Description
This Hot Honey Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza Dip is a deliciously layered, cheesy appetizer that combines creamy cheese, savory sausage, spicy pepperoni, and a sweet kick of hot honey. Served warm with crispy garlic baguette crostini, it’s perfect for parties, game days, or whenever you crave pizza flavors in a fun, dippable form.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- ½ cup sausage meat (honey garlic, mild or hot Italian, or 2 sausages with casing removed)
- 1 cup mini pepperoni (or regular size cut into quarters)
Dairy
- 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature, 1 brick, 250 grams)
- ½ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 cup mozzarella (shredded)
- 4 tbsp parmesan cheese (grated) for garnish
Other
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup pizza sauce (or marinara sauce)
- 4 leaves fresh basil (sliced)
- Hot honey
- 1 baguette (cut into ½ inch thick slices, cut diagonally on an angle)
- 3 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking tools: Preheat your oven to 375℉. Grease an oven-safe baking dish or skillet with cooking spray. For the garlic bread crostini, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Prepare garlic butter and baguette: In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the minced garlic. Brush both sides of the baguette slices generously with this garlic butter mixture. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet and set aside.
- Cook sausage meat: Using a small frying pan over medium heat, cook the sausage meat, breaking it apart with a spatula until it starts to get crispy. Drain excess fat and let it cool slightly.
- Mix cream cheese base: In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, grated parmesan cheese, and dried oregano. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy, creating a rich base layer for the dip.
- Layer cream cheese mixture: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly into the greased baking dish, forming the first layer of the dip.
- Add pizza sauce: Carefully layer the pizza sauce on top of the cream cheese, spreading it evenly but without mixing the layers together.
- Add cheese and meats: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Then, scatter the cooked sausage crumbles evenly on top, followed by the mini pepperoni pieces.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the dip bubbles around the edges.
- Crisp pepperoni: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 1-2 minutes to crisp the pepperoni and brown the cheese slightly.
- Bake crostini: Five minutes after placing the dip in the oven, put the prepared baguette slices on their baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.
- Remove from oven: Take out both the dip and crostini from the oven carefully.
- Garnish dip: Optionally, sprinkle thinly sliced fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese over the hot dip for extra flavor and a fresh finish.
- Serve: Drizzle hot honey over the dip, serve immediately warm with the garlic bread crostini for dipping, and enjoy the delicious blend of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors.
Notes
- You can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a tangier flavor and added protein.
- Adjust the amount of hot honey drizzled on top according to your preferred spice and sweetness level.
- For an extra crispy crostini, broil for 1-2 minutes after baking but watch carefully to avoid burning.
- If you prefer less spicy sausage, opt for mild Italian or honey garlic sausage varieties.
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to mix easily and get a smooth texture.
