Homemade Ham and Cheese Calzones
These homemade Ham and Cheese Calzones can be baked now and frozen for quick lunches and dinners later! They’re made completely from scratch, but time-saving shortcuts are provided.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
✔ No Unfamiliar Ingredients: Unlike store-bought calzones which frequently contain additives or preservatives, these homemade ham calzones use simple ingredients you can pronounce.
✔ Customizable: Make this easy recipe your own by using store-bought pizza dough instead of homemade, swapping out the cheeses for whatever’s in your fridge, or sneaking veggies into the filling.
✔ Freezer Friendly: Calzones can be frozen after being baked and they reheat well in the microwave or oven. Perfect for quick lunches and dinners on busy weeks!
Originally published on April 22, 2011, this ham and cheese calzone recipe has been updated with new photos, helpful recipe tips, and FAQs.
About This Recipe
These ham and cheese calzones are made completely from scratch using basic ingredients I always have in my fridge and pantry.
Never made calzones before? Think of them as a type of handheld pizza that’s been folded over on itself. The edges of a calzone are sealed before the entire thing is baked.
Depending on the size of the calzone, you can either eat it with a knife and fork, or you can pick it up and chow down that way.
Although this recipe is made completely homemade, it’s easy to follow and the baked calzones keep well in the freezer. Feel free to use a few store-bought shortcuts to save yourself some time, and make this recipe your own!
Recipe Ingredients
This ham and cheese calzone recipe has three parts: the calzone dough, the ham and cheese filling, and the creamy garlic sauce that coats the ham mixture. For exact amounts and instructions, see the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
- Pizza dough — I made my own no-rise pizza dough for this recipe, but you’re welcome to use store-bought pizza dough if that’s easier for you.
- Garlic sauce — This creamy sauce is what coats the ham and cheese to create the calzone filling. It’s essentially a 5-minute roux made by thickening milk with flour and seasoning it with Dijon, garlic, and chicken bouillon.
- Ham — Use leftover slow cooker ham from the holidays, or use your favorite ham from the store. If using frozen ham, thaw it before adding to the filling.
- Cheese — I used a blend of sharp cheddar cheese, Gruyère cheese, and Parmesan, but you can use almost any cheese you have on hand.
- Green onions — Provide a nice contrast to the creamy ham and cheese filling, but aren’t as harsh in flavor as raw yellow or red onions.
- Egg wash — Made from whisking together egg and water. This gets brushed over the calzones before baking to give them a shiny golden brown crust.
Katie’s Tip: To sneak in some veggies, add finely chopped broccoli florets to the ham filling. I used to do this all the time for my kids!
How to Make Ham and Cheese Calzones
Here’s a brief overview of how the cheesy ham calzones come together:
- Make the pizza dough: I’ve given detailed instructions in the recipe card below on how to make my favorite no-rise pizza dough. Use store-bought if desired.
- Prep the ham and cheese mixture: Stir together the ham, cheese, and green onion. Set aside.
- Make the garlic sauce: Saute the garlic in a little butter, then whisk in the flour and milk. Simmer until thick, then add in the Dijon, bouillon, salt, pepper, and sour cream.
- Finish the filling: Stir the garlic sauce into the prepared ham and cheese mixture.
- Assemble and bake the calzones: You’ll be able to make 8 large calzones with this recipe. Press the edges together tightly to prevent the filling from spilling out in the oven.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
How Can You Tell When Calzones Are Done?
Since you can’t cut a hole in the top of the calzone to test its doneness, you’ll have to judge based on its color.
Calzones are done when they’re golden brown all over and they’ve puffed up slightly. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes before serving, because the cheesy ham filling will be piping hot!
Should you freeze calzones before or after baking them?
Freeze them after baking, but let them cool to room temperature first. If you freeze hot calzones, they’ll release a lot of steam which will speed up the development of freezer burn.
Is calzone dough the same thing as pizza dough?
Yes, exactly! Make your own homemade calzone dough like I did, or buy fresh pizza dough at the grocery store to save yourself some time. Your local pizza restaurant might sell pizza dough by the pound, too!
Should you poke holes in the tops of the calzones before baking?
If you press out as much of the air as possible and seal the calzones tightly, you shouldn’t need to poke any holes in the top. They’ll puff up slightly in the oven this way, but that’s okay!
Do calzones need to be flipped in the oven?
Nope, do not flip them over or else you’ll flatten them!
Storage, Freezing & Reheating Instructions
- In the fridge: Store cooled calzones in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- In the freezer: Seal the cooled calzones in a freezer bag or freezer container for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Preheat the oven to 400ºF and bake the calzones for about 10 minutes. (If frozen, do not thaw before reheating.)
Try Making Homemade Calzones!
Instead of pizza night, plan a calzone night! These cheesy ham calzones are a big hit with kids and adults alike, plus they make a great meal prep lunch or dinner since they can be frozen in advance.
Did You Try This Recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and a review below—your feedback helps others and makes my day.
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Side Dishes for Ham and Cheese Calzones
Round out your feast with one of the following side dishes, or check out the recipe index for all of the sides and salads on GoodLife Eats.
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Ham and Cheese Calzones Recipe
Use leftover holiday ham to make these calzones, or buy your favorite deli ham from the store. Either way your family will love these ham and cheese calzones with a creamy filling!
Ingredients
For the No-Rise Calzone Dough
- 1 ⅓ cups warm water
- 2 packets pizza crust yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3–4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
For the Creamy Garlic Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons sour cream
For the Filling
- 1 ¾ cups diced ham
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
- 2 ounces Gruyère, shredded
- 2–3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Optional: 1 to 1½ cups small broccoli florets (cut bite-size)
For Finishing
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing after baking)
Instructions
Make the Calzone Dough
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until slightly foamy.
- Stir in olive oil.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and garlic powder.
- Add dry mix to yeast mixture. Using dough hook, mix on low speed.
- Gradually add more flour (¼ cup at a time) until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. You may not need all 4 cups.
- Knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth and springy.
- Cover with a towel and let rest while you make the filling—no rising needed.
Make the Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute to form a roux.
- Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Simmer 2–3 minutes, until thickened and glossy.
- Stir in bouillon), Dijon, pepper, and a pinch of salt.
- Remove from heat. Let cool slightly, then stir in sour cream.
Katie’s Tip: Let the sauce cool for a minute before adding sour cream so it doesn’t split.
Assemble the Filling
- In a large bowl, combine diced ham, shredded cheeses, and green onions.
- If using broccoli, stir it in here. Make sure it’s chopped small so it cooks through without making the filling watery.
- Pour in the warm sauce and stir to coat. Set aside to cool for easier filling.
Roll & Fill the Calzones
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each into an 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spoon about ½ cup of filling onto one half of each circle.
- Fold over into a half-moon. Press edges to seal, then crimp with a fork.
- Transfer to baking sheet.
Katie’s Tip: Don’t overfill—press out any air pockets for a better seal and neater bake.
Finish & Bake
- Brush each calzone with egg wash. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
- Remove from oven and brush with melted butter while still hot.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
Katie’s Tip: Cooling on a rack keeps the bottom crisp and helps the filling set.
Notes
Calzone filling adapted from Sargento. Calzone crust adapted from Spinach, Ricotta and Tomato Calzones
To freeze: Cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe ziploc bag in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven or toaster oven at 300 degrees F.
The homemade calzone dough can be replaced with pre-made fresh pizza dough from the store.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 970Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 1527mgCarbohydrates: 153gFiber: 8gSugar: 4gProtein: 35g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Heidi says
Did you steam the broccoli before or just do raw! Thanks!
Beth says
This is the best recipe. My kid loves it. Thanks for sharing . This will go in the rotation for sure.
Sam Henderson says
Well, that just looks wonderful. I can’t wait to try it. The photo is lovely.
Cindy says
Is a stand mixer really needed? I would like to try this, but I don’t want to put all the work in if the dough isn’t going to turn out.
Katie says
No, that is the method I use, but you can just as easily knead the dough by hand.
Jen says
I just finished making…and eating….a batch of these! I measured everything out, but only ended up with enough filling for 7. There was a small amount of leakage, with a couple…but they were delicious! I’m going to make another batch…while everything is still out…to throw in the freezer.
what katie's baking says
oh my gosh, i love calzones!
i’ve never found a recipe for one though. these look so awesome, katie!
SnoWhite @ Finding Joy in My Kitchen says
We made a version of these tonight; they were great! Thanks for helping us use up our leftover turkey.
jenn nahrstadt says
well, i was a bit intimidated by the prospect of making the dough for the calzones, but i purchased the ingredients anyway. i put the yeast and the water together and took note of the time. then i lost track of time and remembered i had this recipe started 1 hr and 20 min. later! i’m happy to report that the dough turned out great–it took 3.25 C. flour for mine–and the stuffing is yummy! i used pepper jack and cheddar and frozen chopped broccoli. i also chopped the ham in my food processor so that everything would be similar in size.
the 8″ circle recommendation was too large and resulted in leaky calzones, only netting 7 also. i would also recommend brushing with olive oil. it improves the look of them. can’t wait to have them for dinner tomorrow night! thanks for a great recipe!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
I’ve always thought that pizza calzones were WAY too heavy, but these look nice and light and absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing, Katie. 🙂
Kristen says
Calzone’s are so versatile.. they are a favorite around here too!