Oh my gosh, you have to try these Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes! I swear, they’re the most genius little snack I’ve ever stumbled upon. Picture this: all the cheesy, saucy goodness of your favorite deep-dish pizza, but in adorable single-serving portions that bake up in minutes. I first made these for my nephew’s birthday party last summer, and let me tell you—those kids went wild for them! (The adults may have fought over the last few too.) Now they’re my go-to for game nights, sleepovers, or when I just need a quick pizza fix without the hassle of delivery. The best part? That magical canned biscuit dough does all the hard work for you, transforming into perfect little edible cups that hold all your favorite toppings. Trust me, once you try these, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!
Why You’ll Love These Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes
Okay, let me count the ways these little pizza bombs will steal your heart (and your appetite):
- Crazy quick: From fridge to table in under 30 minutes? Yes please!
- Totally customizable: Swap toppings based on what’s in your fridge or what the kids are craving that day.
- Kid-approved magic: Something about food in cupcake form makes even picky eaters do happy dances.
- Party superstar: I’ve brought these to every gathering since discovering them—they disappear faster than you can say “more please!”
Seriously, these are the ultimate kitchen hack when you want that deep dish satisfaction without the deep dish effort.
Perfect for Any Occasion
I’ve lost count of how many times these have saved my bacon! Movie night? Check. Last-minute playdate snack? Check. Need something to bring to the office potluck? Triple check. They work just as beautifully for fancy appetizer plates as they do for quick weeknight dinners when you’re too tired to cook. My personal favorite is making a big batch for football Sundays—no plates needed, just grab and cheer!
Ingredients for Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes
Here’s the beautiful part – you probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your fridge or pantry right now! The magic of these pizza cupcakes is how simple they are while tasting like you spent hours in the kitchen. Just gather:
- 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough (8 count) – Don’t try to be fancy here, the cheap store brand works perfectly!
- ½ cup pizza sauce – My secret? I always doctor mine up with a pinch of garlic powder and red pepper flakes
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese – Freshly grated melts better, but I won’t judge if you use the bagged stuff
- ¼ cup mini pepperoni – The tiny ones are KEY for perfect distribution
- ¼ cup cooked Italian sausage, crumbled – I brown mine with fennel seeds for extra flavor
- ¼ cup mushrooms, sliced – Optional but oh-so-good if you’re a fungi fan
- ¼ tsp dried oregano – That little sprinkle makes all the difference
- Non-stick spray or olive oil – For greasing your muffin tin – don’t skip this or you’ll have a sticky mess!
See? Nothing complicated – just good, honest ingredients ready to transform into pizza magic. Now let’s get baking!
How to Make Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes
Alright, let’s get these little pizza treasures baking! The process is so simple you’ll have them memorized after the first batch. Just follow these easy steps and you’ll be biting into cheesy perfection in no time.
Step 1: Prep the Muffin Tin
First things first – don’t skip greasing those muffin cups! I’ve learned the hard way that sticky biscuit dough can ruin your day. Give each cup a quick spray with non-stick spray or brush with olive oil. Then take each biscuit and press it into a cup, working it up the sides to form a little dough bowl. No need to be perfect here – rustic is part of the charm! Just make sure there’s enough dough to hold all that saucy goodness we’re about to add.
Step 2: Layer the Toppings
Now for the fun part! Spoon about a tablespoon of pizza sauce into each dough cup – I use the back of the spoon to spread it around. Then layer in your meats and veggies. My favorite combo is sausage first (so it soaks up some sauce flavor), then mushrooms, then those adorable mini pepperoni. Top it all with a generous sprinkle of mozzarella – don’t be shy here! Finish with just a pinch of oregano over each one. Pro tip: if you’re making these for kids who might be picky about visible toppings, you can mix everything together first before spooning it in!
Step 3: Bake and Serve
Pop those beauties into your preheated 375°F oven and resist the urge to peek! They’ll need about 15-18 minutes to turn golden brown and get all bubbly. You’ll know they’re done when the cheese is melty and the biscuit edges are lightly golden. Here’s the hardest part – let them cool for at least 5 minutes before trying to remove them. I know, the smell will drive you crazy, but trust me, that cooling time lets everything set so they don’t fall apart when you take them out. Use a butter knife to gently loosen them if needed. Then serve warm and watch them disappear!
Tips for the Best Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes
After making about a million batches (okay, maybe dozens), I’ve picked up some foolproof tricks for pizza cupcake perfection. First – resist overfilling those cups! About ¾ full is ideal, or you’ll end up with cheesy lava erupting in your oven. Second, get creative with toppings! I’ve done everything from buffalo chicken to veggie-packed versions with bell peppers and olives. And here’s my secret weapon – always warm your sauce slightly before adding it; cold sauce can make the centers soggy. Last tip? Let them rest a hot minute before digging in – that patience pays off in perfect bites every time!
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
Listen, I’m all about making recipes work for you and your crew! These deep dish pizza cupcakes are crazy flexible. Out of pepperoni? No sweat – try chopped ham, cooked bacon bits, or even leftover rotisserie chicken. Going meatless? Load up with bell peppers, black olives, or spinach (just squeeze out excess water first). My gluten-free friend swears by using gluten-free biscuit dough, and for dairy-free folks, vegan mozzarella melts surprisingly well here. Got picky kids? Make a “cheese only” batch – they’ll never know the veggies are hiding in the others. The beauty is that the basic method stays the same no matter what you throw in there!
Serving & Storage Instructions
Nothing beats eating these deep dish pizza cupcakes fresh from the oven when the cheese is still stretchy and glorious! If you’re serving them at a party (good choice!), pop them on a platter with some extra sauce for dipping – it’s always a hit. Got leftovers? Just let them cool completely, then stash them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, 15 seconds in the microwave brings back that melty magic, though I personally love the crispiness you get from a quick 5-minute toast in a 350°F oven. Pro tip: they freeze beautifully too – just wrap individually and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating!
Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes Nutritional Info
Okay, let’s be real – we’re not eating pizza cupcakes for their health benefits! But just in case you’re curious (or tracking macros for game day), here’s the nutritional lowdown per cupcake. Remember, these are estimates – your actual numbers might vary based on exact ingredients and how generous you are with the cheese (no judgment here!).
- Calories: 210
- Total Fat: 12g (5g saturated)
- Carbs: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 9g
- Sodium: 450mg
Want to lighten them up? Try turkey pepperoni, part-skim cheese, or whole wheat biscuit dough. But between you and me? Sometimes you just need that full-cheese experience – life’s too short to skimp on pizza joy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Since I started making these deep dish pizza cupcakes, I’ve gotten so many questions from friends and family! Here are the ones that come up most often – along with all my hard-earned answers after countless batches.
Can I Use Homemade Dough?
Absolutely! While I love the convenience of canned biscuit dough (seriously, it’s perfect for when you’re in a hurry), homemade pizza dough works beautifully too. Just roll it out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut circles to fit your muffin tin. The trade-off? Homemade dough gives you more control over ingredients and thickness, but requires extra prep time. My Sunday version uses my grandma’s pizza dough recipe, but for weeknights? That trusty can of biscuits is my best friend!
How Do I Reheat Them?
Oh, I’ve mastered this one through lots of, ahem, scientific testing! For single servings, 15-20 seconds in the microwave brings back that melty goodness in a flash. But if you want that just-baked crispness? Pop them in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes – I do this when reheating a whole batch. Pro tip: sprinkle a tiny bit of water over them before microwaving to prevent dryness, or brush with olive oil before oven reheating for extra crispiness!
Can I freeze these pizza cupcakes?
You bet! These little guys freeze like champs. Just cool them completely, then wrap individually in foil or place in a single layer in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat straight from frozen (just add a few extra minutes to the heating time).
What other toppings work well?
Oh honey, the sky’s the limit! My favorite combos beyond the classic: BBQ chicken with red onions, margherita style with fresh basil and tomato slices, or go Greek with feta, olives and spinach. For game day, I do a “supreme” version with sausage, peppers and onions. The key is keeping toppings chopped small so they cook evenly!
Can I make these ahead for parties?
Yes! I often prep them up to the baking step, cover the muffin tin with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4-6 hours before baking. You can even freeze the unbaked cups – just add 3-5 minutes to the baking time when ready. They make party prep so easy!
Here you can find more recipes.
If you liked this recipe, you should try my Pizza Tortilla Roll Ups.
PrintIrresistible 8-Minute Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes You’ll Crave
Mini, cheesy, and packed with ultimate pizza night flavor!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough (8 count)
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup mini pepperoni
- ¼ cup cooked Italian sausage, crumbled
- ¼ cup mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- Non-stick spray or olive oil (for greasing muffin tin)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray muffin tin and press biscuits into each cup to form a mini deep dish.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce into each cup.
- Layer in sausage, mushrooms, and pepperoni. Sprinkle with mozzarella and oregano.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before removing.
Notes
- These are party-ready pizza bombs perfect for any snack attack fix!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 25mg