Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull-Apart Rolls (2-Hour Prep)

These Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull-Apart Rolls are soft, cheesy, and ready in just two hours, making them the perfect appetizer when you need something quick that everyone will love! Each fluffy roll is filled with melty mozzarella and pepperoni, then brushed with warm garlic butter right out of the oven.

These are made for sharing on football Saturdays, New Year’s Eve, or any time you want to make pizza night a little more fun. If you love quick sourdough recipes, try my Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls or this easy Sourdough Discard Focaccia next.

Why You’ll Love These Pull-Apart Sourdough Discard Pizza Rolls

• Ready in just 2 hours — Mix the dough and let it rise. Then, shape the pizza rolls and bake. You’ll have warm, cheesy pull-apart rolls on the table in no time. It’s the same reason I pull out the recipe card for my Sourdough Discard Bagels. They come together just as fast, which is a big deal if you’re pressed for time. 
• Perfect appetizer, great for crowds—Since these are pull-apart rolls, you don’t have to worry about slicing or serving at the table. Everyone grabs a warm piece, digs right in, and savors that pizza flavor, which makes them great for game day. If you’re building out a full party spread, my Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites are another easy snack to throw on the counter.
• Customizable—I went with mozzarella and pepperoni, but you can swap in your favorite fillings and toppings. This recipe is just as flexible as my Beef Sourdough Empanadas.
• So tasty dipped in marinara—Tear off one and dip it in warm marinara sauce, pesto, ranch, or pizza sauce. You’ll right away understand why this pull-apart pizza bread doesn’t last long around here. You can also serve these alongside my Sourdough Meatballs for a full weeknight dinner.

Ingredients & Substitutions

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*

• Milk – Warm the milk and butter, but not hotter than 110°F. Too much heat can kill the instant yeast and discard and prevent your dough from rising properly. I used whole milk in this easy sourdough pizza roll recipe, but non-dairy options like almond milk work just fine. 
• Sourdough discard – I use fresh, room-temperature sourdough discard that’s no older than 1-2 days. If using discard straight from the fridge, it’ll slow down the rise time. You can swap in the same amount of active sourdough starter (grams). 
• Sugar—If you’d prefer a natural sweetener, use the same amount of honey by weight.
• Flour—You can use all-purpose flour for these easy rolls, but I recommend bread flour for its higher protein content, which results in softer, fluffier dinner rolls. 
• Instant yeast—I used instant yeast for this recipe, NOT active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to activate and takes longer for the dough to rise. Instant yeast, in contrast, can be added directly to dry ingredients and works much faster. 
• Fillings—Freshly grated mozzarella melts best, so grab a block and shred it yourself if you can. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking stuff that keeps it from melting quite right. I went with pepperoni, but feel free to swap in whatever pizza toppings you love, like peppers, onions, or sausage. Be sure to cook any raw meat and soften up your veggies first, then let everything cool before you start filling the rolls.
• Garlic Butter—This mixture of melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese not only brings delicious flavor to the rolls, but it also makes them extra soft.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull-Apart Rolls

1. Mix the dough ingredients. Add the warm milk, sourdough discard, egg, melted butter, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. 

2. Form and knead the dough. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Add the flour, instant yeast, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Mix on low to combine, then knead on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes.

3. First rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover it. Let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

4. Divide and fill. Punch down the dough to release the air. Divide it into 24 equal pieces.

5. Press each piece flat, add your pizza fillings to the center, and pinch the edges tightly to seal.

6. Shape and second rise. Roll each piece into a tight ball. Place them seam-side down in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or baking dish.

7. Cover and let the shaped rolls rise for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.  Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. 

8. Remove the rolls from the oven and sprinkle with extra cheese and pepperoni. Tent the pan with foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. 

9. Brush the tops generously with warm garlic butter. Serve immediately with warm marinara or pesto for dipping.
   

How to Store

Baked sourdough discard pull-apart pizza rolls store well on the counter for a day or two in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. That stretches to 5 days if you keep them in the fridge, but who can resist them that long? Freezing works too. Wrap the pizza rolls tightly in a freezer bag, and they’ll keep for about 2 months. Thaw on the counter, then warm in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to bring back the melty cheese and crisp top. The microwave works in a pinch, but in my experience, the oven gives you better texture.

More Sourdough Pizza Recipes

Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough Recipe

Easy Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust (No Yeast/Dough to Knead)

How to Make Sourdough Pizza Dough (Easy Recipe)

Breakfast Pizza with a Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe

If you tried this Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull Apart Rolls recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull Apart Rolls Recipe

By McKenna Pulda

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Yield: 24 rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Rise Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 18 minutes minutes

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These Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull-Apart Rolls are soft, cheesy, and filled with pepperoni and melty mozzarella, then brushed with warm garlic butter. Ready in just two hours, they’re an easy sourdough discard appetizer for pizza night, game day, New Year’s Eve, or any occasion that calls for a shareable snack!

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5 from 1 vote

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Equipment

• stand mixer
• straight edge bowl
• proofing box
• 9×13 metal baking pan

Ingredients

Sourdough Discard Dough

• 220 grams milk, warm 3/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons
• 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/3 cup
• 1 egg room temperature
• 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
• 24 grams sugar 2 Tablespoons
• 450 grams bread flour 3 cups + 3 Tablespoons
• 7 grams instant yeast, see notes for 100% sourdough option 2 teaspoons
• 9 grams salt 1 ½ teaspoon
• 1 gram Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon
• 3 grams garlic powder 1 teaspoon

Pizza Filling

• 175 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 1/2 cups
• 55 grams pepperoni, chopped about 30 thin slices

Pizza Topping

• 50 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded 1/2 cup
• 20 grams pepperoni, chopped about 10 thin slices

Garlic Butter

• 57 grams unsalted butter, metled 4 Tablespoons
• 1 gram Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon
• 3 grams garlic powder 1 teaspoon
• 6 grams Parmesan, grated 1 Tablespoon

Instructions

Mix Dough

1. If you prefer a 100% sourdough option, see notes below!

   To a bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk, room temperature sourdough discard, egg, melted butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until smooth.

   Reminder: The temperature of the warm milk and melted butter was 110 degrees F. Any hotter can kill the instant yeast. You can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, but this can slow down the rise time.

   This dough can also be kneaded by hand. I would increase the kneading to 10-15 minutes.
   220 grams milk, warm, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 1 egg, 24 grams sugar
2. To the wet ingredients, add the flour, instant yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt. With the hook attachment, mix again on low speed. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the dry ingredients and then continue to mix on medium speed for 6-8 minutes.

   You’ll know the dough has been kneaded completely when it is smooth and elastic. The dough will completely pull away from the sides of the bowl when it is being kneaded and it will pass the windowpane test.
   450 grams bread flour , 7 grams instant yeast, see notes for 100% sourdough option, 9 grams salt, 1 gram Italian seasoning, 3 grams garlic powder
3. Remove the dough and place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover

BULK RISE:

1. Place the dough in a warm place in your kitchen and allow the dough to double in size.

   In my 70 degree F proofing box, this took about 1 hour. The bulk rise greatly depends on the temperature of your dough and kitchen. If you have a colder kitchen, the rise time will take longer. If your kitchen runs warm, the first rise will take less time.

   *See notes for Make-Ahead Options*

SHAPE:

1. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the top of the dough to remove all the air bubbles. Then, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
2. With a bench scraper, divide the dough into 24 equal pieces (about 38 grams each).
3. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, then flatten it slightly to create a well in the center. Add about 10 grams of the cheese and pepperoni filling. Pull the edges of the dough up and over the filling toward the center, then pinch the seams together tightly to seal.

   Flip the dough over so the seam is facing down. Cup your hand around the dough and gently roll it in a counterclockwise motion on a clean work surface to create a smooth, tight ball. Place the shaped roll in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and repeat with the remaining dough.

   If your cast iron is seasoned, you shouldn’t need to grease it, but you can lightly grease the pan just to be sure. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, grease a 12-inch metal cake pan or 9×13 metal baking pan instead.
   175 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded, 55 grams pepperoni, chopped

Second Rise

1. Once shaped, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for its second rise. The final proof is complete when the rolls have grown and look puffy. This took about 30-45 minutes.

Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the rolls from the oven, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese and pepperoni on top of the rolls, then carefully return the rolls back into the over. Tent a piece of aluminum foil on top of the rolls and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the buns are beautifully golden brown and the internal temperature is 190 degrees F.
   50 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded, 20 grams pepperoni, chopped
2. Remove the Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull Apart Rolls from the oven.

Garlic Butter

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese. While the buns are still warm, brush the tops of each roll with garlic butter, serve warm with marinara or pesto and enjoy!
   57 grams unsalted butter, metled, 1 gram Italian seasoning, 3 grams garlic powder, 6 grams Parmesan, grated

Notes

If you prefer a 100% Sourdough Pizza Pull Apart Rolls, use my 100% Sourdough Dinner Rolls recipe instead (be sure to add the Italian season and garlic powder as well), then follow the recipe above!

MAKE-AHEAD Option

If you are looking to prepare these Sourdough Discard Pizza Pull Apart Rolls in advance – here are some options and tips!

Option 1: Prepare the dough and once it has doubled in size, cover the bowl and chill the dough in the fridge overnight. The following morning, shape the pizza rolls and allow them to rise and get fluffy in a warm place before baking as normal.

Option 2: Prepare the dough and shape the pizza rolls the night before, then pop the covered baking dish into the fridge overnight. Pull out the unbaked rolls 1-2 hours before baking to allow them to rise and get fluffy in a warm place.

Option 3: Prepare the dough and shape the pizza rolls, then pop the covered baking dish into the freezer. Once frozen solid, about an hour or so, place the sourdough discard pizza rolls into a freezer-safe bag and store for 2-3 weeks for the best results. When ready to bake, place the frozen rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and place them in the refrigerator the night before. The following day, take them out of the fridge and allow them to rise in a warm place, about 1.5-2 hours, or until fluffy. Bake as normal.

Bake, Freeze & Reheat

Otherwise, you can bake the pizza rolls as normal, then allow them to cool to room temperature. Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. When ready to enjoy, allow the rolls to thaw on the counter top at room temperature. Once thawed, reheat them in a 350 degree F oven for about 8-10 minutes or until warmed through.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Milk – Use warm milk and melted butter, but make sure the mixture isn’t hotter than 110°F. Too much heat can kill the instant yeast and discard and prevent your dough from rising properly. I used whole milk in this easy homemade dinner roll recipe, but non-dairy options like almond milk works just fine. 
• Sourdough Discard – I use fresh, room temperature sourdough discard that’s no older than 1-2 days. You can use older discard, but it will bring a more tangy flavor to the rolls. If using discard straight from the fridge, it’ll slow down the rise time. By the way, you can swap in the same amount of active starter (grams). 
• Sugar – If you’d prefer a natural sweetener, you can use the same amount of honey by weight.
• Flour– You can use all-purpose flour for these rolls, but I recommend bread flour. Its higher protein content results in softer, fluffier dinner rolls. 
• Instant yeast – I used instant commercial yeast for this recipe, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to activate and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast, in contrast , can be added directly to dry ingredients, and it works much faster. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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