King’s Hawaiian Pizza Bread Bowl Dip
Pizza bread bowl dip is the game day appetizer that makes everyone crowd around the table the second it comes out of the oven. It’s one of those recipes that looks like a project and is actually incredibly simple. You hollow out a King’s Hawaiian round loaf, spread softened cream cheese in the bottom, layer pizza sauce and mozzarella and pepperoni on top, and bake the whole thing until the cheese is hot and bubbly and the bread bowl smells incredible. The bread cubes you cut out go on the sheet pan alongside it to toast so you have built-in dippers ready at the same time. My family loses their minds over this one every single game day.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: King's Hawaiian Pizza Bread Bowl Dip
- Main Ingredients: King's Hawaiian Original Sweet Round Bread, cream cheese, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, Pepperoni or mini pepperoni, Toasted King's Hawaiian bread cubes, Pretzel crisps
- Why You'll Love It: This King's Hawaiian pizza bread bowl dip fills a sweet Hawaiian round loaf with cream cheese, pizza sauce, melted mozzarella, and pepperoni and bakes until hot and bubbly for an easy crowd-pleasing game day appetizer.
The King’s Hawaiian bread is the specific detail that makes this so good. That slight sweetness from the bread against the savory pizza filling is a combination that nobody expects and everybody loves.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One sheet pan and about 10 minutes of prep. The oven handles everything and the whole thing is ready in under 35 minutes.
- The bread bowl is both the vessel and one of the dippers. Nothing goes to waste and the toasted bread cubes are honestly the best part of the whole spread.
- King’s Hawaiian sweet bread adds a slightly sweet, soft, buttery element that pairs with the pizza filling in a way that regular sourdough bread bowls simply cannot match.
- This works for game day, holiday parties, family movie night, or any occasion where you need something impressive that takes almost no effort.
Ingredients Needed To Make a Pizza Bread Bowl Dip
The Bread Bowl
One King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Round Bread serves as both the vessel and the dipper. The sweet, soft bread pairs specifically well with the savory pizza filling and holds up through the full bake without falling apart.
The Pizza Filling
Softened cream cheese spread across the bottom adds a rich, creamy layer that anchors the filling and adds a slight tang. Pizza sauce spooned over the cream cheese adds the classic pizza flavor. Shredded mozzarella piled on top melts into a bubbly, stretchy cheese layer. Pepperoni or mini pepperoni scattered over the top finishes the pizza look and adds a savory, slightly spicy element to every scoop.
How to Make King’s Hawaiian Pizza Bread Bowl Dip
1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the top off the Hawaiian round loaf and hollow out the center leaving about a 1-inch border all the way around. Cut the removed bread into bite-sized cubes and set aside.
2
Spread the softened cream cheese evenly across the bottom of the hollow bread bowl. Spoon the pizza sauce over the cream cheese. Top with shredded mozzarella and scatter pepperoni generously over the cheese.
3
Place the filled bread bowl on a sheet pan. Loosely tent the outside of the bowl with foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the dip is hot and the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Remove the foil for the final 5 minutes to allow the top to brown slightly.
4
During the last 8 to 10 minutes of baking scatter the reserved bread cubes on the sheet pan alongside the bowl to toast lightly.
5
Serve immediately straight from the oven with the toasted bread cubes and any additional dippers alongside.
King’s Hawaiian Pizza Bread Bowl Dip
Ingredients
- 1 King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Round Bread
- 1 block cream cheese 8 oz, softened
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- Pepperoni or mini pepperoni as desired
For Serving
- Toasted King’s Hawaiian bread cubes from the hollowed loaf
- Pretzel crisps
- Garlic crostini
- Bagel chips
- Breadsticks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the top off the Hawaiian round loaf. Carefully hollow out the center leaving about a 1-inch border around the sides and bottom. Cut the removed bread into bite-sized cubes and set aside for dipping.
- Spread the softened cream cheese evenly across the bottom of the bread bowl.
- Spoon the pizza sauce over the cream cheese. Top with shredded mozzarella and pepperoni.
- Place the filled bread bowl on a sheet pan. Loosely tent the outside of the bowl with foil to keep the bread from getting too dark.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the dip is hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove the foil for the final 5 minutes.
- During the last 8 to 10 minutes of baking add the reserved bread cubes to the sheet pan to lightly toast alongside the bowl.
- Serve warm with the toasted bread cubes and your favorite sturdy dippers.
Notes
- Use mini pepperoni across the top so every single scoop gets a little pepperoni in it. It also makes the finished bread bowl look extra cute for game day.
- Leave a solid 1-inch border when hollowing out the bread. Too thin and the bowl will not hold up through the full bake and the dip will start to leak through the sides.
- The cream cheese must be fully softened before spreading. Cold cream cheese tears the bread rather than spreading smoothly into the bottom of the bowl.
- Keep the foil tent loose around the outside of the bread bowl during baking. It protects the crust from getting too dark while the dip heats through completely.
