Sometimes (well, most times), it’s totally fine not to make an entire recipe from scratch. Like when a dish calls for store-bought pizza dough: Half the work is basically done for you, and your creation is no less delicious, despite the shortcut. Read on for 15 uses for pizza dough that are delicious and simple, from cinnamon rolls to flatbread.
15 Uses for Pizza Dough That Aren’t Pizza, from Cinnamon Rolls to Calzones
1. Pizza-dough Cinnamon Rolls
Breakfast never looked…or smelled…or tasted…so good.
3. Mini Pepperoni Calzones
Like Hot Pockets, but semi-homemade. Feel free to mix up the fillings, like by using pesto instead of tomato sauce or crumbled Italian sausage instead of pepperoni.
4. Garlic “nots”
Surprise: These bites are filled with melty mozzarella cheese.
5. Asparagus Flatbread
It’s just the classy spring appetizer your Mother’s Day spread needs. All it takes is layering on the fresh veggies and cheese—your oven will do the rest.
6. Carrot Pigs In A Blanket
Even picky kids won’t turn their noses up at this remix. We use seasoned bites of carrot instead of mini weenies and traded ketchup for green goddess dressing.
7. Hummus And Cheese Spirals
They’re as simple as spreading store-bought hummus and your choice of soft cheese, rolling and slicing the dough and baking until each spiral is puffy and golden brown.
8. Beef Flatbread With Herb Sauce
You won’t miss the cheese one bit, promise. All the flavor lies in the seasoned beef topping and homemade herb sauce, made with parsley, cilantro and mint.
9. Baked Gorgonzola Bites
Behold, the easiest party appetizer of all time. We’re talking five ingredients, minimal prep and 20 minutes in the oven.
10. Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
Nothing’s worse than balancing a slice of pizza and a drink at a party. This way, you can get the same flavor you crave without the potential mess.
11. Mini Spinach-ricotta Calzones
Who says red sauce should have all the fun? These handhelds star ricotta, mozzarella, garlic and frozen spinach instead.
13. Mini Citrus Monkey Bread
Yup, pizza dough is always invited to breakfast. Don’t even get us started on the three-ingredient citrus glaze.
14. Cinnamon Roll Cake
Soft dough + brown sugar-cinnamon filling + vanilla icing = an easy home run.
15. Crispy Cast-iron Skillet Pizza With Fennel, Sausage And Garlic
OK, we had to include one pizza. Here, the cast-iron skillet makes all the difference. Helloooo, impossibly crispy crust.