Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Detroit Style Pizza
Detroit-style pizza makes the cheese at the edges part of the pleasure, with a thick, soft base underneath. Stripes of tomato sauce leave plenty of bubbling cheese on show. Cut it into squares after a short pause and enjoy a piece with those browned edges attached.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 265 min
- Original yield
- Serves 12
- Ingredients
- 8 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
- Dish type
- Pizza
A few quick notes
1. Give both rises their time
Follow the two separate rise stages rather than rushing from mixed dough straight to toppings.
2. Rest before stretching to the corners
Lay the dough in the oiled pan and cover briefly before gently spreading it evenly to the edges.
3. Stripe sauce over the cheese
Spoon sauce in lines over the cheese, leaving some cheese uncovered rather than coating the entire top.
Get to know the ingredients
Bread flour
Use bread flour rather than all-purpose for holding up beneath the layered toppings.
Low-moisture mozzarella or brick cheese
Use the listed mozzarella or diced brick cheese, taking the cheese all the way to the pan edges.
Thin natural-casing pepperoni
Use thin slices in one layer over the sauce and cheese; regular thin pepperoni also works.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 12. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 9 steps completeMake room for Detroit Style Pizza
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Cool briefly before cutting squares
Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, then let the pizza cool in its pan briefly before slicing into squares.
A little more help as you go
Preheat the baking surface
Heat the pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven before the filled pizza pan goes in to bake.
Dough can rise in the fridge
For the first rise, refrigerate the dough overnight or for several hours. Let it warm to room temperature before pressing it into the pan.
A few questions you might have
Is there a raised border around the dough?
Spread the dough in a flat, even layer right into the corners; the directions say there isn't a separate crust edge.
Can I use a metal baking pan?
You can use the rectangular metal baking pan. Put it on a hot pizza stone for that option.
Does Parmesan go under the pepperoni?
Lightly sprinkle freshly shredded Parmesan over the top after arranging the pepperoni in its single layer.
Can I freeze the dough?
Wrap the dough tightly and put it in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw fully in the refrigerator, then let it come to room temperature and rise for about an hour before pressing it into the pan.
How do I judge the second rise?
Follow the given rise window or look for dough risen about a third of the way up the pan.
Any more cooking tips?
Make Ahead Instructions: Make pizza dough and refrigerate overnight or for several hours, for the “first rise”. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature before pressing into the pizza pan. Freezing Instructions: Make and knead pizza dough wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator then allow to come to room temperature and rise for about an hours before pressing into the pizza pan. Bread Flour: I highly suggest using bread flour, and not substituting all-purpose. The dough layered with all of the toppings doesn’t hold up as well with all-purpose. Cheese: Authentic Detroit-style pizza uses diced pieces of Brick Cheese which is a Wisconsin style cheese. I can’t get it in my area, so I use Low moisture mozzarella. I recommend buying a block of cheese rather than pre-shredded from the store, and grate it on the large holes of your box grater. Pepperoni: Natural casing pepperoni will cup and char as it cooks, and is delicious! I use this Boars Head pepperoni found at my local grocery store. You can substitute regular thin pepperonis. Sauce: If you’re going through the work to make this homemade dough, you HAVE to make my EASY pizza sauce for this recipe—it will make the difference between good, and AMAZING Detroit pizza! Pizza Pan: You can find Authentic, pre-seasoned steel Detroit Style Pizza Pans here (highly recommend!). If you’re not ready to commit, you can use a metal 9×13 inch baking pan. I’ve tested both with success, but the crust does get crispier with the true steel pan. If using a regular metal baking pan, I suggest baking the pizza pan on a hot pizza stone.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: tastesbetterfromscratch.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
