Air-Fryer Pepperoni Rolls: Quick, Crispy, Delicious!

Air fryers are a convenient way to make pepperoni rolls, and they can be made in a variety of ways. The basic ingredients include pepperoni, cheese, dough, and sauce. The dough can be crescent roll dough, pizza dough, or egg roll wrappers, and the cheese is usually mozzarella, but can also be Parmesan or cheddar. The sauce is typically pizza or marinara sauce, but can be substituted with barbecue sauce or sweet chili sauce. The rolls can be served with a side of sauce for dipping, and can be paired with raw vegetables, salad, or steamed vegetables.

Choosing your ingredients

Choosing the right ingredients is essential to making delicious pepperoni rolls in an air fryer. Here are the key ingredients you'll need and some tips for selecting the best options:

Dough

The type of dough you choose will impact the texture and flavour of your pepperoni rolls. You can use store-bought options such as crescent roll dough, which creates a flaky, buttery texture, or go for a more traditional pizza dough, either store-bought or homemade. If you opt for homemade pizza dough, remember to roll it out thinly (between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick) to prevent it from rising too much during cooking. Additionally, if you're using crescent roll dough, you can cut it into rectangles or place the fillings in the centre of the triangles and roll them up.

Cheese

Cheese is a key ingredient in pepperoni rolls, providing that delicious, melted goodness. Shredded mozzarella cheese is a popular choice as it melts well and has a mild flavour that pairs well with pepperoni. However, you can also experiment with other cheeses like Parmesan, cheddar, crumbled feta, or Pepper Jack.

Pepperoni

As the star ingredient, choosing the right pepperoni is crucial. Look for spicy pepperoni to add a nice kick to your rolls. You can also experiment with other types of salami or even substitute pepperoni with chorizo or ham, depending on your preference.

Sauce

While traditional pepperoni rolls don't include sauce, you can add a small spoonful of pizza or marinara sauce to the centre of your rolls for extra flavour. You can use store-bought or make your own sauce from scratch. If you want to get creative, try using barbecue sauce or sweet chilli sauce instead.

Oil

Oil serves multiple purposes in this recipe. Firstly, you'll need it to brush the air fryer basket to prevent sticking. You can use a neutral vegetable oil or olive oil, which adds extra flavour. Additionally, brushing oil on top of the rolls before cooking will help achieve a crispy exterior.

Additional Toppings

Feel free to get creative and add some extra toppings to your pepperoni rolls. You can include sliced olives, banana peppers, mushrooms, onions, or even pineapple for a Hawaiian twist. Just be mindful not to overload the rolls, as this can make them difficult to roll up.

Preparing the dough

To make pepperoni rolls in an air fryer, you'll need to prepare the dough first. You can either make your own dough from scratch or use store-bought dough. If you're making your own, roll it out on a clean, dry surface and aim to get it as thin as possible. If you're using store-bought dough, unroll it onto a cutting board and flatten it into a rectangle.

Next, you'll need to cut the dough into equal-sized pieces that you can roll your pepperoni and cheese into. If you've made a rectangle, cut it into smaller rectangles. If you're using crescent dough, you can simply separate the dough into triangles.

Now it's time to add the fillings. Place your desired number of pepperoni slices in the centre of each piece of dough. You can also add a spoonful of sauce to the centre of your pepperoni slices if you like, but this is optional.

Then, sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of the pepperoni. You can use mozzarella, Parmesan, or a pizza cheese mix.

Finally, it's time to roll everything up. Fold the dough over the pepperoni and cheese, pressing the seams to seal in the fillings. Then, fold the ends and press them into place to seal the roll. Repeat this process until you've used up all your dough and fillings.

Adding fillings

There are many different ways to add fillings to your pepperoni rolls. Here are some ideas:

Pizza Sauce

The difference between pepperoni rolls and pizza rolls is that pepperoni rolls don't traditionally have sauce in them. However, if you want to add some, just add a small spoonful of sauce to the centre of your pizza rolls after adding the pepperoni and cheese. You can use your favourite pizza or marinara sauce.

Cheese

Shredded cheese in a bag works fine, or you can shred your own. Use cheese that melts well, such as mozzarella or a "pizza mix". You can also add some Parmesan cheese for the last minute of cooking.

Meat

Pepperoni is the classic choice, but you can also use salami, chorizo, ham, or prosciutto. If you want to make your pepperoni rolls vegetarian, you can skip the meat or swap it for mushrooms.

Other Fillings

Try other fillings like mushrooms, zucchini, pineapple, or black olives. You can also add some sliced olives, sliced banana peppers, or chopped ham to your tortilla-based pepperoni rolls. Just be sure not to add too much, as this could make it hard to roll up the tortilla.

Dessert Option

You can adapt this recipe to make dessert pizza rolls instead. Swap the pizza sauce for Nutella and the toppings for chopped nuts, berries, or fruit of your choice. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Cooking the rolls

Now that you've assembled your pepperoni rolls, it's time to cook them!

First, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes. You can also preheat at 300°F or 375°F, depending on your air fryer model.

Brush the air fryer basket with oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking. You can use olive oil or a neutral vegetable oil. Place the rolls in the basket, leaving some space between them to allow air to circulate. Make sure the rolls are seam-side down and not touching.

Cook the rolls for 8-10 minutes at 350°F (or 14 minutes at 350°F if you're using pizza dough), or until they are golden brown. For crescent rolls, you may need to flip them halfway through the cooking time.

Once cooked, remove the rolls from the air fryer and let them cool down before serving. They will be very hot!

You can also reheat cooked rolls in the air fryer. Preheat to 360°F and heat the rolls for 1-2 minutes.

Storing and reheating

When reheating, there are a few options. If you're short on time, the microwave is your best option. Wrap the pepperoni roll in a paper towel and heat for 30-60 seconds. For a crispier roll, use the air fryer. Reheat at 350-360°F for 1-2 minutes. If you're reheating a large batch, the oven is a good option. Place the rolls on a baking sheet and heat at 325°F for 5-10 minutes.

If you're reheating frozen rolls, allow for a little extra time. In the air fryer, heat at 350°F for 7 minutes, adding more time in 2-minute increments if needed. In the microwave, reheat in 1-minute increments to avoid overheating.

Frequently asked questions