Hot Honey & Basil Pepperoni Pizza Dip

HI. I had to re-share this incredible appetizer that’s perfect for all of your game day (or really any day) needs. The team and I tested out this incredible pizza dip a a little over a year ago and could not stop scooping up every cheesy delicious bite.

If you can’t tell I’ve been trying to up my appetizer game (and my dip game) with everything from stuffed mushrooms to the best vegetarian buffalo dip, and this pepperoni pizza dip is the perfect addition to any party. This easy pizza dip has three types of cheese, creamy Greek yogurt, simple seasonings, and savory pepperoni in every bite. You know by now that I like things a little extra, so we’re topping this dip with some fresh basil and a drizzle of hot honey. OBSESSED.

Just like with your favorite pizza combo, you can have fun mixing in unique toppings to really make this dip your own. The options are endless! I’ve included a few of our favorites, plus plenty of ways to serve it all up. You’re going to love this one!

Everything you’ll need to make the best pizza dip

This hot, bubbly pepperoni pizza dip couldn’t be easier to make with super simple ingredients you might even already have on hand. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

For the bread: I like to slice up a French baguette and bake the slices with a little olive oil, garlic powder and salt.
Cheese: the essential part of pizza dip? CHEESE of course. You’ll need cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, or an Italian cheese blend, plus some grated parmesan or pecorino romano.
Yogurt: I like to mix in some plain Greek yogurt with the cream cheese layer for extra creaminess and a little tang.
Seasonings: you’ll need oregano, garlic powder, and salt to season the dip.
Sauce: use your favorite homemade or store-bought pizza sauce.
Pepperoni: it’s a true pizza dip with slices of pepperoni on every bite.
For topping: I like to add fresh basil ribbons and a drizzle of hot honey for a sweet, spicy, savory flavor.

Make your own hot honey

I love using Mike’s Hot Honey for ease, but you can also make your own hot honey right at home! Simply add 2 tablespoons honey and ½ teaspoon hot sauce (or a pinch of cayenne pepper) to a small bowl and microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then drizzle it on up!

Can I make it vegetarian?

Absolutely! Simply leave off the pepperoni and enjoy a regular cheese pizza dip. See below for even more delicious ways to customize this dip.

Homemade pizza dip in 4 steps

Make the crostini. Start by brushing your baguette slices with olive oil or butter, garlic powder, and salt. Bake them until slightly golden.
Mix the cream cheese layer. While the baguette slices are baking, mix together the cream cheese, greek yogurt, garlic powder, oregano & salt.
Assemble the dip & bake. Spread the cream cheese layer on the bottom of a 9 inch skillet, add your pizza sauce, sprinkle on the cheeses, and then evenly layer the pepperoni. Then bake it up until it’s nice and bubbly! I like to put it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes as well.
Top & serve. Garnish with fresh basil ribbons and drizzle on the hot honey. Then serve with the crostini or anything your heart desires!

More delicious pizza dip flavors

You can’t go wrong with pepperoni, but this pizza dip is great for adding your fav pizza toppings, too! Try mixing in and/or adding any of the following to the dip for a unique twist:

The Monique: jalapeño, pineapple, black olives and mushrooms
The Abra: pesto, bacon or sausage, and pineapple
The Rebecca: red onion, goat cheese and chopped pistachios

Our favorite ways to serve this pizza dip

This pizza dip is delicious with the toasted baguette slices from the recipe, but feel free to mix it up! We love serving it with:

Toasted pita
Crostini
Pita chips
Crackers
Naan bread
Pretzels

Storing & reheating tips

If you have any pizza dip left over, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat the portion you want to eat in a microwave safe dish until it’s heated through.

More delicious appetizers to try

Creamy Jalapeño Spinach Artichoke Dip
Bubbly Hot Chicken Enchilada Bean Dip
Ricotta and Pear Crostini with Salty Pumpkin Seed Pistachio Crunch
Scallion Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms
Vegan Jalapeño Butternut Squash Queso

Get all of my appetizer recipes here!

I hope you love this pepperoni pizza dip! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Hot Honey & Basil Pepperoni Pizza Dip | Ambitious Kitchen (8)

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Ingredients

For the baguette:
1 french baguette, cut into ½ inch diagonal slices
1-2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt for sprinkling
For the cream cheese & yogurt layer:
8 ounces plain cream cheese, softened
½ cup plain greek yogurt
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
For the sauce layer:
1 cup (8 ounces) pizza sauce
For the cheese layer:
1 cup shredded mozzarella or italian cheese blend
¼ cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
18-20 pepperoni slices
For topping:
6 basil leaves, cut into ribbons
Hot honey* (I use Mike’s Hot Honey)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl, mix together olive oil/melted butter with garlic powder and salt; brush both sides of the baguette with the mixture. Add baguette slices to a large baking sheet and bake for 8-10 min until slightly golden around the edges. Keep heat in the oven.
In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, greek yogurt, salt, garlic powder and dried oregano until well combined, smooth and creamy.
Spread cream cheese yogurt mixture on the bottom of a greased 9 inch skillet or an 8x8 pan. Spread 1 cup pizza sauce on top, then sprinkle both mozzarella/italian and parmesan cheese on top. Finally top with pepperoni slices. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is just SLIGHTLY golden on the edges; make sure you watch VERY carefully as pepperoni can easily burn!
Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little hot honey and then top with basil ribbons. Use your crostini for dipping and enjoy! Serves 6-8.

Recipe Notes

*To make hot honey at home (if you don’t have store-bought): add 2 tablespoons honey and ½ teaspoon hot sauce (or a pinch of cayenne pepper) to a small bowl and microwave for 10-15 seconds. Use as directed in the recipe.

If you don’t want to use crostini for dipping/serving: feel free to use a toasted pita, pita chips, naan bread or whatever your heart desires.

See the full post for tips, tricks and ways to customize your pizza dip!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 8, with sliced baguette)Calories: 343calCarbohydrates: 26.5gProtein: 12.4gFat: 21.6gSaturated Fat: 10.8gFiber: 1.9gSugar: 8.6g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by:Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on September 19th, 2022, and republished on January 29th, 2024.