Crispy Pepperoni Pizza Cheese Chips
The photo appears to show thin, crunchy pizza-style cheese crisps topped with pepperoni and Italian herbs—essentially all the best parts of pizza without a traditional dough crust. Similar recipes use mozzarella and/or Parmesan, pepperoni, oregano, and bake until the cheese is deeply golden and crisp.
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Full Recipe
Yield: 20–24 chips
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8–12 minutes
Cooling: 5–10 minutes
Total: about 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Style: Low-carb / crustless pizza snack
Ingredients
2 cups (about 200 g) low-moisture shredded mozzarella
½ cup (45–50 g) finely grated Parmesan
24–30 thin slices pepperoni
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
â…› teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of red-pepper flakes — optional
Fresh basil or parsley — optional
½ cup marinara or pizza sauce, for dipping — optional
Using Parmesan with mozzarella helps the chips become more browned and crisp rather than remaining soft.
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sipthesoup.com
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven
Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Make the cheese portions
Mix the mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.
Place approximately 1½–2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto the baking sheet for each chip.
Leave about 1½–2 inches between portions, because the cheese will spread.
3. Add pepperoni
Place 1–2 pepperoni slices on top of each cheese mound.
For the appearance in your photo, use thin pepperoni and let some of it overlap the cheese.
4. Bake
Bake at 400°F / 200°C for approximately 7–10 minutes.
Watch closely during the final few minutes.
You’re looking for:
bubbling cheese
browned edges
crisp-looking pepperoni
golden-brown cheese underneath
The exact time varies with chip size and oven. Comparable recipes bake cheese-and-pepperoni crisps for only a few minutes at 375–400°F, with the chips becoming firmer as they cool.
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5. Remove excess grease
Take the tray from the oven.
If there is considerable pepperoni grease, carefully blot the surface with paper towels.
6. Let them cool
Do not immediately try to lift them.
Let them sit for 5–10 minutes. The melted cheese firms considerably as it cools.
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Food Network
Then transfer to a cooling rack or paper towel.
7. Serve
Serve plain or with warm:
Marinara
Pizza sauce
Garlic-herb tomato sauce
Ranch
Spicy tomato dip
The Secret to REALLY Crispy Chips
1. Use low-moisture mozzarella.
Fresh mozzarella contains much more water and can make the crisps soft.
2. Don’t make the cheese layer too thick.
Thin, relatively even portions become much crispier.
3. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Leave room for the cheese to spread.
4. Bake until genuinely golden.
Pale melted cheese usually produces a chewy rather than crunchy chip.
5. Cool completely.
This is important—the cheese continues to firm up after leaving the oven.
6. Parmesan helps.
It contributes a more brittle, crispy texture, while mozzarella provides the familiar pizza-cheese flavor.
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sipthesoup.com
Extra-Crispy Pepperoni Version
For the appearance in your photograph, try this method:
Bake the cheese mixture without pepperoni for about 3–4 minutes.
Remove the tray.
Add pepperoni.
Sprinkle with oregano.
Return to oven for another 4–6 minutes.
Remove and blot excess grease.
Cool completely.
This gives you very browned cheese with crispy, slightly curled pepperoni.
3-Ingredient Shortcut
For an ultra-simple version:
1 tablespoon shredded mozzarella per chip
1 pepperoni slice
Pinch of oregano
Place mozzarella on parchment, top with pepperoni and oregano, and bake at 400°F / 200°C until browned and crisp. Three-ingredient versions use essentially this same technique.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition varies substantially according to the brand and amount of cheese and pepperoni used, so the figures below are estimates, not laboratory values. USDA FoodData Central is a useful reference for calculating nutrition from specific ingredient brands.
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FoodData Central
For a batch of approximately 24 chips, using the ingredients above:
Estimated per chip
Nutrient Approx. amount
Calories 70–85 kcal
Protein 4–5 g
Total fat 5–7 g
Saturated fat 2.5–3.5 g
Carbohydrates 0.5–1.5 g
Fiber 0 g
Net carbs ~0.5–1.5 g
Sugars <1 g
Sodium ~150–220 mg
Cholesterol ~15–25 mg
As a comparison, one published mozzarella-and-pepperoni chip recipe lists 77 calories, 5 g protein, 6 g fat and 1 g carbohydrate per chip.
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Virta Health
If you eat 4 chips
Approximately:
280–340 calories
16–20 g protein
20–28 g fat
2–6 g carbs
The actual numbers can be higher or lower depending particularly on the pepperoni and cheese brands.
Allergen Information
This recipe contains:
Milk/dairy: mozzarella and Parmesan
Wheat/gluten: potentially present in some pepperoni, seasoning blends, or marinara sauces
Soy: potentially present in processed pepperoni or cheese products
Nuts: The basic recipe contains no tree nuts or peanuts.
However, check individual ingredient labels if cooking for someone with a serious allergy because processed meats, sauces and seasoning blends can have unexpected allergens or cross-contact.
Substitutions
Mozzarella
Use:
Low-moisture mozzarella
Part-skim mozzarella
Full-fat mozzarella
Provolone
Parmesan
Use:
Pecorino Romano
Asiago
Extra mozzarella, although the result may be less crisp
Pepperoni
Use:
Turkey pepperoni
Beef pepperoni
Salami
Vegetarian pepperoni
Cooked bacon pieces
Dairy-free
Use a dairy-free shredded cheese that melts and browns well. Texture will vary considerably from traditional cheese crisps.
Vegetarian
Simply omit the pepperoni and add:
Mushrooms
Jalapeño
Bell pepper
Olives
Sun-dried tomato
Keep vegetable toppings small and relatively dry so they don’t introduce too much moisture.
Flavor Variations
Spicy Pizza Chips
Add:
¼ tsp red-pepper flakes
¼ tsp cayenne
Hot pepperoni
Garlic Pizza Chips
Add:
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Italian seasoning
Fresh parsley after baking
Jalapeño Pepperoni
Top each chip with a tiny slice of fresh or pickled jalapeño.
Supreme Pizza Chips
Add tiny pieces of:
Pepperoni
Bell pepper
Mushroom
Black olive
Don’t overload them—too many wet toppings prevent crisping.
Bacon Cheeseburger Chips
Replace pepperoni with cooked bacon and add a tiny amount of cheddar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these without Parmesan?
Yes. Mozzarella alone works, but Parmesan generally gives a crispier, more brittle result.
Why are my pizza chips chewy?
Usually one of three reasons: too much moisture, too thick a cheese layer, or insufficient baking/cooling time.
Why did my cheese spread everywhere?
The portions were probably too close together or contained too much cheese. Use smaller mounds and more space between them.
Can I use fresh mozzarella?
You can, but it contains considerably more moisture. For this particular crispy texture, low-moisture mozzarella is preferable.
Can I use an air fryer?
Yes. Try approximately 350–375°F (175–190°C) and start checking after about 5 minutes. Air fryers vary considerably, so watch the first batch carefully.
Can I make them in advance?
Yes. Allow them to cool completely and store them in an airtight container.
How long do they stay crispy?
They’re best shortly after making them. Moisture from the environment can gradually soften them.
Can I re-crisp them?
Yes. Put them back into a 350–375°F / 175–190°C oven for a few minutes, then cool again.
Are these keto?
The basic cheese-and-pepperoni version is very low in carbohydrates and can fit a keto-style diet, but check the labels on pepperoni, seasonings and especially marinara for added carbohydrates.
Are they gluten-free?
The cheese itself is naturally gluten-free, but pepperoni, seasoning and dipping sauce should be checked individually for gluten-containing ingredients or cross-contact.
Can I freeze them?
You can, but the texture is generally best when freshly made. If freezing, cool completely, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight container. Re-crisp in the oven rather than microwaving.
Why does the pepperoni look oily?
Pepperoni naturally releases fat as it heats. Blotting the finished chips with paper towel helps, and baking on parchment prevents them from sitting in excess grease.
Can I add pizza sauce before baking?
I wouldn’t. Sauce adds moisture and makes the cheese less crispy. Bake the chips first and use sauce for dipping.
My Recommended Version for the Photo
For the closest result to the pictured dish, I’d use:
200 g low-moisture mozzarella + 50 g Parmesan + 24–30 pepperoni slices + 1 tsp Italian seasoning + ½ tsp oregano + ¼ tsp garlic powder, baked at 400°F/200°C until deeply golden, then cooled for 5–10 minutes.
That combination gives you the crisp, lacy cheese edges, browned centers, oregano flecks and crispy pepperoni seen in the image.
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With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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