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4.72 from 7 votes

Homemade Pizza Buns

Pizza rolls get a makeover in this recipe for homemade pizza buns baked from scratch.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Rise Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 45 minutes
Course: Appetizers, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 548kcal

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)

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