Peppy Mini Pizza Pies

Personal-size pizzas using a tube of refrigerated biscuit dough as the crust, which means no kneading, no rising, and no rolling pin. Press each biscuit into a 5-inch round with a raised rim, top with sauce, pepperoni, browned ground beef, and a double-cheese melt of mozzarella and parmesan. Twelve to fifteen minutes in the oven and dinner is on the table.

The raised rim around the edge isn’t just for looks. It catches the sauce and cheese before they slide off during baking, the same way a real pizza crust’s cornicione does its job. Press the dough thin in the middle so the toppings dominate, not the bread.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown and drain the ground beef well. Wet, greasy beef makes soggy little pizzas.
• Bake on parchment paper instead of a greased sheet. Easier cleanup and crisper bottoms.
• Don’t overload with sauce. Two tablespoons per pizza is the sweet spot. More and the dough won’t crisp.
• Watch the cheese in the last 2 minutes and pull as soon as it bubbles. The biscuit crust browns fast.

Variations

• Use Italian sausage in place of ground beef for more flavor with the same technique.
• Set up a topping bar (olives, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions) and let kids build their own.
• Swap pizza sauce for pesto or Alfredo for a white-pizza version.