Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza Sliders (Printable view)
Cheesy pepperoni sliders baked golden with a sweet-hot honey glaze. Perfect party food ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Breads & Bases
01 - 12 slider buns or Hawaiian rolls, unsliced
→ Cheeses
02 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Meats
04 - 36 slices pepperoni
→ Sauces & Condiments
05 - 1 cup pizza sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 tablespoon honey
08 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as sriracha or hot chili oil)
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
11 - Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Toppings (optional)
12 - Fresh basil leaves, chopped
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Using a bread knife, slice the slider buns horizontally in one piece to create a top and bottom slab, keeping the individual rolls attached. Place the bottom slab in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the bottom buns. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella over the sauce in an even layer.
04 - Arrange the pepperoni slices in a single layer covering the entire surface of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella evenly over the pepperoni.
05 - Place the top slab of buns over the filling, pressing down gently to adhere.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, honey, hot sauce, garlic powder, and dried Italian herbs until combined. Brush the mixture generously over the tops and sides of the buns using a pastry brush.
07 - Sprinkle the grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes evenly over the glazed tops.
08 - Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the tops are golden brown.
09 - Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped basil if desired. Slice along the bun seams into individual sliders and serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The honey and hot sauce glaze on top creates a sticky, caramelized crust that makes these infinitely better than ordinary pizza sliders.
- They come together in about thirty five minutes with zero complicated techniques, which means you can pull them off even on your most exhausted weeknights.
02 -
- Do not skip the foil cover during the first bake or the tops will brown before the cheese in the center has a chance to fully melt.
- Letting them rest for a few minutes before slicing is the difference between sliders that hold together and a cheesy mess on your cutting board.
03 -
- Brush a little extra glaze into the gaps between the rolls before baking so the sauce seeps down and flavors every edge.
- If your Hawaiian rolls are particularly sweet, dial the honey back by half a tablespoon to keep the sweet heat ratio balanced.