Let’s hug it out in pizza form.
Is there ever a more perfect day for a pizza party than Friday? Maybe not — though honestly any day is a good pizza day. Still, Friday makes it feel extra special. Let’s throw our own little Book-It celebration with personal pan-style pizzas and holographic gold star pins.
Highlight of my life.
Look at this dough. It’s herby — filled with garlic and spices that make everything sing. If you don’t want to make these little pepperoni puffs, you can easily turn the dough into a skillet pizza instead.
In fact, you should make that skillet pizza. It’s delicious and so worth it.
Or not — maybe today is all about the muffin-shaped breads. I never know what to call them: they’re pull-apart bread in muffin form, so are they muffins or mini pull-apart loaves? Puffy and cheesy, they’re essentially pizza puffs. Pepperoni pizza puff muffins, if you must call them something.
Whatever the name, they are truly wonderful.
Big confession: since having a baby, I discovered that I actually like pepperoni. Yes — me. For years I insisted on plain pizza or half plain and left pepperoni to others. Now I admit: pepperoni is delicious, especially when it gets crispy and slightly curled at the edges. The crunchy, flavorful bits that mingle with gooey cheese are absolute perfection.
So good.
These little puffs are basically mini pull-apart breads made with herbed dough, marinara, three kinds of cheese and pepperoni. Pull-apart bread never lasts long in my house, so portioning it into individual breads means everyone gets their own cheesy, melty piece without the rush to finish a whole loaf. And if you only eat one, that definitely helps justify it as balanced eating, right?
Maybe. Probably.
I modeled these on the outstanding pepperoni bread from McGinnis Sisters, which are also made in muffin form. They’re soft, flaky, loaded with cheese and pepperoni — like pepperoni monkey bread in a muffin tin. The pepperoni oils help keep the breads tender and give them a buttery, rich bite that’s irresistible.
The result: pure, cheesy joy.
Pepperoni Pizza Puff Muffins
Pin Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for working
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 6 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 6 ounces provolone cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup pepperoni slices, or more/less to taste
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Instructions
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Combine the warm water, yeast, honey and olive oil in a bowl and stir once or twice. Let sit until the yeast becomes foamy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Once foamy, add the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano and stir until a dough forms. If the dough is very sticky, add a few more tablespoons of flour. Knead briefly, place in an oiled bowl and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1½ hours.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a muffin tin with melted butter to grease each cup.
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Once the dough has doubled, roll it into a large rectangle about 12×18 inches. Brush the dough with melted butter and spread the marinara sauce over it. Sprinkle the fontina and provolone evenly, add pepperoni slices, then sprinkle with the parmigiano. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into strips and then into small squares that will fit in a muffin cup. Stack several squares together (about 5–6 pieces, adjusting as needed) and place them into each muffin cup. Don’t overfill: the dough will rise and the cheese will bubble.
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Let the dough rest in the muffin tin for 20 minutes. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are golden and the dough is cooked through. Allow the muffins to cool slightly, then use a spoon to lift them from the tin. Serve warm with extra marinara for dipping.
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All my feelings, right there.