Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I am EXCITED. I love Valentine’s Day not only for breaking up the monotony of some very bleak and blustery winter months, but also for being a super cute holiday that I think is equally enjoyable for kids and adults.
You should know that homemade pizza with all the hearts is my go-to for a Valentine’s in. See this picture from Valentine’s 2016:
This year, the cuteness factor has been upped and we’re making MINI, INDIVIDUAL pizzas with heart-shaped pepperonis.
I mean, really. These are SO CUTE.
These pizzas are also the easiest to make, since the crust is made from a can of biscuit dough. You just press out each unbaked biscuit to form a mini crust, pile the sauce and cheese on top, place you very cute heart-shaped pepperonis on and bake.
Since it really is just a matter of assembling and baking and a little harking back to your elementary art skills of how-to-cut-the-perfect-heart, this makes a great low-key Valentine’s in, OR a really good thing to make with little hands helping.
Cutting your pepperonis into hearts can feel a little extra, but the end result is SO CUTE. If you’re not willing to spend the time or energy cutting out hearts, it’s a totally optional step. BUT I WILL WARN YOU: your pizzas probably won’t taste as good with plain old round pepperonis.
When your pizzas are all baked and bubbly, sprinkle excessively with what I’ve (admittedly uncreatively) dubbed “pizza sprinkle”. It’s an herby, garlicky, spicy, and definitely peppery combination of things you have in your spice cabinet RIGHT NOW. Make extra. It will transform future frozen pizzas!
And now that I’m thinking about it, why stop at pepperonis? What else could you cut into hearts and put on a pizza? Cheese that’s a different color? Pineapple?? (Although you might make some enemies, which is generally not the goal of Valentine’s Day.) Brainstorming for next Valentine’s Day begins NOW!
Mini Pepperoni Pizzas with Homemade Pizza Sprinkle
Ingredients
FOR THE PIZZA:
- 1 (16 ounce) can biscuit dough
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 3 cups shredded Italian cheese
- 1 (3.5 ounce) package sliced pepperoni, cut into hearts if desired
FOR THE SPRINKLE:
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked or freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Form each biscuit into a 6-inch round and place on prepared baking sheets. Top with marinara, shredded cheese, and pepperonis. Bake 12-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and dough is golden brown.
Mix oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and garlic powder together. Sprinkle over baked pizzas.
Pizzas adapted from Allrecipes.
