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My Cast Iron Pepperoni pan pizza features a crust that is crispy and golden on the outside, yet soft and chewy on the inside. I top it with tons of pepperoni and melty cheese that gets crunchy and caramelized around the edges just like your favorite Dominos pan pizza!

a spatula lifting out a slice of cheese and pepperoni pan pizza from a cast iron skillet.

This Pizza Is the Reason I Stopped Ordering Delivery

I love making homemade pizza on Friday nights. I've previously shared recipes like bbq chicken pizza, chicken alfredo pizza, and pizza margherita. This cast iron pizza is my all tme favorite though. The dough is cold fermented for incredible flavor and cooked in an oiled skillet a perfectly crispy crust. I used cheese and pepperoni, but feel free to use your favorite toppings. Sausage, bacon, mushrooms, or onions would all be fantastic. Just precook any watery veggies or greasy meats so your pie doesn't get soggy.

Why Our Recipe Is the Best: A Sprinkle of Food Science

We Use Bread Flour: It's higher protein gives us a chewier crumb that will hold up to your toppings.
We Let The Dough Rest In the Fridge: This allows it to rise slowly and it develops so mch flavor this way!
We Add Crispy Cheese: Pressing cheese against the metal pan makes it super crunchy just like your favorite pan pizza from the chain restaurants.
We Use a Cast Iron Skillet: It retains heat well and using oil allows the bottom crust to shallow fry and get super crispy.

Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips

ingredients including bread flour, olive oil, yeast, cheese, pepperoni, and salt.

Bread Flour: Do not substitute all purpose flour, it will not turn out the same. I like King Arthur's as it's high in protein and consistent between bags.
Yeast: If you only have active dry yeast proof in water for a few minutes first.
Pizza Sauce: I like Del Grosso Pappy Fred's best. You can also make your own.
Cheese: Shred your own cheese if at all possible. It will melt much better than pre-shredded varieties that contain starches that help prevent the shreds from sticking together.
Pepperoni: I like the cook my pepperoni in a skillet first. This makes it crispy and also helps ensure your pizza won't be overly greasy.

a 4 image collage showing how to mix, knead, and press the dough, and add the sauce and toppings.

Tips and Troubleshooting: Steal My Culinary School Secrets

Dough Is Too Wet Or Too Dry: Weigh your ingredients can help you get the proper ratio. If you don't have a kitchen scale be sure to use a liquid measuring cup for the water and a dry measuring cup for the flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife to avoid over measuring.
Dough Didn't Rise: Make sure your yeast is not out of date. Also, be sure to water is not too hot or it can kill the yeast. It should feel like bathwater and be around 105 to 100 degrees.
Crust Doesn't Get Crispy: Don't skimp on the oil. 3 tablespoons sounds like a lot but it help the crust fry and get super crispy. You can also cook the pizza on the stovetop burner after baking to crisp up the bottom as well.