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    Home » Savory Recipes

    Homemade Pizza Buns

    Published: Jan 29, 2020 by Allison Ferraro · Modified: Apr 27, 2022 · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Pizza rolls get a makeover in this recipe for homemade pizza buns. These from-scratch buns are made with homemade pizza dough that's stuffed with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. The pizza dough and toppings get rolled up, sliced into beautiful spirals, and baked in the oven. They're loved by kids of all ages, and they make the perfect party appetizer or family pizza night treat!

    overhead view of pizza buns this Recipe
    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
    • Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
    • Pizza Bun Toppings
    • Recipe Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Yeast Dough Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    We obviously love desserts in my house, but every once in a while I like to bake something savory. And that's when my love for pizza comes front and center. But not just any pizza will do. I have a soft spot for really good homemade pizza, with a chewy, homemade crust and all. the. cheese.

    If you love pizza, then you're in the right place. And if you love pizza crust just as much as you love all of the toppings, then pull up a chair right now because OH MAN - you are going to LOVE these pizza buns! Think cinnamon buns, but pizza.

    Beautiful, spiral cinnamon buns are actually what inspired these adorable mini pizza spirals. They're made using the same basic method as cinnamon buns, too, except that we've swapped a sweet brioche dough for a flavorful olive oil pizza dough, and instead of a cinnamon sugar filling these pizza buns are stuffed with pizza sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and chopped pepperoni.

    Pizza buns are sure to be a hit with kids of all ages (our toddler devoured them just as quickly as my husband and I did!), so bookmark this recipe for your next family pizza night!

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    overhead view of recipe ingredients on a gray surface

    All-Purpose Flour - Flour is key to gluten formation and is therefore a key ingredient in pizza crust. For a perfectly chewy crust, go for an all-purpose flour with a higher protein content, like King Arthur Baking All-Purpose Flour.

    Active Dry Yeast - Yeast is used to leaven pizza dough so that it will rise when baked. Yeast is a living organism, so be sure to use yeast that is not expired and has been properly stored in order for it to do its job.

    Sugar - It may seem strange to include sugar in pizza dough, but adding just a bit of granulated sugar feeds the yeast, helping to ensure a proper rise.

    Olive Oil - Olive oil is the not-so-secret ingredient to great pizza dough, since it adds flavor and also enhances the crust's texture (by helping to avoid soggy crust and encouraging browning when baked).

    Mozzarella Cheese - Though you can certainly get creative with your pizza "toppings" (see below for ideas!), shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese is a no-fail choice.

    Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

    Make the Pizza Dough

    1. In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil.
    2. Add the flour and gently mix using a wooden spoon.
    3. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel. Let the dough rise at a warm room temperature for 1.5-2 hours. The dough will rise to at least double its size and then flatten out on top.
    4. Optional: Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before making the buns. (Read more about this step under Recipe Tips below).
    overhead view of wet ingredients in a glass bowl on a gray surface
    Step #1
    overhead view of pizza dough in a glass bowl on a gray surface
    Step #2
    overhead view of pizza dough after first rise
    Step #3

    Make the Pizza Buns

    1. Place the pizza dough onto a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12 inch x 18 inch rectangle.
    2. Spread the pizza sauce over the dough and top with cheese and pepperoni.
    3. Beginning at one of the long edges of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log.
    overhead view of rolled out pizza dough
    Step #5
    overhead view of pizza dough with toppings
    Step #6
    overhead view of pizza dough rolled halfway into a log
    Step #7 A
    overhead view of pizza dough rolled into a log
    Step #7 B
    1. Make vertical slits in the log every 1.5 inches to cut the log into 12 pieces. Use a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion to slice the log without squishing the buns.
    2. Place each bun cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or so between each bun.
    pizza log sliced into buns
    Step #8
    pizza buns on a baking sheet before second rise
    Step #9
    1. Cover the tray with the dish towel used earlier and place the tray in a warm spot to rise for 90 minutes. The buns are finished rising when they become puffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F about 15 minutes before the buns finish rising.

    Bake the Buns

    1. Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until the pizza crust becomes golden all over. 
    2. Serve the buns hot with extra pizza sauce for dipping.
    pizza buns on baking sheet after second rise
    Step #10
    baked pizza buns on baking sheet
    Step #11

    Pizza Bun Toppings

    I opted for classic sauce, cheese, and pepperoni for these pizza buns, but you could stuff your buns with your favorite pizza toppings, such as:

    • Parmesan cheese
    • Fresh mozzarella cheese (cut into small cubes)
    • Sausage (cooked and crumbled)
    • Sautéed mushrooms (like in my recipe for Mushroom and Fontina Calzone)
    • Sliced olives
    • Bell peppers (diced)
    • Banana peppers (sliced)
    • Garlic (minced)
    • Fresh basil
    • Onion (diced)
    • Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
    pizza bun on a white plate with fresh basil and tomatoes

    Recipe Tips

    I like to refrigerate the dough after the first rise and before rolling it out because I find that it's easier to work with. That said, this step is optional and can be skipped if you prefer or if you're short on time.

    When slicing the log of pizza dough, I find that a sharp, un-serrated chef's knife works best. (NOTE: I love to use this dental floss trick for slicing cinnamon rolls, but it doesn't work well when the dough is stuffed with pizza toppings like pepperoni.)

    Recipe FAQs

    Can pizza buns be made ahead of time?

    Pizza buns taste best when freshly baked, but the pizza dough can be made ahead of time, saving you time when you are ready to bake. Follow the recipe instructions for making the dough through the first (step #3), then cover the bowl of dough loosely with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one week. When you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and pick up with the recipe instructions for making the pizza buns.

    If you do want to bake the pizza buns ahead of time (or you find yourself with leftovers), baked buns can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat in the oven before serving.

    How do you keep pizza dough from shrinking when rolling?

    The same thing that gives pizza crust its delightfully chewy texture - gluten - is what causes dough to shrink back when we're trying to roll it out. That elasticity is actually a good thing, because it means delicious pizza is on the way! Chilling the dough after it rises and before rolling it out will make it easier to roll. A bit of patience and using your hands to gently stretch (but not tear) the dough may help, too. And if the dough is still driving you nuts, let it come back to room temperature after chilling before rolling, since gluten strands can be tighter when chilled.

    What happens if you let pizza dough rise too long?

    Pizza dough that is left to rise for several hours will become over-proofed. When this happens, the air bubbles in the rising dough have popped and the gluten has weakened, causing the ball of dough to collapse. The over-proofed dough will not rise properly during baking, leading to a gummy pizza crust.

    More Yeast Dough Recipes

    • Small Batch Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
    • Small Batch Brioche Jelly Doughnuts

    Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review on the recipe below! And don't forget to subscribe to Always Eat Dessert for even more simple recipes, baking tips, and inspiration.

    Recipe

    overhead view of pizza buns

    Homemade Pizza Buns

    Pizza rolls get a makeover in this recipe for homemade pizza buns baked from scratch.
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizers, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Rise Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
    Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Yield: 12 pizza buns
    Calories: 548kcal
    Author: Allison Ferraro

    Ingredients

    Pizza Dough (makes about 2 pounds of dough):

    • 1 ⅜ cups lukewarm water
    • 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
    • 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

    Pizza Buns:

    • ½ cup pizza sauce (plus more for serving)
    • 12 ounces mozzarella, grated (about 3 cups grated cheese)
    • 3 ounces pepperoni, chopped (about ¾ cup chopped pepperoni) (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Make the Pizza Dough

    • In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil.
    • Add the flour and gently mix using a wooden spoon.
    • Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel. Let the dough rise at a warm room temperature for 1.5-2 hours. The dough will rise to at least double its size and then flatten out on top.
    • Optional: Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before making the buns.*

    Make the Pizza Buns

    • Place the pizza dough onto a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12 inch x 18 inch rectangle.
    • Spread the pizza sauce over the dough and top with cheese and pepperoni.
    • Beginning at one of the long edges of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log.
    • Make vertical slits in the log every 1.5 inches to cut the log into 12 pieces. Use a sharp knife (I found a sharp, un-serrated chef's knife to be best) and a gentle sawing motion to slice the log without squishing the buns.
    • Place each bun cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or so between each bun.
    • Cover the tray with the dish towel used earlier and place the tray in a warm spot to rise for 90 minutes. The buns are finished rising when they become puffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F about 15 minutes before the buns finish rising.

    Bake the Pizza Buns

    • Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until the pizza crust becomes golden all over. 
    • Serve the buns hot with extra pizza sauce for dipping.

    Notes

    Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge (if necessary) and reheat before serving.
    *I like to refrigerate the dough before rolling it out because I find that it's easier to work with, but this step is optional and can be skipped if you prefer or if you're short on time. The dough can also be stored in the fridge for a week, if you'd prefer to prep it ahead of time.
    Pizza dough recipe adapted from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2buns | Calories: 548kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 1263mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 305mg | Iron: 4mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nora

      April 13, 2021 at 11:09 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness - these buns are so easy to make and delicious! The only change I made was add 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning to the dough. Thanks for sharing - this recipe is definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • Allison Ferraro

        April 14, 2021 at 12:11 am

        Thank you so much for your review, Nora! I love your idea to add Italian seasoning to the dough.
        - Allison

        Reply

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    Hi there!

    I'm Allison, the cookie-obsessed baker, recipe creator, and food photographer behind Always Eat Dessert.

    Here you’ll find made-from-scratch recipes designed for busy people who love to bake. From cookies to quick breads, you'll discover detailed, easy-to-follow recipes for everyday life along with practical baking tips to help you whip up indulgent treats from scratch with confidence.

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