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–+ servings
pepperoni pizza pinwheels with the bottom right roll torn off the loaf.

EXTRA Cheesy Pizza Pinwheels with Mini Pepperoni

Rebecca Eisenberg
These fluffy pull-apart pizza pinwheels are filled with heaps of adorable mini pepperoni and swirls of pizza sauce, with a crispy blanket of mozzarella cheese on top. They're fun to make and even more fun to eat. Serve them up for lunchtime, snack time, or as a game-day appetizer.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rising Time (Total) 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 9 pizza pinwheels

Ingredients
  

  • 400 grams all-purpose flour
  • 8 grams salt
  • 7 grams instant yeast (see notes for active dry yeast)
  • 236 grams warm water (90°F)
  • 20 grams olive oil
  • 8 grams honey

No-Cook Pizza Sauce

  • 6 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt (use 2X diamond crystal kosher salt)

Toppings

  • 226 grams low-moisture, whole milk mozzarella cheese (8 ounces, grated)
  • ½ cup mini pepperoni (or chopped up pepperoni)

Instructions
 

  • Mix. Mix the flour, salt, and yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add warm water, honey, and olive oil. Mix with the dough hook, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass on the dough hook and clears the sides of the bowl.
  • Knead. Increase the speed to low-medium and knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. The dough may cling slightly to the walls of the bowl but should pull away cleanly.
  • Rise. Tuck the edges of the dough under to create a ball of dough with a smooth top. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to rise for 1 hour.
  • Make the sauce and grate the cheese. In a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. Grate the mozzarella cheese and set it aside (in the fridge if needed) until you need it.
  • Shape. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press it into a loose square shape. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it's about 10x18", dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Periodically lift the dough to release tension — it will shrink back slightly. Then resume rolling.
  • Fill. Use the back of a spoon to spread about three-quarters of the pizza sauce all over the dough, leaving a ½" strip at one short end clean. Reserve the remaining pizza sauce for later. Top the pizza sauce with about three-quarters of the grated mozzarella cheese and mini pepperonis.
  • Roll and cut. Starting with one of the short ends, roll the dough rectangle into a log. Use a sharp knife to divide the log into thirds, then divide each third into thirds. It will get messy, don't worry about it. Place the pizza pinwheels in a parchment-lined 8" square or greased round pan.
  • Rise again. Top the pizza pinwheels with dollops of the remaining pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese, then finish with more mini pepperonis. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap, then let rest somewhere warm for 1 hour until the rolls are nice and puffy looking.

During the final 30 minutes of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

  • Bake. Bake in the center of a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 195°-200°F for doneness.
  • Cool. Use the parchment paper to carefully lift the pizza pinwheels out of the pan and onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

RECIPE NOTES

  • If you're using active dry yeast, mix it with the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes to become foamy before adding the water to the dough.
  • If it's very humid where you live, I recommend holding back about 25 grams of water to start. If it looks or feels like the dough needs it, drizzle it in 1 teaspoon at a time during the mixing stage.
  • If it's very cold where you live, your dough may rise more slowly; it's okay if it needs an extra 15-45 minutes to rise.
  • Pizza pinwheels are best enjoyed within 24 hours of baking. Once cool, wrap well and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. These pizza pinwheels freeze and defrost really well!
  • To freeze, cut the cooled rolls apart and place in a large airtight bag with as much air pressed out as possible. To prevent freezer burn, wrap each roll in plastic wrap before placing in the bag. To reheat from frozen, microwave pizza pinwheels for 40-45 seconds or place in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.