Pizza-Stuffed Jack-o'-Lantern Pumpkins Recipe
This festive recipe features cheese-stuffed jack-o'-lantern pumpkins made with a rich blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses nestled inside a buttery biscuit dough crust. Topped with shredded cheddar and pretzel stick stems, these mini pumpkins bake to golden perfection and are served with savory marinara sauce for dipping. Perfect for Halloween parties or cozy autumn gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Cheese Filling
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dough and Crust
- 1 (16.3-ounce) tube refrigerated biscuit dough
Garlic Butter
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Assembly & Toppings
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 16 thin pretzel sticks (1 inch each)
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking the pumpkins.
- Prepare Cheese Filling: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheeses, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until evenly blended.
- Make Garlic Butter: Melt unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add finely chopped garlic, fresh parsley, and paprika, then sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Shape Biscuit Dough: Divide the refrigerated biscuit dough into 8 individual biscuits. Gently flatten each biscuit into a round disk shape using your hands.
- Prepare Pumpkins: Brush the interior of 8 small oven-safe pumpkins or ramekins with the prepared garlic butter to coat evenly.
- Form Crust: Press each flattened biscuit dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pumpkins or ramekins, creating a crust that lines the interior.
- Fill and Top: Evenly distribute the cheese filling mixture among the crust-lined pumpkins, then sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of each one.
- Bake: Place the filled pumpkins on the center rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Garnish: Allow the baked pumpkins to cool slightly. Carefully insert two pretzel sticks into the top of each pumpkin to form decorative stems.
- Serve: Serve the cheese-stuffed pumpkins warm with marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- You can substitute the small pumpkins with oven-safe ramekins if jack-o'-lanterns are unavailable.
- If you prefer, use gluten-free biscuit dough to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Make sure not to overfill the pumpkins to prevent overflowing during baking.
- For added flavor, sprinkle a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes into the cheese filling.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes to crisp up the crust again.
