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There’s nothing better than a cozy Christmas movie night filled with festive snacks, warm blankets, and all your holiday favorites. This Santa Pizza is such a fun addition to a family movie night, paired with homemade hot cocoa and a big bowl of buttery popcorn. It’s festive, fun to make, and guaranteed to bring a little extra Christmas cheer to your night in!
You’ll find the Santa Pizza recipe below, along with everything you need to create the perfect cozy Christmas movie night. I’m also sharing lots more holiday food inspiration over on Instagram, so be sure to follow along!
Santa Pizza Ingredients
1 frozen cheese pizza (I used gluten-free)
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Ciliegine fresh mozzarella balls (small mozzarella balls)
2 pieces of string cheese
2 black olives slices
Salt, to taste
Optional: grated Parmesan or red pepper flakes for serving
Santa Pizza Recipe:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (or follow the temperature on your frozen pizza’s packaging). Start with a frozen cheese pizza. I used a gluten-free pizza, but any cheese pizza will work!
2. Bake the pizza for a few minutes less than the recommended cooking time, just until the crust and cheese are almost done. Remove from the oven.
3. Create Santa’s hat by arranging cherry tomatoes across the top portion of the pizza. Use a piece of string cheese underneath the tomatoes to create the fluffy white trim of his hat. Add Ciliegine mozzarella balls at the top for the pom-pom.
4. Make Santa’s face using two black olive slices for his eyes and a cherry tomato for his nose. Add a small piece of tomato for his mouth.
5. Create Santa’s beard by arranging Ciliegine mozzarella balls across the bottom half of the pizza, filling in around his face.
6. Return the pizza to the oven for another few minutes, just long enough to warm the toppings and soften the mozzarella. Keep an eye on it so the mozzarella balls hold their shape and don’t slide off Santa’s face.
7. Remove from the oven and let rest briefly. Fresh mozzarella is fairly mild, so I recommend adding a sprinkle of salt, Parmesan, or red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
A little tip: Ciliegine mozzarella releases quite a bit of liquid when heated. Before slicing and serving, gently blot the surface with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Note: This is a very cheesy pizza! Between the cheese on the original pizza, string cheese, and fresh mozzarella, there’s plenty of cheese in every bite!
