Pizza Pockets

This Pizza Pockets will have you ditching those frozen pizza pockets for good. Our version takes only 30 minutes from start to finish and all you need is just a few simple ingredients. These are so much more have no “extra” ingredients and the dough is everything. You will get 11 to 12 pizza pockets (or mini pizzas) from this recipe, depending on how thick or thin you roll them. If you have ever had a Calzone this is exactly what these are and suited to lunch, dinner, or even an after-school snack for the kids to enjoy.

What stands out

This Pizza Pockets is a make-ahead dream that the kids will go nuts for. Our recipe will make up to 12 pockets, which you can wrap up individually and pull out what you need for the kids’ lunch box or after school. These are also amazingly customizable so everyone can have exactly what they love inside, and you can use up whatever veggie/cheese combo you have kicking around in the fridge. The options are endless, but the result is always a pillowy soft pizza with a cheezy gooey interior that’s stuffed with flavorful ingredients.

How to Prepare Pizza Pockets

Add a touch of oil to the counter so that the pizza dough doesn’t stick.

Roll out the dough into a rectangular shape about 1/8 inch thick and use a large cookie cutter to cut out 12 equal circles. (You can also divide the dough into 12 equal dough balls and just roll each one out that way instead).

Take each pizza circle, lightly flour it and either stretch it out a bit or roll it out.

Using a box grater shred your mozzarella cheese on to a dish.

Add the pizza sauce to the middle of each dough piece and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Brush the edges lightly with water. Fold it over to one side and pinch it together with a fork. Repeat this step for all the pizza pockets.

Cut 2-3 slits with a knife on top of each pocket so that the steam can escape.

Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil spray, add the pizza pockets inside and spray them on top.

Air fry at 360F (182C) for 10 minutes.

Once they are golden, let them cool a bit and enjoy!

Kitchen tip

No air fryer? No problem! Bake these Pizza Pockets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a 450F (230C) oven for 12-16 minutes, depending on how big they are.

Swaps

1. You can make these into round mini pizzas instead of a pizza pocket.
2. Add in any fillings you love to this Pizza Pockets such as pepperoni, ham, olives, peppers etc.
3. Use whatever cheese you have and enjoy such as provolone cheese, parm, mozzarella, feta, goat, or a combination of cheeses too.
4. You could use your favorite non-dairy cheese in these Pizza Pockets, just make sure it’s a variety that melts nicely.
5. You can also play around with the sauce in these Pizza Pockets. Try marinara, Alfredo pesto or any other sauce you like.

Serve it with

• Serve these Pizza Pockets for lunch with a fresh side salad.
• You could serve these with a dipping sauce such as a marinara sauce or our homemade ranch dressing.

Questions

which air fryer do you use?

The air fryer we use is this one: mark COSORI Pro II Air Fryer Oven Combo, and we love it! Every appliance is different, so we recommend checking on the pizza pockets as they bake so they don’t overcook. Also, some air fryers require preheating, while others don’t. Follow your air fryer’s instructions for best results.

can we bake these pizza pockets in the oven instead of air fryer?

Yes, you can make this Pizza Pockets in the oven. Place them on a mark baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a 450F (230C) oven and bake for 12-16 minutes, depending on how big they are.

How long can we store these?

You can store these in the fridge up to 3 days or even freeze them up to 3 months. Just make sure to cool them down completely, adding a small piece of parchment paper in between each one so they don’t stick while they freeze. Then, you can just pull out what you need.

how can we prevent the filling from leaking out as these bake?

For best results, don’t overfill the pizza pockets and make sure that the edges are firmly pressed together so that they don’t leak.

How can we prevent the dough from sticking to the counter?

We like to drizzle some oil down on our surface and dust with flour as well.

Ingredients

Makes 12 pockets

• 1 store-bought pizza dough
• dusting of flour to avoid sticking
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• 12 tablespoons pizza sauce, 1 tablespoon in each pocket
• 12 tablespoons grated mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon in each pocket (or more)
• water to seal the edges

Equipment

• Nakiri Knife
• Rolling Pin
• Box Grater
• Air Fryer
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Pastry Brush
• Oil Spray Bottle

Method

1. Remember to add a touch of oil to the counter to prevent the pizza dough from sticking. Alternatively, you can use flour. Roll out the dough into a rectangular shape about 1/8 inch thick. Another option is to divide the dough into 12 equal balls and roll out each one individually. The choice is yours.
2. We sprinkled some flour on top of the dough and rolled it out into a rectangular shape. Then, we used a large cookie cutter to create equal circles.
3. Collect any remaining dough scraps and roll them out again, repeating the same steps until you have used up all the dough. Lightly flour each pizza circle, then either stretch it out or roll it.
4. Add the pizza sauce in the center and sprinkle the cheese on top. Lightly brush the edges with water, fold it over to one side, and seal by pinching with a fork. Repeat for all pizza pockets.
5. Cut 2-3 slits with a knife on top of each pocket so that the steam can escape.
6. Spray the air-fryer basket with avocado oil spray, then add the pizza pockets and spray them on top.
7. Air-fry at 360F (182C) for 10 minutes. Our air-fryer has preheating instructions so we preheated it for five minutes prior but you may not need to with yours. Once they are golden, let them cool a bit and enjoy.