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Aside from buffalo chicken everything and crispy wings, there is no better Game Day indulgence than pizza. And when it comes in a garlicky, ultra-cheesy handheld form (such as our Pepperoni Roll Recipe), there’s also nothing more delicious.
Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
That’s not to say Pepperoni Rolls are ONLY for game day. I tested these beauties out on several hungry seven year olds after school and they demolished the entire tray in what seemed like mere seconds.
You may ask why you need pizza rolls when you can just have um pizza BUT even though we see duplicates of many ingredients the composition is totally different. The pepperoni edges get ultra crispy, the cheese oozes out of the bottom creating a crunchy crust on each pizza-sauced bottom and the bread to cheese/meat ratio is small meaning you get more cheese and pepperoni in each bite.
Make them ahead of time and pop them in the oven just before guests arrive. Have a second batch at arm’s length because these will go fast.
Ingredients in our Pepperoni Roll Recipe
Butter. Because butter makes everything better.
Garlic. Especially when it’s paired with garlic. Each roll gets smothered in garlic butter before baking and after. It really puts these pizza rolls over the edge.
Bread dough. I use the same frozen bread dough we use in our stromboli recipes. Once frozen loaf makes exactly 12 perfectly-sized pepperoni rolls.
Pizza sauce. I usually make my own with tomato paste, water, sugar, garlic powder and oregano but if you have a favorite store-bought brand, use that.
Pepperoni. For these guys you’re going to want to get the pepperoni from the deli counter. You want it sliced about 1/8-inch thick.
Cheeessse. So much cheese. We use a combo of mozzarella and parmesan but I want to try them with fontina or even provel (the cheese on my favorite pizza on the planet).
Let’s make Pepperoni Rolls
Make the garlic butter. Add the butter to a small saucepan. Turnt he burner on and melt over a low heat. Add the garlic. Let the garlic cook in the butter until it’s soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes or so.
Roll the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12×18 inch rectangle.
Assemble. Spoon some sauce on the dough. Layer pepeproni on top. Cover with mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan.
Roll. Roll the dough up jelly-roll style. Pinch the edges to seal. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 15 equal rolls, about 1-inch thick.
Bake. Place them in the prepared baking sheet. Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Finish. When the rolls are done, pull them out of the oven and spoon the rest of the garlic butter (with the garlic) over the rolls. Serve immediately.
Can I make pizza rolls in advance?
Yep! Don’t bake, cover with plastic and refrigerated for up 24 hours. Bake as instructed (but maybe add a few minutes to the cook time).
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to keep the butter on low or it will start to brown and the butter will burn.
- It’s okay if they aren’t perfect!
- Do not use small pepperoni you find in the package. You really want to use thicker pepperoni you can find behind the deli counter. Otherwise they will be small.
Substitutions
- Don’t feel the need to get pizza sauce, you can also use leftover marinara
- Swap out the pepperoni for salami or ground Italian sausage. Or use it all!
- Use pizza dough instead of bread dough
Other great game day bites
Pepperoni Pizza Roll
Ingredients
- 5 tbsps salted butter
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1 lb loaf frozen bread dough
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 3 cup shredded mozzarellaa cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×12 baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Stir to combine. Turn the heat down to low. Cook the garlic over the low heat until the butter is infused and the garlic is soft, about 12 minutes.
- While the butter and garlic cook, roll out the dough. Dust a large work space with flour. Dust a rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough to a 12×18 inch rectangle.
- Spoon the sauce on the dough. Layer pepperoni on top. Cover with mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan.
- Roll the dough up jelly-roll style. Pinch the edges to seal. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 15 equal rolls, about 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch thick. Be sure you don't smoosh the dough down, gently cut the dough so you retain the circular shape.
- Place each roll on the prepared baking sheet, one of the cut-sides down. Brush with butter, being careful to not get any of the garlic out. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked through and the cheese has melted.
- When the rolls are done, pull them out of the oven and spoon the rest of the garlic butter (with the garlic) over the rolls. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
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