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These pepperoni rolls are delicious, steamy bread rolls bursting with gooey mozzarella cheese and juicy pepperoni slices. They’re easy to make with homemade or store-bought pizza dough.
If you love quick, tasty pizza appetizers like my crescent roll pizza and pizza monkey bread, you’re going to love making homemade pepperoni rolls!
Table of Contents
Fun fact: Pepperoni rolls originated in West Virginia. They were the lunch of choice of Italian-American immigrants who worked in the coal mines. They’re soft, fluffy bread rolls filled with mozzarella cheese and spicy pepperoni (two of my favorite classic pizza toppings), and easy to eat by hand. Nowadays, you’ll find pepperoni rolls in convenience stores and frozen food sections, but I prefer to make them at home!
Why We Love This Pepperoni Rolls Recipe
- Freshly baked. Ditch that “from a box” flavor in favor of fresh-from-the-oven homemade pepperoni rolls. You won’t be sorry. They’re even better if you make them with homemade pizza dough, and I’ve linked my recipe below and in the recipe card.
- 5 ingredients. Whether you make them with homemade dough or take a shortcut with refrigerated dough from the store, these rolls are quick and easy to make with only 5 ingredients.
- Versatile. One pepperoni roll makes a tasty snack, and two pepperoni rolls make the perfect easy dinner. I serve these rolls for the family during the week or on weekends when the game is on. We rarely have leftovers!
Is a Pepperoni Roll the Same as a Calzone?
Similar, but not the same. Pepperoni rolls are unique in that they’re shaped like a small breadstick or dinner roll, with cheese and pepperoni baked in the middle. Meanwhile, calzones are made like a turnover by folding pizza dough into a crescent shape around the filling.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You can count the ingredients for these classic pepperoni pizza rolls on one hand. I’ve included notes on what you’ll need here, and be sure to scroll to the recipe card below the post for the printable ingredients list with amounts.
- Pizza Dough – My easy no-knead pizza dough works great, and you only need half the recipe for these rolls. Feel free to use your favorite homemade pizza dough, or you can pick up refrigerated dough from the store.
- Mozzarella – While you can use pre-shredded cheese, freshly shredded mozzarella is meltier and tastier. Substitute mozzarella with provolone or cheddar in a pinch.
- Pepperoni – You can use mild or spicy pepperoni depending on what you prefer. I use slices, but you can also dice the pepperoni or swap it for whatever your favorite pizza toppings are.
- Butter
- Parmesan – Like the mozzarella for the filling, freshly grated parmesan cheese is best.
- Marinara Sauce – you could also use ranch dressing as a dip if you prefer.
How to Make Pepperoni Rolls
These pepperoni rolls remind me of my pizza bread, made smaller. The assembly and baking steps are almost the same, it’s only the size that changes. Follow along below, and scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe instructions.
- Cut the dough. Start by rolling out the pizza dough into a large, 13×9” rectangle. Use a pizza cutter (or knife) to cut the dough in half, and cut each half into 5 smaller rectangles, for 10 slices in total.
- Fill and roll. Now, add about 1-2 tablespoons of mozzarella to each dough slice, and place 4 slices of pepperoni on top. Carefully roll the dough lengthwise around the filling, pinching it closed.
- Top with cheese. Arrange the pepperoni rolls on a lined baking sheet, brush the tops with melted butter, and sprinkle each roll with parmesan.
- Bake. Bake the rolls at 450ºF for 12-15 minutes until they’re golden brown outside and melty inside. Afterward, serve them with a side of marinara sauce.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- If you’re short on time, a tube of Pillsbury pizza dough works great in this recipe. It comes in a rectangle that’s quick and easy to roll out and slice.
- Make them mini. Divide the dough into smaller pieces to make mini pizza rolls similar to the store-bought ones I use in my air fryer pizza rolls post. Cut the 10 dough pieces in the original recipe in half to make 20 mini rolls. You’ll need about 2 slices of pepperoni per roll.
- Different protein. Instead of pepperoni, add diced or sliced salami, Parma ham, chorizo, cooked Italian sausage, or another meat of your choice.
- Vegetarian. Skip the meat altogether and add extra cheese, like fontina, parmesan, and gorgonzola cheese (for a quattro formaggi-style pizza roll), or veggies, see below.
- Add veggies. Add sliced sautéed bell peppers, onions, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and other ingredients like olives and mushrooms. I highly recommend pre-cooking any raw veggies before adding them to the rolls.
- Buffalo chicken. Borrow the toppings from my buffalo chicken pizza recipe.
- Make a breakfast version. Instead of pepperoni, make a version inspired by a breakfast pizza, filled with crispy bacon, eggs, and cheese.
Serving Suggestions
I serve these pepperoni rolls dipped in savory marinara sauce or homemade ranch dressing. They make a great appetizer and a satisfying snack, or you can turn these rolls into a meal with a simple tossed salad, zesty tomato mozzarella salad, or Caesar salad on the side. Add some air fryer tater tots to the plate for a kid-friendly dinner! For dessert, try these chewy congo bars.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover pepperoni rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Enjoy leftovers cold, or you can reheat your pepperoni rolls in the oven or air fryer to crisp up the outside again. The microwave will also work, though the dough won’t be crispy.
- Freeze. Pepperoni rolls are perfect to make ahead and freeze! Let the baked rolls cool completely to room temperature, then store them in a freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 2 months and thaw them in the fridge before reheating.
More Pizza Appetizers
Pepperoni Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 36 slices pepperoni
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450º F.
- Roll pizza dough into about a 13×9-inch rectangle. Use a pizza cutter to divide the dough in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 5 equal pieces, so you will have 10 rectangles of pizza dough that are about the same size.1 pound pizza dough
- Place 1-2 Tablespoons of cheese on each slice of dough, and arrange 4 slices of pepperoni over the top.1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, 36 slices pepperoni
- Gently roll the dough over the filling and pinch it closed. You will have 10 pizza rolls that look like a small breadstick.
- Place on a lined baking sheet, and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top.2 Tablespoons butter, 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove and serve with marinara sauce.1 cup marinara sauce
Notes
- No knead pizza dough works great. You only need half the recipe.
- Cut the dough into smaller pieces to make mini pizza rolls (similar in size to the frozen store-bought ones). You’ll need 20 small pieces of dough and 2 slices of pepperoni per roll.
- A tube of Pillsbury pizza dough also works well, as it’s a rectangle that is very easy to roll out and slice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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