Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

Hawaiian rolls layered like a pizza, garlic-butter tops, baked dark and pulled apart. Twelve sliders, zero survivors.

Time: 10 min | Yield: 12 sliders | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6 | Published: 2026-07-24

Pizza sliders on Hawaiian rolls are a party cheat code, and the layering order is what keeps them from going soggy.

Sliced cheese goes down FIRST, directly on the bottom buns, as a moisture barrier between bread and sauce. Then sauce (my herby version is the move), pecorino, shredded mozz, pepperoni. The tops get brushed with half a garlic-parsley butter before the bake and the other half right after, double-buttered is the only acceptable amount.

Keep the buns separated rather than smashed together so the toppings crisp, bake until the tops go properly dark, and finish with Reggiano. Twelve sliders feeds six people in theory.

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 12 Hawaiian Rolls
• Sliced mozzarella (I used part skim but you can use fresh)
• Pizza Sauce
• Grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 cup Shredded whole milk mozzarella

Pepperoni

• ½ stick butter
• 4 - 5 chopped garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Slice your rolls in half (horizontally) and keep them all intact.
3. Lay down an even layer of sliced cheese. This is going to protect the bread from the sauce, so try to cover every inch.
   You'll know it's right: The sliced-cheese layer is the sauce barrier, full coverage on the bottom buns or the bread pays for it.
4. Lay down your crushed tomatoes or sauce. Try using my herby pizza sauce recipe (attached) if you don't have one.
5. Sprinkle a handful of pecorino
6. Evenly spread the shredded mozzarella 1 cup Shredded whole milk mozzarella
7. Lay down your pepperoni (or other toppings). Pepperoni
8. In a bowl, melt your butter and mix in your garlic and parsley. ½ stick butter, 4 - 5 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tbsp chopped parsley
9. Brush half of the butter mixture on the top half of the buns.
10. make sure to leave the buns separate so the toppings can crisp up
    You'll know it's right: Leave gaps between the buns, the airflow is what crisps the pepperoni and cheese edges.
11. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Or as long as you can until the top of the buns gets dark. Keep a close eye on them.
    You'll know it's right: Bake until the tops are genuinely dark, pale sliders are sad sliders. Watch closely after minute 8.
12. Out of the oven, brush on the remaining butter mixture.
    You'll know it's right: The second butter brushing lands on hot buns and soaks in, that is the glossy finish.
13. Grate your Reggiano. Parmigiano Reggiano
14. Cut or pull apart, and enjoy!

Troubleshooting

Soggy bottoms

Sauce went straight on the bread. The sliced cheese layer goes down first, edge to edge. It is the waterproofing.

Pale, steamed tops

Buns packed tight and pulled early. Separate the buns and bake until dark. The garlic butter needs a toasted canvas.

Dry sliders

Single butter application. Half before, half after. The post-bake brush is where the flavor soaks in.

Toppings slid off when pulled apart

Overloaded the stack. A slider is a bite, not a pizza. Keep each layer thin and even.

Garlic butter tasted raw

Cold butter, raw garlic chunks. Melt the butter fully and let the chopped garlic sit in it a few minutes before brushing.

Nutrition (2 sliders): 340 calories, 14g protein, 32g carbs, 18g fat.