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Our family LOVES pizza so much that we usually have some version of it every Friday (no joke!) And let’s be honest – sometimes folding a pizza in half just feels right. Enter the homemade calzone!
This handheld pizza pocket is a delicious and fun alternative to a traditional pizza pie and making our calzone recipe is a surprisingly simple process. You start with a basic pizza dough and then get creative with the fillings. Ours include cheese (ricotta AND mozzarella for more flavor and texture) and pepperoni.
These little pockets of pizza goodness are perfect for a quick and easy meal or a fun and festive appetizer for a party. They’re also a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. Ours love to help assemble the homemade calzones and choose their favorite toppings (or rather fillings). The whole family loves them!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Perfectly portable. This handheld version is great for on-the-go and makes a deliciously easy dinner!
- Fill it your way. Stuff in your favorite pizza toppings – everyone can make their own and change up based on preference.
- The perfect crust. The dough is simple and flavorful, it’s ready to fill in only 40 minutes!
Calzone Ingredients and Substitutions
Calzones
- 1 (.25-ounce) package active dry yeast – see How to Activate Yeast for tips
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water – between 105-115°F
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting – see How to Measure Flour
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large egg, beaten – for an egg wash
Filling
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese – or mix in provolone, parmesan cheese, or fontina cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese – or try cottage cheese, or mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup pepperoni slices, diced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- more filling options – mushrooms, onions, crumbled sausage, bacon bits, bell peppers, black olives
- optional dipping sauce – Homemade Marinara Sauce, Homemade Ranch Dressing, Homemade Pizza Sauce
How to Make Homemade Calzones
- DOUGH. In a medium bowl, proof yeast by mixing 1 packet of active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar with 1 cup of warm water.
- Let sit for 8-10 minutes or until foamy. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt and mix in 2½ cups flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is smooth.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until elastic. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large bowl and flip dough to coat with oil. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- FILLING. While the dough is rising, combine 1½ cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, ½ cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup pepperoni, and 1 tablespoon dried basil in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to add to dough.
- PREP. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
- FILL. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide into 2 equal pieces. Divide each piece into 3-4 balls. Roll each ball onto a lightly floured work surface into ⅛-inch thick circles.
- Add ¼ of the filling and fold the dough over to make a semi-circle. Press down curved edges with the tip of a fork to seal. Brush tops with 1 beaten egg and place on the prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp blade to cut a “v” shape venting slit on top of each calzone.
- BAKE. Bake for 24-28 minutes, based on the size of the calzones, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- PRO TIP. Do not overfill the calzones. They will be hard to fold over and seal.
- CHANGE UP THE FILLINGS. We also love these combos:
- Meat Lovers. Fill with cheese and your favorite meats like sausage crumbles, bacon crumbles, chopped pepperoni, ham and more.
- Chicken Alfredo. Mozzarella, grilled chicken, broccoli and Alfredo sauce.
- BBQ Chicken. Mozzarella, grilled chicken, bbq sauce.
- Buffalo Chicken. Mozzarella, grilled chicken, bleu cheese, buffalo sauce and Ranch dressing.
Calzone Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 (.25-ounce) package active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large egg, beaten
Filling
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup pepperoni slices, diced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, proof yeast by mixing the yeast and sugar with warm water. Let sit for 8-10 minutes or until foamy. Add oil and salt and mix in flour 1 cup at a time until dough is smooth.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until elastic. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to a large bowl and flip dough to coat with oil. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, make the filling by combining mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, pepperoni, and basil in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to add to dough.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Divide the pieces into 3-4 balls. Roll each ball out onto a lightly floured surface into ⅛-inch thick circles.
- Add ¼ of the filling and fold the dough over to make a semi-circle. Press down curved edges with the tip of a fork to seal. Brush tops with beaten egg and place on the prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp blade to cut a "v" shape venting slit on top of each calzone.
- Bake for 24-28 minutes, based on the size of the calzones, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
- Be sure to Activate the Yeast correctly.
- Only let the dough rise until doubled in size. Too long and it will fall and be unusable.
- Do not overfill the calzones.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
You can use store-bought pizza dough as a shortcut. Roll, fill, fold, and crimp. Refer to the package to determine baking times.
To speed up the rise time, place the covered dough in a warm environment such as near a warm window, on top of a warm oven, or above a hot bowl of water (be sure the water is not touching the bowl of dough).
Bake and then cool completely. Place in an airtight freezer bag or container, dividing layers with parchment paper. Seal, squeezing out any extra air, and freeze for 1-2 months. To reheat from frozen, heat the oven to 375°F and bake for 15-20 minutes until warm throughout.
Store leftovers in an airtight container or freezer Ziploc and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw if needed and reheat in the microwave or oven until warm.
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This recipe was originally published February 2025.
