Homemade Pepperoni Hot Pockets

Who here loves Hot Pockets?  Let’s make our own today, shall we?

The real trick here is finding the right crust. I've tried pie crust, puff pastry, and bread dough, but none of them quite hit the mark until this version, which is essentially a fortified pie crust with baking powder.  It’s a nice buttery pastry, easily rolled thin, and sturdy enough to hold its shape.

For the filling, less is more with the sauce.  I also like to use a block of whole milk mozzarella (not the fancy stuff, the regular dairy case will do) and thick cut pepperoni.  That combination really starts to feel like the calorie laden frozen salt bomb we all adore.

As an interesting side note, these were delicious fresh from the oven, but I actually thought they tasted more like commercial Hot Pockets when I microwaved the leftovers the next day - go figure!

Sunday Funday

Pastry Squares

• Ghostly Pop Tarts by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Homemade Flaky Pop Tarts With Indian Blackberry(Jamun) Chia Jam by Sneha's Recipe
• Homemade Pepperoni Hot Pockets by Amy's Cooking Adventures 
• Nutella Pop Tarts by Karen’s Kitchen Stories 
• POG Tarts by Culinary Cam 
• Sloppy Joe Pop Tarts by Our Good Life

Homemade Pepperoni Hot Pockets

Adapted from Alyona’s Cooking

Crust

1 ½-2 cups flour

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces

⅔ cup milk

Filling

½ cup whole milk mozzarella, cut in small chunks

½ cup thick cup pepperoni slices, cut in half

⅓ cup tomato sauce

½ teaspoon italian herb mix

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Butter Topping

1 tablespoon butter

⅛ teaspoon italian herbs

Pinch garlic powder

To make the crust, place 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to mix.  Add the butter.  Use 2 forks or fingers to cut in the butter until the butter forms small crumbles in the flour.

Add the milk and stir to mix.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, adding flour as needed to create a dough that is tacky but not sticky.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

After an hour, roll the dough to a 12x20 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.  Use a pizza cutter to cut eight 5x6 inch rectangles from the large sheet.

In a separate bowl, stir together the filling ingredients until mixed.  Divide the filling between the 8 squares.  

Lightly moisten the edges, then fold over and pinch the edges to seal.  Crimp the edges with a fork to reinforce the seal.  Move to a baking sheet, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake the hot pockets for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt the butter and stir in seasoning for the butter topping.  After 10 minutes, brush the butter over the hot pockets, then return to the oven for an additional 12-15 minutes or until browned.  Serve hot.