Homemade Pepperoni Pizza (With Fresh Dough!)

Cheesy, gooey homemade pepperoni pizza with a golden crispy crust that is always welcome around the table! This recipe is SO popular with both kids and adults and can be customized in so many different ways. Everyone will be coming back for a second slice of this chewy, delicious homemade pepperoni pizza recipe and will enjoy to the last bite!

 

Why We Love Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

• Delicious Dinner– It’s hard to say no to a slice of homemade pizza. Packed with cheese, gooey and warm from the oven, this is a dinner everyone will cheer for.
• Family Favorite – Making homemade pizza is one of those memories that just lasts with you. Everyone crowded around the table or the kitchen, laughing and enjoying a slice.
• Fun! – It’s just fun to make your own pizza. Turn on some music and enjoy the process, you can even try spinning the dough on your hands.

This is a basic recipe that everyone should try because homemade pizza is amazing. You can totally go crazy with your favorite toppings. See some of my favorite pizza toppings down below in the article, or try making creamy White Pizza which is one of my favorite pizza variations!

Ingredients For Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

• Homemade pizza dough – Homemade pizza dough does take a little time to make, you can use dough from the grocery store, anywhere from 12-16 ounces of dough works great.
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 ounces pepperoni slices
• 1/4 cup cornmeal optional
• flour for dusting when stretching dough

How To Make Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Use the instructions of how to make homemade pizza dough or use storebought dough.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Oil a baking sheet or add a handful of cornmeal to the pan per the instructions for the pizza dough. If the dough was in the refrigerator set it on the counter or in a warm place before stretching it so it comes to room temperature.
2. Gently stretch and knead the dough on a clean and dry floured surface. Add a sprinkle of flour as you stretch the dough if the dough becomes sticky. Add flour to the rolling pin and roll the pizza dough until it is twelve inches across.

3. Transfer the dough to the baking pan, round pizza pan or use a pizza peel to transfer it to a hot pizza stone in the oven. (If you have a pizza stone and have never used it, follow these directions to use a pizza stone and pizza peel.)

4. Add tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni.

5. Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes. The crust will be fluffy on the inside but golden brown on the outside when it has finished cooking. Remove from oven, slice and enjoy! Top with parmesan cheese or even red pepper flakes to give it a spicy kick!

Variations And Ideas

There are so many ways you can vary a classic pizza! Here are a few of my favorites and you can totally mix and match. Add one or two of these classic toppings, or a bunch!

Please note that any meat must be cooked before adding it to the pizza. Meats like salami and pepperoni and ham have been preserved and are already cooked, but other meats may need to be cooked if raw.

Pizza Topping Ideas

• Sausage- Cooked
• Ham – Needs to be precooked if it isn’t already cooked.
• Bacon – Cooked
• Chicken – Cooked
• Salami – is usually already cooked and preserved.
• Bell peppers
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Black olives
• Mushrooms
• Pineapple
• Sliced tomatoes
• Artichokes
• Italian seasoning (try 1/2 a teaspoon sprinkled across the pizza)
• Fresh oregano (sprinkle after cooking the pizza)
• Fresh parsley (sprinkle after cooking the pizza)

Pizza Sauce Ideas

• Olive oil and herb sauce
• Pesto
• BBQ sauce
• Alfredo sauce
• Hot wing sauce

Cheese Ideas

• Mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Provelone
• Romano
• Monterary jack
• Munster
• Havarti
• Cheddar
• Goat Cheese

You can also mix things up with my pepperoni dip, pepperoni rolls, or stuffed pizza chicken. All of these recipes have great pepperoni pizza taste!

What Should I Serve Pizza With?

I like to keep sides simple to make this an easy dinner, here are a few ideas.

• Raw Veggies And Dip– We have pizza night pretty regularly and I often will add a plate of raw veggies and dip, usually hummus or dill dip. If you need ideas try this list of thirty ideas of what to dip in hummus.
• Cheesy Pull Apart Bread– What goes better with pizza then cheesey garlic bread? This cheesy pull apart bread is made with biscuit dough. You can use an extra batch of homemade pizza dough to make it delicious too, just double the pizza dough when you are making it.
• Green Salad– Another classic for pizza is serving this recipe with a green garden salad. Add a little dressing and a few chopped veggies like cucumbers or tomatoes to your favorite greens and this side is done. Try my cranberry vinegarette from my favorite fall apple cranberry green salad.

Why Is There So Much Cornmeal Added To The Pan?

I’ve had a few people tell me I use too much cornmeal for the pan. There will be some excess on the pan afterward. The cornmeal not only coats the bottom of the pizza for a delicious crust, but also the excess cornmeal helps keep the dough from sticking to the pan.

When making at home I honestly just throw a handful of cornmeal onto the pan and it works every time, but when I measured what I usually add it was about 1/4 cup.

Other Great Recipes You Will Love

Apple Crisp Pizza– Take a classic pizza and turn it into an apple crispy dessert, yes, please! This pizza is so good, you’ve got to give it a try!

Pepperoni Rolls– These quick, easy, and classic pepperoni rolls have all the flavor of pizza but are portable! This is great for snacks, lunches, or dinner and if you love this homemade pizza recipe you’ll love this recipe too! Directions are included for both the oven and the air fryer.

Cold Veggie Pizza – A classic cold appetizer, this veggie pizza is flavored with ranch.

Italian Pasta Salad– Packed full of Italian meats, cheese, and crunchy vegetables, this Italian pasta salad is a classic recipe you don’t want to miss!

Homemade Beef Italian Meatballs– Just like my grandma used to make, yum!