These freezable pizza pockets are a fabulous healthy lunch option!
I love that you can make them ahead of time, freeze them and use them as needed. If you place one in your child’s lunchbox frozen (even with an ice pack), they will defrost by lunchtime.
Just serve them with 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons hummus and a clementine!
Be sure to check out the rest of our lunch recipes, too!
This post contains affiliate links.
Pledge to Pack a Healthier Lunchbox
If good eating habits have fallen by the wayside during the summer break, you can kick off this school year right by pledging to guide your family toward healthier lunches.
The Power Your Lunchbox Pledge was designed to help families tackle this universal challenge.
This initiative gives parents tools and tips – such as this time-saving make-ahead pizza pocket recipe – to achieve a great start for back to school, while giving back to children in need.
Every online pledge results in a $1 donation to Feeding America programs that support families and children.
Learn more about the program at poweryourlunchbox.com.
Freezable Lunch Pizza Pockets
Instructions:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon quick rise yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon, divided
- 1 cup slightly warm water
- 3/4 cup uncooked oat bran hot cereal
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/3 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- 16 slices pepperoni, quartered
- 4 mushrooms, sliced
- 4 mini sweet peppers, sliced
Directions for pizza pockets:
Step 1: In stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
With motor running, add 2 tablespoons oil and warm water. Switch paddle attachment to dough hook.
Add oat bran and mix until combined. Add whole-wheat flour a little at a time and stop when slightly sticky ball forms.
Continue to run mixer 1 minute.
Brush ball of dough with remaining olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and place somewhere warm to rise 1 hour.
Step 2: Heat oven to 450 F. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Step 3: Punch down dough. Dust counter lightly with flour.
Roll out half of dough to 1/4-inch thick, dusting with more flour if too sticky. Use 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut rounds.
Step 4: Spoon 1 teaspoon tomato sauce into middle of each round. Add 1/2 tablespoon cheese, 4 quarters of pepperoni, mushroom slice and 2 pepper rings.
Moisten edges of dough with water.
Fold dough over filling and press to seal. Use fork tines to crimp and further seal edges.
Step 5: Place pizza pockets on baking sheet and poke top of each with fork.
Step 6: Bake 15 minutes, or until tops are browned (some cheese may leak out).
Step 7: Once cool, freeze in single layer on baking sheet. Once frozen, wrap individually in plastic wrap and transfer to freezer bag.
Notes: If placed in lunchbox frozen, even with ice pack, they will defrost by lunchtime. Serve with 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons hummus and a clementine.
Freezable Lunch Pizza Pockets
These freezable pizza pockets are a fabulous healthy lunch option!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon quick rise yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon, divided
- 1 cup slightly warm water
- 3/4 cup uncooked oat bran hot cereal
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/3 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- 16 slices pepperoni, quartered
- 4 mushrooms, sliced
- 4 mini sweet peppers, sliced
Instructions
- In stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
- With motor running, add 2 tablespoons oil and warm water.
- Switch paddle attachment to dough hook. Add oat bran and mix until combined. Add whole-wheat flour a little at a time and stop when slightly sticky ball forms. Continue to run mixer 1 minute.
- Brush ball of dough with remaining olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and place somewhere warm to rise 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 450 F. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Punch down dough. Dust counter lightly with flour.
- Roll out half of dough to 1/4-inch thick, dusting with more flour if too sticky. Use 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut rounds.
- Spoon 1 teaspoon tomato sauce into middle of each round.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon cheese, 4 quarters of pepperoni, mushroom slice and 2 pepper rings. Moisten edges of dough with water. Fold dough over filling and press to seal. Use fork tines to crimp and further seal edges.
- Place pizza pockets on baking sheet and poke top of each with fork.
- Bake 15 minutes, or until tops are browned (some cheese may leak out).
- Once cool, freeze in single layer on baking sheet. Once frozen, wrap individually in plastic wrap and transfer to freezer bag.
Notes
If placed in lunchbox frozen, even with ice pack, they will defrost by lunchtime. Serve with 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons hummus and a clementine.
Need some lunch container ideas?
For more lunch ideas:
Don’t miss out on our other family friendly recipes!
Shipping is FREE with Amazon Prime. Sign up for a FREE 30-Day Amazon Prime Trial HERE.
Along with FREE shipping you will get access to thousands of movies, tv shows, books and music for FREE!
I love things like this. Things get so busy during the week it’s nice to have dinner or lunch already done! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up and don’t forget to leave a comment at the party – Next week’s features that also leave a comment get pinned and tweeted!
Do you have any idea if I could sub oatmeal for the oat bran cereal? Thanks
Now that’s one I couldn’t tell you… I would think it would change the texture somewhat but you can always experiment in the kitchen. Let me know if you try it and how it comes out!
I used to make these types of pockets all the time – this is a great reminder to start that up again! Have a great week!
They’re just so easy to stock up on and pull out of the freezer when you need them!
Great cause and great recipe. Thanks for partying with us on Creative K Kids #tastyTuesdays
Wow! What an awesome idea! My hubby would love these too!
The power your lunchbox program sounds fabulous… what a great cause!
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely evening.
xoxo
Those look amazing and easy – my favorite! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your post with us at the #HomeMattersParty
These are great! I pinned them to my Back to School board for later! #PinJunieParty
Thanks for sharing these!! So perfect for back to school time. Love things that can be made ahead of time and frozen. Seriously, such a time saver. Thanks again 🙂
My grandchildren would love these. I think I will make some up like you say and freeze them. They will be perfect to have on hand when they visit.
I just pinned your awesome Pizza Pockets! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
thanks for sharing my daughter works at a place where you can not leave for lunch this would be great idea to pack in hr lunch
come see us http://shopannies.blogspot.com
These look delicious! Pinned.
what a great idea. My husband is retired and loves having things like this to pop in the oven or microwave. Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party!
I love these pizza pockets, great for a grab N go for the whole family! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday.
Miz Helen