Pizza Rose Bites Recipe

Every February, for both Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl Sunday, I make rose shaped pizza bite appetizers. These rose-shaped snacks are a fun twist on classic pizza bites, combining cheesy, garlicky flavors with a festive design that works not only for a special occasion but any day of the year.

They make a great addition to your Valentine’s Day menu because of their charming rose shape, but they’re also practical to serve as an appetizer during the big game. They’re baked individually in a muffin tin, making them perfect for serving as finger food.

Serve them with a warm marinara or pizza sauce for dipping, and you’ve got a snack that’s sure to disappear quickly. Plus, they’re easy to make with a few simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.

By using store-bought pizza dough, you can skip the hassle of making your own dough from scratch and focus on the fun part – assembling the roses. You’ll find refrigerated pizza dough at most grocery stores, usually near the canned biscuits, crescent rolls, and pie crusts.

Some stores even sell fresh pizza dough in the bakery or deli section, which works just as well. And if you are feeling motivated and have enough time on your hand, you can make Homemade Pizza Dough.

Any of those pizza crust options will give you a great base for these rose-shaped bites.

What You’ll Need To Make Pizza Rose Bite Appetizers

• Store-bought pizza dough, thawed if previously frozen
• Unsalted butter
• Garlic cloves
• Dried Italian seasoning
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Shredded Parmesan cheese
• Pepperoni slices
• Pizza sauce for dipping

Preparing the Pizza Dough

If you’re using refrigerated pizza dough, take it out of the fridge about 10–15 minutes before you start rolling. This makes it easier to work with and less likely to tear.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle. For this recipe, the dough will be cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips, so try to make your rectangle as even as possible to ensure all your strips are roughly the same size.

A pizza cutter works best for cutting the strips, but a sharp knife will also do the job. If you want to make cleanup easier, place parchment paper under your dough before rolling and cutting.

Adding Flavor and Cheese

Next, you’ll prepare the garlic butter, which gives these pizza rose bites great flavor. Melt the unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl and stir in minced garlic and dried Italian seasoning.

Spread the garlic butter over each strip of dough using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the strips. The combination of these two cheeses gives the pizza roses that classic pizza flavor.

Assembling the Pizza Rose Bites

Now comes the fun part: assembling the roses. Lay out a strip of dough, and line up pepperoni slices along one long edge. Make sure the pepperoni slices are slightly overlapping each other and that half of each slice hangs over the edge of the dough. This overhang is what creates the “petal” effect when you roll them up.

Starting at one short end of the dough strip, carefully roll it up, keeping the pepperoni in place. You’ll end up with a spiral that looks a lot like a rose.

Place the rolled dough into a greased muffin tin, and repeat with the remaining strips. Once all your pizza roses are assembled, you can fan out the tops slightly to enhance the rose shape.

Baking the Pizza Rose Appetizers

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake the pizza bites for about 20 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through. Keep an eye on them as they bake; if the tops start browning too quickly, you can lightly cover the muffin tin with aluminum foil.

Once they’re out of the oven, let them cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before serving. This makes them easier to handle and ensures they keep their shape. Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce for dipping, and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Pizza Rose Appetizers are versatile and can be served for just about any occasion. For Valentine’s Day, arrange them on a platter with small bowls of pizza sauce for dipping. Add a salad or a charcuterie board to round out the menu.

For the Super Bowl, serve these alongside other crowd-pleasers like wings, chips, and dips. They’re perfect for snacking while watching the game because they’re easy to grab and eat without utensils.

Storing Leftovers

If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 8–10 minutes. This helps maintain their crispiness better than microwaving.

Pizza Rose Appetizers can also be frozen for later. To freeze, let them cool completely after baking, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm.

After they are completely frozen place them into a freezer-safe bag or container and then place them in the freezer. To reheat, bake directly from frozen in a 375°F oven for 15–20 minutes.

Pizza Rose Bite Appetizers Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 store-bought pizza crust dough
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 package pepperoni slices

For Serving:
1 cup of pizza sauce, warmed (for dipping)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Then spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Roll the dough into a rectangle shape. Then use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the pizza dough into 1 1/2 inch strips.

In a microwave safe bowl melt the butter. Once the butter melts add the minced garlic and dried Italian seasoning. Then spread or brush the garlic butter sauce over the pizza strips. Sprinkle both types of cheese evenly over the strips.

Working with one strip at a time, place the pepperoni (overlapping each other) along the long end facing towards you, being sure the pepperoni is half on the dough and the other half overhanging off of the dough.

Starting at the short side of the dough carefully roll the dough so it looks like a rose. Then place the pizza bite in the prepared muffin tin. Be sure to fan out the top of each bite slightly so it takes on more of a rose shape.

Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the dough is cooked and golden brown.

Remove the pan from the oven and then serve with the warm pizza sauce for dipping.

So the next time you’re looking for a quick and fun appetizer, give these Pizza Rose Appetizers a try. They’re sure to impress your family and friends, and you’ll love how easy they are to put together!

Enjoy! Mary

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