Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels

These individual pepperoni pizza pinwheels are fun to make and eat! They’re stuffed full of gooey mozzarella cheese and lots of crispy pepperoni.

There’s nothing like a Classic Pepperoni Pizza, but sometimes it’s fun to switch it up. With essentially the same ingredients, you can also make these pinwheels, or Calzones, or Stromboli

Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels garnished with parsley

Easy to Make, Easy to Eat

There’s a little place in central Florida that we have to go to each time we visit. It’s kind of a dive, but it has the best calzones and pizza “muffins.” Our favorite is the pepperoni and ham combo, although we like the pepperoni and sausage and buffalo chicken ones too!

My homemade version has been years in the making. It’s taken numerous experiments to get the right dough, the right ratio of toppings and just the right amount of sauce. I’m happy to say these pizza pinwheels are the closest thing to the real deal.

These little pepperoni pizza pinwheels are easy to make and even easier to eat! We love serving ours with a side of marinara or ranch. Yummm! Give these a try, you’re going to love these pinwheels that are great for dinner or as an appetizer

Rolled and sliced pizza pinwheels

How to Make Pizza Pinwheels

DOUGH. It all starts with the dough. I’ve made these with probably 8 different kinds of pizza dough and none of them (except for this one) were thin, chewy or crisp enough. 

It does require 24 hours to make, but you can always make it in advance and keep it in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.

ROLL DOUGH. When the dough is ready to be used, roll it out on a floured surface as if you were making cinnamon rolls. Make sure to use enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your counter. Roll the dough into a 11×15 inch rectangle.

FILLING. Then brush a little bit of olive oil over the surface, spread a little bit pizza sauce evenly across surface of dough (it may seem like a really small amount but it’s just enough to flavor the pinwheels without overpowering them). Sprinkle the garlic powder over top, then sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese and 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.

PEPPERONI. Now comes the most crucial part of this recipe. Place the chopped pepperoni on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper towels. Microwave it for 20 seconds on HIGH, then remove and dab off all of the excess grease you can (you can also place the pepperoni on a lined sheet and do this using the oven too, just watch it carefully for a minute or so).

This will prevent the pinwheels from becoming a greasy mess. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. Sprinkle evenly over the cheese along with the ham, then top with the remaining mozzarella.

ROLL + CUT. Roll dough carefully into log (get it as tight as you possibly can) and pinch the ends to close. Cut 12 even slices (dental floss works great) and place onto a parchment or baking mat lined baking sheet.

BAKE. Place in an oven heated to 450 degrees and bake for 12-15 minutes or until browned on top. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese. Allow the pinwheels to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

Closeup of an unbaked pepperoni pinwheel

Make it Your Own!

What’s fun about these pinwheels is that once you’ve got the method down, it’s so easy to customize the filling—the options are endless! 

You could try out some of our favorite pizza ingredient combinations, like: 

Pizza pinwheels recipe on a lined baking sheet

Make Ahead, Freeze, Store 

We like to make the dough ahead of time because it can last in the fridge for awhile. You could also probably roll and slice a day ahead and keep them stored in the fridge on a sheet pan covered with plastic until you’re ready to bake. 

Freezer meal: You should easily be able to form the roll and cut them into individual pinwheels before freezing. You are going to want to “pre-freeze” them. Lay them out on a tray in the freezer for 1-2 hours until frozen. Then place them in an airtight container or bag.

Keep leftover pepperoni pizza pinwheels STORED in the fridge in an airtight container and REHEAT in the oven or in the microwave.

Reheat this directly from frozen? Reheat frozen pinwheels in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. You can also microwave until warmed through, but they won’t have the same texture as if you have just baked them.

Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels with a side of marinara sauce

For more Pizza Recipes, try:

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Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels | lifemadesimplebakes.com

Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels Recipe

These individual pepperoni pizza pinwheels are fun to make and eat! They're stuffed full of gooey mozzarella cheese and lots of crispy pepperoni.
4.74 from 15 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings: 12 pinwheels
Calories: 153kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 ball pizza dough - homemade or store-bought
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp pizza sauce - OR seasoned tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp grated parmesan cheese - divided
  • 1 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
  • 1/4 cup chopped ham

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Roll out the prepared pizza dough on a floured surface as if you were making cinnamon rolls. I generally roll into a 11x15 inch rectangle. Brush the olive oil over the surface, then spread the pizza sauce evenly across surface of dough. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, then half of the mozzarella cheese and 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.
  • Place the pepperoni on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper towels. Microwave for 20 seconds on HIGH, then remove and dab off all of the excess grease you can (you can also place the pepperoni on a lined sheet and do this using the oven too, just watch it carefully for a minute or so). Sprinkle evenly over the cheese along with the ham, then top with the remaining mozzarella.
  • Roll up dough carefully into log and pinch the ends to close. Cut 12 even slices (dental floss works great) and place onto a parchment or baking mat lined baking sheet.
  • Place in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes or until browned on top. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES

-You can use your favorite pizza dough.
-Stuff these with your favorite pizza toppings!

Nutrition

Serving: 12serving | Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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