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A quick backstory
When doing a little research about the origins of this recipe, I discovered that there seems to be conflicting regional claim on pepperoni bread or pepperoni rolls as they’re also called. Are they a West Virginia thing or are they a Pittsburgh or Western PA thing? Here’s what I know:
My mom and dad are each from two small towns outside of Pittsburgh (western PA), which isn’t far from the West Virginia state line. I envision my grandma, Josie, packing up rolls of pepperoni bread for my steel-working grandpap as he headed out the door.
For the rival perspective, I have a dear friend from West Virginia. She of course knows and loves pepperoni rolls and shared her memories. My friend always heard that pepperoni rolls were created by Italian-American wives of WV coal miners. who wanted their spouses to enjoy a hearty meal that was easy to eat.
Regardless of the ownership, pepperoni rolls are similar to many regional foods and they probably traveled across state lines as the recipe was shared among family and friends. My recipe for pepperoni rolls is dedicated to my hard-working Italian-American ancestors who learned how to roll with things as they came. I hope to do them proud.
What pepperoni rolls are and what they aren’t
Pepperoni rolls are a lot of things. Simple with a short ingredient list. Easy to eat. Good-looking with lots of swirls and folds that hold all the meat and cheese.
On the other hand —pepperoni rolls are not the same as pepperoni pizza. They don’t have any sauce inside and they aren’t loaded with a lot of ingredients.
But— if you ♥️ an amazing pepperoni pizza, bake up a this vodka pepperoni pizza!
Occasions and menu opportunities
Pepperoni rolls are equally at home at a tailgate party or on a big, pretty tray for a light lunch or Friday night nosh when houseguests arrive. Wine and pepperoni rolls? I’m in!
They also make an easy handheld bite as you head out the door. I’ve even eaten them cold (they have that in common with pizza)! And if you have a heap of kids coming to your house, you’re going to want a big batch of these in the freezer (see below for baking tips from frozen).
Simple pepperoni roll ingredients
What I love about pepperoni rolls is how honest and direct they are. Fresh pizza dough stuffed with cheese and pepperoni? Doesn’t get much simpler than that!
Here’s what you need:
Let’s make pepperoni rolls
Time to get rolling…although the recipe and it’s execution are super simple in theory, I did find that following the French mise en place (meaning “everything in its place”) helps.
I made an assembly line of the ingredients and got to work.
Here’s what I did:
- Cut a 1 lb. ball of pizza dough into 8 equal pieces.
- On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 6″ x 6″ square.
- Brush any excess flour off. Layer cheese down center of dough starting with fresh provolone.
- Sprinkle over oregano and garlic powder.
- Top with stacks of pepperoni. I found overlapping about 12 pieces per roll made for the best quantity without overstuffing the roll.
- Start at the short end and roll the dough over the pepperoni holding the middle to ensure nothing falls out.
- Brush the top and sides of each roll with melted butter and shake on additional seasoning and a sprinkling of parmesan.
- Bake until golden and the cheese is melted.
Like things spicy?
Add some crushed red pepper on top of the cheese before rolling up. Or use a really spicy pepperoni. A drizzle of hot honey would be good too!
More tips for success
- If you want more pepperoni and cheese in the center, you can have it but don’t go overboard because more cheese will ooze out of the roll onto the sheet pan.
- Don’t roll the dough too thin or it will tear and create holes for the cheese to come out.
- Use a half sheet pan. Don’t crowd or use too small of a pan so the rolls will crisp off.
- Bake on parchment paper for easy clean up.
Dipping strategy
Ask any Pittsburgh or WV native and they’ll agree on one thing: pepperoni rolls require a dipping sauce. A reader favorite is this zesty marinara sauce that can be whipped up in about 10 minutes.
Two more dipping options include:
Stromboli, calzone, pizza pocket?
If you serve up pepperoni rolls for your next tailgate party or family gathering, you might hear them referred to as stromboli (nah, they’d need sauce), calzone (nope, they don’t have ricotta),. And you already know the only thing they share with pizza is the dough.
Storage Tips and Info
Storage. Once completely cooled, wrap any leftovers in foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating tips. Place pepperoni rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment and reheat in a 350° oven for 15 minutes or so until warmed through.
Freeze. Pepperoni rolls make a great snack or quick meal especially for kids running out the door. Bake up a bunch, allow them to cool and then individually wrap them in parchment paper and then foil. Pack as many as will fit into a gallon sized plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat from frozen: I recommend either an oven or air fryer to heat pepperoni rolls from frozen. Remove frozen pepperoni rolls from any wrapping and place on a baking sheet in the oven or air fryer. Heat in a 400° oven for 25 minutes until warmed through. In the air fryer, heat to 360° and reheat for 13-15 minutes.
Made this recipe?
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Cheesy Pepperoni Rolls with Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough, homemade pizza dough (see ingredients below and instructions in link) or store bought
For pizza dough if making homemade
- 3 ½ cups “00” flour
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
For the pepperoni rolls
- 6 oz package of pepperoni
- 8 oz fontina cheese, sliced
- ½ lb sharp provolone, sliced from the deli counter if available
- 1 teaspoons oregano, divided; plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided; plus more for topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Garnish
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- recipe of marinara dipping sauce
Instructions
- If making homemade pizza dough, follow recipe directions and then proceed. If using store-bought, then allow to rest at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Cut pizza dough into 8 balls (2 oz each). Roll each ball into approximately 6”x6” square.
- Starting with fontina cheese. layer 1 oz of it and a couple of slices of provolone both down the middle of the dough, leaving a ½" border on the edge. Sprinkle over ⅛ teaspoon each of the oregano and garlic powder. Top with about 8-10 slices of pepperoni.
- Pick a side and roll the dough around the cheese and pepperoni tucking the filling as needed. When you reach the end, pinch the dough closed. Place the pepperoni roll seam side down on a parchment covered sheet pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together and use a pastry brush to brush over the egg wash over the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle over generous amounts of parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden and crispy. Some cheese might ooze out the side and that's so good!
