Air Fryer Recipe
Pizza rolls
Enjoy all the flavors of pizza in a fun, bite-sized version with these easy-to-make pizza rolls, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 1 pack of pre-made pizza dough or refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup diced pepperoni, ham, or any topping of your choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional for brushing)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Flour for dusting
Method
- Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the pizza dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a small margin around the edges.
- Evenly distribute the mozzarella cheese and your chosen toppings over the sauce. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Gently roll the dough into a tight log from one end, ensuring it is firm enough to hold its shape.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the roll into 1-inch pieces, yielding around 12-15 pieces.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F) for about 5 minutes and lightly brush or spray the basket with olive oil.
- Arrange the pizza rolls in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Allow the rolls to cool slightly before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
A thin, tight dough spiral gives the air fryer’s fast convection plenty of exposed surface, so the outside dries and browns before the cheese fully escapes. Keeping the sauce thin limits steam, while mozzarella fat helps the cut faces colour and crisp rather than bake up pale and bready.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4-6 litre basket holding about 6-8 rolls with space between them; cook in batches rather than stacking. In a single-drawer fryer, place rolls cut-side up and rotate the basket or turn them halfway if browning is uneven. In a dual-zone model, use the same temperature but check the smaller drawer 1-2 minutes early, as it often browns faster.
Common pitfalls
- Sauce bubbling out and the centres looking wet? The filling layer is too thick or too close to the edge; use a thinner smear, leave a 1 cm border and chill the log for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Rolls uncoiling in the basket? The log was loose or the seam was not sealed; roll with gentle tension, pinch the seam, and place each piece seam-side down or tucked against the basket base.
- Golden outside but doughy, pale spirals inside? The slices are too thick or the fryer is running hot; cut closer to 2.5 cm pieces, reduce to 170°C and cook 2-4 minutes longer.
- Cheese scorched before the dough browns evenly? The rolls are too close to the heating element or toppings are exposed on top; keep them cut-side up but not overfilled, and cover any very exposed cheese with a small pinch of dough edge if needed.
Variations & substitutions
- Use puff pastry instead of pizza dough for a flakier roll; cook at 180°C but start checking at 7 minutes because the butter layers brown quickly.
- Swap pepperoni for cooked mushrooms or peppers, but pat them dry first as extra moisture can make the spiral seam split and the bases soften.
- Use cheddar mixed with mozzarella for a stronger flavour; it melts oilier, so leave a little more space between rolls to prevent greasy pooling.
- Add a thin layer of pesto in place of some sauce; it browns faster because of the oil, so check 1 minute earlier and avoid brushing the tops heavily.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 3-5 minutes until the centres are hot and the edges crisp again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
