These Pizza Pull Apart Rolls are a delightful twist on classic pizza, combining soft, pillowy dough with gooey cheese and savory toppings. Each bite offers a burst of rich tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and your favorite pizza flavors, all wrapped in a golden, buttery crust. Perfect for sharing, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat, with a prep time that lets the dough rise to perfection.
In just over three hours, you’ll have a batch of 20-24 warm, aromatic rolls that are ideal for parties, snacks, or even a cozy family dinner. The crispy edges and tender centers create a satisfying texture contrast, while the familiar pizza taste makes them an instant crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, these rolls are sure to impress with their irresistible flavor and ease of preparation.
Ingredients for Pizza Pull Apart Rolls
- Dough & Filling:
- 2 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star*
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk (warmed to 110°F/43°C)
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 2 and 3/4 cups (360g) bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed*
- 1 and 1/2 cups (135g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pepperoni (or more cheese)
- Topping:
- 1/2 cup (45g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup (30g) chopped pepperoni (or more cheese)
- Optional: 4 ounces (113g) uncooked ground Italian sausage
- Optional: 1/3 cup (50g) chopped green pepper
- Optional: 2 Tablespoons (20g) sliced black olives
- Garlic Herb Butter for Brushing:
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Optional, for serving: pizza sauce, chopped fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the dough: In a stand mixer bowl (or large mixing bowl), combine yeast and sugar. Pour warm milk over the mixture, whisk gently, and let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy. Add melted butter, egg, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and 1 cup of bread flour. Mix on low for 1 minute, then add remaining flour and mix on medium until dough pulls away from the bowl (about 2 minutes). Add more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) if dough is too sticky.
- Knead the dough: Knead in the mixer for 5 minutes or by hand on a floured surface. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Test readiness by poking it—it should slowly bounce back. Optionally, perform the “windowpane test” by stretching a small piece of dough until thin enough for light to pass through without tearing.
- Let the dough rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (60–90 minutes). Meanwhile, grease a 9-inch square pan, 9-inch springform pan, 9×13-inch baking pan, or 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- Prepare the filling: Mix 1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni in a bowl.
- Shape the rolls: Punch down the dough and pinch off pieces (about 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons each). Form into balls, make an indent, and stuff with cheese and pepperoni. Seal the filling inside and place in the prepared pan. Repeat until pan is filled (20–24 balls). Cover and let rise until puffy (30–45 minutes).
- Prepare the toppings: Mix 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup pepperoni. For supreme-style, cook sausage and green pepper in a skillet over medium heat until sausage is done (6–7 minutes). Drain and mix with olives.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake rolls for 20 minutes, then remove and add toppings. Tent with foil and bake for another 12–15 minutes until lightly browned or an instant-read thermometer reads 195°F (90°C).
- Make garlic herb butter: Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and stir in garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Brush over warm rolls before serving. Serve with pizza sauce, fresh basil, or crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
- Store: Cover leftover rolls tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Creative Sauce and Topping Ideas
While pizza sauce is a classic pairing, try experimenting with pesto, marinara, or even a spicy arrabbiata sauce for a twist. For toppings, consider adding caramelized onions, roasted garlic, or sun-dried tomatoes to the filling. If you’re feeling adventurous, swap pepperoni for crispy bacon, prosciutto, or even grilled chicken for a unique flavor profile.
Perfect Serving Suggestions
These pull-apart rolls are best served warm, straight from the oven. Pair them with a side salad or soup for a complete meal. For a party appetizer, arrange them on a platter with small bowls of dipping sauces like ranch, garlic aioli, or spicy marinara. Don’t forget to garnish with fresh basil or parsley for a pop of color!
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store leftover rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, place them in a preheated 350°F (177°C) oven for 5–10 minutes or until warmed through. For a quick fix, microwave individual rolls for 15–20 seconds, but be cautious—they can dry out quickly. For best results, brush with a little melted butter before reheating to keep them soft and flavorful.
Time-Saving Hacks
Short on time? Use store-bought pizza dough instead of making your own—just skip to the shaping and filling steps. To speed up the rising process, place the dough in a slightly warmed oven (turned off) with a bowl of hot water on the rack below. You can also prepare the filling and toppings ahead of time and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
Equipment Guidance for Success
If you don’t have a stand mixer, a large mixing bowl and wooden spoon will work just fine for making the dough. For shaping the rolls, a kitchen scale ensures each ball is evenly sized, but you can also eyeball it. A 9-inch square pan or cast iron skillet works best for baking, but a 9×13-inch pan will give you more space if you’re making a larger batch.
Pizza Pull Apart Rolls
Ingredients
Dough & Filling
- 2 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star*
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup whole milk 180ml
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 43g
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 2 and 3/4 cups bread flour 360g (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed*
- 1 and 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 135g
- 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni 60g (or more cheese)
Topping
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 45g
- 1/4 cup chopped pepperoni 30g (or more cheese)
- 4 ounces uncooked ground Italian sausage 113g (optional)
- 1/3 cup chopped green pepper 50g (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons sliced black olives 20g (optional)
Garlic Herb Butter for Brushing
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted 28g
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- optional, for serving: pizza sauce, chopped fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Make the dough: Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave until warm to touch, about 110°F (43°C). Pour warm milk on top of yeast/sugar. Whisk gently to combine, then loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5—10 minutes. The mixture will be frothy after 5—10 minutes.
- If you do not have a mixer, you can mix the dough together with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula in this step. Add the melted butter, egg, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning and about 1 cup of the bread flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute to combine ingredients, then add the remaining flour and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. If the dough seems too wet to a point where kneading (next step) would be impossible, beat in more flour 1 Tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough. Dough should be soft and a little sticky, but still manageable to knead with lightly floured hands.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use nonstick spray to grease) and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a slightly warm environment to rise until doubled in size, around 60—90 minutes. (If desired, use my warm oven trick for rising. See my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- As the dough rises, grease a 9-inch square pan, a 9-inch springform pan, a 9×13-inch baking pan, or a 10-inch oven-safe cast iron skillet; if using a cast iron skillet that’s already seasoned, no need to grease it. A 9-inch round cake pan or pie dish is too small for this recipe. See Notes for other baking pan options.
- Prepare the filling: Mix together 1 and 1/2 cups (135g) shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pepperoni in a bowl.
- Shape the rolls: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Pinch off a piece of dough about 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons in size (1 ounce/30g). With your hands, form into a ball and make an indent in the center. Pinch a bit of cheese and pepperoni (a scant Tablespoon, about 7–8g) with your fingers and stuff into the middle of the dough. Press the dough around it to seal the filling inside, and place the stuffed dough ball into the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough and filling until you’ve filled the pan (you should have about 20–24 balls).
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and allow to rise once again in a slightly warm environment until puffy, about 30–45 minutes.
- Prepare the toppings: In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup (45g) mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup (30g) pepperoni. If you’re making the supreme-style option, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and chopped green pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until sausage is cooked through, about 6–7 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate lined with paper towels, to drain. Combine with the sliced olives.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position, then preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the rolls from the oven and sprinkle on the cheese and pepperoni topping; plus the cooked sausage, peppers, and olives, if making supreme style. Loosely tent with foil, then return to oven and bake for another 12–15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. For a more accurate test of doneness, the rolls are done when an instant read thermometer reads 195°F (90°C). Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes as you prepare the topping.
- Make the garlic herb butter: Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and stir in the garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Brush on warm rolls before serving. Serve with a side of pizza sauce, and any other additional pizza toppings such as fresh chopped basil or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Cover leftover rolls tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.