Every October, this spider web pizza finds its way onto our table the Thursday before Halloween, when costumes are half-finished and candy bowls start filling. I first made it on a whim for a kid-friendly dinner, and it quickly became our family tradition. The simple trick of pulling string cheese into thin strands turns an ordinary pie into a spooky centerpiece, and those chubby olive spiders always get a giggle before the first slice disappears.

What I love most is how the textures and flavors balance. The crust bakes up crisp at the edges but stays tender in the center, the marinara bubbles and concentrates just enough to taste bright and savory, and the mellow, milky string cheese melts into a web that is surprisingly stretchy. That pop of briny black olive adds a fun, salty bite. Whether you make the dough from scratch or grab a store-bought ball, the whole thing comes together fast, leaving you more time for pumpkin carving and ghost stories.

Ingredients

• Pizza dough (14 to 16 ounces): Choose a well-hydrated, refrigerated dough for easy stretching and good oven spring. Trader Joe’s and local pizzerias sell great options if you are not making your own.
• Marinara sauce (2/3 to 3/4 cup): A bright, lightly seasoned sauce keeps the web visible and prevents sogginess. Rao’s, Carbone, or your favorite homemade sauce all work beautifully.
• Whole-milk string cheese (4 sticks): Whole milk melts creamier and stretches better than part-skim. Pull into thin strands for the most delicate, webby look and even melting.
• Large pitted black olives (12): Meaty, mild olives make the cutest spiders. Slice lengthwise for bodies and cut thin leg strips for easy arranging on the web.

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 500°F if baking on a sheet pan. If using a stone or steel, heat it to your oven’s highest setting for at least 30 minutes so the surface is blazing hot for a crisp bottom. Prep the spooky toppings: Pull each string cheese into very thin strands for a delicate web. Halve 8 olives lengthwise for bodies. Slice the remaining olives lengthwise into thin strips to form legs, keeping them similar in size for tidy spiders. Shape the dough: On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the dough into a 12 to 14 inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet or a floured pizza peel. Prick the surface all over with a fork to limit air bubbles. Sauce the base: Spread 2/3 to 3/4 cup marinara evenly, leaving a 1/2 inch border for a defined crust. A thin, even layer prevents sogginess and keeps the web visible after melting. Par-bake: Bake until the crust edge looks set and lightly golden with bubbling sauce, about 3 minutes on a stone or steel, or 5 minutes on a sheet pan. This creates structure for the web. Create the spider web: Working quickly, arrange string cheese strands in radiating lines from the center, then connect them with curved rings to form a web. Place olive halves as bodies and add thin leg strips in pairs on each side. Final bake and serve: Return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese just melts and the olives warm through. Cool 2 minutes, slice, and serve your creepy creation.

Storage Tips

Cool leftovers to room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, then store slices in a single layer in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb moisture. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat on a preheated baking sheet or directly on the oven rack at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes to revive crispness. For freezing, place slices on a parchment-lined sheet until firm, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The web stays intact if you avoid microwave reheating, which softens the crust and can make the cheese rubbery.

Ingredient Substitutions

No string cheese on hand? Use low-moisture mozzarella cut into thin matchsticks. Aim for strands about 1/8 inch thick for defined lines. Part-skim cheese melts a bit less creamy but still works; add a light drizzle of olive oil to help it gloss over. For the sauce, swap in pizza sauce or crushed tomatoes seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, dried oregano, and garlic powder per 3/4 cup. If olives are not your jam, try halved cherry tomatoes for bodies and slivered basil or bell pepper for legs. Gluten-free dough bakes best at the same temperatures but may need 1 to 2 extra minutes during par-bake for structure.

Serving Suggestions

Present the pizza on a wooden board and finish with a light brush of garlic oil on the crust for shine. Pair it with a crisp green salad dressed in lemon and olive oil, roasted pumpkin wedges, or a pot of tomato soup. For a party, cut the pizza into skinny wedges so every slice shows a piece of the web. Add a dusting of grated Parmesan around the border like “cobweb dust” and offer crushed red pepper for heat. Apple cider, a pumpkin ale, or a citrusy soda make great sips alongside.

Cultural Background

Seasonal pizzas have long been a playful canvas in American home kitchens, and this one borrows the spirit of Halloween parties from the 1970s and 80s when themed snacks and spooky garnishes became popular. The web motif is a natural fit for pizza’s round shape, and string cheese—introduced widely in the U.S. in the 1980s—made it easier for home cooks to decorate with precision. Today, themed pies like this serve as edible decor for school gatherings, neighborhood potlucks, and family movie nights, giving classic red-sauce pizza a festive, whimsical twist.

Seasonal Adaptations

In September, lean into late-summer produce by dotting the web with tiny roasted bell pepper “gems.” For October’s chill, brush the crust with garlic butter before the final bake for extra comfort. If you are cooking for a harvest party, add roasted butternut squash cubes beneath the web and sprinkle a whisper of sage. In November, try a post-Halloween version with leftover roasted turkey bits under the web and a drizzle of hot honey. For a spooky dessert twist, make a sweet pizza with chocolate-hazelnut spread and thin marshmallow strands toasted under the broiler.

Meal Prep Tips

Make the dough up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in a lightly oiled container; cold dough is easier to stretch if rested at room temperature for 45 minutes. Prep olive spiders the morning of your party and refrigerate in a covered container. Shred or pull string cheese strands up to 1 day ahead and store tightly sealed to prevent drying. Par-bake the sauced crust for 3 to 4 minutes, cool completely, then wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours; add the web and finish baking right before serving. This staggered approach keeps your kitchen calm and your pizza crisp when guests arrive.

Whether you are feeding a crowd before trick-or-treating or settling in for a scary movie night, this spider web pizza brings the fun straight to the table. Make it once, and it might just become your family’s new Halloween tradition, too.