My kids love pizza. And, since I can pretty much count on them asking for it every year for birthday dinner, I decided to turn it into a fun tradition. Happy Birthday Pizza makes dinner even more special. It's really just plain old homemade pizza spiced up with a special birthday message, but the kids love that it's personalized just for them. Ready to learn how to make it?
RELATED: Cauliflower Crust Pizza, Udi's Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Review
Happy Birthday Pizza
You will need:
- One recipe of your favorite pizza crust (or a store bought prepared crust)
- Your favorite pizza sauce (reserve ¼ cup for use later)
- Toppings of your choice -- including ham, pepperoni, red or green pepper strips or some other meat or veggie that can be cut into strips for decorating
Here we go! Let's make it!
- Prepare the crust according to your recipe directions. (If your crust is gluten-free, don't forget to bake it partially before adding the toppings. Every once in a while, I forget, so that reminder is mostly for me!) The pizza crust below is a gluten-free crust. You can probably tell that it is already browned on the edges.
- Top the pizza with sauce and a small sprinkling of cheese. (You can skip this layer of cheese if you want. You'll be adding quite a bit later!)
- Add your toppings. (Save some for creating letters.)
- Top with enough cheese to hide all of the toppings.
- Pour some pizza sauce into food squirt bottle (ketchup and mustard bottles work well). Draw your message onto the pizza with the sauce.
- Slice pepperoni and ham into strips to create letters. If your family likes green or red peppers, they'd work well for creating letters, too. Using the sauce as guidelines, create your message with the food strips.
- Bake the pizza according to your recipe directions and serve!
- Enjoy the happy faces of your kids!
I get to make one of these special pizzas this week for Boo, who's turning 9. What are your birthday traditions?
You might like some of these birthday ideas as well. Images below are linked.
Have a great week!
Erica Manoz
That is super cool! My kids would love this. I'm pinning! :)
Heidi Fowler
Thanks so much, Erica! I hope you have fun making it.
Julie
Now that is a fantastic tradition! We may need to add this to our list!
Heidi
Thanks, Julie. My kids love it. I hope yours do, too.
Jamie Rohrbaugh
Great idea! I love birthday traditions. My family never did much for birthdays when I was a kid, except we always made a cheesecake. To this day, cheesecake is special to me for that reason. It's so neat to see people making traditions like this! Love the pizza idea too.
Heidi
Thanks, Jamie. I would take a cheesecake for my birthday any day! What a fun tradition!
Barb @ A Life in Balance
I love this! We let the kids pick out dinner for their birthdays, and they often choose pizza. I'd love to surprise them with this fun variation.
Heidi
Thanks, Barb! This sure makes ordinary pizza more fun!
Mitzi
What an awesome tradition-- sharing and pinning, too!!
Heidi Fowler
Thanks, Mitzi! We sure love it at our house. (In fact, I did it last night for my 9-year-old's b-day.)
Clare
I love this idea! Especially how you can spell out the message with your kids' favourite toppings. I bet this goes down a storm and can't wait to give it a try.
Heidi
Thanks, Clare. It is always a hit. I hope you try it!
Jennifer at Making Our Life Matter
Love this idea! It is great for kids, and adults too! After all, who doesn't love pizza!
Heidi
Exactly, Jennifer. This is one meal that all my kids get excited about! Thanks!
Megan
What a cute birthday tradition!! And who wouldn't want pizza on their birthday!!
Heidi
Thanks, Megan. As the mom, I'd take anything I don't have to fix myself on my birthday. As a kid, I'd take pizza any time!
Robert
What a great idea!
I think i'm going to have to use this myself for my kids on their next birthday. They both love pizza too so it sounds like a no brainer at all!
Heidi Fowler
Thanks, Robert. It's definitely a hit with the kids every time. Have fun!