West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls Recipe
West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls are a delicious and easy-to-make snack featuring soft dinner roll dough filled with pepperoni and provolone cheese. These rolls are perfect for parties, lunches, or anytime you crave a savory bite with a melty cheese center and the classic flavor of pepperoni wrapped in fluffy bread.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Dough and Fillings
- 12 pieces of frozen Rhodes dinner rolls dough
- 12 sandwich-size slices of pepperoni
- 12 sandwich-size slices of provolone cheese
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prepare the Rolls: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the frozen Rhodes dinner rolls dough on the baking sheet. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray to prevent sticking, then cover the rolls with the plastic wrap.
- Thaw the Dough: Let the rolls thaw and soften for about 1.5 hours at room temperature, allowing the dough to become pliable for shaping.
- Shape and Fill: Take one roll of dough and press it into a flat circle shape. Fold one slice of provolone cheese into fourths and place it on the dough circle. Fold one sandwich-size slice of pepperoni into fourths and place it on top of the cheese.
- Seal the Rolls: Carefully wrap the dough sides around the cheese and pepperoni, pinching the edges thoroughly to seal the contents inside completely and prevent leaking during baking.
- Place on Baking Sheet: Position the sealed dough rolls back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet with the seam side facing down. Repeat this process for all 12 rolls.
- Let Rolls Rise: Loosely cover the dough rolls again with lightly sprayed plastic wrap. Let them rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes to puff up and develop texture.
- Preheat Oven: During the final rise, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) so it’s ready for baking once the rolls have risen.
- Apply Garlic Butter (First Coat): Combine the melted butter with garlic powder and gently brush about half of this mixture over the tops of the risen rolls using a pastry brush. Reserve the other half for after baking.
- Bake: Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes or until they turn lightly golden brown and are fully cooked through.
- Apply Garlic Butter (Second Coat): Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately brush with the remaining garlic butter mixture to enhance flavor and add a soft, buttery finish.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let the pepperoni rolls cool slightly so they can be handled easily, then serve warm and enjoy the melty, savory goodness.
Notes
- Large sandwich-size slices of pepperoni are preferred and folded into fourths to fit inside the rolls; smaller slices can also be used.
- Provolone cheese is traditional and preferred here for its mild flavor and meltability, but mozzarella can be substituted if desired.
- Placing the provolone cheese on the dough first and pepperoni on top ensures the pepperoni flavor seeps into the dough after baking, a signature characteristic of a great pepperoni roll.
- Rhodes frozen dinner rolls dough is convenient and consistent, but homemade dinner roll dough can be used as well (note: homemade dough yields about 18 rolls, so increase fillings accordingly).
