School Cafeteria Pepperoni Rolls

Soft, cheesy pepperoni rolls just like the ones from the school cafeteria—fluffy, melty, and totally irresistible.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, pepperoni, rolls

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 15

Total Time 3 15

Servings rolls

Calories 166kcal

Author Stacey aka the Soccer Mom

Cost $15

2 packets active yeast
1/4 cup water
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus 1/2 cup for kneading the dough
3 cups bread flour
1/2 cup salted butter plus an extra stick of melted butter for brushing the tops of the rolls
1 cup cold water
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
7 oz sliced pepperoni or about 3-4 slices per roll
1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese

Dissolve the two packages of yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and set aside.
In a large bowl, soften one stick of salted butter.
To the butter add: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup of warm milk, 1 cup of cold water, 2 beaten eggs, yeast mix, and the 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour.
Use a large wooden spoon to mix until well combined.
Add the bread flour so you have 6 ½ cups total of flour. Stir in the flour with your heavy wooden spoon.
When the mixture begins to form a dough and pull away from the sides of the bowl, turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead by hand until it forms a cohesive ball and no longer sticks to your hands.
Grease the inside of a large mixing bowl with a light cooking oil. Place the dough inside the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until the dough has doubled in size and soft to the touch. This could take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on the humidity where you live.

Uncover the dough and use your hands to push the air out of it, so it reduces in size and firm again.
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Then divide those two pieces each into four pieces. Continue on until you have about 36-40 equal portions.
Prepare your workspace. Melt one stick of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Place the pepperoni slices in a bowl of oil. Place the cheese in a bowl. This way you'll have everything ready to grab while you're forming rolls.
Take one ball of dough in one hand and press to flatten into a disc. Place about a Tablespoon of cheese in the middle, along with 3-4 slices of pepperoni.
Fold the sides of the dough up and over the filling, tuck the dough in and press firmly so the filling is securely contained and there are no openings.
Brush the top of the roll with melted butter and place in prepared pan. Repeat until both pans are full (should be about 16-20 rolls each).
Cover the pans with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Once the dough has risen again, bake for 12-15 minutes at 375°F.
Remove from oven and brush with remaining melted butter.

Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary based on how much filling you put inside each roll.

Prep Tips:

Pepperoni - We use regular (cheap) pepperoni, so you don't have to buy anything fancy. Just use your favorite brand. Sliced pepperoni was traditional where I grew up, but some people prefer sticks.

Dough Rising Times - This may vary a lot depending on the humidity where you live. We're in Texas right now, so it takes longer for dough to rise here (2 1/2 hours on our last batch). But if you live somewhere with normal humidity it shouldn't take that long.

Storage - Pepperoni rolls do not need to be refrigerated (unless you used extra cheese) and can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a couple days.