Recipe: Pizza Balls

I think most foods are more fun if you can somehow make them in a bite-size, dip-able form. As is the case with these pizza balls.

Pizza Balls right out of the oven, complete with escapee cheese!

These make for an easy appetizer or pair them with a side salad and call it dinner! 

Keep in mind that these are totally customizable, based on your filling preferences.

Toppings...er...I mean, fillings.

12 balls of pizza dough. Pretend they are all the same size.

Smooshed pizza dough balls.

Adding the filling.

Pizza balls ready to go in the oven.

Pizza Balls

Makes 12 pizza balls.

Ingredients:

• 1 package refrigerated pizza dough
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (in the photos it shows cubes but I did it later with shredded and that led to better results)
• 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
• 1/2 cup chopped pepperocinis
• Pizza sauce or ranch dressing, for dipping

Directions:

Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray and preheat the oven to the temperature noted on the pizza dough cooking instructions.

Mix the mozzarella, pepperoni, and pepperocinis together in a medium size bowl. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the pizza dough into 12 equal sized balls of dough. Lightly press each ball down to create a flat surface. 

Top each piece of dough with a heaping tablespoon of toppings. Carefully stretch the dough around the toppings and seal edges firmly. Place each finished ball into the muffin tin. 

Bake according to the pizza dough directions or until the pizza balls begin to brown. 

Let cool slightly before serving with dipping sauce of your choice. 

Notes:

Both times I made these some of the pizza balls leaked some cheese. Letting them cool slightly before removing them from the pan, I was able to rescue the escaped cheese and they were just as delicious.