Let’s admit it. We all have our guilty pleasures when it comes to food. Mine? Pizza — pizza pie, pizza rolls, pizza bagels, etc. There’s just something about the combination of hot marinara sauce, gooey cheese, and a crispy crust that I just can’t say no to. So when I stumbled across a pin for a recipe titled “Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes,” I was beyond thrilled. I always crave pizza during late study nights and often resort to ordering a large cheese pizza or pizza rolls (both always complemented by pokey stix) from Gumby’s. This recipe was much more tasty (sorry, Gumby’s) and a cheap alternative making for a perfect midnight snack.
Even better, the recipe has a quick prep and cook time, so it doesn’t take much time away from studying. It also calls for minimal ingredients:
- 1 can of crescent rolls
- 1 jar of marinara sauce (or pizza sauce of your choice!)
- 1 bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
- garlic powder
- pepperonis
The amount of sauce and cheese you want is really up to you; that’s why I suggest having just a jar and bag handy, so you can use your own measurements. My own suggested measurements are in the recipe as follows:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Divide crescent roll dough into 8 even sections. (I tried cutting it, but it’s so doughy; it was just easier to tear apart after marking off the sections with a knife.)
- Press the dough into 8 of the muffin cups, and be sure to press it up against the sides. It won’t go all the way to the top, but it will rise in the oven.
- Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp of cheese into the bottom of each cup. Add 1 Tbsp of pizza sauce. Add any remaining cheese you want on top followed by pepperoni. (If you don’t have bite-sized pepperoni, just rip the pepperoni into small pieces.)
- Shake a bit of garlic powder over it all for the final touch.
- Bake for 13-16 minutes.
What’s great about this snack is that you can easily customize it to what you want. Don’t like pepperoni? Use ham instead. Are you a vegetarian? Chop up some peppers or an onion for a crispier taste. However you make them, these melty pizza bites are sure to be heaven in your mouth. Eat them up before everyone else does!