Homemade Air Fryer Pizza Rolls

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These doughy, cheesy, homemade air fryer pizza rolls are perfect for a tasty snack or light lunch for the whole family! Add your favorite toppings like zucchini, fresh mushrooms, green or red pepper, red onion, and olives. This customizable recipe is way better than Totino’s pizza rolls, is super easy to make, and totally delicious!

The first pizza rolls I remember were the ones from the freezer section of the grocery store. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Those frozen pizza rolls filled with marinara sauce, cheese, and pepperoni were irresistible, but not exactly healthy for you. 

I decided to make a homemade version of those mini pizza bites, with all of the flavor of the traditional recipe, but no processed ingredients or anything artificial! These air fryer pizza rolls are healthier, and more delicious than any frozen snack you’ll find. They’re rolled up like a cinnamon bun, with all of the gooey cheese inside.

This elevated version of the mini pizza pockets can be a quick snack or meal. They are totally customizable too! Made with store-bought, or homemade pizza dough, pizza sauce, gooey cheese, and fresh basil, these crispy rolls are everything you love about pizza wrapped into a wonderful roll.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Homemade Air Fryer Pizza Roll Recipe

• No Processed Ingredients: Made with only natural ingredients you can pronounce, you’ll love that this recipe has no artificial colors or flavors. This homemade version packs so much more flavor than the freezer-favorite pizza roll too!
• Personalized: You can personalize air fried pizza rolls with your favorite toppings and everyone in your family can customize their pizza rolls with their favorite ingredient or combinations.
• Kid-Friendly: Is there anything more irresistible than flavorful mini food? Kids will love how perfectly crispy the outside of these air fryer pizza buns are and how chewy and cheesy the inside is! Involve your family in assembling their favorite ingredients and then rolling these up like a cinnamon roll!
• Simple To Make: These perfect pizza rolls can be made with homemade or store-bought pizza dough, making it quick and easy for an after-school snack, go-to appetizer, or easy airy fryer treat! Cooking pizza rolls in the air fryer makes them crisp and ready in minutes!

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🥘 Ingredients

Whether you choose to make your own dough or use pre-made pizza dough, this air fryer pizza rolls recipe only needs a few simple ingredients easily found in your pantry or grocery store!

If you prefer not to make your own pizza dough, go ahead and get a pre-made refrigerated version. My personal favorite is the whole wheat dough from Trader Joe’s.

Pizza Dough Ingredients

• White Bread Flour: Bread flour helps to create a chewier texture which is great for pizza dough. It has a higher protein and gluten content and creates a crisp crust.
• Milk: Warmed milk helps to strengthen the gluten, and helps to create a brown crust.
• Instant Yeast: The yeast will activate the ingredients and help the dough rise. You want a dough that rises quickly and instant yeast creates an airy and bubbly crust.
• Olive Oil: A high-quality olive oil helps to enhance the flavor of the pizza dough. You can also drizzle or brush with olive oil to help the dough bake to a golden and crispy brown.
• Salt: A little bit goes a long way to enhance the flavors of the dough!

Pizza Roll Filling Ingredients

• Pizza Sauce: Any good quality pizza sauce gives pizza rolls the classic red-sauce flavor you expect in this comforting snack.
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan Cheese: The combination of cheeses makes for a gooey combination. Freshly grated parmesan cheese works best for these pizza roll ups in the air fryer.
• Fresh Basil: Garnish pizza rolls with finely chopped basil for a herbal and Italian flare!
• Other Fillings (Optional): Keep it simple with sauce and cheese or try using other fillings. Some of my favorites are zucchini, fresh mushrooms, green or red pepper, red onion, and olives.

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Plant Milk: Warmed plant-based soy or oat milk can work in place of dairy milk for these air fryer homemade pizza rolls.
• Avocado Oil: Substitute avocado oil or your favorite oil with a high smoke point in place of olive oil.
• Asiago Cheese, Feta Cheese, or Italian Cheese Blend: Use your preferred cheese for pizza in place of mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese. Try asiago cheese, feta cheese, or a blend of Italian cheeses. Freshly grated cheese will offer the best flavor.

🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Pizza Rolls

Here’s how to cook pizza rolls in the air fryer.

How To Make Pizza Dough

Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk together white bread flour and salt. Set aside.

Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine water, yeast, and olive oil. Whisk to dissolve and pour it into the flour mixture.

Combine and Knead: Stir the ingredients well to combine. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead with your hands until the dough is smooth, or for about 3-5 minutes.

Rest the Dough: Spray a big bowl with olive oil cooking spray and place the dough into the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest for 1- 1 ½ hours in a warm place until doubled in size.

How To Make Pizza Rolls

Preheat and Prepare Dough: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200 C. Transfer pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it into a rectangular shape.

Top the Dough: Spread pizza sauce on top and add mozzarella and parmesan evenly on top.

Roll It Up: Carefully roll up the dough tightly lengthwise.

Cut: Slice the rolled pizza dough into 12 even pieces using a sharp knife. The pieces will look like cinnamon rolls with a swirl shape.

Air Fry Pizza Rolls: Place in the air fryer basket in a single layer and use a pastry brush to brush the tops with olive oil for a crispier crust, or spray with olive oil cooking spray, optional. Bake pizza rolls in the air fryer oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown (different brands may have different cook times).

Serve: Top pizza rolls with fresh basil and extra cheese if desired.

💭 Expert Tips

• Allow Pizza Dough Time To Rest: Make sure to allow the homemade pizza dough enough time to rest before flattening and adding toppings. This way you’ll end up with air fryer pizza roll-ups that are crunchy, chewy, and not flat. One of the best ways to know if your dough has risen is to take a picture of your dough or use a bowl with measurement markings to help you know when it is doubled in size and ready.
• Use Bread Flour: Bread flour will give the homemade pizza dough the best texture.
• Take a Peek: Making pizza rolls in an air fryer is quick and efficient, but various air fryer brands will have slightly varied cook times. After 13 minutes, pause cooking and take a  quick peek inside to avoid burning.
• Brush Dough With Olive Oil: For a crispy brown pizza crust reminiscent of frozen pizza rolls without deep frying, brush dough with olive oil right before cooking.
• Don’t Overload Dough: Air fryer pizza bites are rolled and sliced similarly to homemade cinnamon rolls, to keep the toppings and sauces from overflowing while cutting or cooking, be careful not to overload the dough.

📖 Variations

• Pesto & Mozzarella: Use freshly made pesto without pine nuts or a premade pesto in place of pizza sauce and use grated or fresh mozzarella. Serve with additional pesto or pizza sauce for dipping.
• White Pizza Rolls: Brush dough with olive oil and then layer on shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and feta cheese for white pizza rolls.
• Garlic & Herb Rolls: Use olive oil, minced garlic or garlic powder, and any combination of minced fresh herbs for herby pizza rolls. Delicious as an appetizer to pair with your favorite Italian dish like vegan eggplant parmesan or serve with vegetarian soup and plant based salads.
• Baked Pizza Rolls: To make this recipe in the oven, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Follow all pizza roll instructions as written, then place them on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray or lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes. You can also bake according to these directions in the toaster oven.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

These air fryer pizza rolls can be served as an easy and quick snack or appetizer with a dipping sauce, but they can also be served as a main dish. Serve with a side of warmed keto marinara sauce, extra pizza sauce, or even ranch dressing for dipping. Add this spinach and arugula salad or this copycat Chick-Fil-A kale salad to make this a complete meal.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

• Vegan: Make these crispy pizza rolls vegan by using vegan parmesan cheese in place of the cheese.
• Gluten-Free: Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour for the pizza dough to make gluten-free pizza rolls. Or use a premade refrigerated gluten-free pizza dough.

🫙 Storage Directions

• Storing: Leftover pizza rolls keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Allow the leftover pizza rolls to cool, wrap them in plastic wrap or foil, and place them in an airtight container. 
• Reheating: Reheat healthy pizza rolls in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until the centers are warm and melty.
• Freezing: Bake pizza rolls in the air fryer as directed. Allow the rolls to cool, and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

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