Have pizza dough on hand? These savory Parmesan Bread Bites are effortless to make using store-bought (or homemade) pizza dough, plenty of parmesan, and a garlicky herb butter. They’re tender inside, golden outside, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for parties, game nights, or a cozy snack.
My friend and I joke about our weakness for “doughy foods” like cinnamon rolls, and these bread bites are right in that wheelhouse. Made with a tube of refrigerated pizza dough or your favorite homemade dough, each bite is brushed with garlic-herb butter and showered with parmesan. They’re simple, fast, and perfect for serving with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.
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Familiar flavor – If you’ve ever enjoyed Domino’s Parmesan Bread Bites, these capture that same cheesy, garlicky appeal you crave.
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Easy – These bites come together in minutes and are forgiving to customize with different seasonings or cheeses.
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Kid-friendly – These are a hit with kids and make a fun alternative to traditional breadsticks or garlic bread.
Soft and tender on the inside, golden on the outside, these bite-sized rounds are ideal for dunking in marinara or enjoying on their own as a tasty finger food.
How to Make Parmesan Bread Bites
The process is straightforward. Below are the key steps; the full printable recipe card appears afterward for reference. These turn out best if you watch the oven closely so they stay soft, not over-baked.
What’s the best Pizza Dough for Bread Bites?
Refrigerated store-bought pizza dough is convenient and works great, but homemade dough is equally delicious. Use whichever you prefer—both yield soft, pillowy bites.
Cut Pizza Dough into 1-Inch Bites
- Roll the dough into a long rope about 1 inch thick and use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice 1-inch pieces.
- Adjust the size if you prefer larger or smaller pieces; just change the baking time slightly to match.
- Arrange the cut dough pieces on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray.
- Brush each unbaked piece with garlic butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan—reserve about half of the butter and cheese to add after baking.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for roughly 12–17 minutes, checking frequently. The bites should be lightly golden and still soft inside—avoid over-baking.
Garlic Butter & Parmesan Cheese
Right after the bites come out of the oven, brush them with the remaining garlic butter and top liberally with more grated parmesan so it adheres while the butter is still warm.
Handy Bread Bites Recipe Tip
To help the parmesan stick, add the grated cheese immediately after brushing with warm garlic butter. Work in small batches: brush a few pieces, top with cheese, then repeat.
Once coated in garlic butter and plenty of parmesan, these bites are ready to serve. They make a fantastic appetizer or a quick side for any Italian-inspired meal.
What to Serve with Parmesan Bread Bites
These are perfect dunked in marinara or pizza sauce. They also pair nicely with extra virgin olive oil for dipping. As a side, serve them with pizza, lasagna, spaghetti, chicken parmesan, or any meal that calls for garlic bread.
Ingredient & Recipe Notes
Parmesan Cheese – Use grated or shredded parmesan; both work well. The familiar green-bottle grated parmesan is fine in a pinch.
Garlic Butter – Make a simple garlic butter with melted butter, minced garlic (or garlic powder), salt, dried parsley, and Italian seasoning. Add red pepper flakes for heat or substitute olive oil for a garlic oil variation.
Pizza Dough – Either homemade or store-bought refrigerated dough works. Store-bought dough is convenient and keeps prep quick for a simple appetizer.
Want More Bite-Sized Appetizers?
If you’re hosting and want a spread of bite-sized options, consider adding small toasts filled with dips, spinach cheese squares, or sausage phyllo cups alongside these bread bites for variety.
I hope you try these parmesan bread bites soon. Between the garlicky butter and generous parmesan coating, they just might become your new favorite finger food.
If you try this Parmesan Bread Bites recipe, please leave a rating and share with friends who love easy appetizers.
Parmesan Bread Bites
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Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pizza dough ((store bought or homemade pizza dough))
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
Garlic Butter
- 5 tbsp butter (melted)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder))
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried parsley (chopped)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning ((or dried oregano) )
Instructions
To make the bread bites:
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Prep a cookie sheet or baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
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On a clean surface, roll the pizza dough into a 1-inch-thick rope. Cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces with a pizza cutter or knife. Adjust size as desired.
To Make the Garlic Butter:
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Whisk together melted butter, garlic, salt, parsley, and Italian seasoning. Brush each raw bread bite with about half of the garlic butter and sprinkle with some of the parmesan. Reserve the rest for after baking.
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Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the bites are lightly golden. Avoid over-baking so they stay soft inside.
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Remove from oven, brush with remaining garlic butter, and add a generous coating of parmesan. If the butter has cooled, warm it briefly before brushing.
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Serve warm with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes