Easy, Kid-Friendly “Lion King” Pizza

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One of the best ways to creatively engage your kids at home is by cooking with them! Even the youngest children really enjoy helping out in the kitchen, and that’s one of the reasons that we love this kid-friendly, “Lion King” pizza! This fun and easy recipe would be especially perfect to whip up together with your kids if you’ve seen the new Disney remake of The Lion King!

Kids will love this pizza for three reasons:

1. They can help make it.
2. The Lion King is trending in a major way right now.
3. How many kids do you know who don’t like pizza?

There are also some different variations you can do with this recipe, depending on how much time you are willing to commit. If you want to go all-out, you can make your own dough from scratch (a suggested recipe for homemade dough is included below). Or you could simply purchase pre-made dough from the grocery store and let your kids have fun rolling and shaping it!

If you’d like an in-between option (I’m all about in-between options), you can also purchase a pizza dough mix.  I know we have a lot of gluten-free readers, and we haven’t forgotten you, either. I love this flour for gluten free baking if you plan to make your own dough or this mix!

To get started, cue The Lion King soundtrack and prepare your dough (whatever that means for the version of this pizza you have chosen.) Set dough aside and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. You’ll also want to make sure that you have a large baking sheet, or pizza stone, at the ready.

Next, prepare a large workable surface for rolling and shaping the dough. I like to put down a large piece of parchment paper and smother it in flour when working with bread or pizza dough. It keeps things from getting sticky and makes it very easy to transfer the pizza, later.

Once your surface is prepared, flip out your dough and have fun rolling it out and and shaping it (kids of any age love this part!) When you’re done playing with the dough, you’ll want to make sure it has that lovely, circular pizza-shape. The thickness is totally dependent on your preference, how much dough you have, and how many people you are feeding!

Pick up either side of your parchment paper and set it on top of your baking sheet/pizza stone (see how that step saved you some trouble?) Slide your crust into the pre-heated oven and allow it to cook for 5 minutes.

Remove your crust and (being careful not to let anyone burn themselves) load it up with your favorite sauce, and plenty of  mozzarella cheese!

Now it’s time to build the lion face. The face design we have chosen is very simple and even very young children should be able to help create it! Build the lion’s mane by creating two rings of pepperoni on the outside of the pizza. (I follow a Kosher lifestyle and use turkey pepperoni, but you can use whatever works for you!)

Then use:

• two black olives for the eyes
• a semi-circle (or triangle) of pepperoni for the nose
• thin slices of carrots for the mouth shape and whiskers.

Pop your lion pizza back into the oven for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly!

Enjoy! Do your kids like to help out in the kitchen? What are some of your favorite recipes to make with young children? 

Easy, Kid-Friendly “Lion King” Pizza

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• Author: Trish Corlew
• Cook Time: approximately 15 minutes
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 8 slices 1x

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Description

This easy idea for a “Lion King” themed pizza will be a hit when working with kids in the kitchen this summer!

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Ingredients

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Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought refrigerated

Pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought

Mozzarella cheese, about 3 cups

Pepperoni

Sliced black olives, for eyes

3 julienned carrot strips

For Homemade Dough (Optional):

3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling

1 teaspoon sugar

1 envelope instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface or pastry mat into a circle. 
3. Place shaped dough on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove pizza dough from oven and add sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, black olives, and carrots to resemble a lion face.
5. Return to oven and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your dough and desired doneness.

For Homemade Dough (Optional):

1. Combine the bread flour,  salt, sugar, yeast in a stand mixer. Add water and oil while still mixing,  until the dough forms into a ball.  Add in more flour if needed.  Once dough has completely combined, scoop it out onto a floured surface and knead it into a big, smooth ball.
2. Thoroughly oil down a large bowl with the remaining olive oil. Next, place dough in the bowl and cover it with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise for at least an hour.
3. About ten minutes before you are ready to make your pizza, flip the dough back out onto a flour-covered cutting board and coat it in the flour—cover it again for about 10 minutes.  Then you will be ready to roll it out for the pizza!

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Notes

If using a store bought pizza dough, try bringing it to room temperature before you roll it out/shape it! It makes things so much easier.

1. Return to oven and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your dough and desired doneness.