Recipe: Sheet Pan Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Sticks
Sheet pan pizza isn’t reinventing the wheel or anything (see what I did there?), but it’s a classic that never gets a single complaint from any party guest of any age. Instead of doing the usual wedges or squares for your Super Bowl party, mix it up this time around and slice your slab of pizza into bite-sized sticks for dipping into warm marinara sauce.
Use this recipe as a template for whatever pizza-stick variation you want to try. Get fancy with pesto, ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, cooked sausage, sliced meatballs, roasted garlic confit, or any pizza topping under the sun — they all work here in any combination. And take a tip for these toppings from the way I snipped the pepperoni into strips rather than keeping it in rounds; the smaller pieces mean there’s more pepperoni in every bite and the toppings are easier to cut through when you’re slicing the pizza into sticks.
I would never tell you not to dip your pizza sticks in ranch dressing, either. No harm, no foul.
Sheet Pan Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Sticks
Serves4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Olive oil
- 1 pound
pizza dough, at room temperature
- 8 ounces
shredded Italian cheese blend or mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
minced fresh oregano leaves
- 1/2 cup
pepperoni slices, cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon
grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Warm pizza or marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil; set aside.
Pull, stretch, and roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to shape it into a rectangle approximately the size of the baking sheet, about 11 by 17 inches. If the dough is cold, it won't stretch well and will bounce back, so make sure it's thawed enough.
Transfer the dough to the oiled baking sheet. Lightly drizzle the dough with more oil and brush or spread out with your fingers to coat the dough.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the rosemary and oregano. Top with the pepperoni strips, then sprinkle with the Parmesan.
Bake until the cheese is browned and very bubbly, about 10 minutes. Let the pizza cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board. Cut in half horizontally, then cut both halves into sticks that are each about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. Serve with pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping.
Recipe Notes
- Dried herbs: Substitute 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend for the fresh herbs.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.