These pepperoni pizza sticks are made with homemade pizza dough and packed with cheese and pepperoni. Baked until melty and perfect then dipped in marinara sauce. You're going to love this simple snack or appetizer recipe!
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I love to serve up these cheesy pepperoni pizza sticks for lunch on weekends because they're easy and always well-received by the kids. Of course, they also love these Muffin Tin Pizza Bombs and Mini Bagel Pizzas, so we make sure to switch it up often.
These homemade pepperoni cheese sticks are easy to make and so much fun to eat. They'd be great as a nice party appetizer for a football game, kid's lunch, or any occasion in between (is there ever a bad time for pizza?)
Other great pizza recipes include Air Fryer English Muffin Pizza, French Bread Pepperoni Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Bake, and Air Fryer Tortilla Pizza.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's made from scratch. We make our own pizza dough and turn it into something fun. This is the same pizza dough that we use in our Pizza Dough In a Bag and Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza.
- It's not too much effort. Make the dough, roll it out, assemble and bake. The steps are all pretty basic and easy. In fact, my kids like to help with most of them.
- They're great lunch options too. Pizza for lunch is so delicious, and this just makes portioning out servings a little easier, haha. Make the dough the night before for a faster prep, and enjoy! A great change of pace from the Southern Egg Salad Sandwiches, Frozen Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, and Spicy Tuna Sandwiches.
🛒 Ingredients
Warm Water- You will need warm water that is not about 100-110 degrees F. This will proof the yeast and activate it. Too hot and the yeast dies. Too cold and the yeast won't work properly.
Active Dry Yeast- You will need yeast to help the pizza dough expand and grow. Make sure that it is not expired before using it.
Pepperoni Slices- Having pepperoni inside every pizza stick really makes them taste like real pizza.
Mozzarella Cheese- You can use a brick of mozzarella cheese or mozzarella string cheese for this recipe.
Marinara Sauce- This is an optional ingredient. Marinara sauce is meant to be served alongside the pizza sticks (for dipping), but you can easily eat them as-is without sauce.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Storebought Dough: Swap homemade dough for refrigerated pizza dough or crescent dough to save time. No recipe changes needed, just roll, fill, and bake.
Cheese Options: Use block mozzarella, string cheese, or shredded mozzarella. String cheese works great for portioning and melts perfectly.
Extra Fillings: Add small amounts of black olives, diced ham, sautéed onions, or mushrooms, but don't overfill or they may leak.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use string cheese: Often cheaper per stick than a brick of mozzarella, especially at warehouse or store-brand pricing.
Stretch with less pepperoni: Use 2-3 slices per stick, or mix in a little shredded cheese to fill space without sacrificing flavor.
Buy dough on sale: Storebought dough or crescent sheets go on sale often, freeze extras for later snack-night shortcuts.
🥄 Instructions for Pepperoni Pizza Sticks
Step 1: In a large bowl, add your warm water and yeast. Let sit for a minute or two until it looks foamy. If it doesn't foam up within 5 minutes, toss it out and try again. *See notes on why below.
Step 2: Add in the flour, sugar, salt, and olive oil, stirring to combine. The dough will appear shaggy.
Step 3: Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour and then turn the dough out onto the counter. Knead for about 5 minutes until elastic and smooth. Try to incorporate the dough pieces that didn't originally want to stick.
Step 4: Place the dough back into the bowl and then rest it on top of the stove as the oven preheats to 500 degrees F. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Roll the dough out into a big rectangle.
Step 6: Mentally divide the dough into 6 sections and arrange 4 pepperonis and a piece of cheese into the center of each section.
Step 7: Use a pizza cutter to divide it into 6 pieces that are equal (or almost equal) in size. Cut around the pepperoni using them as a guide to make sure you have plenty of dough to use.
Step 8: Fold the dough up and over the meat and cheese, sealing it closed by pinching the dough as needed.
Step 9: Gently roll into oval breadstick shapes and place onto a baking sheet.
Step 10: In a small bowl, combine the butter, oregano, parsley, and garlic powder. Whisk together until well mixed.
Step 11: Brush over the top of the pepperoni sticks.
Step 12: Bake for 10 minutes until golden.
Step 13: Serve warm with marinara sauce.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Seal well: Pinch seams tightly so cheese doesn't leak. If needed, dab fingertips in water to help dough stick.
- Don't overfill: Too much filling = blowouts. A few pepperoni + one cheese piece per roll is the sweet spot.
- Watch bake time: These cook fast at 500°F. Check at 8 minutes and pull when lightly golden to avoid over-browning.
- String cheese trick: If using string cheese, cut each stick in half-full sticks can burst the dough as they melt.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover Pepperoni Pizza Sticks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Air fry at 350°F for 3-4 minutes or bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until warmed and crisp.
Make Ahead: Prep dough up to 2 days early and refrigerate. Assemble the sticks and bake when ready to serve.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Pepperoni Pizza Sticks with a side salad, garlic butter noodles, marinara or ranch for dipping, or simple roasted veggies to round out the meal.
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❓ Pepperoni Pizza Sticks FAQs
Common ingredients include pizza dough, pepperoni slices, mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, and seasonings like garlic powder and Italian herbs.
Yes, you can customize your pizza sticks with various toppings like bell peppers, onions, olives, or different types of cheese to create unique flavor combinations.
Marinara sauce is a popular choice for dipping pepperoni pizza sticks, but you can also use ranch dressing, garlic butter, or any sauce you prefer.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Cinnamon Streusel Dessert PizzaRecipe $2.53 / Serving $0.32
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- Christmas Tree Fruit PizzaRecipe $5.73 / Serving $0.48
🐝 If you tried these Pepperoni Pizza Sticks, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Pepperoni Pizza Sticks
Ingredients
Pizza Sticks
- ¾ cup warm water, about 110°F - ($0.00)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast - ($0.14)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour - ($0.26)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar - ($0.01)
- ¾ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil - ($0.21)
- 40 pepperoni slices - ($1.20)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into sticks - ($2.00)
Herb Butter Topping
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - ($0.37)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano - ($0.04)
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley - ($0.04)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder - ($0.04)
For Serving
- marinara sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Activate yeast. In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let sit 1 to 2 minutes until foamy.
- Make dough. Add the sugar, flour, salt, and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Rest. Return the dough to the bowl and let rest for 5 minutes while the oven preheats to 500°F.
- Shape. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. Mentally divide it into 6 equal sections. Place 4 pepperoni slices and 1 piece of mozzarella in the center of each section.
- Fill and seal. Cut the dough into 6 pieces, fold the dough over the filling, pinch to seal, and gently roll into oval breadstick shapes. Place on a baking sheet.
- Top. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oregano, parsley, and garlic powder. Brush over the tops of the pizza sticks.
- Bake. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Yeast tips. Use fresh yeast and water close to 110°F. Hot water can kill yeast and prevent rising.
- Make ahead. Dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Storage. Store baked pizza sticks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Variations. Swap pepperoni for ham, cooked sausage, or olives.
- Scaling. Recipe doubles easily for parties or game-day snacks.
Nutritional Information
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