Description
Deliciously soft and flavorful Parmesan Bread Bites made from homemade pizza dough, brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese. Perfect as a savory snack or appetizer served warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- Homemade pizza dough (enough to yield 46 bites)
Garlic Butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt plus 1/8 teaspoon salt (total 3/8 teaspoon salt)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Topping and Serving
- 4 to 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Sheet: Using a pastry brush, grease a large sheet pan with olive oil or coat it generously with non-stick cooking spray. Set the pan aside for later use.
- Shape the Dough: Make homemade pizza dough according to your preferred recipe. After the first rise, gently punch down the dough to release some air without deflating it entirely. Transfer it to a clean work surface and cut into approximately 1-inch bite-sized pieces using a sharp knife. Arrange the pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Cover the baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel and place in the warmest spot in your kitchen for about 30 minutes to let the dough rise slightly.
- Make Garlic Butter and Preheat Oven: While the dough rests, prepare the garlic butter by melting the butter and combining it with minced garlic (or garlic salt), salt, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Brush Dough with Garlic Butter: Remove the kitchen towel and brush all the dough bites generously with the prepared garlic butter, reserving some for later.
- Bake the Bread Bites: Bake the bites in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until their tops turn golden brown and cooked through.
- Apply Remaining Butter and Cheese: Once baked, place the pan on a wire rack and immediately brush the bread bites with the remaining garlic butter (re-melt it if necessary). Then sprinkle evenly with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve: Serve the warm Parmesan Bread Bites immediately with marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Use a sharp knife for clean cuts to keep the dough bites evenly sized.
- Letting the dough rest before baking ensures soft and fluffy bread bites.
- Microwaving the butter briefly helps with easy brushing after baking.
- Fresh parsley offers a brighter flavor, but dried parsley works well too.
- Adjust garlic amount according to your taste preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Parmesan bread bites, garlic bread bites, homemade pizza dough bites, appetizer, party snack, Italian appetizer, parmesan garlic bread
