This crispy, flavorful Pizza Sticks recipe is an Applebee’s copycat! They are topped with pepperoni, cheese, garlic butter, and herbs.
After-school snacks were always a big deal when I was a kid, and my mom was really good about making us something delicious. So, with that in mind, I made these pizza sticks for my kids one day, and they loved them! They can also be served as an appetizer or side dish.
What You’ll Find In This Post
What Are Applebee’s Pizza Sticks
Applebee's used to have a pizza sticks appetizer, and when I was dating my husband, we loved ordering them. Unfortunately, it is no longer on their menu, so we usually order mozzarella sticks, but I came up with a simple copycat recipe for the pizza cheese sticks so we can enjoy them at home!
We found an old menu online, and the description says: “Thin crispy strips of pizza dough topped with herbs and melted Italian cheese. Served with marinara sauce.” Back in 1994, they only cost $2.99! If you wanted to add Italian sausage and pepperoni, it was an extra dollar.
Pizza Breadsticks Ingredients
- Dough: We love using homemade pizza dough to make pizza sticks. You can also use store-bought frozen bread dough or refrigerated pizza dough.
- Butter: The butter adds flavor and makes the pizza cheese sticks crispy.
- Garlic: We used garlic powder to season the butter. You can use minced garlic if you prefer.
- Pepperoni: Slices of pepperoni add a spicy flavor to the sticks! Cooked, crumbled Italian sausage works too.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella cheese turns golden brown on the top of the sticks. Other Italian cheeses such as parmesan, provolone, or asiago would be delicious as well.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning is the perfect blend of dried herbs for these pizza sticks!
- Sauce: You can serve them with pizza sauce, marinara, or spaghetti sauce.
How To Make Pizza Sticks
Roll the dough out and spread it in a well-greased rimmed jelly roll pan.
Cut the dough in half lengthwise and then cut each half into eight sticks for a total of sixteen sticks.
Put the melted butter and garlic butter into a small bowl. Stir until combined.
Brush half of the garlic butter over the breadsticks. Save the remaining garlic butter for later.
Top each dough stick with three slices of pepperoni. You can also add other toppings at this point.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the sticks.
Bake the pizza sticks until they are golden brown. Cut the sticks again after removing them from the oven. Brush them with the remaining garlic butter and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: If you want to make these pizza cheese sticks ahead of time, you can prepare the pizza dough and store it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature so that it will easily stretch.
- Refrigerator: Allow leftovers to cool and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: Store pizza breadsticks in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months.
- Reheating: Pizza sticks can be reheated in the oven, microwave, or air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use store-bought refrigerated dough to make this recipe but keep in mind that your pizza sticks may not turn out like the ones shown in this recipe.
You can add your favorite pizza toppings, such as pepperoni, Italian sausage, black olives, green peppers, mushrooms, or onions.
They have the same ingredients, but they are assembled, cooked, and eaten in a different manner.
Additional Bread Appetizers
- This easy Garlic Bread recipe is a family favorite! Top with mozzarella for garlic cheese bread and serve with marinara sauce.
- Homemade breadsticks topped with garlic butter are irresistible! They are delicious with pasta and pizza.
- Crispy, buttery Texas toast can be enjoyed as an appetizer or served alongside your favorite pasta dishes.
- These easy pizza rolls are stuffed with spicy pepperoni, melted cheese, and pizza sauce.
Pizza Sticks
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 48 slices pepperoni
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup pizza sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Spread the dough out into a well-greased jelly roll pan and cut it into 16 sticks.
- Mix together the melted butter and garlic powder. Brush half of the mixture over the dough sticks.
- Top with pepperoni slices and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 425°F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Brush with the remaining garlic butter and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Cut the pizza sticks again, if needed, and serve with pizza sauce.
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerator: Allow leftovers to cool and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: Store them in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months.
- Reheating: Pizza sticks can be reheated in the oven, microwave, or air fryer.
Lisa says
These are absolutely delicious!
Tonia Larson says
Hi Lisa,
Thank you! I’m delighted that you enjoyed them!
Warmly,
Tonia
Darlene Klinger says
I recently visited an Applebees in Nc. and I got their pretzel sticks wit cheese sauce for an appetizer and loved them. Do you have the receipe for those?
Tonia says
Hi Darlene, I didn’t know Applebees made pretzel sticks. I will have to try them the next time I go there! The closest recipe I have is for Auntie Anne’s soft pretzel nuggets http://www.thegunnysack.com/2012/08/auntie-annes-inspired-soft-pretzel.html
Rhonda says
big and little eaters will like these!
Katie @ This Chick Cooks says
These look wonderful! My little guy would love these as a snack.
www.StarHughes.com says
YUM!!!! This might be my favorite post yet 🙂 Looks soooo good!
Ali says
Thank you so much for sharing this at Recipe Sharing Monday. The new party is now up and I’d love for you to link up again 🙂
Amy says
These are absolutely perfect after school snacks! yum….can’t wait to make some of my own soon.My blog turns 1 today and I’m hosting a giveaway on my blog as a way to say thank you for your supports in the past year. Please come over to check it out if you’re interested. http://utry.it
Elizabeth says
These are a “must try” for our family! As far as making something that was removed from the menu I don’t think I have but I do love to make restaurant food recipes. Especially the sausage soup from Olive Garden – yum!!
OnePerfectDay says
They look great!!Definately on the list!
The Shy Bee says
Those look yummy! I will definitely give them a try! Thanks for sharing!
sherri lynn says
This looks like a perfect snack for us! My husband is hungry ALL the time and he likes to have something a little more substantial than just fruit- I’ll have to make these!
Vicki says
My kids will love these as an afternoon snack! Thanks for the recipe
Veronica says
well these do indeed look pretty tasty and very colourful. love pepperoni. ps: thanks for your lovely comment and i am sorry i cannot help out at this time with delivery to the states 🙂 have a lovely day!