twist each strip twice and bake in a pre-heated 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
- Velveeta Substitute: melt 4 oz of American cheese slices with 1/4 cup of cream or milk.
- This Homemade Crescent dough makes just enough dough for this pizza twist.