These homemade air fryer pepperoni pizza rolls, or pizza scrolls, make an easy lunch or snack, and are great for lunchboxes! They are quick to prepare using ready-made dough, and are so quick to cook in the air fryer they will be done in less time than it takes your oven to heat up!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- They cook in around 15 minutes in your air fryer
- Quick and easy to make with pre-made dough
- They are guaranteed kid-approved!
What’s better than a piping hot, cheesy pepperoni pizza? Mini pepperoni pizza rolls! These easy and quick pizza scrolls are perfect for a snack or lunch, and they’re great for lunchboxes.
Simply roll out some pizza dough, top with pepperoni and cheese, then roll them up, slice, and pop them in the air fryer. In no time at all, you’ll have hot, cheesy, pepperoni goodness that’s perfect for lunch or a snack.
Scroll down for the printable recipe card for these air fryer pepperoni pizza rolls, or read on for all the details.
>> Note: if you are looking for instructions to air fry frozen pizza rolls, check out my post on cooking frozen pizza rolls in the air fryer.
Ingredients
Pizza dough
Using premade dough (like Pillsbury) is a great way to save time, but you can also use homemade pizza dough for this recipe.
Or, you can use my easy 3-ingredient pizza dough recipe if you need a simple homemade dough recipe.
Pizza sauce
I like to use Mutti canned pizza sauce, but use any brand you like. Tomato paste will also work, though it is a good idea to add some herbs for extra flavor (try oregano, basil, thyme).
Shredded cheese
I normally use shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese for this recipe but you can use any variety of grated cheese that you like. Try adding in other types like Colby or Parmesan for added flavor, or try some pepper jack if you want to add a kick!
Pepperoni
This recipe uses diced pepperoni slices, and I like to add dice mushrooms too (this is a great way to hide some veggies in food your kids will love to eat!). Any fillings need to cut up quite small so that they can be rolled up in the dough, so I aim for ½-inch or less.
You can also use any other of your favorite pizza toppings, as long as they are cut up small enough. Why not try:
- Adding some black olives
- Adding some diced jalapenos for a little heat
- Using diced ham and pineapple for a Hawaiian pizza style roll
- Using sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and feta for a vegetarian version (make sure your feta is vegetarian-friendly)
These rolls are also amazing made just with garlic butter and cheese if you want a simple appetizer or dinner roll.
How to cook pepperoni pizza rolls in an air fryer
- Roll dough flat: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. You are aiming for a rectangle shape, of around 14×10 inches, but it doesn’t have to be exact (see photos below).
- Add pizza sauce and toppings. Spread the pizza sauce out over the dough, leave a strip along the lower long edges that is free of sauce. Then add shredded cheese and your favorite pizza toppings. Make sure any toppings are cut up quite thinly so they can be rolled up.
- Roll it up. Starting at the top long edge (see photo below), roll the dough up with the pizza roll filling inside. (This is a good time to preheat your air fryer if it needs to be preheated).
- Slice. Use a sharp knife or a bread knife to cut the dough into 1-1½ inch wide pieces.
- Bake in air fryer. Place pizza scroll slices on a small cookie sheet to stop the cheese sticking to your air fryer basket (or use a small piece of parchment paper or baking paper in your air fryer basket if recommended for your air fryer brand). Air fry pizza scrolls at 320°F/160°C for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can also bake them in a regular oven, just place on a baking sheet and bake at 360°F/180°C for 12-15 minutes.
How to serve
Eat them on their own, or serve with sauce for dipping. Try:
- Pizza sauce or marinara sauce
- Sweet chili sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Pesto
How to store
Once cooled, these should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge (due to the cheese and meat in them). They will also freeze well – just pop them in ziplock freezer bags – and use them within 3 months.
To reheat these pizza scrolls in the air fryer, heat them at 320°F/ 160°C for about 5 minutes (defrost first if reheating frozen scrolls).
Air Fryer Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
Ingredients
- 14 oz ready-made pizza dough (eg Pillsbury Pizza Crust)
- 4 tablespoons pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1 cup toppings thinly sliced
Directions
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rough rectangle shape (approx. 14×10 inches).
- Spread the pizza sauce out thinly over the dough, leave a strip along the bottom edge that is free of sauce.
- Add shredded cheese and the prepared toppings.
- Starting with the top edge, roll the dough up into a sausage shape with the pizza roll filling inside.
- Preheat air fryer to 320°F/ 180°6.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough roll into 12 equal-sized slices (1-1½ inches thick).
- Place pizza roll slices on a small cookie sheet or piece of baking parchment [Note 1] to stop the cheese from sticking. You may need to cook them in batches depending on how many will fit in your air fryer.
- Air fry pizza rolls at 320°F/160°C for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove from air fryer and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Notes
- Note: some air fryer brands do not recommend using parchment, so check your manual if you are unsure).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.