Puff Pastry Pizza Bites (Pepperoni or Mushroom)
Puff pastry pizza bites are an easy and irresistible snack that take just a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes of prep!
It’s hard to beat a great bite-sized snack, whether you’re serving it for an actual gathering or just a little treat. But one requirement of an appetizer or snack in my book is that it be easy to make–like, really easy.
If you agree, you’ll be obsessed with these simple puff pastry pizza bites. Easy to throw together with store-bought puff pastry, sauce, cheese, and either pepperoni or mushrooms, these guys take just a few minutes of prep work and a short time to bake.
And, guaranteed, no one will be able to resist popping one into their mouth.
Related: Flatbread Pepperoni Pizzas
Ingredients and shopping notes
Here’s what you’ll need. See the full recipe below for detailed amounts and instructions.
- 1 sheet of puff pastry – defrosted according to package directions. Thawed puff pastry keeps for several days in the fridge, so if I’m planning to make something like this, it can help to defrost it ahead of time so it’s good to go.
- Pizza or marinara sauce – this is a great way to use up a little extra homemade marinara if you’re lucky enough to have some!
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni slices and/or sliced mushrooms
- Italian seasoning
- 1 egg – optional, for an egg wash that gives the exposed edges of pastry a nice golden sheen
How to make puff pastry pizza bites
- Gently roll out the pastry and cut into the desired number of squares. A pizza cutter makes this easy. 16 squares work well for a mini muffin tin; 9 for full size.
- Fill each well with a bit of sauce, cheese, pepperoni or mushrooms, a little more cheese, and Italian seasoning.
- Brush on a light egg wash – if you’re feeling fancy like that – and bake!
Can I make these without a muffin tin?
I initially made a batch of these without the muffin tin. I simply placed the cut puff pastry squares flat on a baking sheet (with a Silpat liner – so helpful) and piled on the toppings. Equally delicious!
So if you don’t have a muffin tin or just want to keep it super simple, bake them flat and call it a day.
Can I make these ahead?
If you want to work ahead, assemble the pizza bites, then pop the muffin tin or baking sheet into the fridge until ready to bake. The baked bites can be reheated but have the best texture fresh out of the oven!
Looking for more tasty ways to feed a crowd? Try my pinto bean nachos, skinny crockpot spinach artichoke dip, or BBQ-glazed chicken bacon bites! Or browse all my snack and appetizer recipes.
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Puff Pastry Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry defrosted
- 1/4 cup pizza or marinara sauce plus extra for serving
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- pepperoni slices and/or sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 egg optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously coat a muffin tin, mini or full-size, with cooking spray and set aside.
- Gently unfold the puff pastry sheet and use a pizza wheel or kitchen scissors to cut it into squares. (16 squares if using a mini muffin tin; 9 if full-sized.) Gently press a square into each muffin well.
- Spoon a bit of sauce into each well, just enough to cover the bottom. Sprinkle a bit of cheese on top of the sauce, then fill with pepperoni and/or mushrooms. Sprinkle a couple extra shards of mozzarella and a pinch of Italian seasoning on top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with 1 tablespoon water to form an egg wash. Brush the wash lightly over the exposed corners of puff pastry. (This is optional; it just gives the pastry a nice golden sheen.)
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool briefly, and pop bites out of the muffin tin. Serve hot, with more sauce for dipping, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- You want the puff pastry sheet to be thawed and pliable, but still cold. If the pastry is not still cool to the touch after cutting and pressing the squares into the muffin tin, pop it into the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking for the best (flakiest, most delicious) result.
- I used Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry sheets, and this is what the 16/9 square recommendations are based on. If you use a different brand, you may need to adjust. Just take a look and aim for your puff pastry squares to cover most of the muffin well when pressed in and up along the sides.
