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Looking for the perfect pizza-style finger food? These Sourdough Pizza Rolls make the perfect appetizer or snack. They are kid friendly and would be the perfect thing to serve at your next gathering or pizza night!
Made with 100% natural sourdough and stuffed with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni, they turn a delicious sourdough pizza recipe into a bite to remember. Plus, this recipe is fully customizable. Switch up the fillings with your favorite savory flavors—I think pesto and tomato would turn out beautifully.
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Why You’ll Love Sourdough Pizza Rolls
- Pizza Flavor + Texture – Golden edges, soft and chewy middles, gooey cheese, and all the pizza flavor you love in a handheld roll. Dip them in marinara, ranch, or garlic butter for the full experience. Want the full loaf version? Try my Sourdough Pizza Bread.
- Finger Food – Just like my Pretzel Bites with Sourdough Discard and Sourdough Chicken Tenders, these pizza rolls make the perfect appetizer to set out at any gathering. They’re fun to eat, easy to serve, and totally customizable.
- Kid Friendly – This recipe makes a fun twist on my favorite Sourdough Pizza Dough that the whole family will enjoy. The pinwheel shape makes them perfect for little hands or serve them with my easy one-pot sourdough mac and cheese as the perfect side.
- 100% Sourdough – Naturally leavened with sourdough starter, these rolls have all the benefits of fermentation plus incredible flavor. For another great party option, try these Cheesy Sourdough Breadsticks and my Spinach Artichoke Sourdough Pull-Apart Focaccia too!
New to Sourdough? If you are new to sourdough, learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch and check out my Free Sourdough Beginner Guide. Using naturally fermented sourdough will take much longer, but you will love the fermentation benefits and the flavor!
Important Ingredients
- Milk – I like using 2% or whole milk in this recipe. It keeps the dough soft and tender.
- Bread Flour – Bread flour makes these pizza rolls soft and chewy. If you substitute all-purpose flour, you may need to add a little extra flour to the dough while kneading.
- Garlic Powder – Adds a little extra flavor to the dough.
- Pizza Sauce – You can use any favorite from the store or use the red sauce I make the most often. It’s detailed in my Sourdough Discard Pizza recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Sourdough Starter: Ripe, bubbly, active starter can be substituted for levain in this recipe.
- Toppings – I like to stuff these pinwheels with cheese and pepperoni, but you can experiment with your favorite pizza toppings too! I think garlic and cheese or pesto and tomato, or pineapple chunks and veggies would taste amazing.
- Homemade Pizza Sauce: Blend together 14 oz diced or crushed tomatoes, 3 oz tomato paste, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper. Blend until smooth and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve extra sauce on the side!
Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
A sample baking schedule helps me when baking with sourdough. Sourdough takes much longer to rise than commercial yeast bread. This schedule helps me plan my bake.
A note: This schedule assumes the dough temperature is 78°F throughout the process. If you’d like to make the pizza all on the same day, skip the cold fermentation and let the dough rise for a few hours before baking.
| Day 1 | |
| 8:00 PM – 8:00 AM | Mix Levain. Let sit for 12 hours (overnight) between 76-78℉ to ferment |
| Day 2 | |
| 8:00 AM | Mix Dough Bulk Fermentation: Cover dough and let rest for about 4-5 hours at 78℉ |
| 12:00 PM | Shape the Rolls |
| 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Proof: Allow the pizza rolls to rise at warm room temperature (78ºF) for about 4 hours until puffed up. |
| 4:00 – 4:30 PM | Bake |
How to Make Sourdough Pizza Rolls
Mixing the Levain
Step 1: Mix Levain. Mix together ripe, active sourdough starter, water, and flour (Image 1). Let rise in a warm place overnight (around 78º Fahrenheit) until peaked, bubbly and active (Image 2).
Do you have to use a levain in this recipe? No. I prefer it, but if you have a well-maintained and frequently refreshed sourdough starter, you can substitute it in place of the levain in the recipe. You can also change the feeding ratio of your starter/levain to make it ready when you need it.
Mixing the Dough
Step 2: Mix Dough. Add the dough ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and begin kneading (Image 3). Add flour as needed until the dough feels tacky, but not overly sticky, and clings to one side of the bowl. Knead until the dough is smooth (Image 4) for a total of 8-10 minutes (or 10-15 minutes by hand).
Cup Measurements? If you are using cup measurements, it’s important to reserve some of the flour and add it in as you go. They are not as accurate as weight measurements and you will need to go by the feel of your dough – tacky, not overly sticky.
Bulk Fermentation or First Rise
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation. Place the sourdough pizza roll dough in a container and cover. Allow dough to rise in a warm place (78 degrees Fahrenheit) for 3-4 hours (Images 5 & 6). The dough should puff up and fill the edges of the container during this rise.
Cold Fermentation Option: After the first rise period, you can stick the dough in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before shaping.
Shaping the Dough
Step 4: Shape. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle (Image 5). Spread marinara sauce over the dough (Image 6) and top with shredded Monterey Jack and mozzarella cheese (Image 7). Place pepperoni evenly around the dough (Image 8).
Roll the pizza pinwheel like a cinnamon roll—starting with the dough closest to you, roll up the pizza rolls and pinch the seam together (Images 9, 10, & 11). Flip over, seam side down, and cut the long log into 20 equal pieces using a bench scraper or sharp knife (Image 12). Place each pizza roll on the prepared baking sheet. If any filling leaks out you can place it on top of the dough.
Make Ahead Tip: After the pizza rolls rise, you can stick them in the refrigerator overnight and bake the next day, straight from the fridge.
Proofing & Baking
Step 5: Proof. Cover the pan with a baking sheet cover or plastic wrap and let rise at 80º Fahrenheit for 3-4 hours until puffed and airy. Don’t proceed to bake until these rolls have risen (Image 13).
Step 6: Bake. Preheat the oven to 375º Fahrenheit. Bake pizza rolls for 25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven to cool and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil. Serve warm with extra marinara sauce for dipping.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover pizza rolls in an airtight ziplock bag or container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. These pizza rolls also freeze well. Freeze baked and cooled pizza rolls in a ziplock bag for up to 2 months. Reheat until warmed through in a 350ºF oven or the microwave.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
I prefer to shred a block of cheese myself instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. Store-bought shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents, which impact the way it melts. The texture and flavor of this recipe work best without pre-shredded cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can substitute ripe and active sourdough starter that has been fed equal weights of flour and water (100% hydration) instead of levain for this recipe.
Dense roll-ups usually mean your dough needs to rise more. Make sure your dough has doubled in size and is light and airy before baking. If it’s not like this, warm them up! Temperature has a huge impact on how long it takes for sourdough to rise. I use a dough mat and a baking sheet pan cover to help keep the temperature consistent. If your dough hasn’t risen, give it more warmth and time. Also, double-check that you used starter and levain when they were ripe and active.
They need to bake longer. Sometimes the outside of the roll will be finished baking before the inside. Bake them a little bit longer until the middle of the pinwheel rolls reach an internal temperature of 190-195ºF. I also like to gently pull up the middle of one of the pizza rolls and check if it’s baked through, if I’m not taking the temperature.
These pizza rolls can be fully customized with your favorite flavors. I think you could experiment with adding mushrooms, bacon, ham, or even garlic butter with Italian seasoning! The options are limitless.
Sourdough Pizza Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Pizza Rolls or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Sourdough Pizza Rolls
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Equipment
- stand mixer optional – can also knead by hand
- bench scraper
Ingredients
Levain (1:10:10 ratio, overnight rise at 78ºF)
- 5 grams ripe, active sourdough starter, about 1 teaspoon
- 50 grams all-purpose or bread flour, about ⅓ cup
- 50 grams water, about 3 Tablespoons
Pizza Dough
- 90 grams ripe, active levain, heaping ⅓ cup
- 1 large egg, 50 grams
- 145 grams whole milk, warmed, about ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons
- 15 grams granulated sugar, about 1 Tablespoon
- 55 grams unsalted butter, melted, about ¼ cup
- 6 grams salt, about 1 teaspoon
- 6 grams garlic powder, about 2 teaspoons
- 400 grams bread flour, about 2 ½ – 3 cups
Filling
- 245 grams marinara sauce, about 1 cup
- 100 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded, heaping 1 cup
- 100 grams Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, heaping 1 cup
- 45-60 pieces pepperoni
- fresh chopped basil for topping, optional
Instructions
- Mix Levain: Mix together ripe, active sourdough starter, water and flour. Let rise in a warm, 78ºF place overnight. Alternatively, use ripe, active sourdough starter in place of the levain in this recipe and skip this step.
- Mix Dough: To the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, add all the dough ingredients, reserving just a little bit of flour. Turn on the mixer and knead for a few minutes. The dough should feel tacky, not overly sticky. Add the rest of the flour as needed. Knead for a total of 8-10 minutes, or 10-15 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth.
- Bulk Fermentation: Put the dough in a container and cover. Set the dough in a warm, 78-80ºF place for 4-5 hours. During this time, the dough will puff up, feel cohesive, and airy.
- Shape: Line an 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough out into an approximate 24 by 8-inch rectangle. Spread marinara sauce over the dough. Add shredded mozzarella and shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top of the dough, covering the entire rectangle. Place the pepperoni evenly around the dough, on top of the cheese. Starting with the dough closest to you, roll up the pizza rolls and pinch together the seam. Flip over, seam side down. Cut the long log of dough into 20 pieces and place them on the baking sheet. If some of the filling spills out, that’s okay. Place it on top of the dough.
- Proof: Cover the pan and let rise in a 78- 80ºF place until puffed up, airy, and risen – about 3-4 hours. Do not bake these rolls if they have not risen! Alternatively, pizza roll-ups can be placed in the refrigerator after rising and baked the next day, straight from the fridge if desired.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake for about 25 minutes until baked all the way through. Serve with extra marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had to substitute almond milk and vegan butter (which I’ve done in your other recipes), but the dough never rose after the first 4hrs in the oven with the light on. Any ideas? I want this recipe to work, as it looks incredible, so will try again, but can’t figure out what happened! Thanks so much!
I’m not sure that the almond milk and vegan butter would cause a lack of rise. The most likely cause for a lack of rise is a sluggish starter/levain or temperature issues with the dough. How was the levain before mixing the dough?
So yummy!! Will make again for sure. Dough is soft and delicious – probably add different fillings next time.
I think this recipe would be great with different fillings. It’s so versatile! Thanks for the review.
Is there a way to make this recipe with sourdough discard? I love your sourdough discard pizza and thought about using it with this roll style, but it’s set to cook at a higher temp for a much shorter time. Any recommendations?
To turn this into a discard recipe, I would look at the tips in this guide to turning any recipe into a sourdough recipe and reverse the conversion to add yeast and discard. Hope that helps!
Can you substitute AP flour for bread flour?
You can do that. You may need a little extra flour for the dough due to the lower protein content.
Easily a family favorite! My kids were already asking me to make them again as they were eating them! Can’t wait to try different topping combos and to freeze some for snacks in the summer!
I’m so glad you love this recipe! Thank you for the review.