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This easy Pizza Bites recipe stuffs spicy pepperoni and gooey mozzarella cheese into little pieces of pizza dough brushed with herby melted butter. This irresistible appetizer bakes up crisp and golden brown, with plenty of melted cheese inside.
Cheesy and hot bites of pizza – what could be better? We love making pizza bites from scratch – not only are they fun to put together (kids can help!) they taste worlds better than any frozen store-bought pizza bites. You can customize them however you like, or make the recipe just as written. I know you’ll love these!
Why We Love This Pizza Bites Recipe
- Fresh. This pizza bites recipe truly is so much better when you make it homemade! I think it’s the melted butter – you may never purchase a package again.
- So easy. Pre-made pizza dough is your friend in this recipe, keeping prep time super short.
- Adaptable. My kids love the simplicity of pizza bites packed with pepperoni and cheese, or just cheese, but you don’t have to stop there. You can add veggies, other meat, and more to make these bites your own.
What You’ll Need
I’ve outlined the ingredients needed to make pepperoni pizza bites plus some notes below. Don’t forget to check the recipe card for the full ingredient amounts.
- Pizza Dough – To keep it easy, use store-bought pizza dough (though of course, you can use homemade pizza dough as well!)
- Pepperoni – A little pepperoni adds a spicy kick. Omit the pepperoni to make vegetarian pizza bites.
- Cheese Stick – Grab one of your kids’ mozzarella cheese sticks to add a little cheese to these bites, or you can use Colby or Monterey Jack cheese.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter so that the filling isn’t overly salty.
- Italian Seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning feel free to use dried oregano or basisl, or a combination.
- Garlic Powder
- Salt – I developed this recipe using kosher salt.
- Grated Cheese – Use a hard cheese such as Parmesan.
- Parsley – To garnish.
- Marinara Sauce – You can make a batch of homemade marinara or use your favorite brand of sauce for serving.
More Filling Ideas
Want to try some variations on these pepperoni pizza bites? I’ve got you covered! Check out some other filling ideas for inspiration:
- Vegetables – Add vegetables such as chopped baby spinach or chopped bell peppers to the filling.
- Mushrooms – I love adding diced, cooked mushrooms along with the cheese!
- Meat – Make ham and cheese pizza bites by swapping the pepperoni for cubed ham and the mozzarella cheese for cheddar cheese. You could also use ground beef and take inspiration from these baked taco pinwheels.
- Ricotta cheese – Try a dollop of creamy cheese, such as ricotta cheese, along with the mozzarella.
How To Make Pizza Bites
Follow along with my photos below to guide you through making this recipe. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Prepare the dough. Roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle.
- Cut the dough. Divide the dough into 12 small squares.
- Assemble. Place a piece of pepperoni and a cube of cheese in the center of each dough square.
- Fold. Wrap up each piece.
- Seal. Pinch the seams together tightly.
- Place in a skillet. Add the bites to a greased skillet or baking sheet.
- Make butter. Mix the melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and brush it over the bites.
- Add cheese. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the tops of the pizza bites.
- Bake. Place the bites in a 375°F oven and bake or 12-15 minutes, then serve with marinara sauce.
Tips for Success
This is such a nice, easy recipe, and one of my favorites that’s always well received. I’ve come up with a few tips along the way to help you make these:
- Pinch the dough. Getting a good seal on the dough is important so that the bites don’t fall apart in the oven. Make sure to pinch the dough tightly so that it holds together.
- Don’t add sauce. While it may sound nice to add sauce to your pizza bites filling, resist! This will make the dough too, well, doughy as it bakes. A dish of sauce for serving alongside is perfect.
- Try not to overfill. I’ve figured out the perfect ratio of filling to the dough, so please don’t be tempted to stuff more filling into the dough pocket. The bites may not cook evenly.
- Leave room. For even crispier pizza bites, space out the dough balls on the baking sheet or in the skillet so that they are not touching each other. This will give them enough room so that the hot air circulates, resulting in a crispier crust.
Serving Suggestions
Nibble on cheesy pizza bites for a snack, serve them as an appetizer, or even make them into a meal. You can add a few other dishes to the table, like my Mexican Street Corn Salad or Avocado Tomato Salad, which are always great choices to serve. I suggest making a platter of grilled vegetables, too.
Add a crispy plate of Zucchini Chips to the table along with pizza bites, or carry on the pizza theme with Mozzarella Sticks! Serve these bites with a refreshingly sweet glass of strawberry lemonade sangria or a frozen pineapple margarita.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
Pizza bites keep well, and you could consider making a double batch and enjoying some now and freezing the rest for later. To store them, place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can heat them directly from frozen.
To reheat, place the bites on a lined baking sheet and warm them in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. Note that if you’re warming the bites from the freezer, you may need a little more time, about 20 minutes.
More Easy Appetizers
Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
- 1 cup pepperoni
- 1 8-ounce cheese stick,, cut into 12 cubes, you can use Colby & Monterey Jack or mozzarella
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter,, melted
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese,, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley,, finely chopped
- 1 cup marinara sauce,, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with butter.
- Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle shape, about ¼ inch thick. Then, using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 12 small squares.
- Place the pepperoni evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Place the cubed mozzarella cheese over the pepperoni.
- Seal the filling within the dough, ensuring the seams are pinched together tightly to prevent any leakage during baking. Arrange the filled dough with the seams facing downward in the greased skillet. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and kosher salt.
- Brush the tops of the pizza bites with the seasoned melted butter mixture and sprinkle the grated cheese over the tops of the pizza bites.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the pizza bites are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve the pizza bites warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
