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Achieve the perfect slice of Pepperoni Pizza right at home – it’s wonderfully crispy and delicious every time!
Everybody’s Favorite!!
If you are anything like our family, you love a slice of pizza! Every Friday dinner is pizza night at the Merkley house. Most often we whip up this homemade pepperoni pizza recipe.
It’s made with our favorite Homemade Pizza Dough, Pizza Sauce, and Pizza Seasonings for a crowd-pleasing easy dinner idea every time!
Yes, ordering pizza may be easier, but nothing can beat the taste of homemade pizza!
Why we love it:
- Fresh and flavorful. The homemade dough takes this favorite dish to the next level – it’s amazing!
- Customizable. Your pizza can be as unique as you are! Make it a simple cheese pizza or pile it high with your favorite toppings.
- Easy. With simple steps and a 20-minute prep time, this quick dinner idea is on the table in no time for a favorite family dinner idea!
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 50 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
Dough
- 3 cups warm water, 110–115°F
- 3 tablespoons rapid rise yeast – I have also effectively used active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil – canola oil or olive oil
- 6-6½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- olive oil, for brushing
Toppings
- 2 cups pizza sauce – store-bought or homemade Pizza Sauce
- 6-8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese – Shred your own cheese. The pre-shredded, packaged kind doesn’t melt as well. Replace the mozzarella with another cheese or mix them. Try cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, gouda cheese, or goat cheese.
- 2 teaspoons pizza seasoning, optional – store-bought or homemade Pizza Seasoning
- 2 cups pepperoni – Several types of pepperoni can be used. Buy mini or large pepperoni. There’s also thinly sliced pepperoni, which gets a nice char, or thicker slices, which can be a bit chewier. Use pepperoni made from beef, pork, chicken, or a plant-based pepperoni.
Additional Toppings
- sausage crumbles, chopped peppers, chopped bacon, (optional)
How to Make Homemade Pizza
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
- DOUGH. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups warm water, 3 tablespoons yeast, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until bubbly.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt and 6 tablespoons oil, then mix in 6-6½ cups flour 1 cup at a time with a wooden spoon until combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Knead for about 3 minutes (dough will be sticky and will stick to your hands).
- Cover the dough with a tea towel and let rise at room temperature for 30–45 minutes.
- This dough makes four 12-inch pizza crusts. Divide dough into four pieces and roll each onto a lightly floured surface to about ½ inch thick.
- Sprinkle cornmeal onto a pizza peel and, working with one crust at a time, transfer the rolled dough to the peel. Brush with olive oil and poke with a fork a few times to eliminate bubbling while baking.
Bake the Pizza
Use one of these three methods to bake your pizza.
- Use a pizza stone (our method). Place the oven rack at the lowest position, add the pizza stone, then heat the oven. Once preheated, use the peel to transfer the crust to the preheated pizza stone and blind bake for 6–8 minutes. Use a pizza peel to remove the crust from the oven, add sauce, cheese, pizza seasoning, pepperoni, and any other toppings, and bake for 8–10 more minutes.
- A metal pizza pan or baking sheet. Place the oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven. Roll out the dough, place it on the metal pan, and blind bake for 6–8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, add toppings, and bake for 8–10 more minutes.
- To skip blind baking. Once the dough is rolled and shaped place it onto a peel or metal pan. Add the sauce, cheese, and desired toppings, and then bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining crusts and toppings.
Complete the Meal
- Sides: Quick Caprese Salad, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Baked Zucchini Chips
- Desserts: Fruit Pizza, Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie, Pizookie
- More pizza recipes: Margherita Pizza, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Chicken Alfredo Pizza
More collections: Family Dinner Ideas, Dinner Ideas for Kids
Pepperoni Pizza Recipe
This homemade pepperoni pizza recipe is wonderfully crispy and delicious every time. Achieve the perfect slice right at home!
Equipment
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 3 cups warm water, 110–115°F
- 3 tablespoons rapid rise yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6-6½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- olive oil, for brushing
Pizza Toppings
- 2 cups pizza sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 6-8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons pizza seasoning, optional
- 2 cups pepperoni, mix of regular and mini
Additional Toppings
- sausage crumbles, chopped peppers, chopped bacon, optional
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. If using, place a pizza stone in the oven to preheat.
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes, or until bubbly.
- Add salt and oil, then mix in flour 1 cup at a time with a wooden spoon until combined and the dough is soft and slightly sticky. Knead for about 3 minutes (dough will be sticky and will stick to your hands).
- Cover the dough with a tea towel and let rise at room temperature for 30–45 minutes.
- This dough makes four 12-inch pizza crusts. Divide dough into four pieces and roll each out onto a floured surface to about ½ inch thick.
- Sprinkle cornmeal onto a pizza peel and, working with one crust at a time, transfer the rolled-out dough to the peel. Brush with olive oil and poke with a fork a few times to eliminate bubbling while baking.
Baking Options
- Use a pizza stone (our method). Place the oven rack at the lowest position, add the pizza stone, then heat the oven. Once preheated, use the peel to transfer the crust to the preheated pizza stone and blind bake for 6–8 minutes.Use a peel to remove the crust from the oven, add sauce, cheese, pizza seasoning, pepperoni, and additional toppings, and bake for 8–10 more minutes.
- Use a metal pizza pan or baking sheet. Place the oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven. Roll out the dough, place it on the metal pan, and blind bake for 6–8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, add toppings, and bake for 8–10 more minutes.
- To skip blind baking. Once the dough is rolled and shaped place it onto a peel or metal pan. Add the sauce, cheese, and desired toppings, and then bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining crusts and toppings.
Video
Notes
Freeze ahead of time. Blind baking is typically associated with pie making but is also used when assembling and freezing a pizza to be baked later. Blind bake the plain dough for about 6-8 minutes.
- Let the dough cool and place it on a piece of cardboard or a pizza pan.
- Add your favorite toppings.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil and place in freezer. Freeze for 3-4 months.
- Bake straight from the freezer, or allow it to thaw and then bake.
Nutrition
Serving: 4slices, Calories: 801kcal, Carbohydrates: 88g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 2143mg, Potassium: 457mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 842IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 465mg, Iron: 6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Why is my pizza dough gooey after being baked?
- The amount of time needed to bake will depend on the size of the pizza and the thickness of the dough. If your dough is on the thick side I recommend blind baking the crust to ensure it is cooked through.
- If the dough isn’t quite done, place it back in the oven, tent a piece of tin foil over the top, and bake for a few minutes longer.
best way to shape pizza dough?
- Stretch the dough with your hands instead of rolling it with a rolling pin.
- Using warm dough will help it stretch better.
- Overworking the dough can cause it to firm up making it difficult to roll. Let the dough relax and gently press the dough into the desired shape.
- Brush the exposed dough/crust with olive oil. For extra flavor, sprinkle on a little garlic salt or parmesan cheese.
Additional Toppings?
- Meats. bacon bits, ham, or crumbled cooked sausage.
- Veggies. bell peppers, black olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, or onions.
- Add extra spices to the sauce or right on top of the cheese such as garlic powder, oregano, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes.
Can I freeze pepperoni pizza ahead of time?
- Blind bake the plain dough for about 6-8 minutes.
- Let the dough cool and place it on a piece of cardboard or a pizza pan.
- Add your favorite toppings.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil and place in freezer. Freeze for 3-4 months.
- Bake straight from the freezer, or allow it to thaw and then bake.
How to store pepperoni pizza recipe?
- Wrap the leftover pepperoni pizza recipe in foil or place it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for about 3 days.
How to Freeze?
- Wrap and freeze it for 1-2 months. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
For More Pizza Recipes:
Our pizzas we made turned out so good! I made mini ones for my kids so they could assemble it how they liked. They had fun and actually ate what I cooked. Win win!
This is our favorite recipe to use with the kids! Super easy to follow and the pizza always turns out incredible! Thanks for posting!
A classic! So so yummy and I love the mix of mini pepperoni’s and big pepperoni’s! Makes it so fun and….more delicious? Don’t know how that is possible but it is!
I luv all these recipes!! I cant wait to make this pizza!! Im gonna go make the dough right now. U say the recipe will make 4 12″ pizzas. Im gonna make 3 16″ pizzas. I think the volumes will be correct. Do U think the sauce reipe will cover a 16″er? Or should I add a nuther 8 oz can of T’mato sauce?? Johno
When we make homemade pizza I always let the kids make them personal sized. Your homemade pizza dough recipe works great for pepperoni pizza.
What a delicious pizza!! I like using your homemade sauce & crust! It’s so easy to make!
I am so in love with pizza! I am so glad to find your awesome recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this homemade pizza! love it!
You are so welcome! Homemade pizza is the best! 🙂
Homemade Pizza is a favorite with my kids!
When all else fails pizza is our go to meal. This is a great homemade version.
My family loved making pizza!! Friday night is pizza night in our home & these are the perfect size for everyone to make their own & add what they like.