When you want a festive centerpiece that’s both stunning to look at and absolutely delicious to eat, this Holiday Pizza Wreath transforms pizza night into a celebration with its beautiful circular presentation and crowd-pleasing flavors. Imagine golden crescent rolls arranged in a wreath shape, filled with pizza sauce, gooey melted mozzarella, pepperoni, and your favorite toppings, all baked until bubbly and golden. The wreath shape makes it perfect for sharing, with each section pulling away easily so everyone can grab their own piece. Whether you’re hosting a holiday party, planning a festive family dinner, looking for an interactive appetizer, or need something fun to serve on Christmas Eve, this pizza wreath combines the comfort of pizza with the celebration of the holidays. It looks incredibly impressive but uses store-bought crescent dough as a shortcut, making it surprisingly simple to create. Kids and adults alike will love pulling apart the warm, cheesy sections.
Serving Quantity: 8 servings
Cooking Time: 40 minutes (20 minutes prep, 20 minutes baking)
Nutritional Information per serving:
1. Calories: 385
2. Protein: 18g
3. Carbohydrates: 32g
4. Fat: 20g
5. Fiber: 2g
6. Sugar: 6g
7. Sodium: 985mg
Ingredients You Need:
For the Wreath:
1. 2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent roll dough
2. 1 cup pizza sauce or marinara sauce
3. 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4. 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
5. 1 cup mini pepperoni slices
6. 1/2 cup diced bell peppers (red and green for color)
7. 1/2 cup sliced black olives
8. 1/2 cup diced cooked sausage or bacon (optional)
9. 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
10. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For Finishing:
11. 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
12. 2 tablespoons butter, melted
13. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
14. 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
15. Fresh basil leaves for garnish
16. Cherry tomatoes for decoration
17. Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional decoration)
18. Extra pizza sauce for dipping
Prepare the Baking Sheet
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper. If using a round pizza pan, that’s ideal for creating the circular wreath shape. If using a rectangular baking sheet, you’ll create the circle in the center. Having parchment paper makes cleanup easy and prevents sticking.
Arrange the Crescent Dough
Open both cans of crescent roll dough and unroll them carefully. Separate into individual triangles along the perforations. On your prepared baking sheet, arrange the triangles in a circle with the wide ends overlapping in the center and the pointed ends facing outward like sun rays. The circle should be about 12 inches in diameter. The overlapping center creates the base for your filling.
Create the Base
Press the overlapping dough in the center together to seal and create a solid base. You should have a ring of dough with wide ends forming a circle in the center and pointed ends radiating outward. Leave about a 5-inch opening in the very center of the circle. This creates the wreath shape.
Add the Sauce
Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the ring of dough in the center where the triangles overlap, staying within the wide parts and leaving the pointed ends bare. Use the back of a spoon to spread it into an even layer. The sauce should cover the entire overlapping section but not extend to the points.
Layer the Cheese
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the pizza sauce, using about three-quarters of it and reserving some for topping. Add half of the grated parmesan cheese. The cheese layer should be generous because that’s what makes pizza so irresistible.
Add Toppings
Distribute the mini pepperoni slices, diced bell peppers, sliced olives, and any other toppings you’re using evenly over the cheese. Arrange them so that when you fold the dough over, each section will have a good mix of toppings. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Fold and Seal
Take each pointed end of the crescent triangles and fold it up and over the filling, tucking the tip under the wide base to seal. Continue around the entire circle, creating a braided or wrapped effect. Each triangle should overlap slightly with the next one. The filling should be mostly enclosed with just small gaps showing the cheese and toppings inside.
Brush with Egg Wash
In a small bowl, beat the egg with a tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash generously over all the exposed dough. This creates a beautiful golden, shiny finish. Make sure to coat all the dough including the sides.
Add Garlic Butter
In another small bowl, mix the melted butter with garlic powder. Brush this garlic butter over the egg-washed dough for extra flavor. This step adds that irresistible garlic bread taste to the crust.
Add Final Cheese
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the top of the wreath where some filling is visible through the gaps. This cheese will melt and bubble, creating those appealing cheese pulls when people tear off pieces.
Bake Until Golden
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 25 minutes until the crescent dough is deep golden brown and cooked through, and the cheese is melted and bubbly. The wreath should be puffed and beautiful. If it browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
Cool Slightly
Remove the pizza wreath from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This brief cooling allows the cheese to set slightly so it’s not molten lava hot and makes serving easier. The wreath will still be warm and gooey, just not dangerous.
Decorate Festively
Now comes the fun part of making it look like a holiday wreath. Arrange fresh basil leaves around the wreath to look like holly leaves. Place cherry tomatoes strategically to look like holly berries. If desired, tuck small sprigs of fresh rosemary into the center hole for an evergreen appearance. The decorations make it festive and beautiful.
Serve Warm
Transfer the pizza wreath carefully to a large serving board or platter, keeping the parchment underneath for easy handling. Place a small bowl of warm pizza sauce in the center of the wreath for dipping. Encourage guests to pull apart sections and dip them in the sauce.
Helpful Tips for Success:
1. Use cold crescent dough straight from the refrigerator for easier handling.
2. Press the dough seams together firmly to prevent filling from leaking out.
3. Don’t overfill or the wreath will be difficult to seal and may burst.
4. Customize the toppings based on your family’s favorite pizza combinations.
5. The egg wash is essential for that beautiful golden color.
6. Work quickly when assembling so the dough doesn’t warm up and become sticky.
7. Make sure the dough is cooked through in the center before removing from oven.
8. This can be assembled up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking.
9. If assembled ahead, add 5 minutes to the baking time since it starts cold.
10. Use kitchen scissors to cut through the wreath for easier serving if needed.
11. Try different themes like all meat, all veggie, or Hawaiian style.
12. Leftover wreath can be reheated in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.
13. Make two smaller wreaths for variety using one can of dough each.
14. The decorative garnishes should be added after baking, not before.
15. This travels well to parties if kept on the baking sheet and covered.
