Skillet Pizza Dip with Garlic Butter Rolls

a cast iron skillet with baked rolls, and a cheesy dip with pepperoni in the center.

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5 from 1 vote

Skillet Pizza Dip with Garlic Butter Rolls

Homemade rolls baked with a cheesy pizza dip for a delicious appetizer baked into one tray!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Proofing time 1 30

Total Time 2 10

Servings servings

Calories 374kcal

Author Tracy

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet or other 12" oven safe skillet
Stand mixer or food processor
mixing bowls
kitchen scale
Pastry Brush

Ingredients

Garlic Butter Rolls

2 cups all-purpose four 272 g
1/2 cup warm water about 90 degrees
2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast 10 g
2 tablespoons sugar 8 g
1 egg
1 tablespoon salted butter melted
1/2 teaspoon fine ground salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Pizza Dip

1 cup pizza sauce
5.6 oz mozzarella cheese 1 3/4 cups, divided
8 oz cream cheese
1.2 oz Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
6-8 slices pepperoni

Butter Garlic Topping

2 tablespoons salted butter melted
1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

Prep Roll Dough: In a medium-sized bowl, add flour, salt, and garlic powder and give a quick mix. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water and sugar and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Add yeast. Add egg and melted butter and mix to break up the egg with the dough hook. Add the flour mixture and mix well until a sticky dough forms.
Proof: Add the sticky dough to a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof until it has doubled in size, about an hour.
Form Rolls: Once the dough has been proofed, grease the cast iron (or other) skillet. Separate the dough in half, then those halves in half, and half each again until you have 8 evenly sized dough balls. You can also use a scale (you may want to lightly spritz the top of the scale and your hands with oil to prevent sticking) and weigh out 8 approximately 2 oz dough balls. Add the balls to the greased skillet, around the perimeter of the skillet, leaving a little bit of space for the balls to rise again. Gently cover with a linen towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Mix Cheeses: Add the cream cheese to a medium-sized bowl and heat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften. Add 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, and mix well.
Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350℉ and move the rack to the center.
Melt Butter: Add the butter to a small bowl and melt in the microwave. Add the fresh garlic and Italian seasoning and mix well. Once the dough balls have risen and filled the spaces between each other, use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter and garlic.
Create the Dip: In the center of the skillet, add half of the pizza sauce and spread in an even layer. Add the cheese mixture and spread in an even layer, then add the rest of the pizza sauce. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and then layer the pepperoni slices.
Bake: Place the cast iron skillet in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the rolls are lightly browned.
Serve and Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Make Ahead

Roll Dough/Overnight: Prep the dough and let it proof overnight in the fridge for up to 15 hrs. The next day, shape the rolls in the pan and then give them about 2-3 hrs to rise a second time.

Shaped Rolls/Overnight: Prep the dough, let it rise, and then shape the dough balls and add them to a plate (don't let them touch), cover, and refrigerate for up to 15 hrs. Remove from the fridge and then place in the greased pan and let rise for the second time 1-2 hrs.

Roll Dough/Freezer: Prep the dough, let it rise, then shape the balls. Flash freeze by placing them on a plate or tray (not touching), freeze for an hour, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To then use, remove from freezer and arrange in the greased skillet, cover, and let them rise for 4-5 hours before continuing.

Substitutions

Instant Yeast: Use Active Yeast and just give it an extra 10 minutes to activate and become frothy before moving on.

Garlic Powder: You can also use fresh minced garlic in place of the powder. For 1/2 teaspoon dried, use 1/2 tablespoon fresh.

Butter: If using unsalted butter, just add a pinch of fine ground salt.

Pizza Sauce: We love to make our own, but you can use your favorite brand.

Freshly Grated Cheese

For the best results, freshly grate your own mozzarella and Parmesan cheese from a block. This will produce the best melty cheese!

Customize!

Use your favorite pizza toppings. Instead of pepperoni, use some cooked and crumbled sausage, peppers, onions, tomato and basil, or ham and pineapple.

Nutrition