Description
Homemade Pizza Rolls filled with tangy pizza sauce, melted mozzarella, and savory pepperoni, then baked until golden. A warm garlic-butter finish makes them perfect for dipping and sharing.
Ingredients
1 recipe pizza dough (1 pound/450 g)
¼ cup pizza sauce, plus more for dipping
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces/170 g)
3 ounces pepperoni slices (about 50 slices)
2 to 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Chopped fresh basil, optional
Olive oil or olive oil spray
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Instructions
- Lightly grease a large baking sheet with olive oil or olive oil spray.
- Generously flour a cutting board or clean work surface. Place the pizza dough on the surface, lightly dust the top with flour, and gently stretch it into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle with a long side facing you.
- Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving about a ½-inch border along the long edge farthest from you. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the sauce and arrange the pepperoni in a slightly overlapping single layer.
- Starting at the long edge closest to you, tightly roll the dough into a log. Brush away excess flour and slice the log into 12 equal pieces, approximately 1 inch thick.
- Spread the cornmeal on a small plate. Dip one cut side of each pizza roll into the cornmeal, then arrange the rolls cornmeal-side down on the prepared baking sheet, leaving approximately 1 inch between them.
- Loosely cover the rolls with greased plastic wrap and let them rise for about 20 minutes, or until slightly puffed.
- While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Remove the plastic wrap and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the mozzarella is melted and bubbling.
- While the rolls bake, whisk the melted salted butter and finely minced garlic together in a small bowl.
- Immediately after removing the rolls from the oven, generously brush their tops and sides with the garlic butter.
- Cool for a few minutes, then garnish with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped basil if desired. Serve warm with extra pizza sauce for dipping.
Notes
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat at about 350°F (175°C) in the oven or air fryer for the best exterior texture, or microwave for a softer result.
Freeze completely cooled baked pizza rolls in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months.
For a vegetarian variation, omit the pepperoni and use cooked, well-drained vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, onions, or spinach.
Cook moisture-rich vegetable fillings before using them to help prevent soggy rolls.
Italian sausage, cooked bacon, provolone, Parmesan, ricotta, jalapeños, or crushed red pepper can be used for variations, but avoid overfilling the dough.
Store-bought pizza dough works well; allow very cold dough to rest briefly at room temperature so it is easier to stretch.
Roll the dough firmly and keep the filling moderate to help the rolls maintain their spiral shape during baking.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pizza roll
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 32 mg
