Grown-Up Pizza Party for Holiday Entertaining

Pizza dough is a staple in my freezer. I entertain often and while most store-bought versions are good, I'm hooked on the taste of this homemade recipe. I've tested so many different pizza recipes and this one is a combination of my favorites. For me, a great pizza has a crispy outer crust with a soft-textured dough on the inside, baked perfectly in a preheated oven.

For cocktail parties, mini homemade pizzas are easy to make and are elegant enough for our buffet table. I make two to three batches of the Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough recipe, depending on the number of guests. Divide your choice of ingredient among individual rounds and use your creativity to top this tasty crust. If you are using meats, seafood or dense vegetables, precook them before topping your pizza.

Gorgonzola Pear Pizza

2 ripe Bosc pears, seeded and thinly sliced
1 cup Gorgonzola cheese
Half a large, thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup honey, drizzled
Wine pairing: Gewurztraminer, Muscat

Barbecue Pizza

Two cooked shredded pork chops or chicken breast
A large, thinly sliced red onion
2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup grated white cheddar
Wine pairing: Dry Riesling, Prosecco, rosé, Champagne

Prosciutto Arugula Pizza

4 slices of prosciutto
1 cup arugula
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
Wine pairing: Pinot Noir or a light Rioja


Get the Skinny Chef's Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough recipe.

Nutritional information for one 8-inch mini pizza (toppings not included): 153 calories, 0 grams total fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 292 milligrams sodium, 32 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams protein