Have Homemade Air Fryer Pizza Rolls on the table in just 25 minutes. They're filled with pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni, then air fried until golden brown and cheesy. These gourmet pizza bites are guaranteed to be a hit!
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick to make. Although these pizza rolls are homemade, they come together with just 10 minutes of prep time. Not to mention they are more delicious than the frozen Totino's you likely grew up with! These will make the perfect after-school snack for your kids.
- Great appetizer or main entree. I've served these pizza snack rolls as an easy finger food when hosting friends, and also as a filling dinner main with a glass of wine. They're not only versatile but customizable too and a great recipe to make when you are short on time.
- An easy recipe for air fryer beginners. Using a new appliance for the first time can always feel daunting, but I promise this pizza roll recipe is as easy as it gets. Check out my other 22 Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners where I also share my top tips and cooking guides.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- pizza dough - Use your favorite dough, store-bought or homemade. If necessary, opt for a gluten-free dough.
- mozzarella cheese - Both pre-shredded and fresh mozzarella work well here. If shredding fresh mozzarella on your own, a low-moisture mozzarella is preferred to prevent the cheesy filling from being watery.
- pizza sauce - Just like the pizza dough, use your favorite store-bought or homemade pizza sauce. You can even substitute in a jarred tomato sauce or a red marinara sauce in a pinch!
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Pepperoni and cheese is one of the classic pizza roll flavors, but feel free to make these your own.
- Skip the pepperoni for a cheesy vegetarian option.
- Substitute pepperoni slices for diced ham to make a ham and cheese variety.
- Try a combination of pepperoni, sausage, and bacon for a meat lover's delight.
- Use leftover, cooked ground beef in place of the pepperoni slices for a cheeseburger twist.
Instructions
- Roll out pizza dough. Whether you are using store-bought dough or homemade, make sure to bring the dough to room temperature before attempting to roll it out. Cold dough is difficult to stretch out because the strands of gluten are too tight and will shrink back together. Once the dough is relaxed at room temperature, roll the dough into a large, thin rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. The best way to prevent sticking is flouring the work surface as well as your rolling pin.
- Spread on the sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices. These simple ingredients are the filling of your snack bites. You can be generous here, but avoid overstuffing or the pizza rolls filling may ooze out while cooking.
- Roll the dough into a log. If you have ever made cinnamon rolls, the process is identical. Starting with the longer side of the dough, tightly roll the pizza rolls into a long log, taking care to keep the filling wrapped inside the dough.
- Slice into pizza rolls. This can be done using a sharp knife, pizza cutter or unflavored dental floss. Floss will cut through the dough without squishing the pinwheels down, but both options work well. Do your best to cut them into equal bite-sized rolls to ensure they cook through evenly.
- Air Fry. Preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees F, spray the basket with olive oil spray and then layer the bite-sized rolls in the bottom of the frying basket in a single layer. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, or until the pizza rolls are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Depending on the size of your fryer, you may need to work in batches.
Recipe FAQs
Although some models say it is safe to use tin foil in the basket, I don't recommend it because it prevents the circulation of hot air. This is going to prevent your food from getting crispy on the bottom, and defeat the purpose of using this particular appliance. You want crispy pizza rolls.
Yes! Just like store-bought pizza rolls, these homemade snack rolls can be frozen. Allow them to cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen pizza rolls using the same cooking instructions, or until crispy again.
Save some extra pizza sauce for dipping, try dipping them in a cool ranch dressing or your favorite dipping sauce.
Homemade pizza rolls will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat any remaining leftover pizza rolls in the air fryer or enjoy cold!
Top Tips
- Buy pre-made dough and pizza sauce to make this recipe quick and easy!
- For best results, make sure to roll the dough up starting with the long side. If you roll the pizza bites starting with the short side, your pizza rolls will be twice as large and take longer to air fry.
- Cook time will vary depending on your air fryer model. Start checking the pizza rolls at around the 10 minute mark.
Serving
The great thing about this savory recipe is it can be enjoyed in a number of ways. Try them alongside a lighter side dish or as a finger food appetizer with Sloppy Joe Sliders on game days, Father's day, graduation parties, and more. Here are a few serving options, no matter the occasion!
More Appetizers to Serve at Parties
Side Dishes to Try
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
🍳Recipe
Homemade Air Fryer Pizza Rolls
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- Storebought pizza dough
- 1 jar pizza sauce
- 1 8 ounce bag of shredded mozzarella
- 20-30 slices of pepperoni
Instructions
- Place parchment paper on a counter and roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle.
- Spread ½ cup of pizza sauce onto the dough, then sprinkle mozzarella cheese and top with pepperoni slices.
- Roll the dough into a log, similar to rolling cinnamon rolls.
- Cut into equal-sized pieces.
- Preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees F, spray the basket or tray with olive oil spray, then place the rolls in the air fryer and cook for 12-15 minutes until golden on the outside.
- Serve with more pizza sauce or marinara on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Buy pre-made dough and pizza sauce to make this recipe quick and easy!
- Make sure to roll the dough up starting with the long side. If you roll the pizza bites starting with the short side, your pizza rolls will be twice as large and take longer to air fry.
- Cook time will vary depending on your air fryer model. Start checking the pizza rolls at around 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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