This baked pepperoni pizza dip made with cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, pizza sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella, and parmesan tastes just like pizza.
You will love this hot cheesy dip for the Super Bowl or your next football party. I adapted this recipe from Closet Cooking, and it has turned out to be a perfect appetizer and party snack.
For more party appetizers and small bites, try these slow cooker Hawaiian meatballs or my cream cheese chili cheese dip.
Recipe Highlights
- Simple ingredients: This easy appetizer uses easy-to-find ingredients.
- Perfect for football season: This appetizer will be a huge hit on game day. Pizza lovers will LOVE this pepperoni pizza dip recipe.
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Ingredients
- Cream cheese: Softened to room temperature. To soften cream cheese, leave it at room temperature for 30–60 minutes or until pliable. For quicker results, cut it into cubes and let it sit, or microwave it on low power for 10–15 seconds.
- Sour Cream: Adds a tangy, creamy base that balances the richness of the dish.
- Mayonnaise: Creates a smooth texture and rich flavor.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: The ultimate melty cheese that creates a gooey, stretchy layer.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Nutty and salty, it adds depth and a sharp flavor.
- Pizza Sauce: Pick your favorite jarred sauce.
- Pepperoni: Some are cut up (see the recipe card) and added to the dip mixture, and some are on top for presentation.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, half of the mozzarella, half of the parmesan, and a quarter of the pizza sauce.
Cut the pepperoni into quarters or chop it into small pieces, reserving about a dozen whole pepperoni for the top of the dip. Stir the pepperoni pieces into the cream cheese mixture.
Spread the cream cheese dip mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish or a similar sized baking dish.
Layer with the remaining pizza sauce, spreading it evenly across the top.
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over top.
Finally, add the remaining pepperoni to the top of the cheeses.
Baked for 20 minutes or until the cheese bubbles.
Substitutions
- Mini pepperoni slices: Instead of cutting or chopping the pepperoni, you can use pepperoni minis.
- Sauce: Marinara sauce tends to be thicker than pizza sauce but can be used in a pinch.
Variations
- Light version: You can make small changes here and there to lighten up the dish as much as possible. Try turkey pepperoni, fat-free sour cream, fat-free cream cheese, fat-free or low-fat mayo, and part-skim mozzarella.
- Sausage: This dip would be delicious with the addition or substitution of Italian sausage. Brown the sausage in a skillet and drain before adding to the dip. Mix all of the sausage into the cream cheese mixture. Use anywhere from a quarter-pound to a half-pound of sausage.
- Veggies: Add some of your favorite pizza toppings like black olives or red onion.
- Cheese: For an extra cheesy pepperoni dip, add ⅓ cup cheddar cheese to the mix.
What to serve with hot pizza dip
- Tortilla chips
- Pita chips
- Crackers
- Crostini
- Sliced French bread
- Baguette slices
- Mini naan
- Bagel chips
- Mini sweet peppers
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl: To mix the dip.
- Pie plate (9-inch): To bake the dip. A round dish will make it look more pizza-like, but you can also use a small baking dish that's square or rectangle.
- Silicone spatula: For mixing.
- Chef's knife or kitchen scissors: To cut the pepperoni.
How to make it ahead of time
When making this dip for a big crowd, double the recipe and make two dishes. This dip can be assembled ahead of time in your pie plate or in aluminum pans and stored in the fridge. Bring the dip to room temperature before baking.
For hot, fresh dip when traveling to an event, take the dip cold to the party and then put it in the oven upon arrival so it's nice and warm.
Storage
Store dip in the refrigerator for up to five days. Microwave to reheat. Freezing is not recommended.
Kelsey's Top Tips
- Pepperoni: I use kitchen scissors to quickly and efficiently cut the pepperoni into smaller pieces. Alternatively, you can use mini pepperoni in this dish.
- Freshly grated cheese: Use freshly shredded mozzarella and freshly shredded parmesan for the smoothest, creamiest dip. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps it from sticking together, but this can make it a little less creamy when it melts. Either way, this dip is cheesy and delicious.
FAQ
Yes! Assemble the dip and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake it fresh when ready to serve.
Serve it with sliced bread, crackers, breadsticks, tortilla chips, or sliced veggies like bell peppers.
More Game Day Recipes
I have a ton of potluck/party food appetizers that are perfect for the big game.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear what you think! Please take a moment to leave a rating and review—it helps me create high-quality recipes and lets others know what to expect.
📖 Recipe
Pepperoni Pizza Dip with Cream Cheese
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayo
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 3 ounces pepperoni about 45 slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, half of the mozzarella, half of the parmesan, and a quarter of the pizza sauce until smooth.
- Cut the pepperoni into quarters or chop it into small pieces, reserving about a dozen whole pepperoni for the top of the dip. Stir the pepperoni pieces into the cream cheese mixture.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Layer with the remaining pizza sauce and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Top with the reserved pepperoni.
- Baked for 20 minutes or until the cheese bubbles along the edges.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
Perishable foods that have been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or for 1 hour if the temperature is over 90°F) should be thrown away.
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