Ready in just 15 minutes, these super easy pizza muffins are perfect for a quick snack, portable lunch or lazy dinner. Toasted English muffins are halved and smothered in cheese and your favourite pizza toppings. And everyone loves these single-serve pizzas, because one batch can be easily customised to suit a number of different tastes and dietary needs.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy – just a handful of pantry staples and your favourite pizza toppings are required.
- Ready in just 15 minutes.
- Affordable – keep some English muffins in your pantry or freezer and make them with whatever you have in the fridge!
- Versatile – make them in your oven or air fryer, vary the flavours by mixing up the toppings to suit your personal taste. Store-bought or homemade pizza sauce can be used, depending on preference. You can also use white or wholemeal muffins and make them healthier by adding extra veggies.
- Serve them as a sandwich substitute in lunchboxes, an easy lunch option or as a speedy dinner when you don’t have time to cook.
- Freezer friendly – keep a batch in the freezer, ready to add to lunchboxes or heat up for snacking, lunch or dinner.
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- English muffins – store-bought muffins are a more convenient and time saving option. But homemade English muffins can also be used. I use Tip Top English muffins, but any will work. Choose white or wholemeal, depending on preference. A pack of 6 whole muffins is used in this recipe, and they are split in half to make a total of 12 mini pizzas.
- Pizza sauce – homemade pizza sauce is super easy to make, but you can also use store-bought pizza sauce if you are short on time or ingredients. Choose a good quality brand that you know and love to eat for best results. Pizza sauce can be swapped for tomato paste, pesto or your favourite sauce.
- Cheese – shredded/grated mozzarella or pizza blend is recommended. But you can also use tasty cheddar or your favourite melty cheese.
- Toppings – use your favourites. Choose from a mix of pepperoni, shredded ham, cherry tomatoes, sliced mushroom, olives, bacon, pineapple, capsicum or any of your favourite pizza toppings.
Step by step instructions
Full ingredient notes and quantities can be found in the detailed recipe card below.
To start, split the English muffins in half, making 12 pieces.
Toast the muffins in a toaster or under a grill until lightly toasted.
Arrange the muffins on a lined baking tray and top with pizza sauce, pesto or your sauce of choice.
Add the shredded pizza cheese and your choice of pizza toppings.
Bake until the muffins are crisp and golden around the edges and the cheese has melted and become bubbly.
Expert tips
- To prevent a soggy base, I recommend lightly toasting the English muffins in a toaster or under a grill before adding the sauce and toppings.
- Don’t over-toast the muffins before adding the toppings, as they will finish cooking and crisping in the oven. A light toasting is all that is required.
- Don’t overload them! You’ll be surprised at how little toppings you need. Stick to 2-3 of your chosen toppings and chop them finely, to make sure they cook through.
- Storage; store the cooled muffins in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- This recipe makes 12 pizza muffins, but can be easily multiplied to make more. This option is perfect for feeding a crowd or storing in the freezer for easy lunches. Simply hit the ‘2x’ or ‘3x’ button in the recipe card below to increase the quantities.
Topping ideas
There are limitless pizza topping combinations and ideas, but below are some of our favourites;
- Tomato, ham and cheese
- Pepperoni
- Satay chicken and pineapple
- Salami, capsicum and mushroom
- Chicken, cheese and sweet chilli sauce
- Margherita; cheese, tomato and basil
- Roasted pumpkin and sun-dried tomato
- Mushroom, spinach and pine nuts
- Cherry tomato and mushroom
- Ham or chicken and pineapple
- Basil pesto, chicken and tomato
- Cheese and Vegemite (skip the tomato sauce!)
FAQs
Pizza muffins can be made in an air fryer instead of an oven. To make them in the air fryer, toast the muffin halves in the air fryer basket at 180 C for 2-3 minutes. Assemble the pizzas and arrange as many as you can fit in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Depending on the size and shape of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches. Air-fry the pizzas at 180 C/356 F for 4-6 minutes, or until the muffins are crispy, the cheese has melted and the toppings are cooked.
Pizza muffins can be frozen to enjoy later. To freeze, allow the pizzas to cool completely and then place them in an airtight container, separating any layers with a sheet of baking paper. Alternatively, they can be stored in a freezer bag.
Thaw in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature. Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 180 C/356 F for 5-10 minutes, until heated through. If reheating from frozen, add an additional 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.
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Pizza Muffins
Ingredients
- 6 English muffins white or wholemeal, sliced in half to make 12 pieces
- ¾ cup pizza sauce homemade, or store-bought
- 2 cups mozzarella or pizza cheese blend, shredded
Plus one cup extra of shredded pizza toppings. These ones are optional, but choose your favourites!
- shredded ham
- cherry tomatoes sliced
- mushrooms
- capsicum thinly sliced
- pepperoni
Instructions
For conventional oven
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C (356 F). Line a baking tray or pizza tray with baking paper.
- Place the muffin halves into a toaster or under a grill and toast until they are lightly golden and slightly crisp. No need to over-toast, as the muffins will continue to cook in the oven.
- Arrange the toasted muffins on the baking tray, top-side up.
- Using a spoon, spread 1-2 teaspoons of pizza sauce onto each muffin, to the edges.
- Add the shredded cheese and your toppings of choice.
- Bake for around 10 minutes, or until the muffins are crisp and lightly golden on the edges, the cheese has melted and the toppings have cooked. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, or serve while hot. Enjoy!
Air fryer instructions
- Add the muffin halves to the air fryer basket in a single layer, split side facing up. Cook the muffins (in batches, if required) at 180 °C (356 F) for 3 minutes.
- Using a spoon, spread 1-2 teaspoons of pizza sauce onto each muffin.
- Add the shredded cheese and your choice of pizza toppings.
- Cook (in batches, if needed) for around 4-6 minutes, or until the crust is crisp, the cheese has melted and the toppings have cooked. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, or serve while hot. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- To prevent a soggy base, I recommend lightly toasting the English muffins in a toaster or under a grill before adding the sauce and toppings.
- Don’t over-toast the muffins before adding the toppings, as they will finish cooking and crisping in the oven. A light toasting is all that is required.
- Don’t overload them! You’ll be surprised at how little toppings you need. Stick to 2-3 of your chosen toppings and chop them finely, to make sure they cook through.
- Storage; store the cooled muffins in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- This recipe makes 12 pizza muffins, but can be easily multiplied to make more. This option is perfect for feeding a crowd or storing in the freezer for easy lunches. Simply hit the ‘2x’ or ‘3x’ button in the recipe card below to increase the quantities.
- Freezing; Pizza muffins can be frozen to enjoy later. To freeze, allow the pizzas to cool completely and then place them in an airtight container, separating any layers with a sheet of baking paper. Alternatively, they can be stored in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature. Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 180 C/356 F for 5-10 minutes, until heated through. If reheating from frozen, add an additional 3-4 minutes to the cooking time.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the ingredients being divided into 12 muffins, with one muffin being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and will vary depending on your choice of pizza toppings. The calculation does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the muffins.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Nutrition
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in November 2020, but was re-published with new information, helpful tips and photos in January 2023.
Kylie says
Perfect in the lunchbox! The kids mostly did them by themselves, which is such a bonus.
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Kylie! Thank you- I think they are such a handy lunchbox snack. And I always love recipes that kids can help with too. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Sarah says
You had me at quick and easy 🙂 my kids would love these, I love the idea of using them for school lunches 🙂
Andrea Geddes says
Thanks Sarah, I’m glad you think so! They really do make a great lunchbox snack for busy days. Enjoy!
Robyn says
These pizzas are such a good idea – it will save me from many a lunch/ last minute dinner panic!
Andrea Geddes says
Thanks, Robyn! It is the simplest recipe to throw together on a busy day!
Sylvie says
These would make such a fantastic lunch – love easy it is to prepare and how customisable too!
Andrea Geddes says
Thanks Sylvie! I love a good, quick and easy recipe for busy days. And you can add whatever you crave at the time! Perfect.