Kids Pizza Muffins

English muffin pizzas are the ultimate kid-friendly cooking project. Split muffins, spread on tomato sauce, pile on toppings, blanket with mozzarella, and microwave for a couple minutes. Hands-on, customizable, and done before anyone loses interest.

The English muffin base is what makes these work better than bread or tortillas. Those nooks and crannies grip the tomato sauce so it doesn’t slide off, and the muffin stays sturdy enough to pick up and eat by hand even when loaded with toppings.

Let kids build their own from a spread of toppings. Pepperoni, sliced mushrooms, and black olives are the suggestions here, but anything from the fridge works. Setting up a topping station turns lunch into an activity instead of a chore.

Kitchen Tips

• Spread the sauce thin. Too much sauce makes the muffin soggy, especially in the microwave where there’s no dry heat to evaporate moisture.
• Slice mushrooms thin so they soften in the short microwave time. Thick slices stay raw in the center.
• For crispier results, use a toaster oven or broiler instead of the microwave. Three to four minutes under the broiler gives you bubbly, browned cheese with a crunchy muffin base.
• Toast the muffin halves first for 30 seconds before adding toppings to prevent sogginess.

Variations

• Veggie pizza muffins: Top with diced bell pepper, corn, and spinach for a more nutritious version kids still enjoy.
• BBQ chicken: Replace tomato sauce with BBQ sauce, add shredded rotisserie chicken, and use a mix of mozzarella and cheddar.