Irresistible Mini Heart Pizza Bites with Pepperoni
These mini heart pizza bites with pepperoni are cute, delicious, and perfect for parties or cozy nights. They feature a crispy crust, gooey cheese, and a spicy pepperoni kick, ready in about 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 mini heart pizza bites 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- About 20 thin slices of pepperoni
- ½ cup (120 ml) pizza sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme)
- Flour for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Using a 2-3 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many hearts as possible from the dough. Re-roll scraps lightly to get more shapes.
- On half of the hearts, spread about 1 teaspoon of pizza sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, then top with one or two pepperoni slices. Avoid overfilling.
- Brush the edges of the filled hearts with olive oil. Top each with a plain heart dough piece and press edges firmly with fingers or a fork to seal.
- Lightly brush the tops of the sealed pizza bites with olive oil. Sprinkle dried Italian herbs over the top.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cheese is melted inside. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
- Let the pizza bites rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Do not overfill the bites to prevent leaking. Chill dough if sticky for easier handling. Press edges firmly and brush with olive oil to seal well. Rotate baking sheet halfway for even browning. Use freshly shredded mozzarella for better melting. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes to maintain crispiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini heart pizza b
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 7
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 4
Keywords: mini pizza bites, heart-shaped pizza, pepperoni bites, party snacks, easy appetizer, Valentine's Day recipe