Bread Machine Deep Dish Pizza Dough

I’ve been on a quest to find delicious homemade pizza and I think I may be onto something with this recipe and method of baking. The pizza dough is made in the bread machine. Then, you have the option of baking it in the pan of your choice, depending on how much dough you make. You can bake it in a pizza pan, deep dish pan or even a 13 x 9 baking pan.

I opted to bake a deep dish pizza in my ceramic pizza baker so I used the recipe for the medium-size dough. Baking it in the ceramic baker makes a world of difference. It’s so easy and the clean up is minimal.

If you want to simulate a brick oven for baking pizza and other types of crusty breads, I recommend using a ceramic pizza baker or La Cloche. It cooks deep dish pizza and crusty breads fabulously because it provides even cooking.

Here are some additional resources for making pizza:

• How to Make Pizza
• Pizza Recipes
• Pizza Ingredients
• Pizza Tools & Supplies
• Pizza Cookbooks

Bread Machine Deep Dish Pizza Dough

Adapted from: The Bread Machine Book of Helpful Hints by Linda Rehberg and Lois Conway.

Ingredients:
(for Medium-size Dough)

• 7/8 to 1 cup Water
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 3 cups All-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast

Directions:

Place dough ingredients in bread pan, select Dough setting, and press Start. When the dough has risen long enough, the machine will beep. Turn off bread machine, remove bread pan, and turn dough onto a lightly floured counter top or cutting board. Form dough into a mound and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

 

For the Medium Recipe (which is the one I used)
Yields: One deep-dish pizza or two 12-inch pizzas

Grease one deep-dish or two 12-inch pizza pans. If using two pans, cut dough in half with a sharp knife. With your hands, gently stretch and press dough to fit evenly into pan(s). Pinch dough around the edges to form a small rim.

Spread your favorite pizza sauce on top of the dough, then add toppings of your choice, except cheese. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Note: I’m using a ceramic baker so I preheated the oven for about 15 minutes. I’ll bake the dough for about 15 minutes or so before I add the sauce and other ingredients.

Here is the baked dough after about 15 minutes

Pizza in oven ready to bake

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese the last five minutes of baking. When cheese melts, remove from oven, slice into wedges, and serve hot. (Note: For a lighter, chewier crust, reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F).

Pizza cooling in the pan

Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza ready to eat

This pizza recipe and method of baking is definitely a keeper. Both of my sons said this pizza was the best pizza I’ve made so far.

Editor’s note: I’ve made thin and crispy brick oven pizza since this post that my sons and I really enjoy, but if you like deep dish pizza and want something that’s easy to prepare and tastes great, this pizza is a good choice.

Happy Baking!
Cathy