Description
These Stuffed Pizza Bites with Garlic Butter are a delicious and easy appetizer that combines gooey melted mozzarella and savory pepperoni stuffed inside soft pizza dough, topped with a flavorful garlic butter and Parmesan crust. Perfect for game day or casual gatherings, they are baked until golden and served with marinara sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Dough
- 1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed and at room temperature
Filling
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 oz. pepperoni, chopped
Garlic Butter Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Serving
- Marinara or pizza sauce for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Lightly spray an 8 × 8 or 9 × 9 inch baking dish or pan with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Cut Dough: Cut the thawed pizza dough into 16 equally sized pieces to ensure uniform pizza bites.
- Mix Filling: In a small bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella cheese and chopped pepperoni evenly. In a separate small dish, mix the melted butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Form Bites: Stretch each piece of dough into approximately a 3-inch round. It doesn’t need to be perfectly shaped. Place one heaping tablespoon of the mozzarella and pepperoni mixture in the center of each round. Bring the dough edges up around the filling, pinching firmly to seal and enclose the filling completely. Place each sealed bite seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Add Topping: Brush the tops of the dough bites with the garlic butter mixture for flavor and moisture. Then sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake the stuffed pizza bites in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until they turn golden brown and the cheese inside is melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes to set before serving.
- Serve: Serve your warm stuffed pizza bites with marinara or pizza sauce on the side for dipping and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure your pizza dough is fully thawed and at room temperature for easier stretching and forming.
- Sealing the dough edges tightly is important to prevent filling leakage during baking.
- You can customize the filling by adding sautéed vegetables or different cheeses if desired.
- Letting the bites cool slightly after baking improves handling and avoids burns from hot cheese.
- For crispier bottoms, you can place the bites on a preheated baking sheet instead of a dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Stuffed Pizza Bites, Garlic Butter Pizza Bites, appetizers, finger food, party snacks, pepperoni snacks, homemade pizza bites
