Homemade buttery, thick and chewy pizza dough that is baked in a cast iron skillet for the best cast iron pizza. This is the best crispy and crunchy pizza crust for this skillet pizza.
My mom made homemade pizza dough on our farm nearly every week. It’s a great way to use up ingredients in your fridge, all while making a homemade meal.
Keep in mind, homemade pizza dough is made with simple ingredients and is freezer friendly!
Why this recipe works
- Homemade pizza is just better than delivery or store-bought!
- Easy to make pizza dough that is also freezer friendly.
- Made with simple ingredients and whatever toppings you have on hand.
We were fortunate enough to have a small pizza oven in the sugar house kitchen. But, she also used a pizza stone in her oven. That’s what I use in our kitchen for my Italian style pizza recipe! Cast iron helps make this pizza recipe have a crispy crust because of the high heat distribution throughout the pan.
Ingredients Needed
- Pizza dough: I recommend this Greek style pizza dough (recipe below) but you can also use store-bought or homemade pizza dough.
- Cheese: The best cheese for pizza is shredded mozzarella or a pizza blend cheese. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Asiago. It melts nicely and gives you a little browning.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite pasta sauce or make your own marinara sauce. Spread a thin layer of sauce across the bottom of the dough.
- Toppings: Italian sausage links, cut into pieces, sweet sausage, hamburger, and various sliced vegetables such as onions and peppers.
- Sprinkle the top of the pizza before it’s cooked with some Italian seasoning for additional flavor.
I love using my Lodge 17-inch cast iron skillet or the 13-inch skillet for this recipe. Make your pizza dough as thick or as thin as you prefer.
For more great recipes made in cast iron skillets be sure and try Cast Iron Cinnamon Rolls, Homemade Apple Pie, Apple Hand Pies, Skillet Blueberry Pie, and Homemade Apple Crisp.
How to make Cast Iron Pizza
Step 1: Make homemade pizza dough or use store-bought dough. (Directions and pizza dough recipe below)
Step 2: Grease the skillet– Spray your cast iron skillet with cooking spray or use a clean paper towel to lightly coat the pan with vegetable or olive oil.
Step 3: Divide the pizza dough– Once the dough has risen in your mixing bowl, divide the pizza dough into rounds.
Step 4: Gently roll out a one piece of dough using a rolling pin into a sphere slightly larger than the bottom of your skillet. Try and keep the edges of the dough slightly thicker than the center. Place the rolled out dough into the cast-iron skillet. Use your fingers to gently gather the edges and form a crust edge.
Step 5: Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
Use ingredients you have in the fridge for your toppings. I used homemade marinara sauce, sweet sausage, caramelized onions and pizza-blend cheese.
Step 6: Once your dough has risen in the cast-iron skillet, spoon on marinara sauce, sprinkle with cheese and any other toppings you might want. Gently brush the edges of the crust with an egg wash before baking.
Cook in a preheated 500 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese bubbly.
No, you do not. But, generally, I preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and let the dough rise in the cast iron skillet on top of the warm oven. This warms the entire pan.
For more great Cast Iron Recipes be sure and check out Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin, Cast Iron Chicken Fajitas, Skillet Pork Chops, Cast Iron Skillet Chicken, and Cast Iron Peach Pie.
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Cast Iron Pizza
Ingredients
Cast Iron Pizza Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cast Iron Pizza Dough
- In either a saucepan or in the microwave, warm the milk. Just slightly warmer than lukewarm.
- Pour the warmed milk into a large mixing bowl of a stand-mixer. Add the lukewarm water, yeast and honey and stir with a spoon or whisk. Let sit for 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the eggs and olive oil and stir.
- Add the flour and salt, mix using the beater attachment. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula or rubber table scraper. Beat on medium to high speed for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough gently for 5 minutes or so. Shape the dough into a round. Spray the mixer bowl with cooking spray or coat with a touch of olive oil. Place the dough back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm kitchen for 1 hour or until doubled. Punch down and let rise again, another hour.
Cast Iron Pizza
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut into 4 even pieces. Shaped into rounds and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
- Gently roll out a one piece of dough using a rolling pin into a sphere slightly larger than the bottom of your skillet. Try and keep the edges of the dough slightly thicker than the center.
- Grease a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Place the rolled out dough into the cast-iron skillet. Use your fingers to gently gather the edges and form a crust edge. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
- Gently brush the edges of the crust with an egg wash before baking.
- Spoon sauce in the center and spread out towards the crust edges with the back of a tablespoon. Sprinkle with cheese and any toppings you desire. Bake in a preheated 500 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Nancy Hoffman says
How many pizzas does this recipe make?
Jessica Robinson says
Nancy,
Makes between 2-4 pizzas, depending on how big or small of a cast iron skillet you use. You can also make the dough and plop in the fridge or freezer for later.
Janice says
Is the dough sweet?
Jessica Robinson says
Janice,
It is not an overly sweet dough. We use honey in the recipe to help yeast grow and give it a little depth to flavor.
Natalie says
Just made this recipe and it was amazing! I’ve never had such a good pizza crust! Making it in the cast iron skillet gives the crust a slight crunch and then the inside is fluffy and delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe Jessica!
Jessica Robinson says
Hi Natalie,
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this pizza recipe! Thanks for letting me know!
DSmith says
Could I use the dough setting on bread machine since I don’t have a stand mixer?
Jessica Robinson says
Of course! You can even mix the dough by hand if you prefer. Let it rise in a greased mixing bowl, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
Linda L. says
I don’t have a cast iron skillet but do have a heavy deep dish pizza pan. Do you think that would be okay with a pizza stone?
Jessica Robinson says
Hi Linda,
Definitely order yourself a cast iron skillet! But, yes you can certainly use a heavy-duty deep dish pan. Make the crust as thick or as thin as you prefer.
Joanie says
Do you cook the sausage prior to putting on the dough
Jessica Robinson says
Hi Joanie,
I usually use ground sweet sausage. You do NOT need to cook it ahead of time, as long as you just do little clumps of sausage. It will cook as the pizza cooks.
Don says
Instead of baking in a cold iron pan, after it has risen in the pan, I put it on the burner at #3 for gas to heat the CI up some and get a nice crust started on the bottom.I’ve had good luck with this method. After a few tries you get a system that works for you.
Jessica Robinson says
Thanks for your comment Don. I do something similar. I leave the pan to warm (which also helps the pizza dough rise) on the top of the oven while it preheats. Which helps warm the pan.
Confused says
The equipment listed to be uses is 17” or 12” lodge pans. But the recipe says to put the dough in a 10” pan.
Jessica Robinson says
Hello,
You can use whatever size pan you would like. Depending on how thick you want your crust.
Jason says
The dough recipe turned out fantastic, so much better than the basic flour, water, salt, yeast recipes out there – thank you! My pizza cooked way faster than 18-20 minutes, so will try an even lower rack in the oven and maybe covering it to get a crispier crust without burning the cheese.
Jessica Robinson says
Oh I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe Jason!
Cooking time really all depends on your oven. Sometimes it does cook faster!
David Putnam says
I don’t have a stand mixer, so I am relegated to store bought pizza dough, and would appreciate any advice on how to prepare the dough once I get it home????
Jessica Robinson says
David,
I think if you don’t have a stand mixer, that is just fine. I would mix everything together by hand in a large bowl, using a large or wooden spoon. Add flour gradually. Take the dough out of the bowl when it’s still sticky. Place onto a well-floured work surface and knead by hand. (Store-bought pizza dough is more like an Italian-style pizza dough and does not have the eggs and such in it- so would definitely taste different.) However, you could still use it if need be.
Heather says
What are the cooking instructions for making a large pizza in the 17” Lodge cast iron skillet with two handles? I just got one for Christmas and I’m looking for recipes.
Jessica Robinson says
Heather,
You’ll just want a slightly larger round to shape into the 17-inch skillet. Shape the edges lightly thicker to create the crust. Cover with plastic wrap to rise. Cook in a preheated 500 degree oven until golden brown. About 20 minutes.
Jeffrey Butelo says
Cant wait to try your pizza recipe
Jessica Robinson says
Thanks so much Jeffrey!
Ross says
Can I use alternative milk?
Jessica Robinson says
Ross,
You can use almond or oat milk if you prefer. I would just suggest something not flavored, so it doesn’t take away from the pizza flavors.
Jen says
My house is just 2 adults and a toddler. This makes too much dough for us. Do you think you could freeze the dough? Thanks!
Jessica Robinson says
Hi Jen,
You can absolutely freeze pizza dough! Spray a large Ziploc bag with cooking spray and put a round of dough into it. Plop in the freezer for up to 1 month or so.
Sarah says
Then once taken from the freezer- do we just thaw it overnight in the fridge & let rise in the pan?
Jessica Robinson says
Hi Sarah,
Yes, thaw in the fridge- if in a Ziploc bag, you may just need to crack the bag open a bit to let air out. And then proceed as normal, roll out and let rise in the pan. Let me know if you have more questions!
Anna says
Am I reading correctly that you let it rise three times, a total of 3 hours? Other recipes have one rise for one hour. 🙂
Jessica Robinson says
Anna,
Yes ma’am. The dough rises three times. Twice in the bowl. Then once you shape it into the cast iron skillet or a pizza pan, it needs to rise again. But, you’re welcome to only have the dough rise once, then rise in the pan. Good things take time.
Nikki says
I have a small family and would not need to make 4 pizzas at one time. How long can I refrigerate the dough and is it freezeable? Looks soooo yummy, I cannot wait to try it
Jessica Robinson says
Nikki,
You can keep the dough in the fridge for 2-3 days. It should last in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thanks for stopping by!