Description
These homemade pizza pockets are a delicious and portable snack or meal, featuring a crispy golden crust filled with classic pizza ingredients like mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and flavorful seasonings. Perfect for a kid-friendly dinner, lunch on the go, or an easy appetizer, these pockets can be customized with your favorite toppings and baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Dough
- 1 pound pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
Filling
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni or chopped cooked sausage
- 1/4 cup diced bell peppers or mushrooms (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Finishing
- 1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
- Olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Dough Circles: Divide the pizza dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 5–6 inch diameter circle, ensuring even thickness for uniform baking.
- Add Sauce: Spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce on one half of each dough circle, leaving a small border around the edges to allow for sealing.
- Layer Fillings: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauced half, then add mini pepperoni or your choice of cooked sausage, and optionally diced bell peppers or mushrooms. Finish with a sprinkle of dried oregano and garlic powder for extra flavor.
- Seal Pockets: Fold the dough over the fillings to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges together firmly and crimp with a fork to seal completely and prevent leaks during baking.
- Apply Egg Wash: Place the prepared pizza pockets on the lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg to achieve a glossy, golden crust once baked.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown and the filling is hot and melted.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and allow the pizza pockets to cool slightly before serving to avoid burning and enhance flavors.
Notes
- Customize your pizza pockets by adding other toppings like cooked bacon, ham, olives, or even pineapple to suit your taste.
- For make-ahead convenience, assemble the pockets and freeze them unbaked on a tray. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 5 to 7 minutes more to the baking time.
- Use a little olive oil to brush the crust edges for extra crispiness if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pocket
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
