Description

These Easy Cheesy Pizza Pockets are warm, handheld, and loaded with gooey mozzarella cheese, savory tomato pizza sauce, and your favorite toppings. Ready in under 30 minutes, they make a perfect snack or meal for all ages, offering customizable flavors and a mess-free, portable way to enjoy classic pizza taste. Freezable and kid-friendly, they are ideal for busy days, parties, or cozy family dinners.

Ingredients

Dough and Preparation

Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade) – quantity as needed to make pockets
Flour – for dusting surface, about 1/4 cup

Fillings

Shredded mozzarella cheese – 1½ cups
Pizza sauce – 1/2 cup
Pepperoni or other preferred toppings (e.g., cooked sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, olives) – 1/2 cup

Finishing

Olive oil – 1 tablespoon, for brushing
Italian seasoning – 1 teaspoon, for sprinkling

Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients: Gather pizza dough, shredded mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, and your chosen toppings. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) so it’s ready for baking.
Roll Out the Dough: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the pizza dough into a large rectangle or circle about 1/4-inch thick, ready for filling.
Add Your Fillings: Spread a thin, even layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a border around the edges. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese, then add your selected toppings evenly across the surface.
Fold and Seal: Fold the dough over the filling to form a pocket shape (rectangle or half-moon). Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal and prevent leaks during baking.
Brush and Sprinkle: Brush the tops of the pockets with olive oil to achieve a golden, crispy crust. Sprinkle Italian seasoning or extra cheese over the top for added flavor.
Bake Until Golden: Place the pizza pockets on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese inside is bubbly.
Cool and Serve: Let the pizza pockets cool for a few minutes before serving to prevent burns and maintain melty cheese inside.

Notes

Don’t Overfill: Use moderate amounts of filling to avoid breakage during baking.
Seal Edges Properly: Crimp edges firmly with a fork to lock in fillings and prevent leaks.
Use Fresh Dough: Fresh dough produces lighter, crispier pockets.
Brush with Oil or Butter: Helps create a golden crust and keeps the crust crisp.
Test One First: Bake a single pocket initially to adjust baking time for your oven.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Category: Appetizers
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 pizza pocket
Calories: 320
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 680 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 15 g
Cholesterol: 35 mg

Keywords: pizza pockets, cheesy snacks, handheld pizza, quick pizza recipe, kid-friendly pizza, freezer-friendly pizza pockets