Homemade pizza pockets are an amazing party food pleaser that has all your favorite pizza flavors wrapped up inside homemade empanada dough. They're easy to make, great for freezing, and absolutely delicious - try out this recipe today and enjoy all the deliciousness of pizza in one bite!
Contents
🌟Why this recipe works
This easy pizza pockets recipe is the perfect combination of flaky empanada dough and a savory filling of melted mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives, onion, bacon, and pizza sauce. The combination is sure to please any pizza lover!
Unlike traditional pizza with homemade pizza dough topped with pizza sauce and pizza toppings, these pizza pockets use homemade empanada dough to enclose the pizza sauce and toppings. The result is a crispy, buttery golden-brown texture filled with ooey-gooey melted cheese and flavorful pizza toppings.
It's a great snack to enjoy with friends and family and is a sure-fire winner on gameday. Pizza pockets are also perfect for freezing and baking, so you can make a batch ahead of time to have on hand whenever you need. Same as my pierogi recipe.
With just a few simple steps and ingredients, this easy pizza pockets recipe is sure to become your go-to party food. And if you need more easy pastry recipes stuffed with delicious fillings, try our baked beef empanadas, stuffed stramboli, and chicken wellington.
🍽 Key Ingredients
The following key ingredients will come together to create the perfect pizza pockets.
Cheese - Choose a mixture of shredded cheese, like a pizza blend that has a variety of melting cheeses for the pizza pockets.
Pepperoni - Pepperoni is the classic pizza topping that adds a delicious smoky flavor and spice when added to pizzas.
Olives - Sliced black olives will add a salty, briny flavor.
Onion - A small red onion, chopped, will provide a mild crunch and sweetness.
Bacon - Cooked and crumbled bacon bits add a delicious salty crunch.
Pizza sauce - Use a prepared pizza sauce for dipping and to add moisture to the filling. Alternatively, you can make an easy homemade marinara sauce or tomato sauce.
Fresh basil - A touch of freshly chopped basil adds freshness and a contrasting color for garnishing.
Egg yolk - To brush on top for added color and shine when baking.
Empanada dough - The empanada discs are the perfect vessel to seal in all these delicious ingredients and give you a crispy exterior texture. Follow our easy 4-step recipe using 5 ingredients to make them.
Substitutions
If you don't have the exact ingredients listed in this recipe, don't worry. There are some great substitutions that will still give you a delicious pizza pocket.
Cheese
You can experiment with other cheeses like shredded mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, Gouda, cheddar, or other good melting cheese.
Empanada dough
We think pizza pockets are great made with empanada dough, but they also taste amazing with our easy pizza dough for a chewier texture, or if you're short on time, use store-bought pizza dough.
Pepperoni
Crumbled sausage or chorizo are good substitutions for pepperoni if you don't have it on hand.
Egg wash
If you don't have eggs on hand to make the egg wash, you can use olive oil instead. Olive oil will give the pizza pockets a golden shine but will not be as glossy as when using egg wash.
🔪 How to make
Making pizza pockets is a breeze! In just a few easy steps, you can have delicious homemade pizza pockets that are sure to please any crowd.
Preparations
- Remove the empanada discs from the fridge to come to room temperature.
- Slice the pepperoni into pieces.
- Slice the red onion and black olives.
- Beat the egg yolks to make the egg wash.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray.
- Lay your empanada discs on the lightly floured surface and stretch them out.
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Spread 2 to 3 teaspoons of the pizza sauce on each disc, then top with 3 slices of pepperoni, a few pieces of crumbled bacon, some sliced olives, and sliced red onion.
Tip: Top them with shredded cheese, then brush the edges of the discs with water.
Step 2
Gently fold them in half and press the edges together to seal in the filling. Use a fork to press and seal the edges.
Step 3
Place the pizza pockets on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash.
Step 4
Bake the pizza pockets in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned.
Tip: Heat the additional pizza sauce in the microwave or in a saucepan.
Step 5
Transfer the hot pizza pockets to a serving dish, garnish with freshly chopped basil and serve with the warmed pizza sauce for dipping.
💭 Cooking tips
Sealing the pizza pockets
To ensure your homemade pizza pockets don’t open up while baking, make sure to seal them tightly. Use your fingers or a fork to press the edges together.
📖 Recipe Variations
There are endless variations of pizza pockets you can make. With a variety of pizza toppings and bases available to choose from, you can get creative and make them your own. Here are some ideas:
Chicken pizza pockets
Swap the pepperoni for 1 cup of cooked shredded chicken and add 1 sliced red bell pepper to the pizza pockets.
Vegetable pizza pockets
To make veggie pizza pockets, use a mix of vegetables such as sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, corn, or diced tomatoes.
Ham and cheese pizza pockets
Replace the pepperoni and bacon with cubed ham and use a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
These are only a few of the many variations available when it comes to making delicious pizza recipes. For something different, try our pizza monkey bread, easy zucchini pizza boats, or BBQ chicken and bacon pizza.
🥗 What to serve with
Homemade pizza pockets are perfect for gameday served with other delicious finger food recipes, like these easy creations:
Nachos - Make a delicious plate of nachos with melted cheese and your favorite toppings.
Chicken tempura - Serve with sweet chili sauce or BBQ sauce for dipping.
Buffalo wings - Serve crispy buffalo wings with a side of celery sticks and blue cheese dip.
Corn nuggets - Try these crunchy corn nuggets with a side of ranch dressing.
Baked jalapeno pinwheels - For something spicier, make these easy jalapeno pinwheels.
Sausage and cheddar stuffed pretzel balls - Stuffed pretzel balls are similar to pizza pockets but use a different dough and are just as delicious.
Arancini risotto balls - Go fancy with these Sicilian risotto balls - filled with cheese and spices.
No matter what you serve, pizza pockets are sure to be a hit at your next get-together. Enjoy
🙋 Frequently asked questions
Why is my pizza dough soggy?
If you find that your pizza dough is soggy once cooked, it could be the result of too much filling. If you fill them too much, the filling may seep out during baking, and the sauce will cause the bottom to be soggy.
Can I fry pizza pockets?
Yes, you can fry pizza pockets in oil. Just make sure to seal them tightly before frying so that the cheese and sauce don't ooze out. Deep fry them in oil until golden brown and crispy. Try our empanada dough for frying recipe for the best results.
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
If you have any leftover pizza pockets, you can store and reheat them to enjoy another day.
Fridge - Once cooled, these pizza pockets can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Transfer them to an airtight container.
Freezer - Uncooked pizza pockets can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Flash-freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring them to an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-lock bag.
Reheat - To reheat, place the pizza pockets in the oven and bake them at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes or 20-25 minutes from frozen.
🍳 Related recipes
For more delicious recipes, check out the recipes below.
👪 Serving size
This homemade pizza pockets recipe gives you 12 servings with one pizza pocket each. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for bigger crowds or freezing.
Whether you’re making individual pizza pockets for a party or family-style servings for a weeknight meal, these delicious treats are sure to be a hit. With endless variations and easy ingredients, there's something for everyone. Gather your favourite pizza toppings and get ready to enjoy homemade pizza pockets!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort dinner recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Easy Pizza Pockets Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Salt
- 6 ounces Unsalted butter - 1 stick of butter = 4 oz
- 1 Egg
- ¼ to ½ cup Water - or milk adjust as needed to obtain a soft and smooth dough
For the pockets filling:
- 1½ cup Shredded pizza blend cheese
- 20 Pepperoni slices
- ½ cup Black olives - sliced
- 1 small Red onion - chopped
- 5 slices Bacon - crumbled
- 14 ounces Pizza sauce - for filling and dipping - in a bowl
- Fresh basil
- 2 Egg yolk
Instructions
Preparations
- Remove the empanada discs from the fridge to come to room temperature.
- Slice the pepperoni into pieces.
- Slice the red onion and black olives.
- Beat the egg yolks to make the egg wash.
Cooking instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray.
- Lay your empanada discs on the lightly floured surface and stretch them out.
- Spread 2 to 3 teaspoons of the pizza sauce on each disc, then top with 3 slices of pepperoni, a few pieces of crumbled bacon, some sliced olives, and sliced red onion.
- Top them with shredded cheese, then brush the edges of the discs with water.
- Gently fold them in half and press the edges together to seal in the filling. Use a fork to press and seal the edges.
- Place the pizza pockets on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash.
- Bake the pizza pockets in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned.
- Heat the additional pizza sauce in the microwave or in a saucepan.
- Transfer the hot pizza pockets to a serving dish, garnish with freshly chopped basil and serve with the warmed pizza sauce for dipping.
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