The Ultimate Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Rolls (That Disappear in Minutes!)

Let Me Tell You Why This Works

I’ll be honest—I never thought I’d be the person writing about pizza rolls, but here we are. My kids begged me for the frozen kind every grocery trip until I got fed up and decided to make my own. Now they don’t even remember those cardboard-tasting things from the freezer aisle, and honestly? These homemade ones are so good that I catch myself sneaking them straight from the baking sheet. My neighbor saw me making a double batch last week and asked if I was hosting a party. Nope, just feeding my pizza roll obsession and preparing for the inevitable “Mom, can you make more?” requests.

Here’s the Thing About This Recipe

What makes these pizza rolls absolutely irresistible is the perfect ratio of gooey cheese to zesty pepperoni, all wrapped up in tender dough that gets golden and slightly crispy on the outside. The secret is using pizza dough that’s not too thick—it lets all those flavors shine without turning into a bread roll with a tiny bit of filling. I learned the hard way that overstuffing them just makes a mess in your oven, so we’re keeping it simple but satisfying.

The Lineup – Let’s Talk Ingredients (Don’t Stress!)

Good pizza dough is worth hunting down—I grab the refrigerated kind from the deli section, though homemade works if you’re feeling ambitious. Don’t cheap out on the mozzarella cheese; get the real stuff and shred it yourself because pre-shredded cheese has that coating that doesn’t melt as beautifully (learned this after wondering why my first batch looked sad).

The pepperoni is where you can have some fun—I use the regular sliced kind, but sometimes I’ll grab the mini pepperonis if I’m feeling fancy (shocking, I know). For the pizza sauce, any decent jarred marinara works perfectly, though I always keep extra on hand for dipping because someone inevitably wants more.

You’ll also need an egg for the wash—this gives them that gorgeous golden color that makes them look like they came from a fancy bakery. I always grab an extra package of dough because these disappear so fast that you’ll want to make another batch immediately (happens more than I’d like to admit).

Here’s How We Do This

Start by cranking your oven to 375°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper—trust me on the parchment paper because cheese has a way of welding itself to bare metal. Roll out your pizza dough on a floured surface until it’s about a quarter-inch thick. Don’t stress about making it perfectly rectangular; we’re cutting it into squares anyway.

Here’s where I used to mess up—cut the dough into roughly 3-inch squares. Too big and they’re hard to seal properly, too small and there’s no room for the good stuff inside. Now for the fun part: place about a tablespoon of shredded mozzarella and 3-4 pieces of pepperoni in the center of each square. Add just a tiny spoonful of pizza sauce—and I mean tiny, because too much sauce turns these into soggy disasters.

Don’t be me—I used to skip wetting the edges of the dough, which meant half my pizza rolls exploded in the oven like little cheese volcanoes. Lightly brush or dab water around the edges, then fold the dough over to make a triangle and press the edges with a fork to seal them tight. This takes maybe two minutes but saves you from cleaning melted cheese off your oven later.

Beat that egg with a tablespoon of water and brush it over the tops of your pizza rolls—this is what gives them that beautiful golden color that makes everyone think you’re some kind of kitchen wizard. Every oven has its own personality, but these usually take about 15-18 minutes until they’re golden brown and the cheese is bubbling inside.

If This Happens, Don’t Panic

Pizza rolls burst open and leaked everywhere? You probably overstuffed them or didn’t seal the edges well enough—happens to everyone, and they still taste amazing even when they look like abstract art. Dough turned out tough and chewy? That’s usually from overworking it or rolling it too thick, but honestly, they’re still totally edible.

If your pizza rolls look pale after the suggested baking time, give them another few minutes. I always check early now because they go from perfect to overcooked in about two minutes, and nobody wants leather-textured pizza rolls.

When I’m Feeling Creative

Sometimes I add a pinch of Italian seasoning to the cheese mixture, though that’s totally optional. Around the holidays, I’ll make a batch with just cheese for my picky eaters, and occasionally I’ll throw in some diced bell peppers if I have them hanging around. My fall twist includes a tiny bit of garlic powder mixed with the cheese, but honestly, the basic version is perfect on its own.

Things People Ask Me

Can I make these ahead of time? Absolutely! I usually assemble them in the morning and keep them covered in the fridge until dinner. Just add an extra minute or two to the baking time if you’re putting them in the oven cold.

What if I don’t have pizza dough? Most people don’t realize this, but refrigerated biscuit dough works in a pinch—just roll each biscuit flat and proceed as normal. The texture is slightly different but still delicious.

Before You Head to the Kitchen

I couldn’t resist sharing this because these pizza rolls have become our go-to snack for movie nights, after-school hunger attacks, and those moments when you need something that feels indulgent but doesn’t require a lot of fuss. The best pizza roll nights are when everyone gathers in the kitchen while they’re cooling, pretending they’re going to wait for them to reach a reasonable temperature but sneaking bites anyway.

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

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• Author: Mia

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Description

Golden, crispy pizza rolls stuffed with gooey cheese and zesty pepperoni—way better than anything from the freezer aisle!

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 18 minutes | Total Time: 33 minutes | Servings: 16 pizza rolls

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound pizza dough (refrigerated works great)
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (shred it yourself for best melting)
• 4 oz sliced pepperoni
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce (plus extra for dipping)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• Flour for rolling

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Instructions

1. Crank your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper—seriously, don’t skip the parchment.
2. Roll out your pizza dough on a floured surface until it’s about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into roughly 3-inch squares (don’t stress about perfection).
3. Place about 1 tablespoon of cheese, 3-4 pepperoni pieces, and just a tiny spoonful of sauce in the center of each square. Trust me, less is more with the sauce.
4. Lightly brush water around the edges of each square, then fold into triangles and seal the edges firmly with a fork.
5. Beat the egg with water and brush over the tops of your pizza rolls for that gorgeous golden color.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling inside (if you can wait that long).

Notes:

• Don’t overstuff these—they’ll burst open and make a mess (learned this the hard way)
• Every oven runs differently, so trust your eyes more than the timer
• Let them cool for at least 5 minutes unless you enjoy molten cheese burns

Storage Tips:

• These are best eaten fresh and warm, but leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days
• Reheat in the oven for crispiness—microwaving turns them into sad, soggy disappointments
• Don’t freeze these; they lose their magic