Easy, cheesy, soft and buttery, with the perfect blend of seasonings. These Copycat Pizza Hut Cheese Breadsticks are perfect when served as a meal or appetizer on Game Day, or any day.

This simple recipe satisfies your Pizza Hut craving, while allowing you to never leave the house! Whether it’s because you don’t want to miss that important play during the big game, the halftime show, or simply because you don’t want to put a bra on.

You already know about my strong affinity for all-things pizza. Call me crazy, or #basic, but Pizza Hut has been, and remains, one of my favorite pizza chains. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia: The fact that you could earn that highly-desirable Personal Pan Pizza, if you just read enough books for BOOK IT! (I always did.)

Or, those awesome Beauty & the Beast puppets that my sisters and I obtained, along with our Pizza Hut kids’ meal. It was also one of my little sister, Ali’s, and my favorite places to meet for lunch when we both lived and work in Mattoon. We’d hit up that salad bar and pizza buffet; talking, eating, and laughing over our red plastic cups and red pepper flake shakers. It was such a welcome reprieve from our hectic workdays, and I think about it often, with longing, now that I live four hours away.

Our love for Pizza Hut continues to this day. In fact, it was one of the few things my sister craved when she was pregnant with my beautiful niece. Even though the closest Hut is over 30 minutes away. Nowadays, so many of the Pizza Huts have been converted into a pick-up/drive-through only (including the one in my town, here in Kentucky). Leaving those original Pizza Hut buildings to be turned into real estate offices, or corner stores, despite their distinctive appearance.

Things are different now, and ever-changing. However, my unwavering love for pizza and Pizza Hut continues. And yet, for those days at home, lacking the desire to drive to town for a pick-up order, this recipe for Copycat Pizza Hut Breadsticks and Dipping Sauce is an easy and excellent substitute!

Ingredients for Copycat Pizza Hut Cheese Breadsticks:

• 1 package/tube of pre-made pizza dough, Traditional style crust
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
• 1½ tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter, divided

Ingredients for the Dipping Sauce:

• 1 can of tomato sauce (15 oz.)
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. dried marjoram
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. salt

Instructions for Copycat Pizza Hut Cheese Breadsticks:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Coat the bottom of a nonstick baking sheet with 1 Tbsp. melted butter. Remove pizza dough from tube and lightly press onto baking sheet, stretching and forming the dough as necessary. Roll each short end of the dough, lightly sealing with your fingers, to create a crust on each end.
3. Pre-bake the dough for 4-5 minutes.
4. While pre-baking the pizza dough, prepare the breadstick seasoning by combining the Parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, basil, and salt in a small bowl.
5. Make the Dipping Sauce: You may also prepare the dipping sauce while the breadsticks are baking. In a small saucepan, stir together the tomato sauce, sugar, oregano, basil, marjoram, garlic powder and salt. Heat over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
6. Once you have pre-baked the pizza crust, remove from oven and brush the top of the dough with 1 Tbsp. of butter.
7. Sprinkle half of the seasoning mix on top of the buttered breadsticks, distributing as evenly as possible with the back of a spoon or pastry brush.
8. Top the breadsticks with shredded mozzarella cheese and return to the oven.
9. Bake for an additional 8-12 minutes at 400 degrees F, until cheese is melted and starts to brown.
10. Once you remove the cheese breadsticks from the oven, immediately coat the top of the cheese with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter. Top with the remaining half of the seasoning mix, distributing evenly over the top of the cheese breadsticks, once again.
11. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then use a spatula to slide the breadsticks out onto a cutting board. Slice the breadsticks with a pizza cutter or knife. Serve warm with the prepared dipping sauce (along with a cold beer, or a glass of your favorite wine).

Get More Sauced

Looking for more Game Day appetizers? Check out my blog posts on Sauced for Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts and Mom’s Deviled Eggs in the links below!