Homemade Chicago Style Pizza Puffs
If you grew up in Chicago, or Chicagoland, chances are you know exactly what a pizza puff is. And if you’ve never had one, you are in for a treat!
A Chicago-style pizza puff is basically everything you love about pizza, but wrapped in a crispy, deep fried pocket of deliciousness. Think seasoned Italian sausage, gooey mozzarella cheese, and pizza sauce tucked into a flaky dough that’s fried until golden.
I’ve been wanting to make homemade Chicago Style pizza puffs for a while, and originally thought I was going to use my skinny pizza dough, but realized the yeast in my pizza dough would probably result in a chewy puff, not a crispy one. Let me tell you, these turned out even better than I imagined!
The Inspiration Behind These Homemade Pizza Puffs
When I was in my teens and early 20’s, I worked in bars, and after a long shift, my go to late night meal was not one, but TWO pizza puffs from a place called Submarine Tender (or Sub Tender, as we called it back in the day). Remarkably, the place is still open!
I can still picture them handing over these piping hot pizza puffs in little paper envelopes, with the grease already soaking through the paper before you even took your first bite. And let me tell you, those things were HOT! I can’t tell you how many times I watched drunk people order pizza puffs and immediately burn the roof of their mouths because they couldn’t wait for them to cool down. 😂
Making these homemade Chicago pizza puffs brought me right back to those late nights at Sub Tender. And while I don’t need to eat two of them after midnight anymore, I still love that first bite just as much as I did 40 years ago.
Ingredients
- flour (we used all-purpose)
- baking powder
- salt
- coconut oil (or vegetable shortening)
- water
- turkey Italian sausage (we used Lombardi’s from Mariano’s)
- pizza sauce
- dried oregano or dried Italian seasoning
- part skim mozzarella
- oil for frying (we used peanut oil)
The Secret to Crispy Pizza Puff Dough
For me, the dough was the most important part of this recipe. If I wanted a regular pizza pocket, I could have used store bought or my Skinny Pizza Dough and called it a day.
But I wanted something closer to the Chicago style pizza puffs I grew up eating. The goal was a dough I could roll out really thin so that it could crisp up beautifully in the fryer will still being sturdy enough to hold the delicious filling. The result? A golden, crispy exterior that holds in the delicious melty cheese and sausage. Exactly what I was hoping for.
Why You Should Chill Pizza Puffs Before Frying
Once the pizza puffs were assembled, I placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet and put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before frying. The helps firm up the dough and filling, making the pizza puffs easier to handle when transferring them into the hot oil. It also helps the sealed edges hold together during frying, although you still want to make sure the seams are securely closed before they go into the fryer.
Can You Make Pizza Puffs Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! These are a great recipe to prep ahead, especially if you are making them for a party, game day, or just want something delicious waiting in the freezer. I also love that you can cook up one at a time. You can assemble the pizza puffs, place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and freeze until firm, about one hour. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe bag or container.
That way, you can make a batch and have homemade Chicago-style pizza puffs whenever the craving hits.
Chicago Style Pizza Puffs
Make your own Chicago-style pizza puffs at home! Crispy, golden fried dough stuffed with Italian sausage, pizza sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable shortening)
- 3/4 cup warm water
- For the filling:
- 8 ounces turkey Italian sausage (approx. 3 links, casing removed)
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Oil for Frying (I used peanut oil)
Instructions
Step 1: Make the pizza puff dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add the coconut oil to the flour mixture. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the coconut oil into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Slowly add the warm water, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Knead in the bowl for about 3-4 minutes, adding in additional water if needed to get the flour incorporated. The dough should be soft and pliable but not sticky.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll out.
Step 2: Prepare the Italian sausage filling
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Remove the turkey Italian sausage from the casing, and add it to the skillet.
Break the sausage into small crumbles using a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook for approximately 6-8 minutes, or until completely cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165. Allow the sausage to cool. Stir in the pizza sauce and dried oregano.
Step 3: Assemble the Pizza Puffs:
Divide the rested dough into 4 pieces.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a thin rectangle, approximately 7x9 inches. Aim for about 1/16 of 1/8 thick. The thinner dough will give you that crispy Chicago-style pizza puff interior.
Top each with 1/4 of the cooked Italians sausage mixture, and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
Fold the sides to the middle, then fold the top and bottom to the middle, crimping the dough to secure.
Step 4: Chill the Pizza Puffs
Place the assembled pizza puffs on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Deep fry the Pizza Puffs:
Heat peanut or vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 350 degrees.
Carefully lower one or two pizza puffs into the hot oil, depending on the size of your fryer. Avoid overcrowding.
Fry for approximately 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through, until the dough is golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Remove the pizza puffs form the oil and place on a wire rack to drain. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. The filling will be extremely hot!
Notes
Each pizza puff is 10 WW points. I put the recipe into the WW builder using the exact ingredients I used, and the macros from the WW app: 413 calories, 15 fat, 51 carbs, 2 fiber and 17 protein.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 505Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 11gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 75mgSodium 1174mgCarbohydrates 52gFiber 5gSugar 2gProtein 27g
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If you are new here, welcome to My Bizzy Kitchen! I started this blog nearly 18 years ago to document my recipes and daily life, never imagining it would one day become my full-time career. After losing my husband nearly 10 years ago, I navigated the hardest chapter of my life while still finding joy in cooking and sharing my journey.
In December 2020, I took a leap of faith and left my 30-year career as a legal secretary to pursue My Bizzy Kitchen full-time, a decision that changed my life.
Two years later, in October 2022, I was able to hire my daughter, Hannah, full-time, which brings me so much joy. Now, My Bizzy Kitchen is more than just recipes. It’s about embracing life, finding balance, and making healthy living sustainable and fun.
Follow along for delicious recipes (mostly Weight Watchers friendly!), realistic weight loss tips, and my daily adventures on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook (@mybizzykitchen). Let’s get bizzy in the kitchen together!
Looking for more Weight Watchers inspiration? Check out my pizza category!
