How to achieve the perfect pizza crust with a baking stone

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This blog first appeared in A Life Delicious.

Pizza on a baking stone! What’s at the heart of a perfect pizza? The crust! And from there, you can build to your hearts content. Hence, this post isn’t about a specific pizza type, but rather how to create the best crust possible.

Are you having trouble achieving a perfectly crispy crust? Then look no further. If you have a baking stone but struggle to get that golden, brown crunchy crust then this is the recipe for you. Below I will share what I have learned and therefore apply to all of my pizza recipes. The result is a delicious pizza crust that is crisp on the outside and has a slightly chewy interior. So say goodbye to soft crust, forever.

Recipe Features

  • Crust that is well browned and crispy – no soggy middle ever.
  • All the fun toppings
  • Customizable

 

Ingredient Notes For This Pizza on a Stone:

  • Dough Prep – I use the Delallo Pizza Dough Kit a lot. It is easy to prep and the dough rests while my stone is preheating.
    • Pro Tip – Once the dough is in a bowl and covered, set it on a large baking sheet and put it in a warm dryer. Just rest the pan edges on the arms that stick out from the tumbler. (Of course, don’t forget to warm up the dryer first)!
    • Let the dough rest for 45 minutes. By the end, the dough is double in size and nice and warm.
  • Bob’s Red Mill® – I love to use polenta, aka “corn grits” for the bottom of the crust. I just sprinkle some all over the surface of the stone once it comes out of the oven. Doing this not only helps to prevent the crust from sticking to the pan, but it also gives extra crunch and bite to the crust.
  • Toppings – I like to have an array of toppings for people to choose from. So feel free to omit or add to what you see in the recipe card.
  • Cheese – Personally, for me, I use a dairy-free version or nothing at all. That may seem weird, but I actually don’t mind my homemade supreme pizza without cheese. All the other fun toppings and delicious crust make up for it. But, for everyone else, I like to use fresh mozzarella.

 

Keys to Preheating your Pizza Stone:

  • FYI – A hot pizza stone is key to producing a well-browned, crisp bottom crust.
  • So here are the three things to do to get the stone hot enough: place stone in the cold oven, set the temperature to 500 degrees, and let it preheat for one full hour. (I start the hour once it has preheated). Bake the pizza at 500 degrees as well.
    • NEVER place a cold pizza stone in a hot oven, place cold dough on a hot stone, or place a hot stone under running water as this leads to thermal shock, which can cause the pizza stone to crack or even explode.
  • Baking – With my baking soapstone, the perfect cook time seems to be 15 minutes. Also, the second pizza always comes out just as golden brown and crispy as the first.
  • Tip – While you eat the first pizza, be sure to add the pizza stone back into the oven to stay hot.
  • Just a heads up, I purchased my 12 inch baking soapstone while in Brazil. So I can’t link to it.
  • The article by Cook’s Illustrated, The Importance of Preheating Your Pizza Stone, is where I learned all about preheating my stone. So feel free to take a look.

Recipe | Pizza on a Stone

Ingredients

  • 1 Delallo Italian Pizza Dough Kit
  • Bob’s Red Mill® Gluten-Free Corn Grits, aka Polenta, for sprinkling
  • 1 14 oz jar Pizza Sauce (Classico Traditional Pizza Sauce), divided
  • 1 5 oz pckg Columbus Pepperoni, or pepperoni of choice
  • 2 medium Orange Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 small Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
  • 2–3 Fresh Jalapeño Peppers, thinly sliced
  • 1 8, oz pckg Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Pearls or Vegan Mozzarella
  • Fresh Basil, torn, for topping
  • Optional: Red Pepper Flakes

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the stone: Place the pizza stone in the cold oven, set the temperature to 500 degrees, and let it preheat for one full hour. (I start the hour once it has preheated).
  2. Pizza dough: Prep the dough according to package directions.
  3. Rest the dough: Once the dough is in a bowl and covered, set it on a large baking sheet and put it in a warm dryer. Just rest the pan edges on the arms that stick out from the tumbler. Let the dough rest for 45 minutes. By the end, the dough is double in size and nice and warm.
  4. Prep the toppings: While the dough rests, prep all the toppings and set aside.
  5. Divide the dough: Remove the pizza dough from the dryer. Divide into two equal pieces.
  6. Add to the stone: Form the pizza, by hand or with a rolling pin, into a 10 to 12 inch round of dough. Remove the pizza stone from the oven and sprinkle polenta all over the surface. Add the dough to the stone and gently and carefully spread the dough to the edges.
  7. Assemble: Top the dough with sauce, toppings and then finish off with cheese.
  8. Cook: Bake the pizza at 500 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the toppings are cooked through. (15 mins seems to be the best time for me).
  9. Cut into slices: Remove the pizza to a cutting board, let rest for just a minute or two, and then cut into slices. Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes right before serving.
  10. Second pizza: Repeat the same prep and baking process with the second dough ball.

 

Notes

  • Pizza Stone: Never place a cold pizza stone in a hot oven, place cold dough on a hot stone, or place a hot stone under running water as this leads to thermal shock, which can cause the pizza stone to crack or even explode.
  • Prep Time: The prep time for the vegetables and the dough is included in the inactive prep time.
  • Pizza Dough Kit: This kit will yield either 2, 10″ pizzas or 4, 10″ pizzas (depending on size and thickness desired).
  • Toppings: The amount of toppings listed is enough for 2, 10″ pizzas.
  • Baking Tip: With my baking soapstone, the perfect cook time seems to be 15 minutes. Also, the second pizza always comes out just as golden brown and crispy as the first. (While you eat the first pizza, be sure to add the pizza stone back into the oven).
  • Cleaning: The pizza stone needs to be completely cool before cleaning it.

And, for more easy lunch and dinner ideas, please give these a try: