Parent & Kid Friendly Recipes: Mini Pizza Party

Kid’s birthday party coming up soon? No clue what to do? We have the answer. A pizza party! It’s classic, easy, and super fun for the kids! At our pizza parties, we let all of the kids make their own personal pizzas. This way, each child can decorate and top their pizza any way they like it. Pizza parties are good for any age, gender, and space. I mean, it’s not like 5-year-old boys and 15-year-old girls alike don’t enjoy pizza!

Essentially, all you need for your pizza party is dough, sauce, toppings, and an oven. We like to have a whole array of toppings so the kids can get creative with it. Toppings can include things like cheese, pepperoni, green peppers, olives, mushrooms, onions, sausage, pineapple, and more! The world is your oyster!

We’ve got you covered for everything when it comes to a pizza-themed party, and our goal is to make it less stressful and more FUN! Now, let’s get cooking!

THE PIZZA DOUGH

The key to the pizza party is your dough. A couple of options here: make it from scratch or buy it from the store. We usually opt for the from-scratch method because it’s so easy to do, but if you’re tight on time, the buy-it-from-the-store method is your best option. 

The first thing to do is decide how many pizzas you’ll need to make. Our dough recipe is eight 6″ individual pizzas or four 12″ larger pizzas. You may need to double it or even triple it depending on your party size. Pro-tip, make, or buy your dough the day before! This makes the pizza party prep so much easier the day of because the hard part is done. Lastly, to make your dough easier to use and shape, set the dough out 30 minutes before you plan to use it.

THE TOPPINGS

The next thing to think about are of course the toppings for the pizzas!

This is the fun part! We have a whole list of pizza topping ideas to help you get started. Some are classics like pepperoni and sausage, and some are more adventurous like pineapple and sweet cherry peppers. With a wide variety comes a world of possibilities and combinations. Let the kids get creative with these!

Here is our list of our favorite pizza toppings to have available at a pizza party.

• Mozzarella Cheese
• Cheddar Cheese
• Provolone Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Marinara Sauce
• Alfredo Sauce (for the white pizza lovers)
• Pepperoni
• Sausage
• Ham
• Bacon
• Chicken (Plain, BBQ, or buffalo)
• Mushrooms
• Fresh Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil
• Black Olives
• Onions
• Jalapeños
• Green Peppers
• Sweet Cherry Peppers
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Pineapple

THE SET UP

Remember the goal here—less stress, more fun. Setting up ahead of time is the key to accomplishing that goal. 

The day before: Make or buy the pizza dough, gather all the toppings and think about where you want your pizza-making operation to take place. To keep the craziness level down in the kitchen, think about keeping the pizza-making operation in the dining room or somewhere just not in the kitchen… This way, the kids can make their pizzas, then you or any of your helping hands can take the pizzas after they’ve been decorated into the kitchen to be cooked.

30 minutes before the pizza-making begins: First, set out your pizza dough so it gets to room temperature. Next, prepare your pizza-making operation room. Set out bowls for each of the toppings and fill them up with the sauces, cheeses, meats, and veggies. Set out the necessary equipment needed to make the pizzas, including rolling pins, flour (for rolling out the dough), spoons (for the toppings), cooking trays, and plastic gloves for the kids to wear. Finally, let the kids tumble, roll, and/or jump on in. You are now set up for a low-stress, super fun pizza party. Let the fun begin!

THE RECIPE

Servings: Four 12” Pizzas or Eight 6" Pizzas | Prep Time: 15 minutes + 1 hour for rising | Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Flour for rolling out dough

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the yeast, water, and sugar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Mixture should begin to bubble within this time.
2. Add flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl.
3. Using the dough hook attachment on a stand or hand mixer, mix until the dough forms a ball.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean surface sprinkled with flour. Knead until smooth. 
5. *If you don’t have a dough hook attachment, mix the mixture with a spatula or your hands enough until you can place it on a clean counter sprinkled with flour. Knead the dough with your hands until it forms a smooth dough-like ball.
6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl and use your hands to coat the bowl. 
7. Place the dough in the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a light cloth in a mildly warm spot (on top of the oven is usually a great option). Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour. 
8. Punch the dough down, and place it in the fridge overnight. Remember to take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it. 
9. Once you are ready to use it: Gently knead the dough again and shape back into a ball. Then, cut the ball into either four pieces for 12" pizzas, or eight pieces for 6" pizzas. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, then gently stretch it out with your hands on a floured work surface. Top with pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings. Bake at 450 F° for 10-13 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Enjoy!

HELPFUL TIPS

• This pizza dough recipe is good for all of your pizza-making needs. Even the non-party ones! While fresh dough is the best dough, if you prefer to do things in larger batches ahead of time, this recipe is freezer-friendly. Place your dough in an air-tight container and label it with your trusty Write-On Labels so you don’t forget what it is. Take it out of the freezer 4-12 hours before you intend to use it. It’s closer to 4 hours if you leave it on the counter to defrost at room temperature, and closer to 10 to 12 hours if you leave it in the refrigerator to defrost overnight.