Name: Ghost Pizza Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound pizza dough; 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 2 tablespoons cornmeal or extra flour, for dusting; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup whole milk; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese; 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch slabs for ghost shapes; 1 cup shredded mozzarella; 2 tablespoons mini pepperoni slices or regular pepperoni cut into tiny bits; 2 tablespoons sliced black olives, chopped into tiny pieces; 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced; Red pepper flakes, to taste

Ghost Pizza Recipe bakes up a chewy-crisp crust topped with garlicky white sauce, stretchy mozzarella, and adorable mozzarella ghost shapes that kids and adults both attack first. It works perfectly for Halloween parties, spooky movie nights, or any pizza lover who wants a fun twist in about 45 minutes total. I tested this on my own nieces, and they now think I own a haunted pizzeria.

Why Ghost Pizza Recipe Is Worth It

This ghost pizza recipe tastes like classic cheesy white pizza with a playful Halloween costume. You get a golden crust, creamy garlic base, and pockets of melty cheese that still keep their ghosty shape.

Kids love the cute ghosts, and adults appreciate that it still tastes like legit pizza, not just a Pinterest project. You also customize it easily with store-bought shortcuts or homemade dough and sauce.

“This Ghost Pizza Recipe disappeared from the table faster than any Halloween candy I served. ★★★★★”

Ingredients You Need

Dough & Base

1 pound pizza dough
- Use store-bought refrigerated dough for speed. I like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods brands.
- You can use homemade dough if you already keep some in the freezer.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cornmeal or extra flour for dusting the pan or stone

Garlic White Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk (or 2% in a pinch)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

You can swap the sauce with jarred Alfredo sauce if you want a shortcut. Thin it with a splash of milk so it spreads easily.

Cheese & Toppings

8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch slabs
- Use block mozzarella, not pre-shredded, so you cut clean ghost shapes.
1 cup shredded mozzarella for extra melt
2 tablespoons mini pepperoni slices or regular pepperoni cut into tiny bits
2 tablespoons sliced black olives, chopped into tiny pieces
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced (optional, for color)
Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional, for a little heat)

Use the olive pieces or pepperoni bits as ghost eyes and mouths. You can also use black sesame seeds if you want very tiny details.

Equipment

Large baking sheet or pizza stone
Parchment paper
Rolling pin or your hands for stretching dough
Small saucepan for the sauce
Whisk
Small sharp knife or mini ghost cookie cutter
Cutting board
Oven mitts
Cooling rack or stovetop trivet

Quick Tips & substitutions

Use store-bought pizza dough and jarred Alfredo sauce when you want a faster ghost pizza recipe on a weeknight.
Cut mozzarella ghosts from a block of cheese, not fresh mozzarella balls, so the shapes hold better.
Keep the cheese slices a bit thick so the ghosts stay visible and do not melt into one white blob.
Use black olive bits, mini pepperoni, or black sesame seeds for eyes and mouths.
Stretch the dough from the center out and leave a slightly thicker edge for a chewy crust.
Bake on parchment over a preheated pizza stone or upside-down sheet pan for a crisper bottom.
Swap the white sauce with regular pizza sauce if your crew prefers classic red pizza.
Use gluten-free pizza dough and gluten-free flour in the sauce if you need a gluten-free version.
Use vegan mozzarella slices and vegan butter with plant milk for a dairy-free ghost pizza.
Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning over the whole pizza before baking for extra flavor.

How to Make Ghost Pizza Recipe

Step 1: Prep the oven and pan

Preheat your oven to 475°F and place a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet on the middle rack. Let it heat for at least 20 minutes so the crust crisps nicely. Line a second baking sheet or a pizza peel with parchment and dust it with cornmeal or flour.

Step 2: Make the garlic white sauce

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute while you keep whisking so it does not brown. Pour in the milk slowly while you whisk, then add garlic, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Keep whisking until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan until it melts and the sauce looks smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then set the pan aside to cool slightly while you prep the dough.

Step 3: Shape the pizza dough

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes if it feels tight. Press it gently into a disk with your fingers, then stretch it from the center outward into a 12 to 14 inch circle or oval. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined pan and adjust the shape with your hands.

Brush the edges with 1 tablespoon of olive oil so the crust browns nicely. Use your fingertips to dimple the center slightly so the sauce stays put. If the dough shrinks back a lot, let it rest a few more minutes and stretch again.

Step 4: Cut the mozzarella ghosts

Slice the block mozzarella into 1/4 inch thick slabs. Use a small ghost cookie cutter to punch out ghost shapes, or carve them freehand with a small sharp knife. Aim for 8 to 12 ghosts so they cover the pizza without crowding.

Use the trimmings for extra cheese under the ghosts or save them for grilled cheese later. Cut tiny circles or triangles from black olives or mini pepperoni for eyes and mouths. Keep the ghosts on a plate in the fridge while you assemble the pizza so they stay firm.

Step 5: Assemble the ghost pizza

Spread the garlic white sauce over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border for the crust. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Arrange the mozzarella ghosts on top, spacing them out so each slice gets at least one ghost.

Press olive or pepperoni bits gently into each ghost to form eyes and a little mouth. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil lightly over the crust and top. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if your crew likes a little spice.

Step 6: Bake

Slide the parchment with the pizza onto the hot stone or upside-down baking sheet. Bake 10 to 14 minutes until the crust turns golden and the cheese bubbles and just starts to brown around the edges. Keep an eye on the ghosts so they stay pale and spooky, not toasted.

If the bottom needs more color, slide the pizza directly onto the stone for the last 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pizza carefully and place it on a cutting board. Let it rest 3 to 5 minutes so the cheese settles before you slice.

Step 7: Finish

Sprinkle chopped parsley around the ghosts for a little “graveyard grass” effect if you like. Slice into 8 to 10 pieces, cutting between ghosts so each slice shows off at least one. Serve hot while the cheese stretches and the ghosts still look cute and slightly melty.

Recipe Variations

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pizza dough and swap the flour in the sauce with a gluten-free all-purpose blend or cornstarch.
Vegan: Use vegan pizza dough, plant butter, plant milk, and vegan mozzarella slices plus shreds.
Low carb: Use a cauliflower crust or almond flour crust and keep the white sauce light with unsweetened almond milk.
Extra spooky: Add thin strips of red bell pepper as “bloody” accents or use black olive rings as “spider” bodies.
Protein boost: Add cooked chicken, turkey sausage, or crumbled veggie sausage under the ghosts.
Veggie lover: Add thinly sliced mushrooms, spinach, or roasted red peppers under the cheese layer.
Kid-friendly mild: Skip red pepper flakes and use just mozzarella with a little Parmesan for gentle flavor.

Ways to Serve

Slice into small squares for Halloween party finger food.
Serve with a big green salad and carrot sticks for an easy weeknight dinner.
Pair with tomato soup for a cozy October meal.
Cut into thin strips and pack in lunchboxes with fruit and cucumber slices.
Serve on a big board with other Halloween snacks like veggie sticks, hummus, and apple slices.

Storage Success

Let the ghost pizza cool to room temperature, then place slices in an airtight container with parchment between layers. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 375°F oven or toaster oven for 6 to 8 minutes so the crust crisps again and the cheese melts nicely.

You can also freeze slices on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven until the cheese bubbles and the crust feels hot and crisp.