Pepperoni Rolls

If you grew up eating pepperoni rolls like I did, you know you are lucky. My mother would occasionally buy a few from Brownie Bakery, and as a latchkey kid I’d come home after school and work my way through one while watching reruns of The Flintstones. I deliberately removed the pepperoni, savoring that first. Then I’d slowly nibble the soft white dough that had surrounded it—a halo of grease from the pepperoni rendered into the roll, staining its center reddish orange. It was the best way I’ve ever ruined my dinner.

When I moved two hours north, away from the Ohio River Valley, I was shocked to learn pepperoni rolls are not universal. They are, in fact, highly regional, with a fascinating origin story. Familiarity with pepperoni rolls indicates you’re from northeast Appalachia, but they’re so good that it’s a shame for them to remain confined to this area. Wherever you live, you deserve pepperoni rolls. Consider this your primer. 

What Are Pepperoni Rolls?

As the name suggests, pepperoni rolls are cottony white dinner rolls baked with pepperoni inside. One pepperoni roll makes an ideal snack; two, a satisfying lunch.

But there’s much more to pepperoni rolls. They’re a sense of identity. Pepperoni rolls came about in the early 20th century, when Italian American immigrants were some of the many immigrant groups who came to West Virginia to work in the coal mines. Though former coal miner Giuseppe “Joseph” Argiro is often credited with producing the first commercial pepperoni roll at his bakery in 1920 in Fairmont, West Virginia, it’s possible he himself did not generate the idea. In The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll (required reading for any bookish pepperoni roll fanatic), author Candace Nelson writes, “It is likely the first creators of the pepperoni roll were home cooks–wives, in particular, of coal miners looking to fill coal miner’s bellies.” 

Imagine having a grueling job in a dangerous, dark, dirty place. You work long hours in cramped conditions. Now imagine having a greasy, salty bundle of puffy carbs to look forward to. It’s a food that was designed to hit the most basal pleasures in the most trying of conditions. 

This is why pepperoni rolls are hard-wired in the emotional DNA of people in the Ohio River Valley. Pepperoni rolls are so beloved in West Virginia that the state legislature made them the official state snack food. I have a pepperoni roll pin. Homesick Mountain State expats can order real West Virginia pepperoni rolls from Goldbelly. 

Or just make your own. After one bite, you’ll know what the fuss is about.

It’s Always the Right Time for Pepperoni Rolls

When is the best time to eat a pepperoni roll? Anytime you feel like it! Around here, they’re part of the fabric of daily life, yet each time you have one, it’s a special occasion.  

You can buy pepperoni rolls at mom-and-pop bakeries, grocery store delis, and convenience stores. People also bring homemade pepperoni rolls to parties and potlucks. My friends served sourdough pepperoni rolls at their wedding. Schools sell them for fundraisers. With this recipe, you, too, can bake pepperoni rolls with love to transform your day into a special occasion. 

A Perfect Yeast Dough for Baking Beginners

I can’t think of a more forgiving yeasted dough than this one. It’s got a ton of yeast, so as long as your yeast is fresh, it’s guaranteed to rise. You can knead it by hand with no arm workout–it’s touchably smooth and soft without being sticky. In fact, I prefer to knead this by hand versus in an electric mixer. If you want to use an eclectic mixer, knead it on low speed for 5 minutes and finish it off by hand for a minute.

Kids love making pepperoni rolls! Older kids who are confident in the kitchen can swing this recipe with little to no assistance. Younger kids will love helping with the kneading and shaping. 

The Best Pepperoni for Pepperoni Rolls

Pepperoni rolls are populist, crowd-pleasing food in the best of ways. They are not the place to showcase artisan charcuterie. Having experimented with both plain and fancy pepperoni, I’ve found that good old Hormel best oozes that all-important orange grease into the roll as it bakes, a characteristic that imbues a good pepperoni roll with a richness akin to world-class brioche.

Shaping Pepperoni Rolls Is a Cinch

Don’t get caught up in perfection when you are shaping your rolls. There’s not a “right” way to do it. Nearly all the homemade pepperoni rolls I’ve enjoyed in my lifetime have been crudely shaped wads of salty, bready bliss. Overhandling your dough can make it tough, so just let the dough take you where it wants to go and embrace any wonkiness in your rolls.

Some people fully encase the pepperoni in their dough, but I like a little peeking out the ends as a visual enticement to tip folks off that they are in for a treat. 

Pepperoni Roll Variations

Besides the basics—plenty of pepperoni baked in a single-serving fluffy roll—pepperoni rolls have widely accepted variations throughout West Virginia and the eastern Ohio River Valley. When it comes to matters of food, Appalachians are generous and civil; debates about what constitutes a “proper” pepperoni roll are always good-natured. 

• Pepperoni: Slices are the most common, though you sometimes see thin sticks of pepperoni quartered lengthwise and encased in the dough, two sticks per roll. I’ve even seen ground pepperoni sticks stuffed into rolls.   
• Cheese: Any kind of cheese is acceptable to put in or on a pepperoni roll before baking—grated parmesan cheese on top, small cubes of cheddar cheese inside. You will offend no one with your own personal cheese riff. I myself am a purist, and prefer to eschew cheese,
• Other stuff: A bakery in Buckhannon makes ramperoni rolls every year during ramp season: wilted ramps stuffed in with the pepperoni. A friend who grew up in Randolph County recalls eating pepperoni rolls served warm for school lunch, with spaghetti sauce on the side.

Pepperoni Rolls Made with Rhodes Roll Dough 

In and around West Virginia, it’s common and totally acceptable to make pepperoni rolls with Rhodes frozen dinner roll dough. In fact, most homemade pepperoni roll recipes you’ll find are for pepperoni crammed into thawed blobs of Rhodes dough. To adapt this recipe for frozen roll dough, follow these guidelines:

• Thaw the dough balls in the refrigerator overnight, covered, then let rise on the counter for 1 to 2 hours, until they are doubled in bulk. 
• For each pepperoni roll, smoosh two of the dough balls together. A 48-ounce package with 36 dough balls package yields 18 pepperoni rolls. 
• Shape and proof the rolls according to the directions in the recipe below. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes (the Rhodes dough bakes faster than the homemade dough). For 18 rolls, you may need a little extra pepperoni—just wing it.
• For extra awesomeness, brush the rolls with melted butter before and after baking.

More Pepperoni, Please!

• Homemade Pepperoni Pizza
• Pepperoni Calzones
• Pepperoni Pizza Pockets
• Pizza Casserole
• Homemade Pizza Bagel