If there is a party snack that everyone will love, Easy Pepperoni Rolls is the one. Who can resist pepperoni and mozzarella rolled into fresh pizza dough, baked, and then dunked in marinara? It’s a fun way to put a spin on pizza, and they will be devoured by both kids and adults.
We’re having guests over for the Super Bowl this year, and these are definitely on the menu. They’re as easy to make as pizza, with just one more step—rolling the dough into pinwheels to create their fun shape.
I started with a disk of store-bought pizza dough. You can get this at a variety of grocery stores (I got mine at Trader Joe’s) or even from a some pizza shops. I like how thick & fluffy it is, but pizza dough from a tube would work here, too.
The key to working with fresh pizza dough is to let it come to nearly room temperature before rolling out. Refrigeration makes the gluten in the pizza dough tighten, and it’ll snap right back to its original size if you try to roll it out when it’s cold. I let mine sit on the counter for a good 30 minutes before trying to roll it out.
I rolled out the dough in a 16×8 inch rectangle, and then covered it with rows of pepperoni with shredded mozzarella on top. I also sprinkled some dried oregano over the top—it makes the Pepperoni Rolls taste even more like pizza!
I used a pizza cutter to cut the rectangle into 8 inch long strips. I used the width of the pepperoni to guide the cuts, though you could make them thinner if you wanted!
Then I rolled up the strips, jelly roll style, to create a pinwheel shape. I brushed each Pepperoni Roll with egg to create a shiny top, and put it into the oven.
20 minutes later, out came the most delicious Pepperoni Rolls! They are best right out of the oven or eaten shortly thereafter, dunked into marinara sauce on the side.
I’m serving these for guests watching the Super Bowl at our place, but they’d be a delicious after-school snack, appetizer, or light dinner, too!
Easy Pepperoni Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz disk prepared pizza dough (I used Trader Joe’s)
- 5 oz thinly sliced pepperoni
- 1¼ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 egg beaten
- For dipping: marinara sauce
Instructions
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and place on the counter for 30 minutes (this will make it easier to roll out).
- Lightly dust a large cutting board with flour. Place the dough on the cutting board and roll into a 16 inch long by 8 inch wide rectangle. If the dough resists being rolled out, let it sit for another 15 minutes until it’s closer to room temperature. Trim the ends to form a rectangle with straight edges.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place the pepperoni in an even layer on top of the dough. Top the pepperoni with the cheese. Sprinkle the oregano on top.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the rectangle into 1½ inch slices (I used the width of the pepperoni as a guide). Roll each slice up tightly lengthwise and place seam-side down on a baking sheet.
- Combine the egg with one tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Whisk until the egg and water is combined. Brush the egg wash lightly on top of each roll (you won’t use all of the egg).
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
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