Bake a batch of easy Pizza Muffins for the flavor kids love in an easy-to-eat (and reheat!) format. These healthy muffins have a dose of shredded carrots for extra nutrition and are an easy lunch option to pack or serve at home.

pizza-muffins-on-wire-rack-with-kids-hand

Pizza Muffins

My kids love pizza, like most kids, and we have it often—but I also try to use the flavors in other foods. These Pizza Muffins have many of the same ingredients as pizza and subtle pizza flavors, but are also easier to pack in a lunch and work really well to make ahead and freeze for future days for easy toddler meals.

They are a fun savory muffin to have in the mix, and there are so many options for how you can customize them for your own kids.

Clearly these do not taste exactly the same as “real” pizza, which my kids do like to point out, but they have similar yummy flavors—and are much less messy to eat.

Ingredients You Need

You’ll need these ingredients to make the muffin recipe for kids.

ingredients-in-pizza-muffins
  • Milk: I use whole milk in my baking, but any milk will work here.
  • Grated carrot: This blends into the batter nicely and adds a dose of veggies. I prefer to shred the carrots myself on a box grater so they are finer, but you can also buy shredded carrots from the store.
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese: For classic pizza flavor.
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • Melted and slightly cooled butter, or neutral oil
  • Diced pepperoni: This is optional, but adds nice flavor.
  • Eggs: This helps the batter bind together and be light and fluffy. (See the Notes at the end of the recipe for the egg-free option.)
  • All-purpose flour and whole wheat flour: The mix gives a pleasantly fluffy texture with some of the fiber and whole grains from the whole wheat flour.
  • Baking powder and baking soda
  • Pizza seasoning: This is found in the spice aisle of most supermarkets. You can use Italian seasoning if you can’t find it, but the flavor of pizza seasoning is excellent in the muffins.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at the process involved in making this recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.

how to make pizza muffins in grid of four images.
  1. Stir together the wet ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Fold in the dry ingredients, reserving some of the pepperoni.
  3. Portion out into a greased muffin tin and top with pepperoni.
  4. Bake and serve or store.

TIP: You can make these as mini muffins. You’ll want to adjust the timing to 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

pizza-muffin-in-lunchbox

Frequently Asked Questions

What are pizza muffins made from?

These easy pizza muffins are made with pantry staples like flour and baking powder, plus carrots, eggs, milk, cheese, and more. You can play with the optional ingredients to make them exactly how your kids like.

Are pizza muffins best warm or cold?

We prefer them warm and like to heat them briefly at home or pack them in a thermos if packing for school.

Can I make vegetarian pizza muffins?

Sure, just omit the pepperoni.

Can I freeze these muffins?

Sure! Just be sure to let them cool completely, then store in a zip top plastic storage bag for up to 3 months. This is a great recipe for lunch to keep on hand since you can easily warm them up and tuck them into a thermos to go or serve for lunch at home.

pizza-muffins-on-blue-divided-plate

How to Store

To store, let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Heat briefly for 15-30 seconds in the microwave to serve.

Best Tips for Success

  • You can make these as mini muffins. You’ll want to adjust the timing to 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Egg-free: Omit eggs. Increase milk to 1 ¾ cups. Increase baking soda to 1 teaspoon. Proceed with the recipe as directed. (This works really well!)
  • You can warm briefly and pack in a thermos for lunch.
  • Substitute the carrots for broccoli if desired. Just use the tops of the broccoli, avoiding the stems, and finely cut up or chop.
  • Use all of one type of flour if that’s what you have.
  • Omit the pepperoni to make them vegetarian.
  • Serve with warm marinara sauce if desired for dipping.

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pizza-muffins-on-wire-rack-with-kids-hand

Pizza Muffins (with Veggies!)

These work well to make ahead and warm up for an easy lunch or dinner. These taste best served warm.
5 from 139 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Muffin
Calories 189kcal
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • cups milk
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup melted and slightly cooled butter or neutral oil
  • ¼ cup diced pepperoni, plus 2 tablespoons diced pepperoni (optional)
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • teaspoons pizza seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Marinara or pizza sauce (warmed for dipping, optional but recommended)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a standard muffin tin well with nonstick spray.
  • Add the milk, carrot, cheeses, butter, pepperoni (reserving the 2 tablespoons), and egg to a medium bowl. Stir together.
  • Stir in the flours, baking powder, baking soda, pizza seasoning, and salt.
  • Divide batter among the prepared muffin tin, using a heaping ¼ cup in each. Top each with pepperoni.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. (There may be some melted cheese on it, though!)
  • Let cool in the pan for 2-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. You may need to use a paring knife around the edges of the muffins to help remove them from the pan.
  • Serve slightly warm.

Video

Notes

  • To store, let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Heat for 15-30 seconds in the microwave to serve.
  • To freeze, let cool completely. Transfer to a zip-top plastic storage bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Warm one at a time on a heat-safe plate in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds or until warmed through
  • Egg-free: Omit eggs. Increase milk to 1 ¾ cups. Increase whole wheat flour to 1 cup. Increase baking soda to 1 teaspoon. Proceed with the recipe as directed. (This works really well!)
  • Look for pizza seasoning in the spice aisle. McCormick and Tones make it, and there are specialty brands, too, like this one that is very good. It is widely available.
  • You can make these as mini muffins. You’ll want to adjust the timing to 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • You can warm briefly and pack in a thermos for lunch.
  • Substitute the carrots for broccoli if desired. Just use the tops of the broccoli, avoiding the stems, and finely cut up or chop.
  • Use all of one type of flour if that’s what you have.
  • Omit the pepperoni to make them vegetarian.
  • These have the most pizza flavor if served with warm marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 375mg, Potassium: 154mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2077IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 144mg, Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

This recipe was first published July 2020.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Finally had every ingredient and didn’t substitute (except I’ve always done salami as pepperoni is too spicy for my 3 year old) and it’s AMAZING!! Snuck a few bites despite being pregnant… May have to eat a whole one and not tell the doctors 🙂 thank you!!

  2. 5 stars
    Yummy! We use dairy free milk and vegan cheese, and are egg free, and they’re still a hit with everyone! Love an easy lunch that can be pulled out of the freezer last minute.

  3. 5 stars
    Hi Amy! I made this and the whole family loved them. I have one question… we live in Mexico City and are really above sea level (more than 2000 meters) and I think that is why my muffins were a little flat, do you know any change I can make in the ingrdients? Maybe mire o less of something? Thank you very much!!!

    1. Hi- I would first make sure that the baking soda is fresh. That would be the most likely explanation at any altitude. If it is, you could possibly add 1/4 teaspoon more to help?

  4. 5 stars
    I really enjoyed these (my 18mo is still learning to like them). I made the mistake of using muffin papers so the cheese stuck to them when they first came out of the oven. But once they were cool in the fridge I could remove the papers and the reheat no problem.

  5. 5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. I modified it according to our family but it was still so delicious and soft. I used 1 cup all purpose flour and half and half of almond flour and wholemeal spelt flour. Used sausages instead of pepperoni as well. It still came out beautifully.

  6. 5 stars
    Great idea and recipe. I don’t keep “pizza seasoning” so I improvised with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and an add’l tsp of salt. I also used a combo of 1 cup wheat flour, 1/2 cup ap and 1/2 cup buckwheat flour and the muffins were still very light!

      1. Hi- I usually buy it, but you could do 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon garlic seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

  7. 5 stars
    This is a great recipe, my daughter loved it and the froze/reheated so easily!

    When I originally made this recipe, I read through the comments and noticed someone talking about how they adapted it to be taco muffins. I came back today to re-read that comment to see about adapting these myself, but for some reason I can only see one comment from April 21 on here. It says 42 comments at the top, but when I click that (or when I click “older comments”) nothing happens. Any chance you can help me out with accessing the comments?

    Thanks again, and I’ll be trying other muffin recipes soon!

    1. Hi! I’m sorry that’s not working—not sure what’s happening with the comments, but I’m trying to get it fixed. In the meantime, here’s what that comment said: “Attention all taco lovers…made these with taco seasoning instead of pizza, taco cheese instead of mozz, omitted the Parmesan and added peppers instead of pepperoni. BIG HIT for my taco-loving -2-year old! I love how versatile these muffins are! Thanks for the recipe!”

      1. Thank you so much! I truly appreciate you responding (and so quickly). Thanks much, Amy! 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    Ok, the flavor of these reminds me of the Pizza Hut breadsticks and personal pan pizzas of my childhood! Back when Pizza Hut was a special treat for completing a “Book It” assignment! I used frozen riced cauliflower in place of the carrots, and King Arthur flour pizza dough flavor, and about 1/2 t of Italian seasoning in place of the “pizza seasoning”. Thanks for another really yummy recipe!

  9. 5 stars
    My daughter absolutely loves these. I put a little tomato sauce on top when I serve them to her. Great recipe and they freeze very well.

  10. 5 stars
    These were really tasty. I used Target’s Good & Gather brand salt-free Garlic & Herb seasoning blend which is very similar to pizza seasoning. I bought mini pepperoni there too so I didn’t even have to chop!

  11. Have you tried them cold? I usually pack lunches the night before (my kids hardly ever, if ever, get a hot lunch!)

    1. I haven’t tried them cold but I assume they are much better warm. I often simply warm it up in the morning and pop it into a thermos if that’s an option!

  12. 5 stars
    I modified it according to the ingeedients i had available and they still came out amazing! It really smelled like a pizza was baking! My 2 year approved it.