Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love in all its forms. Instead of the traditional bouquet of red roses, why not surprise your loved ones with a dozen Pepperoni Pizza Roses? Whether you’re celebrating with the love of your life, the kiddos, or your friends, these cute and tasty treats are sure to bring a smile to their faces and warmth to their hearts. After all, who wouldn’t love a bouquet that’s both beautiful and edible? Recipe yields 12 hors d’oeuvres.

14 ounce roll refrigerated pizza dough
2 cups marinara sauce
12 slices mozzarella cheese, halved
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 F. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray. Place a square of parchment paper into each well to help prevent roses from sticking to the pan.

Unroll pizza dough and roll to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into twelve, 1-inch strips.

Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over each strip of dough. Be careful not to add too much sauce, as this will make it difficult to roll the dough.

Place 5 pepperoni slices along each dough strip, making sure the pepperoni slices extend halfway over the edge of the dough strip.

Starting at one end, roll each strip of dough to form a rose shape. Place each rose into the muffin pan on top of the parchment paper with the pepperoni side facing up. Sprinkle roses with oregano.

Bake roses for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked through. Garnish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve with extra marinara sauce for dipping.