🍕 Pizza Cupcakes Recipe

a muffin tin full of pizza cupcake with one pizza cupcake sitting on top in the front

5 from 8 votes

These Pizza Cupcakes are like individual deep dish pizzas, baked in a muffin tin. They are not only delicious, but easy to make and the perfect snack for game day, movie night and packing along in a lunch bag! And they can be made Weight Watchers friendly by using 2 ingredient WW pizza dough!

Course Appetizer, lunch, Snack

Cuisine American, Canadian, North American

Keyword cupcakes, homemade, pizza

Special Diet Lactose-free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings cupcakes

Calories 231kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

1 pizza dough recipe * 15 minute pizza dough

Filling

¾ cup pizza sauce * your favorite store-bought or homemade pizza sauce- I use Primo's traditional
¾ cup bacon (or any meat) chopped * you can use ham, pepperoni, turkey bacon, sausage
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
⅓ cup red onion, chopped
200 ml -can sliced black olives

US Customary - Metric

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C .Prepare pizza dough according to recipe you are using. I use my quick and easy, naturally dairy-free 15 minute pizza dough (see my other recommendations in notes).
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll out dough to about ⅛ inch thick.
Cut with a round cutter (a mug or anything round about 4 inches in diameter).
Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and press each circle into muffin tin.
Roll out remaining dough to get as many circles as you can out of the dough. You should have no problem getting 12 out of it.

Filling:

In small bowl, mix toppings (sauce, onion, olives, meat and only ½ cup of the cheese, reserving the other ½ of the cheese for topping.)
Spoon about 2 tablespoons mixture into each dough-lined cup, dividing evenly by all 12. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top, dividing evenly by all 12.
Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned.
Immediately remove from muffin tins and serve.

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips:

Don’t overload with sauce. Use just enough to coat the filling and keep the flavors balanced, because too much sauce can make the bottoms soggy.

Pre-cook watery toppings. Vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, or spinach release moisture while baking, so sauté them first to remove excess liquid and prevent soggy cupcakes.

Cut dough rounds slightly larger. Roll the dough thin and cut rounds a bit larger than your muffin tin openings so they press in easily and fully cover the sides, creating a “cup” that holds the filling without shrinking back.

Add a barrier layer. Sprinkle a little mozzarella at the bottom before adding the filling, which helps absorb moisture and keeps the crust crisp.

Let them rest before removing. Allow the cupcakes to sit in the pan for 2–3 minutes after baking so they firm up and are easier to remove without tearing the crust.

Cool on a wire rack. Place the pizza cupcakes on a cooling rack once removed, instead of leaving them in the muffin tin or on a flat surface, to prevent steam from building up underneath and making the bottoms soft.

Experiment with cheese blends. Using a mix of mozzarella with a sharper cheese (like provolone or cheddar) adds depth of flavor and melts beautifully.

Make extra and freeze. These freeze and reheat really well, so consider doubling the batch. Freeze them individually on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag to prevent sticking.

Nutrition