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
    Made them once and they were great! I can’t really find pizza seasoning in Belgium, so I just added other spices. I wanted to make them again but I am out of pepperoni, I was wondering, do you think canned tuna would work? Thank you!

    1. I think that would primarily depend on whether you like the flavor. I would personally do cooked crumbled sausage or beef as options first.

  2. 5 stars
    These muffins were SUPER tasty. And I love all of the hearty/good for you ingredients in them. My 4 year old, 1 year old, and husband LOVED them! Family hit! Thanks so much, Amy!

  3. I’m in Canada and can’t get pizza seasoning . Do you have a recommendation on herbs to use ? Or even better yet an at home pizza seasoning recipe ?😅 thank you !

    1. It’s usually made of dried basil, dried oregano, onion flakes, garlic flakes, fennel, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. You could use just oregano and some garlic powder if that’s what you have though. If you google it, you’ll see a few recipes. I would pick one that doesn’t start with fennel since that’s not a flavor I often recognize in the store bought ones!

  4. Sorry I posted too soon! These were not a hit in my household, sadly. I did not have pizza seasoning, so I subbed in dried garlic, onion, basil, and oregano in a slightly higher amount than what was called for and subbed in Hormel turkey pepperoni because that’s what I had. Everything else was the same. I didn’t want to add red pepper flakes because I was fearful my son wouldn’t care for them, but as adults, we would’ve preferred them. They were very bland and really didn’t taste like pizza; I think some tomato or tomato sauce on top may have helped with adding more “pizza” characteristics. I know I made substitutions, but I don’t know that those changes would have resulted in this bland of a muffin. My toddler mostly refused to take a second bite (on multiple offers over 2-3 days). I feel like there is a lot of potential here, but unfortunately, they weren’t a hit for the toddler or the adults in our household. Maybe the pizza seasoning is the vital ingredient.

  5. I have made a bunch of your muffin recipes with gf flour – do you think I would be able to make these using gf flour too?

  6. 5 stars
    Really good. I followed the recipe, going half and half with broccoli and carrot. 1X recipe made 48 mini muffins!!! Will definitely put in my kids lunch muffin rotation

  7. 5 stars
    These are phenomenal and kid approved! Not only that but so easy to make as well. We made them in mini muffin tins and they baked up perfectly in 13 minutes. Dipping them in warm pizza sauce made them irresistible. Definitely putting these on my list to make regularly!

  8. 5 stars
    These are so tasty! I didn’t have whole wheat flour, so I used all purpose for all of it. I also used Trader Joe’s pizza seasoning. So, I didn’t follow the recipe to a T, but my family and I loved them! They are even better dipped in marinara sauce. Thank you so much for sharing this!!

  9. 5 stars
    These were so good! I grew up in Southern California and Trader Joe’s sold these amazing cheese scones and these muffins reminded me of them. I live in Massachusetts now and when Trader Joe’s came here I was so disappointed that I couldn’t find my favorite scones. Thanks for sharing!

  10. 5 stars
    With 4 kids ranging in age from 0-7, I’m always looking for quick, healthy & delicious fuel for the whole family (mom & dad included!) This recipe is just that! So many kid-friendly recipes are bland & boring but that is never the case for your recipes! Thanks so much!

  11. 5 stars
    This is my go to muffin recipe for my son (2.5 yrs old), and he loves it! I doubled the recipe and added shredded zucchini to it last time, just had to cook a little longer and came out perfect! Today I’m baking it with half carrots/half cooked quinoa-curious how they turn out! My son is autistic and very picky and this is one of his yes foods!

  12. 5 stars
    My son loves these, my mom loves these, I love these!
    I didn’t have pepperoni or pizza spice so I just used Italian seasoning and they taste AMAZING! They freeze well and thaw in just 30 seconds in the microwave!!!

  13. 5 stars
    Made these during nap time today and tried one straight out of the oven. I loved it! So quick and easy to clean up and I love that I can just pop them in the microwave for dinner tonight.

    I do have one question. I thought about swirling in some pizza sauce before baking instead of serving alongside but wasn’t sure how much or if I need to omit some of anything else to make the consistency ok. Do you think they would still bake well if I added some sauce?