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These pizza muffins are my answer to the Sunday night question of what on earth to put in the lunchboxes this week. Soft pizza dough is pressed into a muffin tin, filled with sauce, mozzarella and olives, and baked until the cheese bubbles and the edges turn golden.
In short, pizza muffins are ready made pizza dough pressed into a 12 cup muffin tin, filled with about 1 tablespoon of thick pizza sauce each, topped with mozzarella and olives and baked at 400°F (205°C) for 15 to 18 minutes. The recipe makes 12, takes 33 minutes from start to finish and works out at about 150 calories per muffin.
These pizza muffins take about half an hour, they freeze brilliantly, and they taste just as good cold at 12.30 in a school playground as they do warm from the oven. My niece calls them “pizza cupcakes”, and honestly, that is not far off.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love These Pizza Muffins
- Six ingredients. Ready made dough, sauce, mozzarella, olives, basil and a little oil. That is it.
- Lunchbox friendly. Each one is a neat, hand sized portion with the filling tucked inside, so no sauce ends up on the sandwich bag.
- Freezer stars. Bake a double batch and you have lunches sorted for a fortnight.
- Endlessly flexible. Swap the olives for mini pepperoni, sausage or peppers and everyone gets their favourite.
- Little hands can help. Pressing dough into the cases and sprinkling cheese is the perfect job for young cooks.
Ingredient Notes
- Pizza dough. One ball of ready made dough, about 1 lb (450 g). Shop bought is perfect, but homemade dough works just as well. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes first, because cold dough springs back when you press it.
- Pizza sauce. Three quarters of a cup (180 ml) of a thick sauce. A runny passata soaks into the base and makes it soggy, so choose one that holds its shape on a spoon.
- Mozzarella. One and a half cups (150 g), shredded. Low moisture mozzarella melts and browns without releasing water.
- Black olives. A quarter cup (30 g), sliced. They add little salty pops of flavour and look so cheerful on top.
- Fresh basil or parsley. Optional. I shred a few basil leaves over the top once they come out of the oven.
- Olive oil. For greasing the tin. In the photos I used paper cases instead, which makes them easier to pack, but a well oiled tin gives crispier sides. Olive oil is also one of the better everyday fats; Harvard’s Nutrition Source has a clear guide to choosing healthy fats.
Pizza Muffins With Dough vs Biscuits
You will see lots of recipes made with canned biscuit dough. I have made both, and they are quite different, so here is how they compare:
| Pizza dough (this recipe) | Canned biscuits | |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Chewy and bready, like a real crust | Soft, flaky and buttery |
| Shape | Holds a cup for the filling | Usually chopped and mixed in |
| Cold in a lunchbox | Stays pleasant and chewy | Can turn a little dense |
| Bake time at 400°F | 15 to 18 minutes | About 15 to 20 minutes |
For lunchbox pizza muffins, I prefer dough every time. Because it bakes into a sturdy little cup, the sauce and cheese stay inside rather than seeping out.
How To Make Pizza Muffins
1. Preheat the oven. First, heat it to 400°F (205°C).
2. Prepare the tin. Next, line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper cases, as I did here, or generously grease each cup with olive oil, including the sides.
3. Divide the dough. Then cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
4. Shape. Flatten each piece into a small disc about 3 to 4 inches wide. In the photos I rolled each piece into a ball first, which makes it easier to get them even.
5. Press into the cups. Press each disc into a cup, pushing the dough up the sides to make a shallow little pizza cup.
6. Add the sauce. After that, spoon about 1 tablespoon of sauce into each cup. Do not overfill, or it bubbles over.
7. Add the cheese. Sprinkle generously with mozzarella, letting some sit on top so it browns.
8. Top. Scatter over the sliced olives. Alternatively, save the basil for after baking.
9. Bake. Now bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden and the dough edges are browned and crisp.
10. Cool and garnish. Finally, sprinkle with basil or parsley if using, and let them cool for 5 minutes before lifting them out of the tin.
Why Are My Cups Soggy or Doughy?
Pizza dough cups turn soggy or doughy when there is too much or too thin sauce, the base is pressed too thick or they are underbaked. Use 1 tablespoon of thick sauce per cup, bake for the full 15 to 18 minutes and move them to a rack after 5 minutes. These are the usual causes:
- Too much sauce. One tablespoon is plenty. Any more and the base cannot bake through.
- Thin sauce. Watery sauce soaks straight into the dough. Use a thick pizza sauce or simmer yours for a few minutes to reduce it.
- The dough was too thick on the bottom. Press it thinner in the base and higher up the sides.
- Underbaked. Pale edges mean they need longer. Look for proper golden brown before you take them out.
- They sat in the tin. Steam softens the bottoms, so move them to a rack after 5 minutes.
Tips for the Best Pizza Muffins
- Lightly flour your hands if the dough is sticky.
- Use a dark metal tin for the crispiest sides.
- Grate your own mozzarella from a block if you can; it melts more evenly.
- Brush the exposed dough edges with a little olive oil before baking for extra colour.
- For mini versions, use a 24 hole mini tin and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Packing Them in a Lunchbox
Let the pizza muffins cool completely before packing, otherwise condensation makes the bottoms soft. I pack two per child with fruit and veggie sticks, plus a little pot of marinara for dipping.
Because they contain cheese, treat them like any other perishable lunch. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends an insulated lunch box with an ice pack, and a frozen carton of juice does the job nicely while thawing in time for lunch.
A bento style lunch box keeps the muffins apart from the fruit and the dipping pot, so nothing turns soggy before lunchtime.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge. Store leftover pizza muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. Cool completely, then freeze for up to 2 months. I freeze them on a tray first, then bag them.
- Oven or air fryer. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes for the best texture.
- Microwave. Quick, but softer. About 20 to 30 seconds each.
Variations and Substitutions
- Pepperoni. Add mini pepperoni on top of the cheese.
- Sausage. Scatter in a little cooked, crumbled sausage.
- Veggie. Diced peppers, sweetcorn or chopped mushrooms all work.
- Homemade dough. My bread machine pizza dough makes exactly the right amount, and my sourdough pizza dough gives a tangier, chewier cup.
- Pizza rolls. If you prefer a swirl, try my homemade pizza rolls instead.
What to Serve With Them
For lunchboxes, I add grapes, apple slices, cucumber and carrot sticks, plus a little sweet treat like my energy balls. They keep well and balance out the cheesy bites.
At home, serve pizza muffins warm with a bowl of marinara for dipping and a big green salad. They are also great on a party table next to crisps, dips and fruit skewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dough and Toppings
Can you use homemade dough for pizza muffins?
Yes, homemade pizza dough works perfectly. Use about 1 lb (450 g), divide it into 12 pieces and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes first so it presses into the cups without springing back.
What toppings can you add to pizza muffins?
Mini pepperoni, cooked crumbled sausage, diced peppers, sweetcorn or chopped mushrooms all work. Add them on top of the mozzarella and keep the sauce to about 1 tablespoon per cup so the base still bakes through.
Can you make pizza muffins with canned biscuits?
Yes, though the texture is softer, flakier and more buttery than pizza dough. Press one biscuit into each cup and bake at 400°F for about 15 to 20 minutes, until golden.
Do you need paper cases for pizza muffins?
No. A well greased tin works, and in fact it gives crispier sides. Cases just make them easier to pack.
Storage and Reheating
Can you freeze pizza muffins?
Yes, for up to 2 months. Cool them completely, freeze them on a tray, then bag them. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes for the best texture.
How do you reheat pizza muffins?
In the oven or air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes for the best texture. The microwave is quickest at about 20 to 30 seconds each, but the dough turns softer.
Are pizza muffins good cold for lunchboxes?
Yes. That is exactly why I make them for lunchboxes; the dough stays chewy and the cheese firms up nicely. Because they contain cheese, pack them in an insulated lunch box with an ice pack.
How long do pizza muffins keep in the fridge?
Up to 4 days in an airtight container. Let them cool completely first so condensation does not soften the bottoms, and refrigerate them within 2 hours of baking.
How many calories are in a pizza muffin?
About 150 calories per muffin when the recipe makes 12, with roughly 6 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates and 5 g fat. These figures are estimates and change with the dough, sauce and toppings you use.
Ingredients
- 1 ball ready-made pizza dough about 1 lb (450 g)
- 3/4 cup thick pizza sauce (180 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (150 g)
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives (30 g)
- fresh basil or parsley optional
- olive oil for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cases, or generously grease it with olive oil, including the sides.
- Divide the pizza dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Flatten each piece into a small disc, about 3 to 4 inches wide.
- Press each disc into the muffin cups, pushing the dough up the sides to form shallow pizza cups.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce into each cup. Do not overfill.
- Sprinkle generously with mozzarella, letting some cheese sit on top.
- Add the sliced olives (or add fresh basil after baking).
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden and the dough edges are browned and crisp.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with basil or parsley if using, and cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin.
