Easy Pizza Cupcakes Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Indulge in our Easy Pizza Cupcakes Recipe—a fusion of timeless pizza taste in a delightful, effortless-to-whip-up manner. Whether you’re throwing a bash, craving a swift bite, or crafting a kid-approved feast, these savory treats guarantee to steal the show!

• Quick and Easy: With a prep and cook time of just 20 minutes, these pizza cupcakes are an ideal option for busy weeknights or last-minute gatherings.
• Versatile and Customizable: You can easily adapt the recipe to include your favorite pizza toppings, making it perfect for any palate.
• Perfect for All Ages: Kids and adults alike will enjoy these bite-sized treats, making them a great addition to any meal or event.

You’ve seen our variety of pizza recipes, from 15-Minute Pizza Dough Recipe, Pizza Scones, Pizza Savory Pop-Tarts,  to The Simplest Sourdough Pizza, Deep Dish Pizza, Pizza Monkey Bread, or even Dessert Pizza and Microwave Mug Pizza. But get ready for a twist: Pizza Cupcakes! Yep, pizza in kids’ favorite form—it’s a delicious surprise!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 6/12/2024, to include explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, answers to the most asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

Table of Contents

• What are Pizza Cupcakes?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Easy Pizza Cupcakes Recipe
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Pizza Recipes

What are Pizza Cupcakes?

Tools You Need

• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Measuring jugs
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk or fork
• 12-well muffin tin (or cupcake pan)

Key Ingredients

• All-purpose flour

  • All-purpose flour has a protein content of 9%-11% to provide structure and texture to the cupcake batter.
  • You can substitute whole wheat flour for up to 50% of all-purpose flour for a healthier option, but it may result in a denser texture. Or, experiment with store-bought dough such as crescent roll dough.

• Baking powder

  • Baking powder acts as a leavening agent, helping the cupcakes rise and become fluffy.
  • There’s no direct substitute, but you can use baking soda with an acidic ingredient like buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream. For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder required, use ¼ tsp of baking soda.

• Dried Italian seasoning

  • Dried Italian seasoning adds flavor to the cupcakes, providing the characteristic Italian herb blend taste.
  • You can substitute a combination of dried oregano, basil, and thyme.

• Salt

  • Salt enhances the flavor of the cupcakes and balances the sweetness. You can reduce the amount of salt or omit it if you’re watching your sodium intake.

• Eggs

  • Eggs bind the ingredients together and add structure to the cupcakes.
  • You can use substitutes such as flax eggs from our Egg Substitute Chart. Whole milk

• Pizza Sauce

  • Pizza sauce adds flavor and moisture to the cupcakes, infusing them with a classic pizza taste.
  • Check out our 5 Minute Pizza Sauce for the easiest yet freshest taste.

• Mozzarella cheese

  • It melts and creates a gooey, cheesy texture in the cupcakes.
  • You can substitute any shredded cheese of your choice, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack. or, try our Homemade Mozzarella.

• Mini pepperonis

  • Mini Pepperonis add a savory and slightly spicy flavor to the cupcakes.
  • You can substitute sliced sausage, diced ham, or your favorite pizza toppings for pepperonis.

How to Make Pizza Cupcakes

Prep

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and liberally grease a 12-well muffin tin or muffin cups with olive oil or cooking spray. Set aside.

Make the Pizza Cupcake Batter

1. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning and salt.
2. Mix wet ingredients: in a medium jug, whisk the eggs and milk until blended, then mix into the dry ingredients until just combined but with a few small lumps remaining.
3. Assemble the cupcakes:
   1. For the bottom layer of the cupcake, fill each muffin cup with about 2 tablespoons of batter.
   2. Next, sprinkle some cheese in each cup followed by 2 teaspoons of sauce then another sprinkle of cheese. Finally, layer on a few mini pepperonis.
   3. Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons of the remaining batter, and a final sprinkle of cheese and pepperonis.

Bake the Pizza Cupcakes

1. Bake until lightly browned and puffed, about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy while still hot!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Instead of tomato sauce, you can use pesto, olive tapenade or any other sauce you normally like on your pizza.
• If you like pizza with a little kick of heat, add about a ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to either the sauce or the cupcake batter.
• Pay careful attention to the layering order for the cupcake filling. The cheese layered around the sauce helps keep it suspended in the center of the cupcake.
• You can replace some of the mozzarella with another cheese like goat or feta.
• Make dessert pizza cupcakes: First, use cupcake liners instead of greasing the tin. Then, for the batter, leave out the Italian seasoning and reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Add your first layer of batter to the cups. For the filling, cut a large marshmallow in half. Layer on one marshmallow half, 2 teaspoons of Nutella, two slices of banana and the remaining marshmallow half. Top with the remaining batter and bake until set.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

FAQs

Can I make Pizza Cupcakes gluten-free?

Yes, you can use gluten-free flour or Almond Flour Baking Mix to make Pizza Cupcakes.

Can I make Pizza Cupcakes in an air fryer?

Yes, you can make them in an air fryer.

An air fryer works like a convection oven which is fan-assisted with heating elements on the ceiling inside the baking chamber. You should lower your temperature by about 25°F(15°C) compared to the recipe, bake for a shorter time, or follow the manual instructions.

What other toppings can I add?

You can also add black olives, bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, diced sausage, or pesto.

More Pizza Recipes

• 15-Minute Pizza Dough Recipe,
• Pizza Scones
• Pizza Savory Pop-Tarts
• The Simplest Sourdough Pizza
• Pizza Monkey Bread

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 6/12/2024, to include explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, answers to the most asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

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