Description
Mouthwatering cheesy pepperoni pizza sticks bring classic Italian flavor to snack time with crispy, golden edges. Melted mozzarella and spicy pepperoni wrapped in buttery pastry create a quick bite that satisfies pizza cravings without the full pie commitment.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Base:
- 1 10-ounce (280 grams) can refrigerated pizza dough
Cheese:
- 1.5 cups (170 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- Optional: grated Parmesan cheese
Toppings and Seasonings:
- 0.5 cup (75 grams) pepperoni slices
- 0.5 cup (120 milliliters) pizza sauce or marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Optional: red pepper flakes
- Optional: garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400F (200C) and arrange a parchment-lined baking sheet for preparing the pizza sticks.
- Gently stretch or roll the pizza dough into a rectangular shape on a lightly floured surface, ensuring an even thickness.
- Distribute pizza sauce across the dough surface, maintaining a narrow border around the edges to prevent overflow during baking.
- Generously scatter mozzarella cheese over the sauce, creating an even layer, then strategically place pepperoni pieces across the cheese surface.
- Slice the prepared dough into uniform strips approximately 1-inch wide using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
- Optionally, create visual interest by delicately twisting each strip into a spiral formation.
- Carefully transfer the pizza strips onto the prepared baking sheet, positioning them with adequate spacing to prevent sticking.
- Apply a light coating of olive oil across each strip to enhance crispiness and golden-brown coloration.
- Enhance flavor profiles by sprinkling Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder over the strips.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges transform into a rich golden hue and cheese becomes thoroughly melted and slightly bubbling.
- Allow pizza sticks to cool momentarily before serving, accompanied by additional pizza sauce or marinara for dipping.
Notes
- Swap regular pizza dough for gluten-free alternatives like cauliflower crust or pre-made gluten-free dough to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Replace mozzarella with dairy-free cheese alternatives or nutritional yeast for a vegan-friendly version that maintains cheesy flavor.
- Substitute pepperoni with turkey pepperoni, grilled chicken strips, or plant-based protein to reduce fat content and add nutritional variety.
- Adjust heat by using mild or spicy pepperoni, adding red pepper flakes, or incorporating different seasonings to suit individual taste preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg