Crescent Roll Pizza Pockets

Easy and fast, these crescent roll pizza pockets make a delicious dinner that’s ready in less than 30 minutes! A kid favorite, the shortcut homemade calzones can be customized for each individual diner — keep them vegetarian, load them up with pepperoni, or make them simple and cheesy with just 3 basic ingredients! Served with a side salad and some extra marinara sauce for dipping, this is one meal that the whole family can agree on.

The Best Pizza Pockets

Two of my boys’ favorite foods — crescent rolls and pizza — come together in one easy recipe that works equally well for after-school snacks, party appetizers, weekend lunches, and busy weeknight dinners. The inspiration comes from old school pizza pockets (also known as “Hot Pockets”), as well as classic calzones that are traditionally made with pizza dough. In this case, we’re taking flaky, buttery, store-bought crescent roll dough, stuffing it with the best pizza toppings like marinara, cheese, and pepperoni, and baking the individual squares in the oven until they’re golden brown.

What is a Pizza Pocket Called? Is a Pizza Pocket a Calzone?

While we call these pizza pockets, they can also be referred to as calzones or Hot Pockets. A calzone is simply an Italian oven-baked folded pizza that originated in 18th century Naples. Often described as a turnover, calzones are made with leavened dough (typically the same yeast dough that you would use for a regular crust). Pizza pockets are essentially the same as calzones, but often smaller in size. This recipe also differs from traditional calzones in that the pockets are made with crescent roll dough, which is flaky, fluffy, and tastes more buttery than leavened pizza dough.

Ingredients

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite shortcut homemade pizza pockets. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Crescent roll dough: if you can find it, use a Pillsbury crescent dough sheet, which doesn’t have the perforations that you’ll find in a regular tube of crescent roll dough. If you can’t find the sheet of dough, just use the regular crescent rolls and pinch together the seams.
• Marinara sauce: I always have this in my pantry for quick pasta dinners, but you can use pizza sauce if you’ve got it. The marinara sauce also works well as a dip for serving with your pizza pockets.
• Italian blend cheese: we love the combination of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, and romano cheeses, but plain shredded mozzarella cheese will also work well.
• Grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning: for dusting the tops of your pockets with even more flavor, if desired. Try parsley flakes or garlic powder, too!
• Optional additional ingredients: sliced pepperoni; sauteed mushrooms, onions, or bell peppers; browned Italian sausage, or any other pizza toppings of your choice.

How to Make Pizza Pockets

While the base of this recipe requires just 3 ingredients, you can add as many additional pizza “toppings” as you like, such as pepperoni, sausage, or sautéed mushrooms and onions.

1. Cut the crescent dough sheet into 4 rectangles on a lightly floured surface. There’s no need for a rolling pin here!
2. Spread marinara sauce on half of each rectangle, leaving a border around the edges.
3. Top with cheese and any other pizza toppings of your choice.
4. Fold the dough over the fillings, pinching and sealing the edges of each pocket with a fork.
5. Sprinkle Parmesan and Italian seasoning on the top of each pocket, and use a paring knife to cut small slits in the top.
6. Arrange the pockets on a rimmed cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup if you like).
7. Bake at 375°F for 13-15 minutes, until the turnovers are puffy and golden brown.

What to Serve with a Pizza Hot Pocket

I like to serve the pizza pockets with a side of warm marinara sauce or Ranch dressing for dipping. For veggies on the side, try offering:

• Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Caesar Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a House Salad with Candied Pecans
• Tomato Salad with Basil and Balsamic
• Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad
• Garlic Roasted Broccoli
• Parmesan Roasted Yellow Squash
• Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Casserole
• Zucchini Gratin or Zucchini Fritters
• Sauteed Zucchini
• 2-Ingredient Italian Sugar Snap Peas
• Perfect Oven Roasted Asparagus

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze the leftover pizza pockets in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Pizza Pockets

Reheat the pizza pockets in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for 5-10 minutes, just until warmed through. You can also microwave individual hot pockets for 30-60 seconds, or until heated through.

Pizza Pockets Recipe Variations

• Delicious extras to add to your pizza pockets: pepperoni slices, cooked Italian sausage, sliced chicken, chopped ham, bbq chicken, bbq sauce, pineapple, olives, and sautéed vegetables such as green pepper, onions, and mushrooms.
• Prepare vegetarian pizza hot pockets by omitting the pepperoni, sausage, and other meats. Stuff plenty of sautéed veggies into the pockets so that they’re satisfying and flavorful, or keep it simple with just cheese.
• The Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning on top is just an optional finishing touch. Feel free to omit these ingredients if you like.
• Use plain shredded mozzarella cheese if you don’t have the Italian blend cheese.

Tips for the Best Pizza Pocket Recipe

• Look for a tube of Pillsbury Crescent Dough “Sheet,” which is just like the crescent rolls, but without the perforations. That way you can just unroll the dough and cut it into rectangles.
• If using crescent roll dough instead of the crescent dough sheet, make sure to press and seal together the perforations before using the dough.
• Cut small slits in the top of each pocket to allow the steam to vent in the oven.
• This recipe yields just 4 hot pockets. If you’re serving a larger family, double or triple the ingredients. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
• Try cooking with kids! This is an easy way to let your little ones help in the kitchen. Allow the children to assemble their own pizza pockets by adding the toppings of their choice.

More Pizza Recipes to Try

• Pizza Quesadillas
• BBQ Chicken Pizza
• Flatbread Pizza
• Deep Dish Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
• Easy Pizza Dough
• French Bread Pizza
• Taco Pizza
• Pizza Pot Pie with Biscuits

Crescent Roll Pizza Pockets

5 from 2 votes

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 pockets

Calories 244 kcal

Easy and fast, these crescent roll pizza pockets make a delicious dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 (8 ounce) tube Pillsbury crescent roll dough sheet (I like to use the Crescent Dough Sheet, which doesn’t have any perforations)
• ¼ cup marinara sauce, divided
• ½ cup Italian blend cheese, divided (or sub with shredded mozzarella)
• Grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, for dusting
• Optional additional ingredients: sliced pepperoni; sauteed mushrooms, onions, or bell peppers; browned Italian sausage, or any other pizza toppings of your choice
• For dipping: warm marinara sauce

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll the dough sheet onto a large cutting board or lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 4 rectangles (about 6 x 4-inches each).
• Spread about 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce on one half of each rectangle. Top with about 2-3 tablespoons of cheese and any other pizza toppings of choice.
• Fold the dough over the fillings, pinching and sealing the edges of each pocket with fork.
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and a pinch of Italian seasoning on the top of each rectangle. Use a paring knife to cut small slits in the top of each pocket to allow the steam to vent.
• Arrange the pockets on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake for 13-15 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping, if desired.

Notes

• Delicious extras to add to your pizza pockets: pepperoni slices, cooked Italian sausage, sliced chicken, chopped ham, bbq chicken, bbq sauce, pineapple, olives, and sautéed vegetables such as green pepper, onions, and mushrooms.
• Prepare vegetarian pizza hot pockets by omitting the pepperoni, sausage, and other meats. Stuff plenty of sautéed veggies into the pockets so that they’re satisfying and flavorful, or keep it simple with just cheese.
• The Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning on top is just an optional finishing touch. Feel free to omit these ingredients if you like.
• Use plain shredded mozzarella cheese if you don’t have the Italian blend cheese.
• Look for a tube of Pillsbury Crescent Dough “Sheet,” which is just like the crescent rolls, but without the perforations. That way you can just unroll the dough and cut it into rectangles.
• If using crescent roll dough instead of the crescent dough sheet, make sure to press and seal together the perforations before using the dough.
• Cut small slits in the top of each pocket to allow the steam to vent in the oven.
• This recipe yields just 4 hot pockets. If you’re serving a larger family, double or triple the ingredients. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
• Try cooking with kids! This is an easy way to let your little ones help in the kitchen. Allow the children to assemble their own pizza pockets by adding the toppings of their choice.
• Recipe adapted from Pillsbury.com.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pocket (not including pepperoni or other optional ingredients)Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 616mgPotassium: 62mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 152IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 1mg

Keyword: crescent roll pizza pockets, homemade pizza pockets, pizza hot pocket, pizza pocket, pizza pockets

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Blair Lonergan

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