Description
These Easy Pizza Cupcakes are a fun and delicious twist on traditional pizza, perfectly portioned in biscuit dough cups. They combine flaky biscuit bases with classic pizza toppings like mozzarella, pepperoni, and vegetables, baked to golden perfection for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 (8-count) cans refrigerated flaky layer biscuit dough
Sauce and Cheese
- 1 cup pizza or marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Toppings
- ½ cup mini pepperoni slices
- ½ cup finely diced bell peppers (red, green, yellow, or orange)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or dried oregano
- Optional additions: cooked & crumbled beef sausage, pre-cooked diced beef ham, sautéed mushrooms (ensure fully cooked/sautéed and drained)
Others
- Non-stick cooking spray or olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray or olive oil, then place it on a large baking sheet. Organize all ingredients such as cheese, sauce, and chopped toppings in separate bowls for easy assembly.
- Prepare Biscuit Dough: Separate 16 biscuits from the two cans of refrigerated flaky layer biscuit dough. Flatten each biscuit into a rough 4-inch circle, maintaining a thickness of about ¼ to ⅛ inch in the center with slightly thicker edges to support the toppings.
- Form Dough Cups: Carefully press each flattened biscuit into a prepared muffin cup, lining the bottom and sides with a slight overhang, forming a cup shape that will hold all the toppings securely.
- Add Sauce and First Cheese Layer: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pizza or marinara sauce into the bottom of each biscuit-lined muffin cup. Then sprinkle approximately 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce layer.
- Distribute Toppings: Evenly distribute your prepared toppings such as mini pepperoni, diced bell peppers, red onion, and black olives among all 16 cups. Make sure that any high-moisture vegetables or meat toppings are fully cooked and drained beforehand to avoid sogginess.
- Add Final Cheese Layer: Top each pizza cupcake with another generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese. Optionally, add a light dusting of grated Parmesan cheese over the top to enhance flavor and add a golden finish.
- Bake Pizza Cupcakes: Carefully transfer the muffin tin(s) onto the preheated oven rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the biscuit dough edges turn golden brown and the cheese is bubbly with appealing golden spots. Rotate the tin halfway through cooking if the cupcakes are browning unevenly.
- Cool and Remove: After baking, remove the tin from the oven and let the cupcakes rest for about 5 minutes within the tin. This allows the cheese and toppings to firm up slightly. Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to gently loosen the edges of each cupcake before lifting them out. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire cooling rack.
- Garnish and Serve: For a delightful finishing touch, sprinkle finely chopped fresh basil over warm pizza cupcakes. You can also add a dusting of grated Parmesan or a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Serve warm and enjoy these delicious, bite-sized treats!
Notes
- Ensure any meats used (like sausage or ham) are fully cooked before adding to the pizza cupcakes.
- If using high-moisture vegetables such as mushrooms, sauté and drain them to prevent sogginess.
- Adjust baking time slightly based on your oven’s performance and size of biscuit dough.
- These pizza cupcakes can be customized with any favorite pizza toppings for variety.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven for best results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: pizza cupcakes, easy appetizer, pizza bites, party snacks, biscuit dough pizza cups
