Homemade Pizza Buns

Soft, squishy and cheesy! These pizza buns have all those delicious qualities… Plus they are approved by my preschooler!

You start by making a soft dough and kneading it until it is elastic.

You’ll let that dough rise until it has doubled, punch it down, roll it out and fill it with yummy pizza toppings.

Roll it up, slice, let it have one more rise and bake! It is that simple. The hardest part is the wait time.

Homemade Pizza Buns Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1.5 tablespoons active yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 4 cups of flour, plus more for rolling
• 3/4 cup your favorite pizza sauce
• 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, plus more for the tops
• Pepperoni or your topping of choice

Directions:

1. Combine the yeast, warm water and sugar in a large mixing bowl. You should be able to dip your finger into the water and not feel a temperature change. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Whisk this mixture together well and let it set for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is slightly bubbly. This ensures your yeast will work. Then add the eggs and olive oil and whisk together well. Add the flour, salt and Italian seasoning and combine until a soft dough forms. If it is too sticky add more flour 1/4 cup at a time.
2. Sprinkle a clean counter top with flour and set the dough on top. Knead the dough for about five minutes, or until you can poke a finger in and the dough springs back well. Grease your bowl with nonstick spray or olive oil and set the dough back in it. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit for about an hour, or until the dough doubles in size (see above photos).
3. Take the plastic wrap off the bowl once it has doubled in size, and punch the dough down. Dust your countertop with flour and place the dough on top. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about 14 inches by 12 inches. This doesn’t have to be exact. Pour your sauce on the rolled out dough and spread it evenly. Then sprinkle the cheese and toppings on evenly. Carefully roll the dough up tight, rolling along the long side. Slice the roll into 12 to 14 equal rolls, place into a greased 9in by 13in baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise one more time for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the rolls for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, sprinkle a handful more cheese on top of the rolls and bake for 10-15 more minutes or until the tops are gold brown. I serve mine with extra sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!