Easy Homemade Pizza Pockets
These easy homemade pizza pockets are made with a soft, fluffy dough and filled with your favorite ingredients—like pepperoni, mozzarella, and rich pizza sauce. They’re freezer-friendly, perfect for lunchboxes or quick dinners, and easy to customize with ham and cheese or any filling your family loves.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or large bowl and wooden spoon
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Mixing Bowl for dough rise
- Rolling Pin
- Sharp knife or kitchen shears to slit tops
- Baking sheets 2 large
- Parchment Paper
- Pastry Brush for egg wash
- Cooling Rack optional but helpful for freezing
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1⅓ cups warm water
- 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3½ cups flour add slowly as directed below
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Filling Ideas (no measurements needed)
- Pizza sauce about 1-2 tablespoons per pocket)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni slices
- Sliced ham and white American cheese
- Optional: oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasoning about ½ teaspoon
- Optional topping: Dan-O's Cheesing and grated parmesan
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. (This step activates the yeast, making your dough rise properly—don’t skip it!)
- Stir in olive oil and salt.
- Add 2 cups of flour and mix. Then slowly add the 3rd cup, and gradually the final 1/2 cup—just until the dough comes together. Too much flour = heavy pizza pockets.
- Beat or knead in your mixer for 5 minutes until smooth and tacky (not overly sticky). If needed, add 1 tsp of flour at a time.
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough inside, cover, and let rise 60–90 minutes until doubled.
Assemble the Pizza Pockets
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Punch down the dough (my favorite part) and turn it onto a lightly floured surface.
- Cut in half, then into quarters, making 8 pieces total.
- Roll each into a rectangle about 6" long by 4" wide. (Or just close enough—perfection isn't required, especially for busy moms!)
- Fill each with a layer of sauce, cheese, meat, more cheese, and a sprinkle of seasoning (or whatever filling you're choosing that day!)
- Fold the dough over and roll/crimp the edges to seal. (No fancy tools—your hands are enough.)
- Make 1–3 slits in the top of each pocket for steam to escape.
Bake Your Easy Pizza Pockets
- Beat the egg and milk for your egg wash and brush the tops of each pocket.
- Optional: sprinkle parmesan cheese and extra seasoning on top.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool 10 minutes before serving (if you can wait that long!).
Notes
- These pizza pockets are perfect for make-ahead meals. Bake, cool, and freeze for quick lunches or weeknight dinners.
- Try other fillings like ham + cheese, sausage + peppers, or leftover taco meat.
- Be careful not to overfill! A small spoonful of sauce goes a long way.
- Don’t skip the egg wash—it gives that golden, bakery-style crust.
- Optional: sprinkle tops with parmesan cheese and seasoning before baking.
- We love using Dan-O’s Cheeseoning to take the flavor up a notch—it’s a simple way to make them taste like they came from your favorite pizza shop.