Skip the takeout, and upgrade your pizza night with this easy homemade Pepperoni Pizza Braid instead! Flakey puff pastry is filled with savory marinara sauce, hearty pepperoni, and, of course, lots and lots of cheese! Baked in 20 minutes or less, it’s perfect for a family-friendly appetizer or main course.

Baked pepperoni pizza braid. — Serve this easy Pepperoni Pizza Braid as an appetizer, snack, or main course!

Do you have a weekly pizza night at your house? Ours usually falls on Fridays when we’re too tired from the week to spend much time in the kitchen but still want something quick. Admittedly, we’re sometimes guilty of ordering from our local pizza shop. However, when we can, we try to make our own at home instead.

One of the easiest ways to make pizza homemade while keeping it easy is with this Pepperoni Pizza Braid! Always a hit, it uses pre-made puff pastry so you don’t have to dirty up your kitchen making the dough. Then, we stuff it full of all our favorite pizza toppings and bake it in the oven. The end result is a flakey exterior and a warm filling oozing with cheesy goodness. All in all, it’s a recipe no one can resist!

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Pizza Braid Recipe

Baked in the oven in 20 minutes or less, it’s faster than takeout.
8 ingredients are all you need to create a bold, savory flavor.
You can mix and match all your favorite pizza toppings.
It’s great as an appetizer, snack, or main course!

What You’ll Need

We kept the ingredient list for this Pepperoni Pizza Braid short and sweet using budget-friendly items you can easily find at your local grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need:

Puff Pastry – Find this in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores.
Fillings – To replicate the flavor of classic pepperoni pizza, we use marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade), low-moisture Mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. Feel free to use regular pork pepperoni, turkey pepperoni, or mini pepperoni slices to fit your preferences and needs!
Butter – Unsalted butter is melted and brushed on top of the dough to enhance the richness of the flavor and help the seasonings stick.
Parmesan – This is added to the topping for extra cheesy goodness.
Seasonings – Fresh minced garlic and Italian parsley help create that bold, savory pizza flavor we know and love. Depending on the marinara you use, you may need to add more or less to suit your tastebuds.

How to Make a Pepperoni Pizza Braid

Think of this Pepperoni Pizza Braid kind of like a homemade Hot Pocket. We’ll start by adding our fillings to the dough. Then, we’ll wrap it up, and bake it in the oven! Here’s how it’s done:

Prepare the Dough. Let your puff pastry thaw just slightly in the fridge. It should be malleable and easy to work with but still cold. Then, open it up, spreading it out into a large rectangle.
Add the Fillings. Spread the marinara in the center of the dough. Layer the Mozzarella and pepperoni on top.
Fold. Slice 1-inch sections of the dough, from the inside out to create strips. Slice off the top two and bottom two strips of down. Then, fold the top piece down over the center. Begin braiding the strips, folding them into the center on alternating sides. Tuck the bottom piece under the braids of the dough.
Top. In a small bowl, whisk the butter, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and Italian parsley. Use a pastry brush to spread the mixture over the pizza braid.
Bake. Place the braid on a greased baking sheet, and bake it in the oven until the dough is golden brown and flakey.

Filling Options and Variations

As you know, there are endless varieties of pizza flavors out in the world. So, feel free to recreate your favorite by mixing and matching the ingredients in this Pepperoni Pizza Braid recipe! For instance, some of our favorite add-ins and variations include:

Different Dough. If needed, you can easily replace the puff pastry dough with crescent rolls or a pre-made pizza dough crust instead. Just adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions.
Swapping Out the Protein. Replace or add to the pepperoni with any protein you like best! For instance, ground beef, sausage, taco meat, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, or shredded chicken all work great!
Adding Produce. Add extra nutrients to your pizza braid with fresh fruit and veggies like onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, tomatoes, or pineapple. (Controversial, we know.)
Making It Extra Cheesy. You can never have too much cheese, right? Add more or replace the Mozzarella with varieties like a shredded Italian cheese blend, a shredded Pizza cheese blend, Cheddar cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese, feta, goat cheese, or whatever you like best.

How to Store

This Pepperoni Pizza Braid recipe is best enjoyed right away while it’s still warm. However, if you have leftovers or want to prepare in advance, it can be stored for later.

Refrigerator: Once cooled, leftovers can be wrapped in aluminum foil or transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Freezer: For a longer-lasting option, transfer your pizza braid to the freezer for up to 6 months.
To Reheat: To eat, let frozen leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, keeping it wrapped in foil, reheat your braid in the oven at 350° Fahrenheit until your desired temperature is reached

More Pizza-Inspired Recipes

If you enjoy this Pepperoni Pizza Braid recipe, you won’t want to miss out on more of the homemade pizza-inspired meals below!