Heart Shaped Pepperoni Pizza (Printable)

Tender crust, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and beef pepperoni shaped into a festive heart.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ cup warm water (110°F)
03 - 1 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1 tsp sugar
05 - ½ tsp salt
06 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Sauce

07 - ⅓ cup pizza or marinara sauce

→ Cheese

08 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

→ Toppings

10 - 18–20 slices beef pepperoni
11 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, or pizza seasoning)
12 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir until a dough forms.
03 - Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 475°F. Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven to heat.
06 - Punch down the dough and roll it out on parchment paper into a large heart shape, about ⅓ inch thick.
07 - Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border.
08 - Sprinkle mozzarella (and Parmesan, if using) over the sauce.
09 - Arrange beef pepperoni slices attractively over the cheese, following the heart shape.
10 - Sprinkle with Italian herbs.
11 - Carefully transfer the pizza (on the parchment) to the hot stone or baking sheet.
12 - Bake for 12–15 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
13 - Remove from oven, garnish with fresh basil if desired, slice, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The homemade dough comes together quickly and develops the most tender chewy crust
  • Beef pepperoni brings a deeper savory flavor that pairs beautifully with melty mozzarella
  • Shaping it into a heart transforms an ordinary dinner into something that feels like a celebration
02 -
  • If your yeast doesn't get foamy after 5 minutes, the water was probably too hot or the yeast is too old, so start again
  • Working with parchment paper makes transferring the shaped pizza to the hot oven so much easier and safer
  • The heart shape will shrink slightly during baking, so shape it a bit more exaggerated than you think you need
03 -
  • Let the dough come to room temperature for 10 minutes after rising, it's much easier to shape
  • Sprinkle a little cornmeal on your parchment paper before shaping for extra crunch and easy sliding
  • For the crispiest pepperoni, bake the pizza for 2 minutes before adding it, then return to the oven

Go Back