Settle in for a holiday movie night with a tray of warm, cheesy pizza pinwheels made for sharing. They’re easy to prep ahead and pop in the oven when guests arrive, making them a delicious way to welcome friends and family for a casual holiday gathering.
Settle in for a holiday movie night with a tray of warm, cheesy pizza pinwheels made for sharing. They’re easy to prep ahead and pop in the oven when guests arrive, making them a delicious way to welcome friends and family for a casual holiday gathering.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water, yeast and sugar. Whisk to combine and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add remaining dough ingredients. Attach bowl to the mixer and fit it with the dough hook. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together and wraps itself around the hook. Continue mixing until dough is smooth and elastic, about 4–5 minutes.
Remove dough from the mixer and shape it into a ball. Transfer to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
While dough rises, make the cheese mixture. Add mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, herbs and red pepper flakes to a bowl. Toss to evenly combine, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough into a 9 x 14-inch rectangle. Spread about ¼ cup of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the long edge. (The sauce will spread slightly as you roll the dough.) Sprinkle with about half of the cheese mixture, followed by half of the chopped pepperoni, if using.
Starting at the edge closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a tight log. Using a very sharp or serrated knife, cut the log into ¾-inch-thick pieces. (For the cleanest slices, transfer the log onto a baking tray lined with parchment and freeze until slightly firm, but not frozen, about 20 minutes.)
If using cornmeal, press one cut side of each pinwheel into the cornmeal. Place the pinwheels cornmeal-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Repeat the process with the remaining portion of dough.
Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the pinwheels are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and serve warm with your favorite marinara sauce.
Once the logs of dough are sliced into pinwheels, you can freeze them for up to 2 weeks. Thaw on baking trays at room temperature while the oven preheats. Once the centers are no longer frozen, bake according to the recipe directions.
The dough can be made the day before, skipping the room temperature proof and letting it proof overnight.
Optional: Garnish with more grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, when serving.
