Authentic Pizza Hut Pan Pizza (Printable Version)

Golden, thick and crispy pan pizza with soft chewy interior and melted cheese topping inspired by the classic.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
05 - 1 cup warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Sauce

08 - 1 cup canned tomato sauce
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
11 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
13 - ½ teaspoon sugar
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Toppings

15 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
16 - 20-24 slices pepperoni
17 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
02 - Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Pour in yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix until a rough dough forms.
03 - Knead dough on a floured surface for 7-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Lightly oil a bowl, place dough inside, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
05 - Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with softened butter, then brush the bottom with a little olive oil.
06 - Punch down dough and divide into 2 equal portions. Press each portion evenly into prepared pans, pushing up the sides slightly.
07 - Cover pans and let dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
08 - Preheat oven to 450°F.
09 - Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Spread half the sauce on each crust.
10 - Sprinkle cheese evenly over sauce, then add pepperoni or desired toppings.
11 - Brush the exposed crust edges with olive oil.
12 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.
13 - Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crust gets impossibly crispy while staying soft inside, exactly like the pan pizza you remember
  • This recipe costs a fraction of delivery and tastes even better fresh from your oven
02 -
  • The butter in the pan is non negotiable for authentic flavor, olive oil alone will not give you that crispy fried bottom
  • Letting the dough rest in the pan before baking prevents shrinking and helps it cook evenly
03 -
  • Preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes to ensure it is fully hot, a cold oven ruins pan pizza
  • Use actual cake pans, not pizza pans, the straight sides create the thick edge crust

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