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Twelve golden garlic butter pizza cupcakes topped with pepperoni sit on a cooling rack over a wooden surface.

Garlic Butter Pizza Cupcakes

Garlic Butter Pizza Cupcakes turn classic pizza flavors into soft, golden, bite-sized portions — fluffy dough cups filled with marinara, melted mozzarella, and brushed with aromatic garlic butter.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb pizza dough (or biscuit dough or crescent dough)
  • 1 cup marinara sauce or pizza sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for garlic butter)
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 12 pepperoni slices (optional)
  • 1/2 cup optional toppings (mushrooms, peppers, cooked sausage, ham, pineapple, jalapeños)
  • to taste salt and pepper

Equipment

  • Muffin pan (12-cup)
  • Pastry brush
  • Oven
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Knife or dough cutter
  • Spoon for filling

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
  2. Cut the pizza dough into 12 equal portions. Press each portion into a muffin cup, stretching the dough to form a small well to hold sauce and toppings.
  3. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce into the center of each dough cup — avoid overfilling to prevent sogginess.
  4. Top each cup with shredded mozzarella and your chosen toppings (pepperoni, vegetables, ham, cooked sausage, etc.).
  5. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
  6. While the cupcakes bake, mix the melted butter with the minced garlic and oregano (or parsley) to make garlic butter.
  7. Immediately after removing the cupcakes from the oven, brush the tops with the garlic butter to add flavor and shine.
  8. Allow the cupcakes to cool slightly (a few minutes), then remove them from the pan and serve with dipping sauces like marinara, ranch, pesto, or garlic aioli.

Notes

Grease the muffin pan well to prevent sticking. Use a modest amount of sauce to avoid soggy dough. Brush garlic butter on before and after baking for best flavor and shine. Let cupcakes cool slightly before removing from the pan. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.