The Best Pepperoni Bread | The Perfect Game Day Appetizer

Pepperoni Bread vs Pepperoni Roll

An old boyfriend used to make this bread. He learned to make it from his mom, ladder braid and all. I always loved it, so when it came time to make a snack to take to a Super Bowl party, I was all in for pepperoni cheese bread.

NOTE: the video is for a pizza bread (linked in this post), but the procedure for making the braid is the same, which is why I want you to watch it!

I started doing some research and it turns out that pepperoni rolls are a big Thing in West Virginia. Neither my old boyfriend or his family were from West Virginia, so I’m not sure where his mom learned to make this version, but there you go.

Turns out, items very similar to what I was making also live in cellophane bags at almost every gas station and convenience store in West Virginia! Who knew?

Well, some folks did. Turns out that pepperoni rolls are a West Virginia coal miner’s best friend. Kinda like a Cornish pasty: hearty pastry wrapped around savory or sweet filling (and sometimes pasties had one-side-savory and one-side-sweet, sort of like a precursor to Wonka’s flavor changing gum).

But in this case, it was soft white bread dough wrapped around a hunk or shreds or slices of pepperoni. When baked, the oils would permeate the bread.

The main difference between my pepperoni bread and pepperoni rolls is that my recipe uses pizza sauce and cheese along with sliced pepperoni.

How to Make Pepperoni Bread

Many of the recipes I’ve seen for pepperoni bread involve frozen dough, jarred pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and pepperoni slices. And that’s it.

You either roll out the dough, layer on the toppings and roll it up like a big cinnamon roll (no slicing–you bake it in a big snake) or you arrange the toppings in layers in the center third of the dough and then cut an equal number of strips into either side of the dough.

You just fold the strips over, alternating sides, until the fillings are completely enclosed and the loaf looks all beautifully braided. Magic!

I’m giving recipes for all the components, but there is no shame in buying some pre-made components like pizza dough and sauce.

Pepperoni Bread Components

Here’s what I made sure to include for Maximum Flavor Impact:

Here’s What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

For the Dough

• warm water: For gluten development and for getting all ingredients into solution
• olive oil: For a touch of richness
• bread flour: You may substitute all-purpose flour, but your dough will not be as sturdy. I use bread flour so I can also add Parmesan cheese. Consider leaving out the cheese when using all-purpose flour
• salt: Helps moderate yeast development, adds structure to the gluten, and flavor to the dough
• yeast: Rising agent. You may use instant yeast or active dry. If using active dry, proof the yeast first in a portion of the warm water
• garlic powder: For flavor. Not strictly necessary, but if you get a bite of bread that doesn’t have pepperoni or cheese in it (which can happen towards the ends of the loaf), the bread itself has lots of flavor
• Italian seasoning: Same as above
• black pepper: Ditto
• Parmesan cheese: Ditto, and the Parm also helps to make the dough more delicate like a pastry and less like bread

PRO TIP: For best quality, if you’re not going to make your own dough, opt for balls of dough usually available at the deli counter rather than a “Pop-N-Fresh” can or frozen dough.

For the Sauce and Filling

• olive oil:
• garlic:
• Italian seasoning:
• salt:
• black pepper:
• canned diced tomatoes: You can start with canned whole tomatoes if that’s what you have. Just break them up as they cook so the sauce isn’t too chunky

SUBSTITUTION: For a twist, use vodka sauce in place of the pizza sauce

• fresh mozzarella: usually sold in large balls in the deli section of the grocery. If they have marinated little mozzarella “pearls,” those would be delicious as well
• block mozzarella (I don’t recommend pre-shredded because it doesn’t melt as well): part skim or whole milk
• sliced or diced pepperoni: lots of it. Layers and layers! The first couple of times I made this bread, I used only 2 layers of pepperoni. Don’t be like me. If you’re going to go for it, go big so you can really taste the pepperoni

How to Make This Recipe

This pepperoni bread loaf has a few steps, but it’s not hard to make. And the results are truly delicious, friends.

1. Make the pizza sauce. You can do this ahead by several days and refrigerate it.
2. Make the pizza dough, let rise, then roll out into a rectangle.
3. Pile on all your fillings: sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and a ton of pepperoni.
4. Make the ladder braid (See Video. NOTE: The video shows me making the pizza bread recipe, but the procedure is exactly the same.)
5. Let it rise, then bake. Cool to warm before slicing and eating. Or cool completely and then reheat to serve.

Making the (Easy, Delicious) Sauce

The sauce for your pepperoni bread is easy to make, so I generally just go for it rather than subbing storebought.

You can serve it as a dip on the side, or you can spread some onto your bread before baking. Or both!

All you have to do to make the sauce is heat the oil, add the garlic and let it get a little color on it, then add in the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

Let it simmer until very thick, and this is what you’ll end up with:

Another Shortcut

As I said above, you can use store bought dough as a shortcut. You can also use store bought pizza sauce if you’d like.

If you decide to go this route, I recommend either:

• reducing the sauce on the stove, and thus intensifying the flavors and making it thicker and less likely to leak out of your bread or
• pouring your jarred sauce into a strainer lined with a coffee filter and letting some of the liquid drain off. This will yield a similar result.

How to Make the Ladder Braid

You’ll definitely want to watch the video to see how to make the “fake braid.” Here are the steps:

1. Roll your dough out into a rectangle.
2. Make cuts in from the long edges, about 1″ apart and about 3″ or so into the rectangle.
3. Spread your filling ingredients in the center part of the dough where there are no cuts.
4. Fold one short edge up over the end of the filling and then cross one cut strip over the filling to the other side.
5. Then cross the matching strip on the other side over to the first side.
6. Continue alternating crossing strips until the filling is encased in dough and you have a pretty ladder braid.
7. To finish the last 2 strips, first, fold the far end of the dough up over the last little bit of filling, and then cross the last 2 strips, tucking them in or under the dough as you can to make a tidy loaf.

More Game Day Snack Options

I am not one to watch The Game–any game, except for Game of Thrones–but I am all about the game day food!

Soft pretzels are a fantastic option. And don’t forget the beer cheese for dipping.

If you love queso, I have a great spicy queso dip that makes 3 cups, so it’s great for a crowd. Similar but meatier, chili cheese dip is also an excellent option.

Laying out a spread of hummus, either homemade or store-bought, along with easy hummus toppings is an impressive but low-stress option as well.

Questions

If you have questions about this post or recipe, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can leave a comment on the post and I will get back to you within about 24 hours.

If your question is more urgent, please shoot me an email, and I will respond within 4 hours, unless I’m asleep.

A Note About Measurements

NOTE: Most of my recipes are written by weight and not volume, even the liquids.

Even though I try to provide you with volume measurements as well, I encourage you to buy a kitchen scale for ease of measuring, accuracy, and consistency.

This is the scale I use, love, and recommend. If you’re unsure, please read my post about how to use a food scale.

I really hope you love this pepperoni cheese bread recipe, you guys! If you make it, please share a photo with me, either in the PCO Facebook Group or on instagram by tagging @onlinepastrychef and using hashtag #pcorecipe.

Thanks, and enjoy!

And there you have it. Good stuff, friends.

Thanks for spending some time with me today. Take care, and have a lovely day!