About this recipe

Golden, pillowy rolls stuffed with gooey mozzarella, savory pepperoni, and rich pizza sauce — all wrapped in a soft, buttery dough. These homemade pizza rolls are a crowd-pleasing snack or party appetizer that's miles ahead of the frozen kind. The dough is forgiving, the filling is customizable, and they bake up beautifully every time.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the warm water, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture looks foamy and bubbly. If it doesn't foam, your active dry yeast may be old — start fresh.

2. 2

   Add the olive oil and kosher salt to the active dry yeast mixture. Add the all-purpose flour one cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon or the dough hook on your stand mixer on ^[low speed] until a shaggy dough forms.

3. 3

   Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes (or 5 minutes on ^[medium speed] with a dough hook) until it is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. It should spring back when poked.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.

5. 5

   While the dough rises, make the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over ^[medium heat]. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Stir to combine.

6. 6

   Simmer the sauce over ^[medium-low heat] for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool completely before using. (Warm sauce will make the dough soggy.)

7. 7

   Stir together the melted butter, minced garlic, parsley (if using), and a pinch of kosher salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

8. 8

   Preheat your oven to ![375°F]. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

9. 9

   Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a large rectangle, roughly 12×18 inches and about ¼-inch thick.

10. 10

    Spread the cooled pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along one long edge (this helps seal the roll). Sprinkle the shredded low-moisture mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, chopped pepperoni, and red pepper flakes (if using) evenly over the sauce.

11. 11

    Starting from the long edge with filling all the way to the edge, tightly roll the dough into a log, jellyroll-style. Pinch the seam firmly to seal. Place the log seam-side down.

12. 12

    Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 24 equal rounds, each about ¾-inch thick. Arrange them cut-side up in the prepared baking dish, snug but not squished. It's okay if they touch — they'll pull apart after baking.

13. 13

    Cover the dish loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the rolls rest for 15 minutes. This second rise gives them a lighter, fluffier texture.

14. 14

    Brush the tops of the rolls generously with about half the garlic butter. Bake at ![375°F] for 20–22 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

15. 15

    Remove from the oven and immediately brush the rolls with the remaining garlic butter. Let them cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with extra pizza sauce on the side for dipping.