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Forget frozen pizza rolls! These 20-minute homemade pepperoni rolls are made with refrigerated pizza dough, mozzarella cheese sticks and pepperoni, brushed with Parmesan butter and baked until golden. They are an easy dinner, an after-school snack or a game-day appetizer, and they come out of the oven with a cheese pull every time.
For more pizza vibes, try my pepperoni bread, which is full of zesty flavor, and this French bread pizza, which is so much better than frozen.
Why you’ll love this pizza rolls recipe!
Some people call these West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls—but I just call them delicious! The kids also call them pepperoni sticks as they’re gobbling them down.
The hardest part of this pizza recipe is being patient for them to bake. Even though this simple recipe takes just 10 minutes to assemble and 10 minutes to cook, you’ll be SO ready to dip that first bite in the marinara sauce!
- Quick and easy: Uses store-bought pizza dough for a quick, no-fuss dinner or snack in just 20 minutes.
- Crave-worthy flavor: Gooey mozzarella, savory pepperoni, and a butter-parmesan crust deliver classic pizza flavor in hand-held rolls.
- So many ways to serve them: Perfect for game day snacks, lunchboxes, after school bites, or a kid-approved family dinner.
- Perfect for meal prep: Great make-ahead or freezer-friendly option for busy weeknights or meal prep.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Pepperoni Rolls
See the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Pizza dough – One tube of refrigerated pizza dough (I use Pillsbury). Thin-crust dough works too; it bakes a little faster, so start checking at 8 minutes.
- Pepperoni – 40 slices, 4 per roll. Regular sandwich-size slices are easiest to roll; mini pepperoni works if you use a small handful per roll.
- String cheese – 10 mozzarella cheese sticks, one per roll. Any cheese stick works: cheddar, Colby Jack or pepper jack for a kick. Shredded mozzarella works too, about ¼ cup per roll.
- Butter and Parmesan – Melted butter stirred with grated Parmesan gets brushed over the rolls before baking for a golden, savory crust.
- Marinara sauce – For dipping. Your favorite jarred pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce is perfect, and ranch is a kid favorite too.
Variations
- Garlic butter: Stir ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of dried parsley or Italian seasoning into the Parmesan butter.
- Supreme: Tuck a few chopped black olives, diced green pepper or sautéed onion in with the pepperoni. Keep the fillings dry so the dough seals.
- Meat lovers: Swap the pepperoni for cooked crumbled sausage or cooked ground beef, or add a few pieces of cooked bacon.
- Saucy: Spread a teaspoon or two of pizza sauce on each rectangle before adding the pepperoni. Use a light hand or the seams will not hold.
- Different dough: Crescent roll dough or homemade pizza dough both work. Homemade dough needs time to rise and bakes a little longer; crescent dough bakes at the temperature on its package.
Before you start, preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
How to Make Pepperoni Rolls
- Assemble: Spread the dough out on a cutting board and cut it into 10 equal rectangles (a pizza cutter makes this easy). Arrange 4 pepperoni slices on each rectangle and top with a cheese stick.
- Seal: Roll the dough up around the cheese stick and pinch the seams and ends closed. Set the rolls seam side down on the baking sheet. Melt the butter, stir in the Parmesan and brush it over the rolls.
- Bake: Bake at 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Let them cool for a few minutes, then serve with marinara for dipping.
Can You Freeze Pepperoni Rolls?
Yes, and this is the question readers ask most. There are two ways to do it, and both work.
Freeze them unbaked. Assemble the rolls, brush with the Parmesan butter, and freeze them on the baking sheet until firm. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen at 450°F, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time, until golden brown and hot in the center.
Freeze them baked. Let the baked rolls cool completely, wrap each one individually and freeze. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or in an air fryer at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the outside is crisp and the cheese is melted again.
To make them a day ahead without freezing, assemble the rolls, cover the baking sheet and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Brush with the butter and bake as directed, adding a minute or two if they go in cold.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the rolls warm with a bowl of marinara and a bowl of ranch for dipping. For dinner, add a simple salad; for a party, set them out with these easy appetizers:
Store, Freeze and Reheat
- To Store: Keep cooled rolls in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 1 month, baked or unbaked (see above).
- To Reheat: Warm refrigerated rolls in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes to crisp them back up. The microwave works in a pinch, but the crust goes soft.
Kasey’s Tips: Roll the rectangles tightly and pinch the seams well, then bake them seam side down. Any gap lets the cheese melt out, and you lose the gooey center. For a softer crust and more Parmesan flavor, brush the rolls with the butter mixture again as soon as they come out of the oven. And let them cool for a few minutes before handing them to little ones; the cheese inside is very hot, and a tiny tear in the top lets the steam out faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Cooked crumbled sausage or cooked ground beef can stand in for the pepperoni, and chopped onion, black olives or green pepper tuck in nicely with it. Keep the fillings dry and do not overfill, or the seams will not hold.
Yes. Homemade pizza dough gives a more fresh-baked taste. Allow time for it to rise, roll it about a quarter inch thick, and expect a slightly longer bake. Thawed frozen bread dough also works and is closer to the traditional West Virginia version.
No. Shredded mozzarella, about a quarter cup per roll, or a folded slice of cheese works. String cheese is just the tidiest, because it stays put while you roll.
Yes. Assemble the rolls up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate, then brush with butter and bake. For longer storage, freeze them unbaked and bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes.
A seam or end was not pinched closed, or the rolls baked seam side up. Pinch every edge firmly, set the rolls seam side down, and leave a little bare dough at each end so the cheese has nowhere to escape.
More Pizza Recipes You’ll Love
Appetizers & Snacks
Veggie Pizza
Game Day Snacks
Pizza Sliders
Main Dishes
Margherita Pizza
Main Dishes
Air Fryer Pizza
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Pepperoni Rolls
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pizza Cutter
Ingredients
- 1 tube Pillsbury pizza dough
- 40 slices pepperoni
- 10 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the pizza dough out on a cutting board and cut it into 10 equal-size rectangles (a pizza cutter makes this job easier).
- Arrange 4 pepperoni slices on each rectangle and top with a mozzarella cheese stick.
- Roll up the pizza dough, enclosing the cheese stick, and pinch the seams closed. Place the rolls seam side down on the baking sheet.
- Melt the butter and stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Brush the pizza sticks with the melted butter mixture.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Eat immediately with a side of marinara for dipping.
Video
Notes
- Seal well: Make certain to roll the rectangles tightly and pinch the seams. If there are any gaps, the cheese will melt out and they won’t have a gooey center or middle to them. You’re going to want to bake them with the seam-side down.
- Make a softer crust: You can also brush the melted butter mixture on again at the end of baking if you want. This will just make the pizza crust a bit softer and give a bigger parmesan taste and flavor.
- Allow the rolls to cool: Be aware that the inside of these pizza rolls is going to be very hot. Little mouths will get burned quickly if you don’t allow for a bit of cooling. Making a tiny tear and letting out some of the heat might help to speed up the cooling process.
Can these be frozen? What would the reheating directions be?
Since I am from West Virginia…. I had to try this recipe!
Absolutely delicious….
Great recipe !
Can these be frozen for another time?
If i use the thin pizza crust from a can should I adjust the heat and/or time I cook them?
We recommend following the package instructions for baking, and adjusting as needed. Hope this helps!
Sounds like a great, quick idea for dinner regardless of their name and origin. Making them tonight and may change them slightly according to the suggestions of others. Constructive criticism is usually helpful, but haters gonna hate even on Pinterest!
Although I like your easy concept and will give it a try the way I make mine is out of frozen bread dough. I cut each loaf into fourths for large rolls or fifths for smaller size. I flatten each out into a circle, place 7-8 pepperoni slices in the middle then top with either mozzerella shreds or Pepperjack shreds. Pull one side over, then the opposite side, and fold over the ends pinching to seal. Let them rise for about an hour then bake them at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove them from the oven and while they are still hot butter the tops and sides of them. When cool enough to handle remove them from the baking sheets and place them onto paper towels and let fully cool. Store them in Ziplock bags in the freezer if you wish. We serve ours by cutting a slit in the side of the roll and filling it with Oliverio peppers in sauce. Top it with more cheese shreds and zap it in the microwave. At least that is how I make them and I’m a born and bred West Virginian.