Muffin Tin Pizza Calzones
If your family loves making homemade pizza, these Muffin Tin Pizza Calzones are going to be the new favorite recipe in your house!
Why You’ll Love These Pizza Muffins!
- They’re a fun twist on a crowd favorite! There are many ways to enjoy a pizza, but these muffin tin pizza pockets are a fun way to put a twist on that Friday night pizza tradition.
- They’re a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen! Children can make these mini calzones pretty much all by themselves – other than possibly needing you to assist with the oven.
- They’re super tasty. Tangy pizza sauce, spicy pepperoni, and gooey melted cheese surrounded by a crisp flaky crust? Sign me up!
- They’re a great way to use up odds and ends in your fridge. Do you have half-filled bags of remaining cheese? Use them in calzones! Is there a container of browned beef that needs to be used up? Add them to your calzones! Have a pepper that’s going soft? Into the calzone it goes!
Ingredients You’ll Need For Homemade Pizza Calzones
- Olive Oil – To keep your calzones from sticking from your muffin tin, you need to oil the pan. Olive oil works great for this, or any cooking spray.
- Pizza Crust – If you have a pizza dough recipe that you stand by, whip that up and use it! Prefer store-bought dough? That works, too! To make a dozen muffin tin calzones, I usually just grab one package of store-bought pizza dough. If I’m going to make two muffin tin trays full of these, I grab two packages!
- Ricotta Cheese – Ricotta cheese gets sooooo gooey. A tiny scoop of ricotta cheese will add the creaminess to these homemade pizza rolls that shredded cheeses can’t achieve on their own.
- Mozzarella Cheese – Choose low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese, or an Italian-blend shredded cheese.
- Pepperoni – We like to add pepperoni or mini pepperoni to our pizza calzones, but it’s just one of many options.
- Melted Butter – When the calzone comes out of the oven, brush melted butter over the top of them, for extra flavor and color.
- Seasonings – This just takes the calzones to the next level. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, or garlic powder on the buttered tops.
- Pizza Sauce – Use pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping your yummy calzones.
Please don’t be upset I’ve not included precise measurements of ingredients.
A lot of this will be based on your family’s specific tastes and preferences.
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How To Make These Delicious Muffin Tin Pizza Calzones
Making mini calzones isn’t any more complicated that making a normal pizza –
You can do this!
- Prep your cupcake tins, then divide the dough into 24 equal portions – two for each muffin cup! On a lightly floured surface, roll one of the dough balls into a small, 3 inch circle.
- Place a couple pepperoni slices on top of this piece of dough. Add a tiny scoop of ricotta cheese, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
- Roll out another dough ball, and lay it on top of the toppings. Pinch the seams together, and lay the mini calzone into the oiled muffin cups.
- Turn the rest of the dough into small calzones, then bake them at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Brush the top of the calzones with melted butter, then sprinkle on Italian seasoning or garlic powder. Let them cool, then serve them with a bowl of warm homemade pizza sauce.
Fun Filling Options
I love easy recipes that I can change up regularly, without having to add to my recipe book!
This one of those recipes.
You can add all sorts of your favorite pizza toppings!
The important thing is not to overfill your dough.
Here are some filling options to tickle your taste buds.
- Black Olives
- Turkey Sausage
- Ground Beef Crumbles
- Bacon Bits
- Green Peppers
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Sliced Mushrooms
- Pineapple
How To Store Leftover Muffin Tin Calzones
If you don’t get through all of your muffin tin pizza calzones in one meal, no worry!
Store any leftover calzones for next time in an airtight container, and place them in the fridge.
They’ll reheat to melty perfection for next time.
I like to reheat them on a baking sheet, so that the crust stays crispy.
Simply put them in a 325 degrees F oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.
However, if you like, it’s actually quicker to use the microwave.
Making Pizza Calzones Ahead Of Time
Prepping meals ahead of time is a lifesaver on busy weeknights.
You can construct these mini calzones ahead of time and place them in the freezer.
All you’ll need for a perfect meal on a time crunch later is to pull them out, let them thaw for a few minutes, then bake them.
You can even pull them out and cook them a couple at a time, to use for quick snacks!
However, you need to freeze them a certain way, or they’ll all stick together.
Once you’ve filled your muffin tray with the calzones, place the whole pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Then, pop the chilled calzones out of their tins and throw them all in a large Ziploc freezer bag.
Since they froze separately, they won’t stick to each other in the bag.
For extra protection, you can also wrap each calzone in a square of parchment paper.
Top Tips For Perfect Muffin Tin Pizzas
You’ll always enjoy pizza-deliciousness with my muffin tin calzones, but there are some tips that will make them extra perfect, every time!
- I know that none of us like scrubbing out a muffin pan, but don’t use cupcake liners. You need the dough to touch the pan in order to get that golden brown crust!
- If you make regular pizza at home often, then you already know that it’s important not to overload your pizzas with toppings. Toppings are delicious, but they weigh on the dough and make it soggy. When making your mini calzones, limit to toppings to about 3 teaspoons worth. You’ll think you can surely add more – and you’d definitely be able to make it fit! But all of the moisture would get trapped, and your flaky calzone crust would be dense and disappointing.
- When pressing the seams together between the bottom and top circles of dough, really be thorough – Nobody wants an exploded calzone! Use a little water on the outside edge of the bottom circle before you pinch the top circle to it. This water “glue” will help meld the dough together!
Muffin Tin Pizza Calzones
Equipment
- 1 Muffin Tin Pan
Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Pizza Crust
- Ricotta Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Pepperoni
- Melted Butter
- Seasonings
- Pizza Sauce
Instructions
- Prep your cupcake tins, then divide the dough into 24 equal portions – two for each muffin cup! On a lightly floured surface, roll one of the dough balls into a small, 3 inch circle.
- Place a couple pepperoni slices on top of this piece of dough. Add a tiny scoop of ricotta cheese, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
- Roll out another dough ball, and lay it on top of the toppings. Pinch the seams together, and lay the mini calzone into the oiled muffin cups.
- Turn the rest of the dough into small calzones, then bake them at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Brush the top of the calzones with melted butter, then sprinkle on Italian seasoning or garlic powder. Let them cool, then serve them with a bowl of warm homemade pizza sauce!
Just wondering if prepared biscuit dough that comes in those easy-to-use pressurized cans can be substituted for pizza dough. The idea is great but it is just the 2 of us now so whatever I can do to make anything easier is better for me.
I think you could definitely try this! I totally understand and we are the same way around here a lot of time – I hope you’ll circle back and let us know if you try it! Thank you for visiting us here, Barbara –