Description
Snake Breadsticks are an easy Halloween side with soft pizza dough shaped into playful snakes and brushed with garlic herb butter before baking until golden and these quick and simple breadsticks are one of the best ideas for a weeknight dinner and they also fit a holiday potluck or brunch or party while marinara makes a fun dip and a healthy salad or crisp vegetables can round out the plate for a festive homemade meal that feels special without adding extra work.
Ingredients
- 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 16 small rings black olive rings
- 8 thin forked strips red bell pepper strips
Instructions
- Divide the one pound of pizza dough into eight uneven pieces and roll each piece into a long rope with one end slightly thicker for the head and the other end narrower for the tail.
The dough changes from one solid mass into eight flexible ropes with irregular lengths and soft ridges and the pieces should look handmade rather than identical.
- Move the eight dough ropes onto the baking tray and bend each rope into a loose different curve then press two black olive rings into every thick head and tuck one forked red pepper strip into the front of each snake.
The straight ropes become playful snake shapes with sixteen dark eyes and eight bright tongues and the curves should stay loose with natural spacing so the bodies have room to puff.
- Combine the melted butter with the garlic powder and Italian seasoning then coat all eight shaped snakes unevenly and scatter the grated Parmesan across the tops so some dough still shows through.
The matte dough becomes glossy and speckled with herbs while the Parmesan creates a loose pale layer that settles into the curves without covering the olive eyes or red pepper tongues.
- Bake the eight snakes in a preheated 400°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the dough expands and the curved bodies turn golden with deeper brown edges and the Parmesan melts into irregular toasted patches while the olive eyes stay dark and the pepper tongues soften slightly.
The snakes should look fuller and softer through the centers with a few relaxed curves and uneven browning that makes every breadstick look naturally different.
- Transfer one of the eight warm snake breadsticks to a white plate and tear a small piece from the tapered tail so the fluffy interior shows beneath the thin golden crust.
The plated portion keeps its olive eyes and red pepper tongue while the torn edge reveals an airy uneven crumb and the toasted Parmesan remains scattered in browned patches.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Keep each dough rope slightly thicker at one end so the baked snake has a clear head and a tapered tail with a homemade shape.
- Curve the snakes loosely because tight bends can merge as the dough rises and a little extra space keeps the body shape easy to see.
- Press the olive eyes and pepper tongues firmly into the dough so they stay attached as the breadsticks puff and brown in the oven.
- Serve the breadsticks warm because the crust stays lightly crisp while the center remains soft and the garlic butter tastes freshest.
Storage: Let leftover Snake Breadsticks cool completely before storage so trapped steam does not soften the crust and place them in an airtight container once they reach room temperature.
Keep the sealed breadsticks in the refrigerator for up to three days and separate layers with parchment if the Parmesan topping feels loose so the shapes stay neat.
For longer storage freeze the cooled breadsticks in a single layer until firm and then move them into a freezer safe bag where they can stay for up to two months.
Reheat chilled or thawed breadsticks in the oven until warm through so the outside regains a light crisp texture and the center becomes soft again.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American