I never thought I'd be married to a man who looks at a pizza and sees the enemy. But here we are.
Johnny's been dipping his toe into keto for a while now - which sounds harmless enough until you realize he's the one who does the grocery shopping. One day there's bread in the house. The next day it's gone, replaced by things like "cauliflower rice" and a deep, unshakable suspicion of anything served in a crust. My carbs didn't just disappear - they were quietly voted off the island while I wasn't looking...sigh.
So when I found this little recipe, I nearly wept with joy. It's pepperoni. It's cream cheese. It's parmesan. It tastes like pizza decided to become finger food, and somehow it makes both of us happy - Johnny gets his low-carb win, and I get to pretend I'm eating a slice. Everybody wins!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Only 3 ingredients, and you probably already have two of them
- Tastes like pizza night without a single carb in sight
- Ready in under 30 minutes, start to finish
- Perfect for game day, potlucks, or "I need a snack right now" emergencies
- Low-carb but doesn't taste like a compromise
Ingredients
- 60 pepperoni slices
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
Tools You'll Need
- Measuring spoon
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Butter knife or small spatula
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange 30 pepperoni slices on the baking sheet, then spread softened cream cheese onto each slice, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Top each one with another pepperoni slice, cream-cheese-side down, so you've got a little pepperoni sandwich.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the pepperoni crisps up around the edges and starts to look a little pizza-like.
Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate or baking sheet to soak up the extra grease before serving.
Tara's Tips
- If your parchment paper keeps sliding around on the pan, non-slip parchment paper is a game changer - no more chasing pepperoni slices across the kitchen.
- A small offset spatula makes spreading the cream cheese so much easier than a butter knife.
- Want a little extra kick? A pinch of Italian seasoning or crushed red pepper on top of the parmesan adds a nice bite (just keep in mind it won't show up in photos, so mention it as an option rather than baking it into every batch).
Serving Suggestions
These are perfect alongside [Buffalo Chicken Dip] or [Deviled Egg Potato Salad] for a full game-day spread. Serve warm with a small bowl of marinara for dipping, or keep it totally low-carb and skip the sauce - they hold their own either way.
Pepperoni and Cream Cheese Bites
These pepperoni and cream cheese bites are the easiest party appetizer you'll ever make! Just pepperoni, cream cheese, and parmesan baked until crispy and gooey.
Ingredients
- 60 pepperoni slices
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange 30 pepperoni slices on the baking sheet, then spread cream cheese onto each slice, and add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
- Top with another slice of pepperoni.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the pepperoni crisps up a bit. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a paper towel lined plate or baking sheet to absorb the excess grease.
- Serve warm as is or dip in marinara.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 51Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g
Storage Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes to re-crisp - the microwave will get you there but the texture won't be nearly as good.
These little bites are proof that you don't need bread to have a pizza moment. Johnny gets his keto win, I get my pizza fix, and everybody leaves the appetizer table happy.
