Fluffy pizza rolls

All Recipes, American Classics, Appetizers & Snacks, Bread & Baking, Cuisine Types, Dinner, Pizza & Flatbreads, Savory Rolls
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Today, we are making the fluffiest, most delicious pizza rolls. Since everyone has been loving our cheese garlic rolls, we’ve created a new and different recipe for you to try!

This is the perfect recipe to bring to any event, as everyone is guaranteed to love it. It combines our love for pizza, garlic bread, and rolls into one incredible creation. We’ve taken the shape of a cinnamon roll, the iconic garlic butter from our famous garlic roll recipe, and a savory pizza filling to create the ultimate pizza roll!

The best part of this recipe is how easily you can customize it with your favorite toppings! We went for a classic pepperoni and cheese pizza filling, but you can get creative and use anything you like—think bacon, pineapple, different cheeses, and more.

Mastering the dough

We’ve been experimenting with different methods and have made some key changes to our recipes to create the perfect dough.

While making bread is super easy, the process is much simpler if you have a good-quality stand mixer.

A Note on Yeast:
The key to a well-rising dough is using fresh, active dry yeast. I normally don’t keep my yeast for longer than 3-4 months, even if it hasn’t expired. After that, it can stop working—not completely, but enough to potentially make a recipe fail.

The Kneading Process:
Kneading dough can be a nightmare without a stand mixer. You often end up with a sticky dough that makes you want to give up and add a whole bag of flour. Don’t do it!

For this recipe, you will start by kneading all the ingredients minus the butter. You will add the butter after about 14 minutes of kneading. If your dough needs slightly more flour, you can add a little, but this dough is meant to be slightly sticky. This is what makes it extra fluffy. I repeat: IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE STICKY.

The Importance of Proofing:
Proofing the dough is super important. THAT’S WHY we use a dough proofer. With a proofer, even if it’s cold outside, the dough is ready to use in about 1 hour and 30 minutes. And if it’s hot, the dough doesn’t over-proof because it’s kept at a consistent temperature. That’s why I highly recommend that anyone who wants to bake regularly invest in a dough proofer. If you don’t have one and leave your dough to rise in a cold place, it can take forever.

Best for baking!

Ingredients and why we use them

As we mentioned, we’ve slightly changed this recipe to better fit the pizza theme and improve the dough’s flavor. These changes have highly improved the final result! Below you’ll find the ingredients and an explanation of why we need them, including possible substitutions. You can also go straight to the recipe card for the exact quantities.

  • Flour: We are using a mix of bread flour and all-purpose flour. This helps achieve the perfect consistency, the fluffiest rolls, and a great structure. If you don’t have bread flour, you can use only all-purpose flour, but you might need slightly more.
  • Eggs: For this recipe, we’re using one whole egg plus extra egg yolks. This makes a super delicious and rich dough. If you prefer to use only whole eggs, you can substitute the mixture for two whole eggs. (Generally, two egg yolks can be substituted for one whole egg).
  • Sugar: This helps feed the yeast and is crucial for the rise. If you cannot have sugar, you can still make the recipe, but keep in mind the rolls probably won’t grow as much. If honey is an option, you can use that instead!
  • Butter: The butter will be added after the first kneading. This helps slightly inhibit gluten development, resulting in a more tender and flaky crumb.
  • Oregano: This will be used in both the dough and the filling—it’s just the perfect pizza herb.
  • Milk: This is the liquid we are using to make the dough. It can be substituted for water if needed.
  • Salt: Used in the dough to enhance all the other flavors.

The perfect dough

Toppings
  • Garlic: We are using one whole head of garlic. We’ll roast it with a drizzle of oil and salt. The leftover garlic-infused oil will be used to brush the rolls, and they’re going to taste so much better.
  • Tomato Sauce: We tried an amazing technique that worked perfectly for a pizza roll: a tomato butter. It’s just perfect! You can use any brand you like or your favorite homemade sauce.
  • Mozzarella Cheese: You can use ANY cheese you like, really.
  • Pepperoni: An optional topping, but it’s amazing in this recipe. You can use beef pepperoni or any other variety you prefer.

Pizza filling

Special tools

You don’t need a lot of special equipment to make this recipe, but a stand mixer is highly recommended for kneading the dough.

  • Stand Mixer: For kneading the dough.
  • Mixing Bowls: To combine the ingredients.
  • Spatula: To scrape the bowl and handle the dough.
  • Knife: To cut the dough.
  • Rolling Pin: To roll out the dough.
  • Ramekin: To roast the garlic.
  • Pastry Brush: For the egg wash.
  • Dough proofer: Highly recommended.

You will need an oven-safe pan to cook the rolls, fitted with parchment paper.

Toppings for your pizza rolls

Pizza is the most customizable food you could ever make. You add the sauce, the cheese, and your favorite toppings. If you want to elevate your pizza rolls to the next level, here are some delicious combinations you can create using our special garlic butter sauce:

  1. Bacon & Cheese: A classic, crowd-pleasing combo.
  2. Three Cheese: Choose your favorite three cheeses (like mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone) for the ultimate cheesy pull.
  3. Hawaiian Chicken: Grilled chicken, sweet pineapple, and red onion.
  4. Savory Mushroom: Perfect for vegetarians, with earthy, sautéed mushrooms.
  5. Supreme Style: Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and bell peppers.
  6. Italian Sausage: Sweet or spicy Italian sausage for a robust flavor.

How to roast garlic for garlic butter

To make our signature garlic butter, we’ll start by roasting the garlic. This is the first thing we should do, as it takes some time. The resulting roasted garlic is mild, sweet, and incredibly flavorful. You can even make this the day before so it’s ready when you need it.

  1. Prepare the Garlic: Take a whole head of garlic and slice about a little off the top to expose the cloves inside.
  2. Season: Place the garlic in a ramekin. Drizzle it generously with olive oil, making sure it seeps into the cloves, and sprinkle with salt.
  3. Roast: Wrap the garlic tightly in the foil and cook in a preheated oven at 165°C (about 325°F) for 2 hours or until the cloves are deeply golden, soft, and caramelized.
  4. Cool: Carefully remove the packet from the oven, open the foil, and let the garlic cool until it’s safe to handle.
  5. Squeeze & Save: Once cooled, squeeze the soft, roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a small bowl. Save the leftover garlic-infused oil – you will use it to brush the rolls after baking, which adds incredible flavor. Any extra oil can be used for another recipe!

Pro Tip: You can do this step before you even start making the dough.

Best tips for pizza rolls

  • Roast Garlic in Advance: Make sure you roast the garlic ahead of time. You can even save time by doing it the day before and storing it in the fridge.
  • Use Fresh Yeast: Ensure your active dry yeast is fresh. Do not use expired or old yeast, as it will prevent the dough from rising properly and affect the final texture.
  • Proof Thoroughly: Allow the dough enough time to proof. The time needed depends on your room’s temperature; in a colder room, it can take significantly longer.
  • Knead Properly: Kneading is important—don’t skip it! The rolls will turn out dense if the dough isn’t kneaded properly to develop the gluten.
  • Add Butter Later: We add the butter after the first 14 minutes of kneading. This helps control gluten development, resulting in a more tender and flaky crumb.
  • Use Flour for Rolling: When you roll out the dough and shape the rolls, don’t hesitate to use a little more flour on your surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
  • Customize Freely: This recipe is highly versatile. Use any toppings and cheeses you like to create your perfect flavor combination!

Print
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Fluffy pizza rolls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Archersfood
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • proof time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 large pizza rolls
  • Category: Appetizer, Snack
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Roasted Garlic:

  • 1 whole head of garlic
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • A generous sprinkle of salt

For the Dough:

  • ½ cup warm milk (100 ml)
  • 1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (10 g)
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (230 g)
  • ½ cup bread flour (50 g)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp soft butter (30 g)
  • 1 ½ tbsp 
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp salt

For the Garlic-Tomato Butter:

  • 3 tbsp butter (40 g)
  • The roasted garlic cloves (from 1 head)
  • A sprinkle of salt
  • 2 tbsp tomato sauce
  • ¼ tsp dried oregano

For the Filling & Assembly:

  • 7 oz pepperoni (200 g)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (300 g)
  • 1 tbsp tomato sauce 
  • Reserved garlic-infused oil (from roasting)

For the Egg Wash:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp milk

Instructions

Roast the Garlic:

  • Preheat your oven to 165°C (325°F).

  • Take the whole head of garlic, slice the top off slightly, and place it on a ramekin. Drizzle generously with olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt. 

  • Wrap it up in the foil and roast for 2 hours, or until the cloves are soft and caramelized. Let it cool.

Make the Dough:

  • In a bowl, combine the warm milk with the granulated sugar and active dry yeast. Leave it for about ten minutes until it becomes frothy.
  • To this mixture, add the all-purpose flour, bread flour, egg, egg yolks, oregano, sugar, and salt. Knead for 14 minutes using a stand mixer.

  • Then, add the soft, room-temperature butter and continue to knead for 10 more minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky.

 First Proof:

  • Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it proof in a warm spot (ideally 24-27°C / 75-80°F) for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.

Make the Garlic-Tomato Butter:

  • In a bowl, combine the soft butter with the roasted garlic cloves, a sprinkle of salt, oregano, and tomato sauce. Mix it properly until integrated.

Assemble the Rolls:

  • Once the garlicbutter is ready and the dough has proofed, lightly flour your work surface. Roll the proofed dough out into a rectangle.
  • Spread the garlic-tomato butter on top, followed by a light layer of tomato sauce for extra flavor.
  • Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese and add your pepperoni (or other toppings) evenly.
  • Now, using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the entire rectangle vertically into 6 long, even strips.
  • Take one strip at a time and carefully roll it up from one end to the other, creating a tight spiral.
  • Place them in an oven-safe tray lined with parchment paper.

Second Proof and Bake:

  • Let the rolls proof again for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Prepare the egg wash by mixing the egg yolk with milk, then gently brush it over the tops of the rolls.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls are a deep golden brown.
  • Let them cool down slightly before serving. Enjoy

Equipment

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 roll
  • Calories: 580
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Sodium: 1150mg
  • Fat: 32g
  • Saturated Fat: 15g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 14g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 48g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 22g
  • Cholesterol: 145mg

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