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Homemade Pizza Hut Pan Pizza Recipe

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  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 9-12 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2 small 10-12 inch pan pizzas
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Pizza Hut Pan Pizza Recipe recreates the classic thick, buttery crust pizza with a crispy bottom and generous toppings. Using a cast iron skillet for rising and baking the dough adds a perfect pan fried texture. The dough requires a slow, warm rise to develop airy bubbles before being topped with plenty of mozzarella, pepperoni, parmesan, and sauce. The final bake is done in a very hot oven, creating golden cheese and a deeply browned crispy crust similar to the beloved restaurant style.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough and Pan

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105-110°F)
  • 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (instant yeast can also be used)
  • 14 ounces bread flour (3 cups + 1 tablespoon, measured precisely)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons light olive oil (to coat cast iron pans)

For the Topping

  • 14 ounce jar pizza sauce (or homemade)
  • 4 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese (thinly sliced)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3 ounces pepperoni slices
  • 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups warm water and 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast. Stir well and let sit for 5 minutes until dissolved but not bubbly. Stir any lumps to ensure uniform mixture.
  2. Add Flour: Weigh out 14 ounces of bread flour (or measure 3 cups plus 1 tablespoon carefully). Add to the yeast mixture and gently stir to combine.
  3. Add Salt: Stir in 2 teaspoons kosher salt until fully incorporated. Do not knead the dough; mix just until combined.
  4. Prepare for Rising: Grease a large bowl or container with oil or nonstick spray. Scrape the dough into it, spread it out loosely, cover with a lid or plastic wrap loosely to allow gases to escape.
  5. Warm Oven for First Rise: Preheat oven to 350°F for about 1 minute, then turn it off. Leave door open if too hot to touch. Place dough inside the warm oven to rise.
  6. First Rise: Leave dough in warm oven for 4 hours. After 2 hours, remove the dough briefly, reheat oven for 1 minute, then return dough inside warm oven ensuring it’s not too hot. The dough should double, become bubbly and airy.
  7. Prepare Skillets: Divide 4 tablespoons oil between two 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillets, swirling to coat completely.
  8. Divide Dough: Dip hands and spatula in oil and divide dough into two equal portions, transferring each half into an oiled skillet.
  9. Shape Dough: Use oiled fingers to fold dough edges towards the center a few times forming a loose ball. Flip so smooth side is up and coat fully with oil. Press gently to spread dough towards pan edges. Repeat for second skillet.
  10. Second Rise Prep: Cover each pan loosely with plastic wrap, ensuring it does not touch dough.
  11. Warm Oven for Second Rise: Repeat warming oven as before: turn on 1 minute, off, place pans inside warm oven.
  12. Second Rise: Let dough rise in warm oven about 1.5 hours until it fills pan edges and looks bubbly.
  13. Preheat Oven for Baking: Remove pans and keep warm. Preheat oven to highest temperature possible, ideally 550°F, with rack placed in lower third. Place pizza stone on rack if available and preheat for at least 20 minutes.
  14. Add Sauce: Spread about 3/4 cup pizza sauce evenly over the top of each dough round, covering to the edges.
  15. Layer Cheese Slices: Lay thin slices of mozzarella (total about 4 ounces) evenly over sauce on each pizza.
  16. Add Shredded Mozzarella: Sprinkle approximately 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over each pizza without overloading.
  17. Add Pepperoni: Distribute 3 ounces pepperoni slices evenly between the two pizzas, spacing to avoid weighing down dough.
  18. Sprinkle Parmesan: Top each pizza with 1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese for added flavor.
  19. Bake Pizzas: Place pizzas on hot pizza stone or oven rack. Bake for 9-12 minutes until crust edges are browned and cheese bubbles and turns golden. Check doneness by lifting edge to ensure bottom crust is deep golden brown.
  20. Cool and Serve: Remove pizzas from oven and let rest 2 minutes. Use spatula to transfer to cooling racks to maintain crisp crust. After a few minutes, slice and serve warm.

Notes

  • Use a kitchen scale for precise flour measurement to ensure perfect dough texture.
  • If you don’t have cast iron skillets, 10 or 12-inch round cake pans can be used as an alternative.
  • This recipe requires a long, warm rise to develop the characteristic airy and bubbly dough.
  • Handling dough with oiled hands and tools prevents sticking and helps shape the dough properly.
  • Using a pizza stone and the highest oven temperature possible mimics the commercial pizza oven effect for a crisp crust.
  • Allow pizzas to cool on racks instead of plates to keep the crust crispy on the bottom.
  • Do not overload the pizza with too much cheese or toppings to avoid weighing down the dough, which can affect texture.

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Find it online: https://everydaykitchenmeals.com/homemade-pizza-hut-pan-pizza-recipe/