Pepperoni Pizza Recipe: How to Make It in a Pizza Oven

Last updated: August 12, 2026

Last updated: August 2026. This post contains affiliate links — if you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure.

We cook pepperoni pizza regularly. In our experience the key is using cupped pepperoni and getting the stone hot enough that the edges char before the fat pools.

We make this more than any other pizza when cooking for a group. It’s been through enough sessions that the recipe runs on autopilot – these are the quantities and timings that work.

This is the pizza we make most often when cooking for people who aren’t into something more adventurous. We’ve done this enough times that the recipe runs on autopilot.

This pepperoni pizza recipe is straightforward once you have got the technique down.

Pepperoni pizza is the world’s most popular pizza for good reason. Cooked in a proper pizza oven at 450-930°F, the pepperoni crisps at the edges and curls into little cups that collect pools of spicy oil. The result is something entirely different from delivery pizza. Here’s how to do it.

Ingredients (makes 2 pizzas)

For the Dough

• 300g 00 flour
• 195ml warm water
• 4g fast-action dried yeast
• 6g fine salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the Topping

• 200g passata or crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 150g low-moisture mozzarella, grated (not fresh mozzarella – see note below)
• 80-100g pepperoni slices
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
• Olive oil

The Mozzarella Choice Matters

For pepperoni pizza, use low-moisture mozzarella (the block or pre-grated kind) rather than fresh mozzarella. Low-moisture mozzarella melts differently – it stretches and browns rather than releasing water. This is what gives American-style pepperoni pizza its characteristic stretchy, golden cheese. Fresh mozzarella is better for margherita; low-moisture is better for pepperoni.

Make the Dough

Follow our full pizza dough recipe. Make the dough the night before if possible – a cold overnight ferment gives noticeably better flavor. Divide into 2 balls and refrigerate. Take them out 45-60 minutes before cooking.

Make the Sauce

Season the passata with a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar, and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Stir and taste – it should be well seasoned but not sweet. See our full pizza sauce recipe for more detail.

Preheat the Oven

Preheat your pizza oven to 450-930°F. Check the stone temperature with an infrared thermometer. For pepperoni pizza, a stone temperature of 400-840°F is ideal – slightly lower than the absolute maximum helps the pepperoni crisp without burning before the cheese has melted.

Assemble and Cook

Step 1: Stretch the Dough

On a floured surface, stretch a dough ball into a 10-12 inch round using your hands. Keep the center thin and leave a thicker border for the crust. Place on a semolina-dusted pizza peel. Read our guide on how to stretch pizza dough for technique.

Step 2: Add Sauce and Cheese

Spread 80-100g of sauce thinly across the dough, leaving a 2cm border. Scatter the grated mozzarella generously across the sauce. Don’t be shy with the cheese for pepperoni pizza – a good coverage of mozzarella is part of the character of the dish.

Step 3: Add Pepperoni

Lay the pepperoni slices evenly across the cheese. The pepperoni goes on top of the cheese rather than underneath – this is what allows it to crisp and cup during cooking. Use about 15-20 slices for a 12-inch pizza, spread with slight gaps between them.

Step 4: Cook

Slide the pizza off the peel onto the hot stone. At 450-930°F, cook for 60-90 seconds, rotating after 40 seconds. The pepperoni will curl at the edges and collect oil in the cups – this is exactly what you want. The cheese should be golden and bubbly. The crust should have some char spots.

Step 5: Finish

Remove from the oven and add a pinch of chilli flakes if you like heat. A drizzle of honey over pepperoni pizza is an American-style addition that works brilliantly if you enjoy sweet-heat combinations. Serve immediately.

Tips for the Best Pepperoni Pizza

• Use quality pepperoni – the cups of oil are what make pizza oven pepperoni special. Cheap pepperoni releases less oil and doesn’t cup as dramatically. Look for natural casing pepperoni if you can find it.
• Don’t overcrowd – leave slight gaps between pepperoni slices so heat can circulate and crisp each slice individually.
• Oregano in the sauce – this is the flavor backbone of a good pepperoni pizza. Don’t skip it.
• Rotate for even cooking – pepperoni closest to the flame will crisp faster. Rotate halfway through to get even crisping across the whole pizza.
• Let it rest 1 minute before cutting – the cheese needs a moment to set so it doesn’t all slide off when you slice.

Variations

• Double pepperoni – add a layer of pepperoni under the cheese and another on top. More crispy pieces, more flavor.
• Pepperoni and jalapeno – scatter pickled jalapeno slices alongside the pepperoni for a spicy kick.
• Pepperoni and honey – drizzle Mike’s Hot Honey (or similar) over the finished pizza. A genuine revelation.

Variations Worth Trying

Once you’ve nailed the classic pepperoni pizza, there are a few variations that are genuinely worth exploring. The most popular right now is hot honey pepperoni – a few tablespoons of honey infused with dried chilli flakes, drizzled over the pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven. The combination of salty, fatty pepperoni with sweet, spicy honey is addictive. You can make your own by warming honey with a pinch of chilli flakes, or use a ready-made version.

For more heat and complexity, combine regular pepperoni with ‘nduja. Dot small amounts of ‘nduja between the pepperoni slices before baking – the ‘nduja melts and oozes into the cheese, adding a deep, spicy pork flavor that elevates the whole pizza. This approach is particularly good if the pepperoni you’re using is on the milder side.

A white-base pepperoni pizza is another excellent variation. Replace the tomato sauce with a garlic and olive oil base, or use a thin layer of cream cheese, and the pepperoni takes on a different, richer character without the acidity of tomato. If you enjoy bold toppings, our ‘nduja pizza recipe is the natural next step, and our margherita recipe is worth having in your repertoire as a counterpoint when you want something simpler.