How to Make Heart Shaped Pizzas
Learning how to make heart shaped pizzas is the perfect way to show someone you care. Ready in about 90 minutes, including rising time, these heart shaped pizzas feature a flavorful garlic-basil crust that’s surprisingly easy to make from scratch.
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Whether you’re planning a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner or just want to surprise your family with something special, these adorable pizzas deliver on both taste and presentation. The homemade dough creates a perfectly chewy crust while bacon-wrapped edges and heart-cut pepperoni add those sweet finishing touches.
Looking for more fun Valentine’s Day recipes? Try these Red Velvet Cake Balls for a festive dessert, or whip up some Cotton Candy Jello Shots for an adults-only celebration. You might also love these Lunch Box Mini Pizzas for a kid-friendly alternative.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple homemade dough: The pizza dough comes together with just a few pantry staples and doesn’t require any fancy equipment. The yeast does most of the work while you prepare your toppings.
- Perfect for celebrations: Heart shaped pizzas turn an ordinary dinner into something memorable. They’re ideal for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or just showing your loved ones you care.
- Customizable toppings: While this recipe uses classic pizza sauce, mozzarella, and optional heart-shaped pepperoni, you can easily swap in your favorite toppings. Try adding mushrooms, olives, or extra cheese.
- Kid-friendly activity: Getting the kids involved in shaping the hearts and adding toppings makes this a fun family cooking project. They’ll love creating their own personalized pizzas.
Heart Shaped Pizza Ingredients
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Instant yeast – This quick-rising yeast activates in warm water within minutes and helps create a light, fluffy crust. Make sure your water is warm but not hot, around 110°F, to activate the yeast properly.
- Warm water – The liquid brings the dough together and activates the yeast. Water that’s too hot will kill the yeast, while water that’s too cold won’t activate it.
- Sugar – A small amount of sugar feeds the yeast and helps it rise. It also adds a subtle sweetness to the crust that balances the savory toppings.
- All-purpose flour – This forms the base of your dough and creates the structure. You’ll need extra for dusting your counter while shaping the hearts.
- Salt – Essential for flavor, salt also strengthens the gluten in the dough for a better texture.
- Garlic powder – This adds a savory depth to the crust, pairing perfectly with pizza sauce and cheese.
- Dried basil – The herb gives your crust an Italian-inspired flavor that makes it taste like pizzeria-quality dough.
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) – The oil keeps the dough tender and adds richness. You’ll also brush it on the edges for a golden, crispy finish.
- Pizza sauce – Use your favorite store-bought or homemade sauce. About 1 cup is perfect for three 8-inch pizzas.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – This melts beautifully and creates that classic pizza cheese pull everyone loves.
- Pepperoni (optional) – Cut into heart shapes with a small cookie cutter for an extra-special touch. Regular pepperoni works great, too.
Substitutions and Additions
- Try different cheeses – Swap mozzarella for a blend with provolone or cheddar, or use vegan cheese for a dairy-free version.
- Make it gluten-free – Use your favorite gluten-free pizza dough recipe or pre-made dough instead of the homemade version.
- Add vegetables – Bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, or spinach all make delicious additions to these heart shaped pizzas.
- Use pesto instead of pizza sauce – Spread basil pesto on the dough for a different flavor profile.
- Make it spicy – Add red pepper flakes to the dough or sprinkle them on top before baking.
How to Make Heart Shaped Pizzas (step-by-step directions)
STEP 1. Start by combining warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk them together and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy. This tells you the yeast is active and ready. (Photo 1)
STEP 2. Add the flour, salt, garlic powder, basil, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix everything with a spoon until it forms a shaggy dough, then use your hands to knead it gently until you have a cohesive ball. (Photo 2)
STEP 3. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the dough ball and cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour until it doubles in size. (Photos 3 & 4)
STEP 4. When you’re ready to shape your pizzas, preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust your counter lightly with flour. Divide the dough in half or thirds depending on how many pizzas you want to make. Gently roll and use your hands to shape each piece into a heart. Aim for about half an inch of thickness so the crust cooks evenly. (Photo 5)
STEP 5. Brush the very edges of each heart with olive oil using a pastry brush. This creates a beautiful golden crust when baked. Use a fork to poke holes across the entire surface of the dough. This prevents large air bubbles from forming during baking. (Photos 6 & 7)
STEP 6. Spread a thick layer of pizza sauce over each heart, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle generously with mozzarella cheese. (Photos 8 & 9)
STEP 7. If you’re using pepperoni, cut them into heart shapes with a 1-inch cookie cutter and arrange them on top of the cheese for an extra-special presentation. (Photo 10)
STEP 8. Bake the pizzas for 12-14 minutes until the edges turn golden brown and the cheese in the center has fully melted. Let them cool slightly before slicing and serving. (Photo 11)
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the resting time – Letting the dough rise properly makes all the difference in texture. A warm kitchen helps the dough rise faster.
- Work with lightly floured hands – This prevents the dough from sticking while you’re shaping the hearts.
- Make uniform sizes – Try to keep your heart shapes similar in thickness so they bake evenly.
- Watch the edges – The olive oil brushed on the edges helps them brown nicely, but keep an eye on them to prevent burning.
- Get creative with shapes – If you’re making these with kids, let them create their own heart designs or even other shapes like circles or stars.
Storing Tips
- Storage: Let the pizzas cool completely before storing to prevent sogginess.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover pizza in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The crust will soften slightly but still tastes delicious.
- Freezing: You can freeze baked pizzas for up to 2 months. Wrap each pizza tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Frozen pizzas are perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
- Reheating: Reheat slices in a 375°F oven for 8-10 minutes to restore crispness, or microwave for 30-60 seconds for a softer texture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your heart shaped pizzas with a fresh side salad for a complete meal. You can also pair them with Bacon Wrapped Salmon for an impressive surf-and-turf Valentine’s dinner, or try Lemon Garlic Jumbo Shrimp as an elegant appetizer. For a fun twist, serve these alongside Homemade Hot Pockets for a pizza party spread that everyone will love.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance. After the first rise, punch it down, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before shaping your heart shaped pizzas.
You can use active dry yeast instead. Just increase the rising time by about 15-20 minutes, as active dry yeast works a bit more slowly than instant yeast.
Make sure to poke holes all over the dough with a fork before adding toppings. This prevents air bubbles that can distort the shape. Also, don’t overload with toppings, as too much weight can cause the dough to spread.
Absolutely! This recipe divides into 3 medium pizzas, but you can make 6 smaller personal-sized hearts or 2 larger ones. Just adjust the baking time accordingly – smaller pizzas may need 10-12 minutes, while larger ones might need 15-16 minutes.
Use a small 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter and press firmly through each pepperoni slice. If you don’t have a heart cutter, you can use a sharp knife to cut them by hand.
Heart Shaped Pizzas
Ingredients
For the crust –
- 1 package instant yeast 2 ¼ teaspoon
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 2 ⅓ cups flour plus more for dusting the counter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon basil
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) plus more to coat
For the toppings –
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- Pepperoni cut into hearts (optional)
Instructions
- Start by combining warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk them together and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy. This tells you the yeast is active and ready.¾ cup warm water,1 ½ teaspoons sugar,1 package instant yeast
- Add the flour, salt, garlic powder, basil, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix everything with a spoon until it forms a shaggy dough, then use your hands to knead it gently until you have a cohesive ball.2 ⅓ cups flour,1 teaspoon salt,½ teaspoon garlic powder,½ teaspoon basil,2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the dough ball and cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- When you’re ready to shape your pizzas, preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust your counter lightly with flour. Divide the dough in half or thirds depending on how many pizzas you want to make. Gently roll and use your hands to shape each piece into a heart. Aim for about half an inch thickness so the crust cooks evenly.
- Brush the very edges of each heart with olive oil using a pastry brush. This creates a beautiful golden crust when baked. Use a fork to poke holes across the entire surface of the dough. This prevents large air bubbles from forming during baking.
- Spread a thick layer of pizza sauce over each heart, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle generously with mozzarella cheese.1 cup pizza sauce,2 cup mozzarella cheese
- If you’re using pepperoni, cut them into heart shapes with a 1-inch cookie cutter and arrange them on top of the cheese for an extra-special presentation.Pepperoni
- Bake the pizzas for 12-14 minutes until the edges turn golden brown and the cheese in the center has fully melted. Let them cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Don’t skip the resting time – Letting the dough rise properly makes all the difference in texture. A warm kitchen helps the dough rise faster.
- Work with lightly floured hands – This prevents the dough from sticking while you’re shaping the hearts.
- Make uniform sizes – Try to keep your heart shapes similar in thickness so they bake evenly.
- Watch the edges – The olive oil brushed on the edges helps them brown nicely, but keep an eye on them to prevent burning.
- Get creative with shapes – If you’re making these with kids, let them create their own heart designs or even other shapes like circles or stars.
Nutrition Information
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