Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread (Bundt Pan)
Pizza dough pieces, pepperoni, and two cheeses bake into a pull-apart ring with crisp ridges and a tender, separable center.
Recipe at a glance
- Yield: 10 servings
- Equipment: 12-cup Bundt pan, mixing bowl, thermometer
- Timing: 20 minutes prep, 35 minutes bake
- Cooking setting: 375°F
Ingredients
- 24 ounces refrigerated pizza dough, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 4 ounces turkey pepperoni, quartered
- 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup warm marinara for serving
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F and coat every groove of a 12-cup Bundt pan. Toss dough pieces with oil, seasoning, garlic, pepperoni, and both cheeses.
- Layer the mixture loosely in the pan rather than compressing it; open spaces allow hot air to reach the center. Put smaller dough pieces near the inner tube.
- Bake 32–38 minutes. The top should be browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a center dough piece should read at least 190°F. Rest 10 minutes.
- Loosen both edges with a flexible spatula, invert onto a platter, and serve with marinara.
Ingredient and technique notes
The Bundt tube conducts heat into this thick ring of dough, which is why a standard solid cake pan is not equivalent. Loose layering prevents a raw compressed band. Replace pepperoni with cooked crumbled sausage or chopped olives, but keep wet toppings out. Reheat separated pieces in a 350°F oven.
Building the ring
Cut cold dough with kitchen shears so the pieces stay distinct. Cheese between layers acts like glue, but a dense handful of mozzarella can form a wet band; distribute pinches throughout. Pepperoni already brings salt and fat, so no extra salt is needed. Greasing the central tube and deepest flutes is more important than coating the broad top edge.
Doneness and release
The exposed crown browns before the deepest dough, making the 190°F center check valuable. Insert the probe into bread rather than molten cheese. If the crown darkens at 25 minutes, tent it loosely with foil without sealing in steam. Ten minutes of rest lets cheese firm enough to hold the ring together. If a section clings, return the platter and pan upright, loosen that groove, and invert again.
Variations and leftovers
Use chopped roasted pepper, drained olives, or cooked sausage in place of some pepperoni. Raw mushrooms, pineapple, and fresh tomatoes release too much water unless cooked or thoroughly dried first. Serve warm marinara separately so the bread stays crisp. Refrigerate pulled pieces up to 4 days and reheat uncovered at 350°F until hot. Freeze cooled portions for one month; thaw before reheating.
A serrated knife helps divide the ring into serving sections without crushing its cheese-lined seams.
