Get ready to win Halloween with a recipe that is as fun to make as it is delicious to eat. These Pizza Stuffed Pumpkins are the perfect savory treat for a festive fall meal. This creative recipe uses biscuit dough to create adorable, pumpkin-shaped rolls that are stuffed with a rich and cheesy ricotta filling. Brushed with a savory garlic butter and served with a side of marinara for dipping, this is the ultimate Dinner In A Pumpkin experience, without having to use a real pumpkin! It’s one of the best Mini Pumpkin Recipes for a fun family activity.
Why This is the Perfect Savory Halloween Treat
When it comes to Stuffed Pumpkin Recipes Savory enough for dinner, this one is a guaranteed hit.
- Incredibly Fun and Thematic: The pumpkin shape, created with simple kitchen twine, is absolutely adorable and perfect for a Halloween or fall-themed dinner.
- Cheesy and Delicious: The warm, gooey center of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan is a classic pizza-inspired flavor that everyone loves.
- Easier Than You Think: While they look impressive, these Stuffed Mini Pumpkins are made with refrigerated biscuit dough, making them surprisingly simple to prepare.
- A Fun Family Activity: Kids will have a blast helping to stuff the dough balls and watch them bake into perfect little pumpkins.
Your Simple Ingredient Checklist
This recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients to create a truly memorable meal.
For the Cheesy Filling:
- 2 cups (16 oz) of whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper
For the Pumpkin Dough:
- 1 (16.3-ounce) tube of refrigerated biscuits (like Pillsbury Grands)
- Kitchen twine
For the Garlic Butter Topping:
- ½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp paprika
- 16 thin pretzel sticks (for the “stems”)
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Step-by-Step Instructions
Get ready to shape some delicious and adorable pizza pumpkins!
Part 1: Prepare the Filling and Dough
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until well combined. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the dough.
- Prepare the Dough: Separate the biscuits. Cut each of the biscuits into 2 pieces, for a total of 16 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into a round that is about 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
- Stuff the Dough: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the chilled ricotta mixture into the center of each dough round. Carefully pull the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pinching them together tightly to seal the filling inside. Place the stuffed dough ball, seam-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Chill: Place the baking sheet with the stuffed dough balls in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to firm up slightly.
Part 2: Shape, Bake, and Serve
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Shape the Pumpkins: Take the chilled dough balls out of the fridge. Using kitchen twine, tie each ball to create the classic pumpkin ridges. (Tie the twine around the ball as if you were tying a ribbon on a present, creating 6-8 segments). Place them back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the “pumpkins” are puffed up and golden brown.
- Make the Garlic Butter: While the pumpkins bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the chopped garlic, parsley, and paprika and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Finish and Serve: As soon as the pumpkins come out of the oven, brush them generously with the hot garlic butter. Let them cool for a few minutes before carefully cutting and removing the kitchen twine. Insert one pretzel stick into the top of each pumpkin to create a “stem.” Serve warm with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I add other pizza toppings to the filling? Yes! This is a great base recipe for a Pizza Stuffed Pumpkin. Feel free to add mini pepperoni, finely diced cooked sausage, or finely chopped vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms to the ricotta filling. Just be sure not to overstuff the dough.
2. I don’t have kitchen twine. Is there another way to get the pumpkin shape? While kitchen twine is the most effective method, you can try to carefully create indentations before baking. Use the back of a knife to gently press lines from the top to the bottom of the dough ball to mimic the pumpkin ridges. The effect will be more subtle but still very cute.
3. What’s the best way to serve these for a party? These Stuffed Mini Pumpkins are the perfect party food. You can arrange them on a large platter with a bowl of warm marinara sauce in the center for easy dipping. They are a great handheld appetizer or a fun main course for a Halloween-themed dinner.
4. Can I make these ahead of time? These are best served warm and fresh from the oven. However, you can prepare the cheese filling and stuff the dough balls a few hours in advance. Keep them covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to tie them with twine and bake.
Pizza Stuffed Pumpkins
Equipment
- Oven preheated to 350°F
- Mixing bowl for cheese filling
- Rolling Pin for dough rounds
- parchment-lined baking sheet
- kitchen twine for shaping pumpkins
- Saucepan for garlic butter
- Pastry Brush to brush garlic butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tube (16.3 oz) refrigerated biscuit dough (like Pillsbury Grands)
- 16 pieces kitchen twine (for shaping)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp paprika
- 16 sticks thin pretzel sticks (for stems)
- marinara sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until combined. Cover and refrigerate.
- Separate biscuits and cut each in half (16 pieces). Roll each into a 3–4 inch round on a floured surface.
- Spoon 1 tbsp filling into each dough round. Pinch edges to seal and place seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Chill the stuffed dough balls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Use kitchen twine to tie each dough ball into 6–8 pumpkin-like segments. Return to baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
- While baking, melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic, parsley, and paprika; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Brush pumpkins with garlic butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Let cool slightly, remove twine, and insert pretzel sticks as stems. Serve with marinara sauce.