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Mini pizza monkey bread is a savory pull-apart bread made with refrigerated biscuit dough, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce. Baked in a small dish, it delivers classic pizza flavor in a perfectly portioned, easy-to-make recipe.
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“Made it today and loved it. Easy to make and full of flavor.”
– Susan
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with Refrigerated Biscuit Dough: Store-bought biscuits make this mini pizza monkey bread easy to assemble with soft, pull-apart results.
- Classic Pizza Flavors: Pepperoni, mozzarella, and tomato sauce deliver familiar pizza flavor in every bite.
- Perfectly Portioned: Baked in a small dish, this recipe makes just enough.
- Easy to Customize: Swap toppings or cheeses to suit your taste.
- Fun Pull-Apart Bread: Each piece pulls away easily, making it great for sharing or enjoying straight from the dish.
This mini pizza monkey bread takes the familiar pull apart style of classic monkey bread and gives it a savory spin with pepperoni, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. Baked in a small dish, it delivers all the fun of pull apart pizza bread with familiar pizza flavors and no extra. It is one of those recipes that feels playful, satisfying, and hard to stop picking at once it comes out of the oven.
If you enjoy pizza-inspired recipes like this one, you might also like our personal pepperoni pizza, small Detroit-style pizza, crustless pizza bowl, crustless pizza quiche, and French bread pizza. Each is made in a smaller portion and delivers familiar pizza flavors in an easy-to-make format.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small pepperoni pizza monkey bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Refrigerator Biscuits: Use store-bought biscuit dough from the refrigerated section, it’s the easiest way to get soft, pull-apart pizza bread bites. You can also swap in pizza dough or crescent roll dough if you prefer a chewier texture. If you’ve got an extra tube of biscuit dough, consider using to make a small batch of cinnamon rolls.
- Pepperoni: Classic pizza pepperoni adds savory flavor in every bite. Use mini pepperoni or cut regular slices in half. For a vegetarian version, swap in plant-based pepperoni or leave it out. Use extra pepperoni in a small Detroit style pizza or a small crustless pizza quiche.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded mozzarella gives you that gooey, cheesy pizza pull that makes this monkey bread irresistible. You can mix in other melty cheeses like provolone or Monterey Jack for extra flavor. Use extra mozzarella in lasagna rollups for one, stuffed shells for one, or Caprese pasta for one.
- Tomato sauce: Use your favorite brand or use our homemade tomato sauce recipe.
- Olive Oil: A light coat of olive oil helps season the biscuit pieces and gives a golden, savory base. You can use extra virgin or a lighter olive oil.
- Parmesan Cheese & Dried Basil: Grated Parmesan and dried basil bring extra depth and Italian pizza seasoning to your pull-apart bread.
Recipe Variations
This mini pizza monkey bread is easy to customize with simple pizza-inspired additions.
- Meat Lover’s Pizza Monkey Bread: Add cooked sausage or bacon along with the pepperoni for a heartier version.
- Vegetable Pizza Monkey Bread: Stir in finely chopped bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, or olives for a vegetable-forward option.
- Extra Cheesy Pizza Bread: Mix mozzarella with provolone or Monterey Jack for even more cheesy pull-apart bites.
- Spicy Pizza Monkey Bread: Add sliced jalapeños or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- Garlic Herb Pizza Bread: Toss the biscuit pieces with a small amount of garlic powder or Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
How To Make Pizza Monkey Bread
These step-by-step photos show how to assemble mini pizza monkey bread. Find the full recipe with exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Open the tube of refrigerated biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place the pieces in a zip-top bag or a large bowl. Add the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and dried basil. Seal the bag and shake, or stir in the bowl, until the biscuit pieces are evenly coated.
- Arrange half of the seasoned biscuit pieces in an even layer in a 5×5-inch baking dish.
- Spoon some of the tomato sauce over the biscuits and sprinkle with the chopped pepperoni.
- Add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese over the pepperoni.
- Top with the remaining biscuit pieces.
- Finish with more tomato sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through.
Expert Tips
- Coat the Biscuits Evenly: Toss the biscuit pieces with olive oil, Parmesan, and basil in a zip-top bag or bowl so every piece is seasoned before layering.
- Grease the Baking Dish: Lightly coat the baking dish with oil or nonstick spray to prevent sticking and make serving easier.
- Cut Pepperoni into Small Pieces: Chopping the pepperoni helps distribute it evenly so you get pizza flavor in every bite.
- Watch the Bake Time: Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can assemble it a few hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Bake just before serving for the best texture.
A 5×5-inch baking dish works best for this mini pizza monkey bread and ensures even baking.
It’s done when the cheese is melted and bubbly and the biscuit pieces are cooked through in the center.
Yes, pizza dough works, but the texture will be chewier rather than soft and fluffy like biscuit dough.
It’s great on its own, but warm marinara or pizza sauce works well for dipping.
Yes, double the ingredients and use a 6×8 inch baking dish or a 7×7 inch baking dish.
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Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this pizza pull-apart bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this cheesy pull-apart bread or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini Pizza Monkey Bread
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tube refrigerator biscuits (8 small or 5 large)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 6 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 20 slices pepperoni -sliced in half or in quarters
- 3 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly coat a 5×5-inch baking dish with oil spray.
- Open the tube of refrigerated biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Place the pieces in a zip-top bag or large bowl. Add the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and dried basil, then shake or stir until evenly coated.
- Arrange half of the seasoned biscuit pieces in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Spoon some of the tomato sauce over the dough and sprinkle with the chopped pepperoni.
- Add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Top with the remaining biscuit pieces, then finish with more tomato sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through.
Notes
- Coat the Biscuits Evenly: Toss the biscuit pieces with olive oil, Parmesan, and basil in a zip-top bag or bowl so every piece is seasoned before layering.
- Grease the Baking Dish: Lightly coat the baking dish with oil or nonstick spray to prevent sticking and make serving easier.
- Cut Pepperoni into Small Pieces: Chopping the pepperoni helps distribute it evenly so you get pizza flavor in every bite.
- Watch the Bake Time: Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi love your recipes and cookbook. I live in New Zealand and are unable to buy refrigerator biscuit dough. Can I use pizza dough for the monkey bread recipe
Many thanks jean
Pizza dough should work just fine.
How can I print out the recipe without the pictures (on some of your recipes) I am using too much ink and very costly?
I love all of the recipes that I have tried. They are so convenient and tasty too.
Thank you.
Hi Bettie, I’m so happy you are enjoying our recipes. We give the option to either print out the recipe with photos OR without photos. To print without photos, simply click the PRINT button, UNCHECK the box that says “Recipe Image” and “Instruction Image” and you will be able to print without photos.
Thank you Joanie, I now have a printed copy. Appreciated!!
This sounds yummy! Can this be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator to be baked the next day?
Yes.
I tried the recipe twice. First, I used crescent rolls because there is evidently a shortage of biscuits. I baked it a little longer than what the recipe said. There was uncooked dough.
Desperate to succeed, I found biscuits and tried the recipe again. I had the same issue: raw dough.
Both times I had to throw the monkey bread out and clean my oven.
Someone please tell me where I went wrong.
Hi Kat, I’d encourage you to test the temperature of your oven. It sounds like it might not be running as hot as it should. You can do this by purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer and keeping it in your oven as it heats up.
If the biscuits rose and overflowed in the baking dish, the dish you used was too small. I use a 5-inch baking dish. This dish holds about 1.5 cups and has an area of 25 square inches. A 4×6-inch dish has an area of 24 square inches and will work as well. You can use any smaller-sized baking dish and simply adjust the amount of dough you use depending on the size of your dish. (Also see our recipe photos to see how we layer the ingredients)
For smaller-sized dishes, use less dough. For a larger dish, you may only use one layer of dough. See our FAQ page for additional information on baking dish sizes.
For examples of the dishes we use, please visit our Store page.
Hi Joanie! I love your site and all the wonderful recipes you offer😊. Thank you very much.
Made it today and loved it. Easy to make and full of flavor.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your feedback.