What the heck is this?
Okay, so imagine regular pizza had a baby with a muffin, and that baby grew up to be the most popular kid at every party. That’s pizza cupcakes for you. We’re talking fluffy, cheesy, saucy little cups of joy that you can pop in your mouth without any of that awkward pizza-folding nonsense. Each one is like a personal pizza that fits in the palm of your hand. I made these for my nephew’s birthday party and literally had adults asking me for the recipe while kids were fighting over the last ones. They’re stupidly easy to make, freeze like champions, and honestly? They’re dangerous because you’ll eat way more than you planned. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Party food that actually makes sense — no messy slices sliding around
- Kid-approved, adult-obsessed — everyone’s happy
- Make-ahead friendly — prep now, hero status later
- Customizable little pizzas — everyone gets exactly what they want
- Uses stuff you probably already have — no fancy ingredients
- Perfect for meal prep — grab and go lunches sorted
- Way more fun than regular pizza — because tiny food is always better
The Good Stuff You’ll Need
For the Base:
- 1 tube (16 oz) refrigerated biscuit dough (the flaky kind works best)
- Cooking spray or butter for greasing
For the Pizza Goods:
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce (store-bought is totally fine)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Optional Add-Ins (go wild):
- Diced bell peppers
- Sliced mushrooms
- Crumbled bacon
- Diced ham
- Black olives
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Fresh basil leaves
For Finishing:
- Extra pizza sauce for dipping
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh herbs if you’re feeling fancy
Let’s Do This
Step 1: Prep Your Situation
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or butter. Don’t skip this step unless you want to spend your evening chiseling pizza cupcakes out of the pan.
Step 2: Biscuit Magic
Pop open that tube of biscuit dough (satisfying pop, am I right?). Separate the biscuits and flatten each one slightly with your hands. Press each biscuit into a muffin cup, making sure it goes up the sides to create a little cup. Don’t worry about making it perfect — rustic is the vibe here.
Step 3: Sauce It Up
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce into each biscuit cup. Don’t go overboard or they’ll get soggy. We want saucy, not swimming.
Step 4: Cheese and Toppings Party
Sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella into each cup — like, really go for it. Add your pepperoni and whatever other toppings make you happy. Top with a pinch of parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Step 5: Bake Until Golden
Pop them in the oven for 15-18 minutes until the biscuit edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top. Your kitchen is going to smell incredible right about now.
Step 6: Cool and Devour
Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes (they’ll be molten lava hot), then carefully remove them. Serve with extra pizza sauce for dipping because dipping makes everything better.
Serving Suggestions
These are perfect for parties, game day, or just Tuesday night when you can’t deal with cooking. Serve them with a simple salad to pretend you’re being healthy, or just embrace the chaos and eat them straight up. They’re also killer for kids’ lunchboxes — just make sure they’re completely cool first.
Switch It Up
Breakfast Version: Use scrambled eggs, bacon bits, and cheese for pizza cupcakes that work at brunch.
Veggie Loaded: Go ham with bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Meat Lovers: Pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and ham. Your cardiologist might not approve, but your taste buds will.
White Pizza Style: Skip the red sauce and use ricotta mixed with garlic and herbs as the base.
Spicy Kick: Add jalapeños and use pepper jack cheese instead of mozzarella.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can assemble these completely and freeze them unbaked. Just pop them straight from freezer to oven and add 5-10 extra minutes to the cooking time. Cooked ones freeze great too — just reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. They also keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat perfectly in the microwave (though the oven keeps them crispier).
Questions People Actually Ask
Q: Can I use homemade dough? A: Sure, but honestly, the canned biscuits are perfect for this. Don’t make more work for yourself.
Q: What if I don’t have a muffin tin? A: You could try a mini muffin tin for bite-sized versions, but regular muffin tins really are ideal here.
Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Absolutely! Just swap in gluten-free biscuit dough. The rest stays the same.
Q: How do I keep the bottoms from getting soggy? A: Don’t overload the sauce, and make sure your oven is fully preheated before they go in.
Q: Can I double the recipe? A: Yep! Just use two muffin tins. The timing stays the same.
Q: What’s the best way to reheat these? A: Oven at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes. Microwave works in a pinch but they won’t be as crispy.
Print
Easy Pizza Cupcakes That’ll Make You the MVP of Any Party: Bite-Sized Pizza Perfection
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 12 pizza cupcakes 1x
Description
Okay, so imagine regular pizza had a baby with a muffin, and that baby grew up to be the most popular kid at every party. That’s pizza cupcakes for you. We’re talking fluffy, cheesy, saucy little cups of joy that you can pop in your mouth without any of that awkward pizza-folding nonsense. Each one is like a personal pizza that fits in the palm of your hand. I made these for my nephew’s birthday party and literally had adults asking me for the recipe while kids were fighting over the last ones. They’re stupidly easy to make, freeze like champions, and honestly? They’re dangerous because you’ll eat way more than you planned. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 1 tube (16 oz) refrigerated biscuit dough (the flaky kind works best)
- Cooking spray or butter for greasing
For the Pizza Goods:
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce (store-bought is totally fine)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Optional Add-Ins (go wild):
- Diced bell peppers
- Sliced mushrooms
- Crumbled bacon
- Diced ham
- Black olives
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Fresh basil leaves
For Finishing:
- Extra pizza sauce for dipping
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh herbs if you’re feeling fancy
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or butter. Don’t skip this step unless you want to spend your evening chiseling pizza cupcakes out of the pan.
Pop open that tube of biscuit dough (satisfying pop, am I right?). Separate the biscuits and flatten each one slightly with your hands. Press each biscuit into a muffin cup, making sure it goes up the sides to create a little cup. Don’t worry about making it perfect — rustic is the vibe here.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce into each biscuit cup. Don’t go overboard or they’ll get soggy. We want saucy, not swimming.
Sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella into each cup — like, really go for it. Add your pepperoni and whatever other toppings make you happy. Top with a pinch of parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Pop them in the oven for 15-18 minutes until the biscuit edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top. Your kitchen is going to smell incredible right about now.
Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes (they’ll be molten lava hot), then carefully remove them. Serve with extra pizza sauce for dipping because dipping makes everything better.
Notes
These are perfect for parties, game day, or just Tuesday night when you can’t deal with cooking. Serve them with a simple salad to pretend you’re being healthy, or just embrace the chaos and eat them straight up. They’re also killer for kids’ lunchboxes — just make sure they’re completely cool first.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~185 kcal
- Fat: ~9g
- Carbohydrates: ~18g
- Protein: ~8g