Pepperoni Bread

This easy pepperoni bread recipe is made with pre-made pizza dough or bread dough and is stuffed with sliced pepperoni, spices, and plenty of cheese! It’s the perfect game day appetizer or fun Friday night dinner.

Around here, football Sundays are a lifestyle. A downright lazy lifestyle.

I try to spend the mornings getting a few things done around the house: meal prep, laundry, and maybe even head to the gym. But come kickoff around 1pm, you’ll find us on the couch for the rest of the day.

The key to a good Sunday couch-potato lifestyle is snacking throughout the day. A full meal takes you off the couch and puts you in the kitchen; making you miss most of the football game in the first place.

Snacks, on the other hand, require just a little pre-kickoff prep, leaving you all the time in the world to lounge lazily and snack to your heart’s content through the late afternoon.

Some of our favorite game-day snacks include roasted jalapeño poppers, beer cheese fondue, and even a DIY Bloody Mary bar. 

And, almost always, my Aunt Julie’s pepperoni bread.

What is pepperoni bread?

I originally shared my Aunt Julie’s pepperoni bread recipe with you way back in 2015. When I was in college, I would always go over to my aunt and uncle’s house to watch Packers’ games, and this pepperoni bread was always on the menu.

It’s still so much of a favorite that I included a pepperoni pinwheel version in my cookbook, Stunning Spreads!

This pepperoni bread takes sliced pepperoni and plenty of shredded cheese and rolls it up cinnamon-roll style in pre-made pizza dough or frozen bread dough. 

Then you spiral the roll into a pie plate, bake it up, slice it, and serve with plenty of pizza sauce or a side of marinara sauce for dipping!  

Because of the way the ingredients are rolled up, you get layers upon layers of cheesy, pepperoni goodness in every bite.

To be honest (and not just hyperbolic), I’ve never met someone who didn’t like it! Every time we make this pepperoni bread, it goes like hot cakes.

And while it’s perfect for game-day snacking, it also can’t be beat for a pizza night dinner (although we usually opt for no cook Fridays and order pizza from one of the restaurants on my best pizza in Charlotte list). But if I’m going to cook, I’d make pepperoni bread and serve it with a side salad because I know my kids love it!

What you’ll need for this recipe

Wanna know the secret to this easy pepperoni pizza bread? 

Pre-made dough. 

Yep! You could totally use homemade pizza dough, but using a pre-made dough will save you tons of prep time. And I promise no one will notice that the dough wasn’t made from scratch!

Here’s what you’ll need for Aunt Julie’s easy recipe:

• Pizza dough or bread dough: I like to use frozen bread dough, such as Rhodes, or frozen/refrigerated pizza dough. If the dough was frozen, thaw it and allow it to come to room temperature so it’s easier to work with.
• Sliced pepperoni: You don’t need to get fancy here. Any pepperoni you like will work!
• Shredded mozzarella cheese: Again, the pre-shredded stuff is just fine!
• Spices: We like dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes for inside of the pepperoni bread (Italian seasoning blend would also work well). You can add more of these same spices on top or use pizza seasoning.
• Large egg: This will be combined with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash.

Don’t forget some pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping! You can use your favorite brand of jarred sauce or make a quick marinara sauce.

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card below.

How to make this easy pepperoni bread

This recipe is so easy to make, you’ll only need 10-15 minutes to put it together before it goes in the oven.

First, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. We’ll use this during assembly and to get that golden brown crust on the outside of the pepperoni bread.

Now, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. If the dough doesn’t want to roll out, walk away from it for 5-10 minutes, then come back and try again. This gives the dough time to relax so it can stretch!

Brush the dough with the egg wash, then sprinkle on the spices. Layer on the pepperoni and shredded cheese.

Now it’s time to roll it up! Roll dough tightly across the long side as if you were making cinnamon rolls. Pinch the seam closed, using some of the egg wash to help the dough stick to itself if needed.

Grease a 9-inch pie plate or similar-size baking dish. Coil the pepperoni roll into the dish, seam-side down.

Brush the top with more of the egg wash and sprinkle on some pizza seasoning. Bake at 375℉ for 35-40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the inside is cooked, and the outside is golden brown.

Once the pepperoni bread is out of the oven, slice into it to reveal the delicious layers of cheese- and pepperoni-stuffed bread!

(Want to make smaller, individual servings? This pizza buns recipe is like my aunt’s pepperoni bread, but in a pinwheel or pepperoni rolls version!)

Ingredient substitutions and recipe variations

Not a fan of pepperoni? Use your personal favorite pizza toppings. Some that would work well in this recipe include cooked and crumbled bacon, sliced ham/Canadian bacon, finely diced bell peppers, mushrooms, and sliced black olives. 

Feel free to use your favorite homemade pizza dough or even whole-wheat pizza dough in place of the frozen or refrigerated dough.

Use turkey pepperoni if your family does not eat red meat, or leave it out altogether and add your favorite veggies for a vegetarian-friendly cheese pizza bread.

Swap out some of the mozzarella cheese for your favorite cheese. Try parmesan cheese, fresh mozzarella, provolone cheese or even shredded pepper jack for a spicier version!

Make-ahead tips

My favorite thing about Aunt Julie’s pepperoni bread (other than it being so delicious) is that you can totally make it ahead of time.

For make-ahead pizza bread, follow all of the steps in the recipe, but don’t bake the bread just yet. 

Cover the baking dish with foil and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. 

When you’re ready to bake, let the bread sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven. This is especially important if you’re using a glass or ceramic baking dish, so you don’t shock it from the temperature change.

Bake as directed and enjoy! 

And if you have leftovers (we never do!) you can store in the fridge for a couple of day and reheat in the microwave.

More favorite game-day recipes

Snacks are the best. Not just on game day, but for feeding guests any time of year!

Some more of our favorite bites include air fryer chicken wings, crockpot buffalo turkey meatballs, bacon-wrapped dates, and spicy sugar bacon smokies.

And of course, you can’t forget the dips! Guacamole, grilled brie, spicy chili cheese dip, and easy onion dip are always a hit. 

And when in doubt, put together a huge cheese board! 

All of these would be perfect with this pepperoni bread. Add a beer margarita and you’ve got the perfect snacky dinner.