Skillet Pepperoni Pizza
If you’re going to make a homemade pizza, we say – go big or go home! This recipe involves making everything from scratch, but it is SO worth it. Plus, if you’ve never made pizza in a cast iron skillet before, you will be blown away by the texture of the crust. This recipe is for pepperoni pizza, but feel free to use whatever toppings you like! Add Member’s Mark™ Crushed Red Pepper on top to make it pizzeria-worthy!
How to Know When Yeast is Proofed
Watch for these signs:
✅ Foam or bubbles form on top: The mixture should get frothy or bubbly — like a creamy layer of foam.
✅ Yeasty smell: You’ll notice a slightly sweet, bread-like aroma.
✅ Volume increase: The mixture may rise slightly in the cup or bowl.
If it’s not proofed:
If nothing happens after 10–15 minutes — no bubbles, no foam, no smell — your yeast may be dead (often from old age or water that was too hot). You’ll need to start over with fresh yeast.
Why Make Pizza in a Cast Iron Skillet?
Making pizza in a cast iron skillet has several big advantages — it’s one of the easiest ways to get that crispy-yet-chewy pizzeria-style crust at home. Here’s why it works so well:
1. Even, Intense Heat
Cast iron holds and distributes heat evenly. When preheated, the skillet mimics a pizza stone — the bottom of the dough starts cooking immediately, giving you a golden, crispy crust.
2. High Heat Retention
The pan stays hot even when you add the dough and toppings, so you get a nice sizzle and rise in the crust before the toppings start to melt. This helps prevent sogginess.
3. Crisp Bottom, Soft Center
Because cast iron allows for a combination of baking and frying, the bottom crisps beautifully while the inside stays chewy and tender.
4. Versatility
You can cook the pizza in two stages:
-
Start it on the stovetop to crisp the bottom.
-
Finish it in the oven to melt and brown the cheese.
This method gives you great control over texture and doneness.
5. Easy Deep-Dish or Pan Pizza Style
The tall sides of the skillet make it perfect for thicker, pan-style pizzas with extra toppings or cheese around the edges that caramelize deliciously.
Skillet Pepperoni Pizza
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ tsp Instant yeast
- 1 cup Warm water (110°F to 115°F)
- 2¼ cups All-purpose flour plus more for kneading
- 1½ tsp Member's Mark™ Sea Salt
- 2 tbsp Member's Mark™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the skillet, plus more for greasing the bowl
For the Sauce
- 1 14.5 oz can Crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Member's Mark™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 leaves Basil chopped
- 1 tsp Member's Mark™ Sea Salt
For the Blistered Tomatoes
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tbsp Member's Mark™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Member's Mark™ Sea Salt
- 2 cloves Garlic thinly sliced
For the Toppings
- 6 oz Mozzarella cheese cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 oz Mini pepperoni slices
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving
- Member's Mark™ Crushed Red Pepper for serving
Instructions
For the Crust
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir, then set aside to proof for 5 to 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and Member's Mark™ Sea Salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl. Use your hands to mix until a dough forms. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Grease a large bowl with 1-2 tsp olive oil. Knead the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook until smooth, about 10 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add in more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Form the dough into a ball, place it in the oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and set aside until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Brush a 12-inch cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil, coating well. Turn the dough out into the skillet and carefully stretch the dough to the sides of the pan. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and set aside to rest for 20 minutes. Uncover the dough and again stretch it to the sides of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 550°F while you make the sauce and the blistered tomatoes.
For the Sauce
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, stir together the crushed tomatoes, olive oil, basil, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
For the Blistered Tomatoes
- In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are blistered, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
To Assemble the Pizza
- Spread about 1 cup of the pizza sauce to the edges of the pizza dough. Place the mozzarella evenly over the sauce, being sure to reach the edges. Top with the pepperoni and blistered tomato/garlic mixture.
- Bake the pizza until the edges are dark brown and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Run a knife around the rim of the pizza and transfer to a cutting board.
- Sprinkle the pizza with parmesan and Member's Mark™ Crushed Red Pepper. Cut into 9 squares or 8 slices and serve with any remaining sauce for dipping.