Mini pizza buns

We are in full summer swing! Picnics, long days at the beach and lots of camping going on here. These mini pizza buns are so easy to make and the ultimate snack/lunch/dinner on the beach.

I came up with the idea when I was making cinnamon rolls in a muffin tin. While I was baking them I thought: ‘Wouldn’t this make a great savory treat as well?’ And that is how these mini pizza buns were born.

So I adapted these pizza buns from my cinnamon roll recipe. The dough is so fluffy, light and airy I just had to use its dough. I left out most of the sugar and replaced it with a bit more salt and some dried herbs.

How I make these mini pizza buns?

the dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl I combine the milk plus the water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it to allow it to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Then I stir in the butter, egg and sugar until smooth.

In another small bowl I combine the flour, bread flour, salt and dried herbs. I dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Then I pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead it by hand or I use a stand mixer or food processor with the dough hook attachment. I knead until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. When I notice the dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, I add flour (1 tablespoon at a time) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

rise

Once done kneading, I place the dough for the mini pizza buns into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1½ hours (depending on how hot and/or humid it is).

Once the dough has risen, I dump it out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it in half. I use a rolling pin to roll one half into a large rectangle about 6×22 inch/15x55cm in size.

roll out the dough

First I spread a bit of olive oil (or melted (vegan) butter) out over top with a brush. I made them with my youngest. He rolled out the dough with me and helped me brushing the dough. I love involving my kids in cooking and they love it too!

Then, a layer of homemade tomato sauce.

Followed by some grated parmesan cheese and optionally caramelized red onion, minced garlic and chopped sundried tomatoes.

I grease a mini muffin tin with a bit of olive oil and set it aside until the mini pizza buns are ready to be put in.

roll up the dough

Starting with one of the long ends, I tightly roll the dough from end to end. I cut the dough into 12 one-inch/2.5cm sections. One by one I flip them over and place them spiral-side up in the greased muffin tin. I repeat this process with the remaining half of the dough.

second rise

I cover the filled muffin tin with plastic wrap and allow it to rise again, about 30-40 minutes.

bake the buns

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Once the buns have risen again and the oven is preheated, I bake the mini pizza buns in the oven for about 15-17 minutes or until the edges are barely golden.

These pizza buns are the softest and fluffiest! Bring them on a picnic, as a snack or lunch to the beach or hand them out for an afternoon snack. We all love them. And I am sure you will too! They are

soft and pillowy – incredibly flavorful – great to make with kids – nutritious – and SO delicious

Here are some other great snacks (to make with kids)… passionfruit lime bars, almond owl cookies, homemade goldfish (click and scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe), granola bars and these awesome carrot cake muffins!

Love pizza? Check out my caprese pizza, eggplant parmesan pizza, family sheet pan pizza, tortilla pizza and grilled peach prosciutto pizza.

Mini pizza buns

Mini pizza buns made in a muffin tin. Soft, fluffy dough, homemade tomato sauce and a bit of parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of herbs. SO GOOD!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

1st and 2nd rise total 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, lunch, Side Dish, Snack, Treat

Servings 24 buns

Calories 67 kcal

Equipment

• mini muffin tin

Ingredients

  

The dough

• 125 ml lukewarm (plant based) milk (of choice)(approx. ½ cup)
• 30 ml lukewarm water (approx. 2 tbsp)
• 4 gr active dry yeast (approx. ½ tbsp)
• 40 gr unsalted (vegan) butter (approx. 3 tbsp)(melted but not too hot)(or sub olive oil)
• 1 large egg
• 10 gr coconut sugar (approx. 1 tbsp)
• 195-225 gr white whole wheat flour (approx.2-2¼ cups)(or sub all purpose flour)
• 90 gr whole wheat bread flour (approx. ¾ cup)(or sub regular bread flour)
• 1 tsp fine grain sea salt

The filling

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil or melted (vegan) butter
• 6-8 tbsp tomato or pizza sauce (I used homemade oven roasted tomato sauce*)
• 6-8 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (or other type of (vegan) cheese of choice)
• 4-6 tbsp optional extra adding ins (such as caramelized red onion, minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes)

Instructions

 

The dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl combine the milk plus the water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it to allow it to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Then stir in the butter, egg and sugar until smooth. 
• In another bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, bread flour, salt and dried herbs.
• Add about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Then pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead by hand or use a stand mixer or food processor with the dough hook attachment.

  Knead until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. When you notice the dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour (1 tablespoon at a time) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 

Resting the dough/ first rise

• Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1½ hours.

Roll out the dough

• Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it in half. Use a rolling pin to roll one half into a large rectangle about 6×22 inch/15x55cm in size. 
• First brush a bit of olive oil (or melted (vegan) butter) out over top with a brush, followed by a layer of homemade tomato sauce, which is best applied with the rounded side of a spoon. 
• Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese on top and optionally some caramelized red onion, minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
• Grease a mini muffin tin with a bit of olive oil and set it aside until the mini pizza buns are ready to be put in.

Roll up the dough

• Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end. Cut the dough into 12 one-inch/2.5cm sections.

  Flip them over one by one and place them spiral-side up in the greased muffin tin. Repeat this process with the remaining half of the dough. 

Second rise

• I cover the filled muffin tin with plastic wrap and allow it to rise again, about 30-40 minutes.

Bake the buns

• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Once the buns have risen again and the oven is preheated, I bake the mini pizza buns in the oven for about 15-17 minutes or until the edges are barely golden. 

Notes

*homemade oven roasted tomato sauce

 

Nutritional information:

the information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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