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Store-bought bread dough, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese rolled up make this one tasty appetizer for any party. This pepperoni bread recipe is a family tradition for the holiday season.
I'm all about tasty appetizers that everyone will love - from corn nuggets to cheese rolls to chorizo al vino to cheese and bacon turnovers.
Pepperoni bread is really the perfect appetizer for a party as it is easy to make and is great finger food. And if you want a Latin rendition, then go with these cheese empanadas.. You can't forget some marinara sauce for dipping or even some homemade pizza sauce.
For years, my Aunt would make pepperoni bread for our Thanksgiving and Christmas get-togethers. As you know during the holidays there is always plenty of food.
The problem for me was I loved this bread so much I would eat 4-5 or more slices before even getting to the main meal. Needless to say it is quite addicting.
Unfortunately a few years ago, I moved away from Florida so I hadn't had any pepperoni bread as I relied on my Aunt to make it. Well I sent her a note asking for the recipe and decided it was time to introduce my wife's family to this amazing appetizer. Not surprisingly, it was quite the hit.
So if you want something that tastes like a small bite of pizza and is easy to prepare, look no further than this pepperoni bread recipe.
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Ingredient Notes
- Frozen bread dough - can also use pizza dough.
- All-purpose flour - just used so the dough doesn't stick when you roll it out.
- Egg - allows the filling to stick to the bread as it rolls up.
- Pepperoni - the star of the appetizer. I like to get the roll of pepperoni so I can cut it up in the food processor.
- Mozzarella cheese - can use fresh or already shredded, but to me fresh is always best.
- Parmesan cheese - always recommend freshly grated Parmesan.
- Unsalted butter - adds that golden color to the bread.
- Italian seasoning and garlic powder - enhances the flavor.
Variations
While this is called pepperoni bread for a reason, feel free to mix-up the ingredients. Some alternatives include:
- Cheese - American, cheddar, swiss, provolone, gouda
- Meat - salami, prosciutto, bacon, sausage
- Veggies - peppers, olives, onion
Step-by-Step Photos
Pulse the pepperoni in a food processor until you get small chunks. Roll out dough into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle and brush with egg wash.
Add the pepperoni and cheese evenly over the dough and roll up like a jelly roll, pinching to seal it.
Melt the butter in a bowl and mix in the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Place the bread, seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with the butter.
Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
FAQs
So I used one loaf of Bridgford's Frozen Ready Dough. However you can use any frozen or store-bought dough you want. Pizza dough works great. You just want it to be one pound.
Use a log of pepperoni if you can find it or thickly cut pepperoni so you get get big chunks when you throw in food processor. With that said, you can use pepperoni slices if needed.
Place in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also store in the freezer for up to 3 months. These can be served at room temperature or warm.
Place in 300°F oven for about 10 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Place frozen dough in the fridge the night before so it is thawed when ready to use.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
- If your rolled log is too long for the baking sheet, just shape it so it fits. It doesn't matter how it looks as you're going to slice it.
- Don't be worried if some cheese oozes out as that's normal.
Other Appetizer Recipes
If you’ve tried this pepperoni bread recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! Another tasty bread recipe is rosemary Parmesan bread! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pepperoni Bread
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen bread dough loaf, thawed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg beaten
- 6 oz hard pepperoni
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the pepperoni to a food process and pulse until you get small chunks.
- Spread flour on dry surface and roll out dough into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle. Brush the dough with beaten egg. Spread pepperoni, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the dough.
- Roll up dough like a jelly roll and pinch seam to seal it. Place the bread, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet.
- In a microwavable-safe bowl, melt the butter for about 30 seconds and mix in the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Brush the bread with the melted butter.
- Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden. Remove and let sit for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Place frozen dough in the fridge the night before so it is thawed when ready to use.
- Use a log of pepperoni if you can find it or thickly cut pepperoni so you get get big chunks when you throw in food processor.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
- If your rolled log is too long for the baking sheet, just shape it so it fits. It doesn't matter how it looks as you're going to slice it.
- Don't be worried if some cheese oozes out as that's normal.
Chris says
I’ll take 20!