Description
These Spooky Pizza Pockets are a fun and festive Halloween treat featuring a flaky homemade dough filled with classic pizza flavors like mozzarella, pepperoni, and olives. Perfect as a party appetizer or kid-friendly snack, they are baked to golden perfection and can be decorated with vibrant food coloring gels for a spooky finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 3/4 cup milk
Filling
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
Finishing
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Food-safe black and orange food coloring gels (optional for spooky touch)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking the pizza pockets.
- Make Dough Base: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the cold diced butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, creating a flaky texture.
- Form Dough: Gradually pour in the milk while stirring until a soft dough forms that comes together without being sticky.
- Knead and Roll: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead gently for about a minute to bring it together, and then roll it out evenly to about 1/4-inch thickness for easy folding.
- Cut Circles: Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut the rolled dough into 10-12 circles to create the pockets.
- Add Filling: On one half of each dough circle, spoon approximately one teaspoon of pizza sauce, sprinkle some shredded mozzarella, place a few slices of pepperoni, and scatter some sliced black olives to create the filling.
- Seal Pockets: Fold each dough circle over the filling to form a half-moon shape and press the edges firmly with a fork to seal and prevent the filling from leaking while baking.
- Apply Egg Wash: Brush the tops of each pocket with beaten egg for a beautiful golden brown and shiny finish upon baking.
- Decorate (Optional): Use food-safe black and orange food coloring gels to draw spooky faces or patterns on the tops of the pizza pockets to add a festive Halloween touch.
- Bake: Place the prepared pockets on the lined baking sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, until they turn golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the Spooky Pizza Pockets to cool slightly before serving warm as a delicious, festive snack.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is cold to achieve a flaky dough texture.
- Do not overfill the pockets to avoid leakage during baking.
- Feel free to customize the filling with other pizza toppings like mushrooms, bell peppers, or cooked sausage.
- These pockets can be made ahead and frozen before baking; add a few extra minutes if baking from frozen.
- Use gluten-free flour to adapt the recipe for gluten sensitivity (note: baking powder should also be gluten free).
