Perfecting Homemade Pizza: 9 Secrets for a Crispy Crust (2024)

Sneak Preview: Learn how to perfect your homemade pizza at home, especially making a crispy crust. Nothing fancy here. These nine secrets work in an ordinary kitchen with a regular oven and no pizza stone.

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Would you like to make a better pizza at home? Are you discouraged by those who say you need a pizza stone or a wood-burning oven? While those things are nice, it’s not the only way to get a crispy crust and delicious pizza.

As a former Research and Development person for a national pizza chain, I combined what I learned in the research kitchen and 45+ years of making pizza at home to write this post. I hope you find it helpful.

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My Litmus Test for an Extraordinary PizzaCrust

When I can hold a slice, grasping only the outer edge, the pizza doesn’t bend down at the point of the wedge. Yes! That’s what I’m looking for–well-baked and crispy. It doesn’t matter whether the crust is thick or thin.

What is the most common mistake people make with homemade pizza? I haven’t done a scientific survey, of course, but I have a good idea based on my observations at many DIY pizza parties. Read to the end of the post to find out if your guess matches mine.

If you use a good crust recipe and follow these suggestions, I doubt you’ll miss using a pizza stone. If you prefer to use a stone, most of these hints still apply except for numbers one and two. I hope you keep reading.

#1 Use Heavy and Dark-Colored Pizza Pans

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Try to find a heavy baking pan with a dark finish for a crispy crust that will hold up to all the sauce, cheese, and various ingredients you’re dreaming about.

Commercial pizza pans like the one pictured above are my favorite. “Used” pizza pans are even better because they have a patina similar to an iron skillet. As a result, there’s no need to wash them. Instead, wipe them clean with a paper towel.

Where do I find these magic pans?

Check eBay. The used ones from a closed pizza restaurant are the best (and usually cheap, too!)

#2 Coat Your Pizza Pan Generously With Olive Oil

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Restaurants use an insane amount of oil at the bottom of the pan. That’s one reason their pizza isso good and filling–all that oil adds FLAVOR and CRISPINESS. Using a pizza stone will give you a dry, crisp crust. This method will also give you a crispy crust with tons of flavor.

How much oil? Start with 1-2 tablespoons for a 14-inch pan.

Check out the underside of this pizza crust baked with plenty of olive oil. I wish you could “scratch and taste.”

You might be wondering…

How Do I Make a Thin and Crispy Crust Vs. a Thicker, Crispy Crust?

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Thin and Crispy

The answer can be as simple as using less dough for the same size pizza pan and rolling the dough thinner.

1. Use a little more liquid in the dough. This will help the dough stretch out thinner.
2. If you want the crust to be cracker-crisp, dock the dough after you get it into the pan. In other words, poke the dough with a fork so it will be more like a cracker. Add the sauce, cheese, and toppings, and get it into the oven ASAP before the dough begins to rise again.
3. Use a dough recipe that does not include any fat for a crispier crust.

Thick and Chewy (but still crispy on the bottom)

1. Let the dough rise until almost double in size after kneading it. Compress the dough to remove the bubbles. Cover the dough and allow it to relax for 10-15 minutes.
2. Use your fingers to press the dough into the bottom of the pan, or roll it out with a rolling pin if that’s easier. Rest for 10-15 minutes if the dough springs back, and try shaping it again.
3. Once you’ve shaped the dough into the shape of the pan you’re using, place it into the pan. If it’s not big enough, stretch it with your fingertips until it fits. Go ahead and build your pizza. There’s no need to let the dough rise again.

Before we talk about assembling the pizza, here isthesequence I prefer.

#3 How To Build a Pizza

1. Crust
2. Sauce
3. Cheese
4. Meat and/or veggies
5. A light sprinkle of additional cheese (optional)
6. Fresh herbs or lettuce (after baking)

#4 Go Easy on the Sauce

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1. Use too much sauce, and your pizza will be challenging to bake all the way through.
2. Also, too much sauce can cause a “topping-slide.” That’s when all the cheese, meat, and vegetables pull off your pizza slice with the first bite.
3. You should be able to see a bit of crust through your sauce as you spread it.

#5 Sprinkle the Cheese Over the Sauce Before Other Toppings

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Using this order keeps the cheese from burning. In addition, it glues the toppings to the pizza while allowing them to bake thoroughly.

I like lots of cheese, but just like too much sauce, too much cheese can make it challenging to get a crispy and completely baked crust. Another option is to save some cheese to sprinkle over the top. A cheese topping can protect delicate ingredients such as spinach.

#6 Be Mindful of Ingredients That Exude Water as They Bake

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1. Toppings such as pineapple, fresh tomatoes, and fresh mushrooms can leave little puddles of water that take a long time to dry before your pizza can brown. Either pat them dry with a paper towel or cut them into smaller pieces.

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See Also

Finishing the Crust - glazes, washes and toppings - On Bread Alone

2. Want to add meat to your pizza?

I keepfully cookedground beef, sausage, and grilled chicken in my freezerat all times to make quick work of assembling a pizza. Defrosting the meat before adding it to your pizza will avoid the puddles mentioned above and rawspots in the middle of your pizza.

3. Roast fresh vegetables like tomatoes or mushrooms to remove excess moisture.

THIS is the#1mistakeI see peoplemakingwhenbuildingapizzaat home.

#7 Don’t Overload Your Pizza with Toppings

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Does it seem like we’ve already talked about this?

This principle applies to everything. Just like excessive cheese and sauce, too many toppings will keep your pizza from baking in a timely manner. The outer crust will over-bake, and the middle will be doughy if you pile on too many ingredients.

#8 Turn the Oven Temperature Up HIGH

Be sure you preheat your oven. I turn mine on before I start to shape the dough. I preheat my oven to 475˚F, then turn it back to 425˚F when I put the pizza in the oven. Every oven is different. Experiment until you find what works best with your oven and equipment.

#9 Check for Air Bubbles While the Pizza Bakes

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1. Bubbles often happen with plain cheese pizza when extra ingredients don’t quite hold the dough down.
2. After about 8-10 minutes, check your pizza. Have any large air bubbles developed? If so, prick them with a sharp, pointy knife or a fork. Failure to do this will result in a soft, white crust under the bubble.

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Parting thoughts: I make my pizza crust dough in a bread machine usingthe dough cycle. However, if you prefer whole wheat, here is a honey whole wheat pizza dough recipe cloned from California Pizza Kitchen. Either recipe can be assembled with a bread machine, a stand mixer, a food processor, or by hand. If you need a recipe for salt-free pizza dough, this is a good one.

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