BEST English Muffin Pizza Recipe – Easy Snacks!
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Danny makes bold backyard BBQ recipes packed with fun twists, smoky flavors, and easy comfort food ideas. From creative appetizers to hearty mains, his dishes are designed to bring people together, spark conversation, and turn every meal into a party.
There’s something about making pizza at home that never gets old. I’ve made plenty of fancy pies with homemade dough, but sometimes I just want something quick, fun, and easy that still hits the spot. That’s where this English Muffin Pizza recipe comes in. It’s one of those go-to snacks that works for weeknight dinners, after-school bites, or even game day when you want a crowd-pleaser without the stress of rolling out dough.
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I started making these English Muffin Pizzas when I was short on time and needed to get something on the table fast, but the English Muffin Pizzas quickly turned into a repeat favorite for my family. The crunchy muffin base with buttery garlic flavor and melty mozzarella gives every bite the comfort of pizza night, but in a fraction of the time. If you’ve ever wanted a simple mini pizza recipe that tastes way better than frozen, this is it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These English Muffin Pizzas are ridiculously fast to make, and you don’t need any special tools or baking skills. It’s all about English muffins, toppings, and a hot oven. I love that it’s customizable – you can stick to pepperoni like I did here, or set out a topping bar and let everyone make their own.
Another reason I keep coming back to this recipe is because it’s fun. I’m telling you, there’s something satisfying about taking a bite of a crispy little pizza you built yourself in minutes. My kids get into it, my friends devour them during football season, and they even reheat well if you manage to have leftovers.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
The list here is short for these English Muffin Pizzas, and most of it’s already in the pantry or fridge. You’ll need:
- 3 English muffins split in half
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional if you want heat)
- 24 pepperonis
- 4 oz pizza sauce or marinara
- 4 oz butter, salted or unsalted
- 4 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup Italian herb mix (parsley, oregano, thyme)
You’ll also want a baking sheet, a small mixing bowl for the garlic butter, and a brush for spreading. I usually line my sheet with parchment for easy cleanup, but foil works too.
How to Make It
Preparation
Start by preheating the oven to 350F. Split the English muffins in half and place them cut-side up on the baking sheet. Pop them in the oven for about 5-7 minutes until they’re just a little crispy, but not browned. This step keeps them from getting soggy once the toppings go on the English Muffin Pizzas.
While the muffins are crisping, make the garlic herb butter. Melt your butter and stir in onion powder, garlic powder, Italian herbs, and minced garlic. Mix it until everything is blended together, then brush it over the toasted muffin halves. This layer adds a savory flavor boost to the English Muffin Pizzas and sets the stage for your toppings.
Cooking
Once the garlic butter is on, it’s time to build the pizzas. Spread a spoonful of pizza sauce or marinara onto each muffin half. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese, add a pinch of Italian seasoning, and top with pepperonis. If you want to get creative, this is the moment to swap in sausage, veggies, or even BBQ chicken.
Bake the English Muffin Pizzas for 7-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the pepperoni edges are starting to crisp. The smell that fills the kitchen at this point is classic pizza night – buttery, garlicky, and loaded with cheesy goodness.
Here’s the short version for busy nights: bake English muffins at 350F for 5-7 minutes, add toppings, then bake again for 7-10 minutes until the cheese melts. Boom: English Muffin Pizzas are done!
Remove the English Muffin Pizzas from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Trust me on this – that molten cheese will scorch the roof of your mouth if you dive in too fast.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these English Muffin Pizzas hot from the oven with a simple side salad or even some garlic knots if I’m going big on carb night. They make a fun snack tray for game day, and you can scale the batch up easily by using a couple packs of muffins.
If you’re thinking about pairing drinks, these go perfectly with a cold beer, soda, or even sweet tea in the backyard. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the oven at 350F for about 5 minutes – they crisp right back up.
Recipe Notes and Pro Tips
One trick I’ve learned is to always toast the English muffins before adding sauce. If you skip that step, they’ll turn out soggy. Another tip is to brush the garlic butter generously – it makes the muffins taste like garlic bread under the toppings, which is never a bad thing.
Don’t overload with sauce either. A thin layer keeps everything balanced and lets the cheese and toppings shine. If you want to go heavier, just add more cheese to hold it all together.
Variations
You don’t have to stick with pepperoni. Swap it out for sausage crumbles, mushrooms, or even diced peppers and onions for a veggie version. I’ve done a BBQ chicken spin by using leftover smoked chicken, BBQ sauce instead of marinara, and cheddar cheese. Another hit has been a breakfast pizza – scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese on top of the garlic buttered muffins.
This recipe is also perfect for kids’ parties. Set out bowls of toppings like olives, ham, pineapple, and let them build their own pizzas. It’s hands-on, fun, and everyone gets exactly what they want.
If you’re into more pizza recipes, check out my croissant pizza post or the pepperoni pizza bites I’ve shared before. They’re all easy, handheld, and perfect for when you want pizza flavor without committing to a big pie.
Other Recipes You’ll Love:
- Chicken Fried Jalapeno Poppers – Best Chicken Fried Recipe
- Bacon Cheeseburger Pickle Poppers Appetizer Recipe
- Viral Chopped Turkey Club in a Dill Pickle
- EASY Chopped Italian Sandwich Recipe in a Pickle Bun
- Crazy Puffs Recipe – Little Caesars Homemade Copycat
Ingredients
- 3 English Muffins split in half
- 3/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 3/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes (optional for some heat)
- 24 Pepperonis
- 4 oz Pizza Sauce or marinara to your preference
- 4 oz Butter salted (or use what you like)
- 4 TBSP Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 1 TBSP Minced Garlic
- 1/4 C Italian Herbs mix of parsley, oregano, thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Split English Muffins in half with fork or by hand, lay them on baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes for them to get a little crispy, but before they start turning brown – keep an eye on them.
- While english muffins are crisping up, mix your garlic herb butter by taking melted butter and adding in onion powder, garlic powder, italian herbs, and minced garlic – mix well, then brush onto crisp English Muffin halves.
- Build the pizza by putting the garlic herb butter on the English Muffin, then add shredded mozzarella cheese, pizza seasoning, and your toppings – pepperoni in this case.
- Place back in oven and bake for 7-10 minutes until cheese is nice and melted and pepperonis start to crisp up.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot.
