The $1.35 ALDI Find I've Been Buying for Years (It's Delicious!)

This ALDI staple has saved dinnertime at my house more than once. My whole family loves it.

Aug 13, 2024 - 16:00
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The $1.35 ALDI Find I've Been Buying for Years (It's Delicious!)
An ALDI sign
Simply Recipes / Getty Images

If you’ve read my stories here, you know my family loves just about everything Mama Cozzi’s, from their fresh pizzas and flatbreads in the deli to the cheesy delights from ALDI's freezer section.

However, when I’m not as pressed for time, I love Mama Cozzi’s ready-to-bake pizza dough. This handy little meal starter can be found in the deli section year-round for just $1.35 for a whole pound of dough. ALDI sells a frozen gluten-free version at least once a year, too.

What I Love About ALDI's Mama Cozzi’s Ready-to-Bake Pizza Dough

If I don’t have time to make pizza dough from scratch—and let’s face it, most of the time I don’t—I grab one or two Mama Cozzi’s ready-to-bake pizza doughs, some tomato sauce or paste (whisk in some wine, Italian seasonings, and a touch of sugar, and you’re good to go), shredded cheese, and whatever toppings I desire.

I prefer baking it on my pizza stone at about 425°F for 10 to 15 minutes. My oven is convection, so you might want it a bit hotter or cooler, depending on how your own oven works.

A photo of Mama Cozzi's ready to bake pizza dough in its packaging
Simply Recipes / Jeanette Hurt

How I Use ALDI's Mama Cozzi's Pizza Dough

I’ve used this pizza dough for both thin-crust pizzas and Chicago-style pan pizzas. For pan pizzas, I use one of my quiche dishes, roll the dough out, then fold it in and up the sides. 

On one memorable occasion, I used six ready-made pizza doughs to make a bunch of individual pizzas with a group of fourth graders at my son’s school.

The dough is great for Italian breadsticks (brush with olive oil and garlic), flatbreads, and calzones. I’ve used it to make garlic knots and basic bread rolls.  I’ve even used it as the bottom layer of a breakfast casserole.

The dough even works well for sweet applications. I sometimes roll it out, top it with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, then roll it up and slice it for the easiest cinnamon rolls.  

The dough makes great monkey bread, too. I cut the dough into small pieces, then roll them into little balls that I dunk in melted butter and roll in a mixture of sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Then I toss the balls into a bundt pan and stud the top with pecans and a dusting of extra sugar. Sometimes, I even add chocolate chips.