Preheat the oven to 475F. Lightly grease or line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Lightly sprinkle flour over a cutting board, then use a rolling pin to roll out the first ball of dough until it’s about 1/2″ thick. Transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with other ball of dough, but keep it on the cutting board for now.
Spread a layer of pesto evenly over the base layer of dough, leaving a 1/2″ edge around the rim. Place the second circle of dough on top, lining the edges up as much as possible. Use your fingers to “pinch the two ends together
Place a small round object in the center of the dough to prevent cutting all the way through out. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 16 equal pieces. I find it’s easiest to do this by first cutting the dough into quarters, then each fourth into 4 more even pieces.
Create 8 pairs of two adjacent strips of dough. Holding one strip in each hand, twist the strips outward from each other 2-3 times, then join them together at the end and pinch the “tip.” Repeat with the remaining strips of dough – see the blog post video or photos for more help.
Brush the top of the dough with oil, then place on the top rack of the oven and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until fluffy and golden on top. Serve immediately and enjoy warm; leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or frozen and reheated as necessary.
Reviews
Kate on 2021-12-05 (4 stars): Top rack at 500° was too hot so the top and bottom burnt (our gas oven is usually spot on) so next time I'll cook it on the middle rack. Glad I made a tester before bringing to holiday parties! Otherwise, pretty impressive looking!
Anais on 2021-12-17 (5 stars): Made this for a holiday get together with friends and it turned out amazingly! I made your pesto recipe for this bread and it was so delicious- everyone loved it. I was surprised at how easy the star is to create. Had so much fun making this :) thanks Caitlin!
Lizanne on 2021-12-17 (5 stars): Made this last night for just my hubby and me (halved the recipe) and a big pot of soup. It is so festive-looking, but also delicious! I served it with a side of dipping sauce, which was just a jarred pasta sauce that we like. Thank you for my new go-to! What I love about it is how easy it is to prep and make while having such a big impact. : )
J on 2021-12-24 (5 stars): These are delicious
Claire on 2022-12-29 (5 stars): Simple to make and perfect for hosting! I'll definitely be making this again, and will experiment with different flavor combinations.
Michelle on 2023-02-02 (5 stars): My non-vegan sister actually made this for us and I’ve made it a few times since then because it’s so simple and yummy. A great snack for a party.
Sarah on 2023-02-23 (5 stars): Love this one! So simple and easy. I'm vegetarian so I added some parmesan to the pesto mixture, and it was great.
Megan on 2023-11-30 (5 stars): Wow this is a great recipe. I can see how you could make different versions with sun dried tomatoes, etc. So easy. I took it to my Bible study group and the word I heard was..."impressive". Praise the Lord! LOL
Lindsay Hudkins on 2023-12-11 (5 stars): I have used this recipe for the past two years for my book group Christmas party. Everyone loves it! Thanks. It's so east and delicious.
Celi on 2024-12-27 (5 stars): Loved!!!! I added small pieces of cherry tomatoes for a Christmas look. I love how easy it is to make
