Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Muffins.
Let’s hug it out in pizza form.
Is there ever a more perfect day for a pizza partay that Friday? Answer: Yes. I mean, besides every other day of the week.
Second real answer: but Friday makes it really special. No? Let’s have our own little Book-It party here with personal pan pizzas while wearing pins with holographic gold stars on them.
Highlight of my liiiiife.
Look at this dough. It’s herby. HERBY. Filled with fabulous spices and garlic and stuff. If you don’t want to make these little pepperoni thingamajigs, you can make a real pizza with it.
Actually, you SHOULD make a pizza with it. Preferably in a skillet.
That’s how it’s gonna go down.
Or not. Maybe we’re just meant to eat these muffin breads today. I really don’t know what to call them. They are definitely bread – pull apart breads – but in muffin form so how can I not call them muffins? But they are puffy too, so they are sort of like pizza puffs. I guess they are pepperoni pizza puff muffin breads. Or bread muffins.
It’s okay. You can punch me in the face. The real deal is that they are SO wonderful.
So, craziest thing ever that has happened since I gave birth? I NOW LIKE PEPPERONI.
Yes. I do. Me. I like pepperoni. On my pizza.
What this really means is that I have to walk with my tail between my legs considering for the last, oh, EIGHT years I’ve made Eddie order plain pizza, or at least half plain pizza, to which I will often eat one or two slices and leave him with three or four plain slices. With no pepperoni. Yep yep.
Of course, now I must basically admit that he was right all along. That pepperoni is delicious. That is belongs on pizza and you know what? Even more so when it gets crispy and crunchy. Oh my gosh that is the BEST pepperoni in all the land. The crispiest kind that sort of melts in your mouth with all the cheese.
Dy.Ing.
These little puffs – or muffins, let’s say – are just tiny versions of any and all pull apart breads, but complete with the herbed dough, marinara sauce, three kinds of cheese and pepperoni. Its not like pull apart bread ever lasts more than a day, or heck – even more than a few hours, so this way you have little proportioned breads for your greedy self and greedy friends. And since it’s all about moderation, if you only eat one pizza puff pull apart muffin thing, does that mean it counts as a health food?
hmmmmmm. Possibly.
I modeled these little muffs after the KILLER pepperoni bread at McGinnis Sisters. The breads are made in muffin form like this and are almost like a pepperoni pizza monkey bread: they are super soft and flakey and filled with so much cheese and pepperoni that it’s insane. Like everything you want in pepperoni bread and more.
I sort of nailed it here. The best part? It may sound crazy but the oils from the pepperoni make the breads fluffy and buttery. I don’t know how else to describe it other than: !!!!!skjfdhsdjkghfsjdgfdsjg!!!!!. That’s it.
Pepperoni Pizza Puff Muffins
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 of pepperoni slices, or more/less – use your judgement and preferences!
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Combine the water, yeast, honey and olive oil in a bowl and stir once or twice with a spoon. Let sit until the yeast is foamy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Once foamy, add in the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano, stirring until the dough comes together. If it’s super sticky, add in a few more tablespoons of flour. Knead the dough a few times with your hands then place it in an oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled in a warm place, about an hour and a half.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a muffin tin with melted butter
- Once the dough has double, roll it into a large rectangle, about 12×18 inches. Brush the dough with the melted butter and spread the marinara on top. Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce, top with pepperoni slices and sprinkle with the parmigiano. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into strips and then the strips into small squares that could fit in a muffin tin. Stack a few pieces of dough together, about 5 or 6 pieces (again, use your judgement here, they won’t all be perfect and you may be stuffing dough in each muffin cup at the end) and stuff them in the tin. Do NOT over stuff! The dough will rise and the cheese will bubble and you will have cheesy smoke and butter everywhere.
- Let the dough rise in the muffin tins for 20 minutes. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and the dough is cooked. Let the muffins cool slightly before using a spoon to lift them out of the tin. Serve with extra marinara sauce!
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
all my feelings, right there.
72 Comments on “Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Muffins.”
Can we bring back Pizza Hut gold stars? But for adults?! Can we get gold stars for just being awesome or for dealing with the youth of today? No gold star rewards but all video games and judgmental parents who take away art classes and valentine’s day candies because heaven forbid they have sugar. Okay, rant over. These look good!
I NEED THESE NOW!!!
OMG…I can’t even. These look beyond delicious and so perfect for individual servings. I have to make these this weekend…maybe they will make all the snow here in Boston magically disappear…at least in my own mind for a little while.
Thanks so much for such a yummy Friday surprise. As an aside, your little Max is precious…the hair and those little quirky expressions. I check out your husband’s Instagram account all the time …the captions are a hoot.
These look delish! I’ll be making these this weekend! Thanks so much for the Book-It reference! No one else seems to remember it! I was all about getting that slip for a free personal pan! And of course, it was always enjoyed on Fridays- best day for a pizza party!
You can call these whatever you want: puffs, muffins, bread, rolls. It’s ALL good. As long as I’m eating them, I’ll be happy!
If I don’t fit into my wedding dress in eight weeks time, I’m blaming YOUUUU. ;)
8 weeks. omg omg
I think my favorite part is going to be the HERBY crust:). Do you serve these as a mean or as an appetizer? This is great pot luck or march madness food! I would totally serve them with extra marinara sauce for dipping. I can’t always find fontina in my grocery store, is there an alternative? What is the taste/texture of fontina?
you can use whatever other cheese you’d like – maybe something italian-y and pizza like? mozzarella works – i just really love fontina because it gets SO melty.
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OMG BOOK-IT!!! I’m legit dying right now. Book-It was my JAM back in the day and these bread muffin things look holy crap amazingggggg!!!!!
Now the biggest question of the day…..Will you do delivery? Because if I attempt to do this, I will burn everything in my house down and its still winter so I need a roof over my head. But seriously though, these look so good. Also you are hilarious!
Cielo
Divergent Review
Book it! Hahaha yesssssssss
Hm yes please, perfect for the weekend x
http://www.wild-cherrytree.com
Oh it looks delicious!
This is everything. Eeverrryyything. Also, a HUGE THANK YOU to Max for bringing you into the world of pepperoni, because YES. Best baby ever.
Seriously, you win life … and i totally miss book-it!!
These look hella good! What brand of pepperoni are those little ones you’re using? I feel like most brands make these gigantic big pepperonis and I want little crispy ones!
i actually cut them into little circles! i bought regular pizza pepperoni (so about 1 1/2 inches in diameter?) and used an apple cored top to cut little circles – got 4 pieces out of each round!
Great idea…..to get these in my face quicker could I just cut the regular pepperoni in quarters? So making these today in the snowy north ‘Burgh! Thanks, Jess!
absolutely!
Ah thanks! What an adorbs idea!
Happy Pizza Friday! I’m making some cherry pepper and chicken white pizza tonight with your whole wheat dough. These little muffins looks delicious and great for a party or celebration. I used to love pepperoni, and now they make a turkey version of it; looks like I’ll be making these at my next wine night dinner party!
holy crap. that sounds SO good.
Redefining the word “need.” The need-iest.
We have been snowed in all week and I cant stop cooking and baking – I want this next!
Crispy pepperoni is the best ever! So glad you came to your senses on that one!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Pizza cannot be passed around at a party…..pizza muffins can….so it’s pizza muffins for the win!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
These look so incredibly good, can’t wait to make these for my sons!
Personal pizza muffins! Yum :)
I am still searching for the perfect marinara sauce! Please tell me which one you use, or which one is your fav!
so i am not a huge tomato sauce lover, but for a fairly plain but delicious sauce we love marcella hazens recipe which is a can of whole peeled tomatoes, 1/2 and onion and a few tablespoons of butter simmered in a pot for an hour or so. then you can add salt, sugar, pepper and seasonings to your liking!
These look so good!!! I love making homemade pizza on Friday nights, and pepperoni or sausage are our go-to flavors because I love how crispy the edges get on both. So good!
Pepper to the ONI these look DELISH. SO glad your tastes change and you can come back to the non-plain pizza side, woot!
Ha, I wonder if I will start liking pepperoni once I have my baby. Right now it is a total no go and always has been. I also submit my husband to eating plain pizza due to this preference.
for. the. WIN girrrrl!!! loving these especially on a Friiiiday :)
This is pure genius!
Those look so fun! Fridays growing up were always “Fun Friday”–we ate pizza and watched T.G.I.F. (remember when?) I try to keep up the tradition with pizza on Fridays, so I’m making French bread pizza tonight.
ummmm i LIVED for TGIF
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I haven’t even read the post and I’m already cursing you for this deliciousness as someone who’s trying to cut the carbs. Darn you to fabulous and back!
These look so fun! My pizza-loving boys would love these hand-held bites of their favorite food!
Delivery in 20 minutes or less or they’re free, right? These look a-MAZ-ziiiing! But gasp! You used to shun pepperoni? How could you? ;-)
These certainly are perfect for Fri. Pizza Party’s or any day pizza party’s.
They look delicious! xo Catherine
Ooh, I love this recipe, Jessica! Will be making it. SOON!
Pull apart bread is my favorite – and these muffins? They look AMAZING!
Yes yes yes and YESSSSSS!!! Omg I am eating pepperoni pizza RIGHT NOW and I am jealous. You are brilliant! QUEEN.
http://www.blushandrose.blogspot.com
Those look absolutely incredible! Love the pull apart idea, that makes pepperoni pizza even better somehow! And pepperoni is only my favourite kind of pizza ever- it’s the only kind I ever want to order! Except that I made your buffalo chicken pizza and now it’s a toss up cause that was amazing! :)
Ahh I know these would bee too dangerous to make because I’d eat them all in a flash!
Wow they look so so good
There’s nothing like a crispy edged juicy slice of great pepperoni…welcome to the pepperoni loving crowd! Everyone loves those bloomin’ onion cheesy bread recipes, but I swear, every time I make it, people stand around it like, uh, how do I eat it? Do I just pull a piece off? Then they’re trying to figure out how to get a piece without touching the WHOLE thing while ten people behind them stare them down waiting for their turn to mangle the bread too. Even if I put out serving utensils to aid in the pulling process, they’re still puzzled. So, not only do these look AMAZING, but everyone can pull apart their own stuff without worry or confusion :)
haha this is SO true! ;)
Oh my goodness! Book It! How I remember thee. Reading for fun. But these look infinitely better than anything Pizza Hut could make. Oh heart swoon…..
These look like the King of all pizza hugs. I have a feeling they’d work well with BBQ pizza flavours too.
These look absolutely incredible!! Yum
Abi | abistreetx.blogspot.co.uk
I love how passionate you sound about these – think they may have to surface when my siblings come over for food
I’m all about ANYTHING pizza! These look Re-Donk. Yum!
sounds so good!! If we didn’t wanna make our own dough could we use pre made pizza dough or is this a totally different type of thing? I like the homemade dough my pizzeria sells so usually I sub that in to all pizza recipes but idk if this is different because it has to rise
holy.crap.almighty.
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