This Homemade Pepperoni Pizza is easy and so much better than takeout. The dough and pizza sauce are made from scratch.
If you like pepperoni, you may also like my Pepperoni Pizza Dip and the super easy Skillet Pizza Rolls.
PEPPERONI PIZZA
I have been making homemade pepperoni pizza for years now. Every Friday, I whip up my homemade dough and sauce and have the kids help with toppings. This Pepperoni Pizza is so much better than takeout. The crust is perfectly baked and you can customize the toppings to your likings. This recipe makes 2 large pizzas, so there is lots of room for everyone’s favorite toppings.
Ingredients:
Pre-bake the dough
This is our secret to a perfectly baked pizza, no soggy crust here. After you stretch the dough on your pizza pan, bake it in the preheated oven for 7 to 8 minutes. Then top with sauce, cheese and toppings and bake.
Can I make it ahead of time?
You can easily make the dough, pre-bake it and cool it completely. Then wrap with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to use, up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Make the sauce up to 1 week in advance.
The Toppings
This pizza recipe is nothing extraordinary. It’s just simple pepperoni pizza with some of our favorite veggie toppings: green bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, etc.
More Pizza Recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
- 1.5 c warm tap water
- 1.5 tsp granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp active dry yeast I used Red Star Yeast
- 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- oil for greasing pans
- cornmeal for dusting pans
- 2 c pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce
- 2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 c chopped green peppers
- 1/2 c chopped yellow onion
- 25 slices pepperoni
- 1/2 c sliced mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp butter melted
- 2 Tbsp yellow cornmeal
- Place water and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Sprinkle yeast over the water and stir few times. Let sit until foamy ( about 5 minutes).
- Add 2 cups of flour and salt. Mix in with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Add oil and mix well.
- Add third cup of flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon.
- Place dough onto a floured surface and knead it the last cup of flour.
- Knead the dough until smooth and no longer sticky. It should be smooth.
- Place the dough into a oiled large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel.
- Place in a warm and draft-free place until doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- In the meantime, prep the pizza pans by lightly greasing them and sprinkling with cornmeal.
- Punch the dough down. Transfer back onto the floured surface. Smooth out into a ball.
- Divide into two equal pieces.
- Roll out one piece into a circle, about the same size as your pizza pan. Place on the pizza pan, stretching the sides.
- Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F.
- Place the pizza dough in the oven and bake for 7 minutes.
- Brush the sides of the pizza with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cornmeal.
- Spread one cup of pizza or spaghetti sauce over the dough.
- Top with pepperoni, onion, pepper, cheese, mushrooms and olives.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbles and the sides are golden.
- Repeat with the second pizza dough.
This recipe makes 2 large size pizzas.
Dana says
There is nothing better than making your own pizza, from the crust to the sauce to choosing the toppings for your very own individual pizza. These are times that will be treasured in the years to come. Beautiful post.
CrunchyCreamySw says
Thank you so much, Dana!
Nancy says
This is such a fantastic post, Anna. First of all, pizza is never boring! It’s one of my favourite meals. If the Husband and I are super tired and it’s been a long week, we’ll treat ourselves with pizza. I don’t make it as often as I’d like. The next time I do, I’m definitely trying your husband’s crust recipe. Second, spending time with kids in the kitchen is so important. I used to hang out in the kitchen, watching my mom bake and cook. I stopped doing it when I became a teenager but now that I’m older and wiser, I want to learn all of her amazing dishes. We always made sure to eat together as a family too. Your kids are going to have such incredible memories of this time together.
CrunchyCreamySw says
Aww, thank you so much, Nancy! We really enjoy making it and trust me, it is THE BEST pizza crust recipe! You have to try it! xoxo
Becky says
I make pizza alot as well! It’s quite fun. How much oil goes into the dough? It mentions oil in the instructions, but not in the ingredient list. Thanks!
CrunchyCreamySw says
Hi Becky! I am so sorry about that – the recipe is updated now. If you make it, please, let me know how you like it! Thank you!
Courtney says
This was such a heartfelt post Anna. I loved it. Being in the kitchen with my kids is one of the things I look forward to the most when I think of having my own family. I’m also super impressed you managed to catch a photo of the pizza while it was still steaming hot!
CrunchyCreamySw says
My Hubby helped me with this one. 🙂 Thanks, Courtney!
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says
I’m still on the hunt for the perfect pizza dough recipe. I will have to try your husband’s version!
CrunchyCreamySw says
Thank you, Amanda!