Pizza Cups (Wth Leftover Crusts)
on Aug 31, 2026
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These pizza cups are cheesy, savory, and a fun way to turn leftover sandwich bread or crusts into an easy meal! They’re made with bread cubes soaked in an easy pizza-style egg mixture and loaded with mozzarella, Parmesan, and pepperoni. Serve them warm with pizza sauce for dipping for an easy kid-friendly lunch, snack, or quick dinner!
If you have a pile of leftover sandwich crusts from cutting sandwiches for your kids, don’t throw them away! These easy pizza cups are one of my favorite ways to put them to good use. The bread soaks up a simple mixture of eggs, milk, pizza sauce, and seasonings, then gets mixed with plenty of cheese and pepperoni before being baked into individual cups. They have all those classic pizza flavors kids love and are perfect dipped into extra pizza sauce!
Looking for more ways to repurpose leftover crust? Try out this blueberry French toast bake or this easy French toast casserole for some fun sweet breakfast options!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these pizza cups:
- Sandwich Bread/Crusts: The base of these pizza cups. This is a great way to use up leftover sandwich crusts, but regular sandwich bread works as well. Cut the bread or crusts into small cubes so that they can evenly soak up the egg mixture.
- Eggs: Help bind the bread mixture together so that the cups hold their shape once baked.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps soften the bread as it soaks. I like using whole milk, but other varieties will work as well.
- Pizza Sauce: Mixed directly into the bread mixture for pizza flavor in every bite. I also like serving extra pizza sauce on the side for dipping.
- Garlic Powder/Onion Powder/Italian Seasoning/Salt: Adds extra savory flavor to the pizza cups.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Adds that classic melty pizza cheese flavor. Some is mixed into the cups and a little extra is sprinkled on top before baking.
- Muenster Cheese: Melts beautifully and adds extra creaminess and a mild flavor that pairs perfectly with the mozzarella.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a salty, savory flavor to the bread mixture.
- Pepperoni: Chopped into small pieces so that you get a little pepperoni throughout each cup. I also like adding a few extra pieces on top before baking.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Substitutions & Additions
- Sandwich Bread/Crusts: You can use leftover crusts from any type of sandwich bread or cube up full slices of bread.
- Milk: Whole milk gives the cups a nice texture, but 2% milk or your preferred unsweetened non-dairy milk may also be used.
- Eggs: For an egg-free option, swap the eggs with a liquid egg replacer. Keep in mind that the cups may be a little softer and may not hold together quite as firmly as the version made with eggs.
- Mozzarella/Muenster: You can use all mozzarella instead of using a combination of mozzarella and Muenster. Other mild, melty cheeses may also work.
- Pepperoni: Leave it out for a cheese pizza version or swap it for another favorite pizza topping. Make sure any additions are chopped into small pieces so the cups hold together well.
- Pizza Sauce: Marinara sauce can be used in place of pizza sauce if that’s what you have on hand.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a 12-cup silicone muffin pan on top of a baking sheet.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pizza sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and salt until well combined (Images 1 & 2).
STEP 3: Add the cubed sandwich bread or crusts, mozzarella cheese, Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, and chopped pepperoni (Image 3). Gently toss everything together until the bread pieces are evenly coated in the egg mixture (Image 4). Let the mixture soak for 1 to 2 minutes so that the bread can absorb some of the liquid. If you’re using a very soft sandwich bread, skip the soaking time since it will absorb the mixture quickly and may become too soggy.
STEP 4: Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups, making sure to distribute the bread, cheese, and pepperoni evenly between each cup. Sprinkle additional shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the tops of the cups and add a few extra pieces of pepperoni on top (Image 5).
STEP 6: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the centers are set and the tops and edges are lightly golden (Image 6). Let the pizza cups cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully removing them. Serve warm with extra pizza sauce on the side for dipping.
Storage Instructions
Let the pizza cups cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, transfer the cooled cups to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. For the best texture, reheat the pizza cups in the oven or air fryer until warmed through and lightly crisp around the edges. They can also be reheated in the microwave for a quicker option.
Tips For Success
- I highly recommend using a silicone muffin pan for these pizza cups. It makes them much easier to remove from the pan without sticking or falling apart. You can use a metal pan if that’s all you have on hand, but make sure to grease the pan really, really well.
- Keep a freezer-safe bag in the freezer and add leftover crusts whenever you’re cutting them off sandwiches. Once you have enough, thaw them and use them to make a batch of these pizza cups.
- Cut the bread and crusts into small, similarly sized pieces. This helps them soak up the egg mixture evenly and makes the cups easier to eat. Make sure to evenly distribute the mixture between the muffin cups so that each one gets plenty of cheese and pepperoni.
- If you don’t have Muenster cheese, you can use all mozzarella instead. The Muenster adds a little extra creaminess, but the pizza cups will still be delicious made with just mozzarella.
- Let the cups cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them. They’ll firm up as they cool and will be easier to remove without falling apart.
- Don’t skip the extra pizza sauce for dipping! There’s some pizza sauce baked right into the cups, but dipping them in extra sauce really brings out that classic pizza flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You don’t have to use leftover crusts for this recipe. Regular sandwich bread works perfectly as well. Just cut it into small cubes and measure out 5 cups.
Yes! Let the baked pizza cups cool completely before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze them for up to 2 months and reheat as needed, making them a great option to keep on hand for quick lunches or snacks.
Yes! You can leave out the pepperoni to make cheese pizza cups. You can also experiment with other favorite pizza toppings, but make sure to chop them finely and avoid adding too many ingredients that release a lot of moisture.
Other Pizza Recipes You’ll Love
Pizza Waffles
Zucchini Pizza Bites
Crescent Pizza Rolls
Cottage Cheese Pizza
If you tried these Pizza Cups, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Pizza Cups (With Leftover Crusts)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups cubed sandwich bread/crusts
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup pizza sauce, plus more for dipping
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
- ½ cup Muenster cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup diced pepperoni, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a 12-cup silicone muffin pan on top of a baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pizza sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and salt until well combined.
- Add the cubed sandwich bread or crusts, mozzarella cheese, Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, and chopped pepperoni. Gently toss everything together until the bread pieces are evenly coated in the egg mixture. Let the mixture soak for 1 to 2 minutes so that the bread can absorb some of the liquid. If you're using a very soft sandwich bread, skip the soaking time since it will absorb the mixture quickly and may become too soggy.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups, making sure to distribute the bread, cheese, and pepperoni evenly between each cup. Sprinkle additional shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the tops of the cups and add a few extra pieces of pepperoni on top.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the centers are set and the tops and edges are lightly golden. Let the pizza cups cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully removing them. Serve warm with extra pizza sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- I highly recommend using a silicone muffin pan for these pizza cups. It makes them much easier to remove from the pan without sticking or falling apart. You can use a metal pan if that’s all you have on hand, but make sure to grease the pan really, really well.
- Keep a freezer-safe bag in the freezer and add leftover crusts whenever you’re cutting them off sandwiches. Once you have enough, thaw them and use them to make a batch of these pizza cups.
- Cut the bread and crusts into small, similarly sized pieces. This helps them soak up the egg mixture evenly and makes the cups easier to eat. Make sure to evenly distribute the mixture between the muffin cups so that each one gets plenty of cheese and pepperoni.
- If you don’t have Muenster cheese, you can use all mozzarella instead. The Muenster adds a little extra creaminess, but the pizza cups will still be delicious made with just mozzarella.
- Let the cups cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them. They’ll firm up as they cool and will be easier to remove without falling apart.
- Don’t skip the extra pizza sauce for dipping! There’s some pizza sauce baked right into the cups, but dipping them in extra sauce really brings out that classic pizza flavor.
