Description
Halloween Witch Hat Calzones are a fun and festive twist on traditional calzones, perfect for a spooky party snack or themed dinner. These crescent roll calzones are filled with a delicious blend of pepperoni, mozzarella, Parmesan, cream cheese, and optional sautéed peppers, onions, and Italian sausage. Shaped like witch hats and decorated with fun-shaped pepperoni pieces, they bake to golden perfection and are served with warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Calzone Filling
- ½ cup pepperoni, sliced small (plus an additional 8-10 slices cut into fun shapes for decoration)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- Optional add-ins: ¼ cup sautéed peppers & onions
- Optional add-ins: ½ cup cooked Italian sausage
Dough and Seasoning
- 2 packages crescent rolls (8 ounces each)
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
For Serving
- Marinara sauce, served warm
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and encourage even baking.
- Cook Optional Add-Ins: If using, cook the Italian sausage, peppers, and onions in a skillet until fully cooked and softened. Set aside.
- Prepare Pepperoni: Slice ½ cup of pepperoni into small pieces for the filling. Cut an additional 8-10 slices of pepperoni into fun shapes like diamonds, triangles, and crescent moons to use as decorative toppings on the witch hats. Set aside.
- Mix Seasonings: In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning to create the seasoning mixture.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, sautéed peppers and onions, cooked Italian sausage, ½ cup sliced pepperoni, and a generous sprinkle of the seasoning mixture until well combined.
- Prepare Crescent Rolls: Unroll the crescent rolls onto a clean surface and separate them into individual triangles. Place four triangles on the prepared baking sheet (these will be the bottoms of the calzones). Keep the other four triangles aside for the tops. If you only have one baking sheet, you may want to bake in batches.
- Apply Egg Wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly with the water. Brush the edges of the crescent roll triangles on the baking sheet with this egg wash, which helps seal the calzones and create a golden crust.
- Fill Calzones: Spoon 1½ to 2 tablespoons of the cheese and meat filling onto the center of each bottom triangle on the baking sheet.
- Assemble Calzones: Place the reserved crescent roll triangles over the filling on each calzone. Gently press the edges together to seal the filling inside. Fold up the bottom edge of each calzone to form the brim of the witch hat and mold the tip to resemble a witch’s hat point.
- Decorate and Final Egg Wash: Brush the assembled witch hats with the remaining egg wash. Arrange the fun-shaped pepperoni pieces on the brim of each hat for decoration. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the tops for extra flavor.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the middle of the oven and bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes or until the calzones are golden brown and fully cooked.
- Optional Finishing Touch: After baking, sprinkle additional grated Parmesan cheese on top if desired.
- Serve: Serve warm with marinara sauce heated in the microwave at 15-second intervals until warmed through, for dipping.
Notes
- Using parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on your baking sheet promotes even baking, prevents browning, and makes cleanup easier. Silicone mats can be reused, making them an eco-friendly option.
- To soften cream cheese quickly, place it on the counter for 20-30 minutes or microwave on a microwave-safe plate for 15-20 seconds on high.
- Keep the second package of crescent rolls refrigerated until ready to use to prevent the dough from becoming too warm and tearing.
- Crescent roll triangles may vary slightly in size; match smaller bottoms with smaller tops for consistent calzones.
- Brushing the top layers with egg wash ensures a golden, crispy exterior.
- Place decorative pepperoni pieces near the top of the brim so they remain visible after the dough rises during baking.
- This recipe is adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 witch hat calzone
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
