Chaos to Comfort – The Snack Bible
Little bites, big pizza flavour!
These mini pizza muffin cups are perfect for little hands and hungry tummies! They’re cheesy, easy to make, and completely customizable. Whether you’re packing school lunches, preparing after-school snacks, or looking for a quick weekend lunch, these little pizza cups are a fun option.
Start with my homemade pizza dough recipe, prepared and risen before shaping the cups. This is a fun way to turn homemade dough into little pizza bites!
Made in a standard muffin tin, each cup holds pizza sauce, melty mozzarella and your favourite toppings. Keep them simple with cheese or add finely chopped pepperoni and bell peppers.
Assembly: 10 minutes with prepared, risen dough · Bake: 12–15 minutes · Total: about 25 minutes, plus dough preparation, rising and cooling · Makes: 12 pizza cups
Mini Pizza Muffin Cups
Print ThisIngredients
- Homemade pizza dough — use my pizza dough recipe, prepared and risen; enough to line 12 standard muffin cups
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pepperoni (optional)
- 1/4 cup finely diced bell peppers (optional)
- A pinch of Italian seasoning (optional)
- Olive oil or cooking spray, for greasing
- A little flour, for dusting the work surface
Instructions
Before you begin: Make the dough using my homemade pizza dough recipe and allow it to rise as directed. Follow the muffin-cup shaping and baking instructions below rather than the full-size pizza baking instructions in the dough recipe.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Prepare the dough. Roll out enough prepared, risen homemade dough on a lightly floured surface to line 12 standard muffin cups. Cut it into 12 equal squares, keeping the dough thin and even. Reserve any extra dough for another pizza or batch.
- Shape the cups. Gently press each square into a muffin cup, covering the bottom and sides.
- Add the sauce. Divide the pizza sauce among the cups, using approximately 2 teaspoons per cup.
- Add cheese and toppings. Divide the mozzarella among the cups, add the optional pepperoni and bell peppers, and finish with a pinch of Italian seasoning if desired.
- Bake. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and fully cooked and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Dough thickness may affect baking time; continue baking if the centres are still doughy.
- Cool and enjoy. Let the cups rest in the tin for about 5 minutes. Carefully loosen the edges and lift them out. Allow the cheese and sauce to cool enough to eat comfortably, then serve.
Notes
Makes 12 pizza cups in a standard 12-cup muffin tin, not a mini-muffin pan. Assembly and baking take approximately 25 minutes with prepared, risen dough; allow extra time to make and proof the homemade dough, plus cooling. Use enough dough to line the cups thinly and evenly, and check that the bases are fully baked. Toppings are optional and customizable. For freezing, cool completely and freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe container.
Make them your own
Let everyone choose their favourite toppings before baking. Chop toppings finely and avoid overfilling so the dough can cook through. For school lunches, choose toppings that fit your school’s food rules.
Freezer-friendly snacks
Let the pizza cups cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe container or bag. Reheat until hot throughout before serving, and let the filling cool to a comfortable temperature for little eaters.
