Personal Pepperoni Pizza

This personal pepperoni pizza recipe delivers a crisp, flavorful homemade crust topped with rich tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and plenty of pepperoni. It is the perfect small pizza to bake at home when you want classic pizzeria flavor in a perfectly portioned size.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple Homemade Crust: The dough mixes easily in one bowl and creates a flavorful base with a soft, chewy texture.
• Rich Homemade Sauce: A quick stovetop sauce made with crushed tomatoes and garlic adds fresh, vibrant flavor to every bite.
• Perfect Personal Size: Ideal for a small round pizza or a rectangular thin crust baked on a quarter sheet pan.
• Easy to Customize: Add vegetables, extra cheese, or your favorite meats to create your perfect personal pizza.
• Great for Sharing: Double the ingredients if you want to make a second pizza.

There’s something special about a personal pizza made at home. This small pepperoni pizza gives you everything you love about a classic pizzeria pie in a perfectly sized version.

The crust bakes up crisp on the outside and soft inside, the sauce is rich and full of flavor, and the melted mozzarella and pepperoni create that familiar, comforting taste we all love.

It’s just the right size to enjoy on your own or to share, and you get to enjoy it fresh from the oven with nothing going to waste.

Enjoy your personal pepperoni pizza with a small Caprese salad, a small Italian pasta salad, or tomato soup for one for a complete and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this mini pizza recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.

For the Personal Pizza Dough:

• Yeast: Use either active dry yeast or instant yeast. Instant yeast, like Platinum Yeast from Red Star can be mixed directly into the flour. Active dry yeast, such as Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast, needs to be dissolved in warm water before use. Check the package for the best-by date for best results. Leftover yeast can be used to make a small loaf of French Bread.
• Water: Use ⅓ cup of warm water (100-110°F) to activate the yeast. Avoid water hotter than 130°F, as it can kill the yeast.
• Flour: All purpose flour gives you a tender crust and bread flour creates a chewier crust similar to pizzeria style dough.
• Sugar: A small amount helps the yeast activate and creates a lighter, softer crust.
• Salt and Garlic Powder: These season the dough and build flavor.
• Olive Oil: Adds moisture and richness to the dough. Extra virgin olive oil offers the best flavor.

For the Pizza Sauce:

• Olive Oil: A small amount helps soften the garlic and adds depth to the sauce.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic brings texture and a stronger flavor. Use one clove or substitute with one eighth teaspoon garlic powder for a quick no cook option.
• Canned Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes create a smooth, vibrant sauce. Whole peeled tomatoes work as well when blended. Any leftover tomatoes can be used in small batch meat sauce or caponata for one.
• Tomato Paste: Adds concentrated tomato flavor. Freeze leftover paste in small scoops for future recipes like lasagna soup for one or baked black bean tacos.
• Sugar: A pinch balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Seasonings: Dried basil and a pinch of salt keep the sauce simple and well seasoned.

For the Pizza:

• Mozzarella Cheese:  Shred your own cheese for the best melt. Pre shredded cheese often contains anti caking agents that affect the way it melts. You can use leftover mozzarella in an Italian chopped salad, single serving stuffed pasta shells, and a small hot spinach dip.
• Pepperoni: One ounce or about fifteen slices gives you full coverage without overwhelming the crust. Leftover pepperoni can be used in a single serve pizza bowl or mini muffuletta.

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How To Make A Personal Pepperoni Pizza

These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a personal pizza. See the recipe below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

Make the Personal Pizza Dough

1. Warm the Water: Pour one third cup of warm water into a large bowl. The water should be between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Note: If you do not have a thermometer, the water should feel warm to the touch, not hot.

2. Add the Yeast: Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for about two minutes. It should begin to foam slightly.

3. Add the Seasonings: Stir in the sugar, salt, garlic powder, and olive oil.

4. Add the Flour: Stir in the flour until the dough begins to form. If the dough feels too wet, add a small amount of flour until it is easy to handle.

5. Knead the Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about three minutes, adding flour a teaspoon at a time only if the dough is sticky. The dough should become soft and smooth as you knead.

Note: The dough may look shaggy at first but will smooth out as you work with it.

6. Let the Dough Rise: Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough inside and turn it so all sides are coated. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about thirty minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Pro Tip: If your kitchen is cold, place the dough in the oven. Warm the oven for one minute, turn it off, and set the dough inside. Sometimes the oven light alone provides enough warmth.

Make the Pizza Sauce

7. Cook the Garlic: Heat olive oil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about thirty seconds.

8. Add the Tomatoes and Seasonings: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, basil, and salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.

Assemble and Bake

9. Prepare the Dough: Punch down the risen dough. Place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a circle or press it into a lightly greased small baking pan.

Pro Tip: A quarter sheet pan creates a thin crust. If the dough springs back when rolling, cover it and let it rest for ten minutes.

10. Form the Crust: Pinch or fold the edges to form a crust.

11. Dock the Dough: Use a fork to poke holes across the surface to prevent air bubbles.

12. Add Olive Oil and Sauce: Brush the dough lightly with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the top, leaving a small border around the edges.

13. Add Cheese: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.

14. Add Pepperoni: Place the pepperoni slices across the cheese.

15. Bake the Pizza: Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden.
16. Slice and Serve: Let the pizza cool slightly, slice, and enjoy.

Note: For a thicker crust, roll the dough out less thinly before adding toppings.

If you’ve tried this easy personal pizza recipe 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.

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