There’s something about cast iron pizza that just hits different — that deep, crunchy, golden crust hugging the pan like it was born there… that soft, pillowy inside that almost sighs when you tear it apart… that sizzling base that only cast iron can create. I swear, every time I make this cast iron pizza dough recipe, it feels like I’m stepping into a tiny Italian kitchen where Nonna is silently nodding in approval while judging my technique.
This dough?
It’s simple.
It’s honest.
It’s got that rustic, old-school Italian soul — but with the drama and crunch that only a blazing-hot pan can give.
If you’ve been dying to make pizza that tastes like a cross between New York chew, Neapolitan tenderness, and Detroit-style crispiness — but without buying a pizza oven — this is the recipe that finally makes it happen.
And trust me… once you bake pizza in a cast iron pan, everything else starts feeling like a compromise.
❤️ Why This Cast Iron Pizza Dough Works So Beautifully
Because cast iron is a beast.
It holds heat.
It kisses the dough with fire.
It creates that sexy hybrid of fried + baked that turns carbs into magic.
My dough formula is built specifically for:
✔ High hydration (for airy, open crumb)
✔ Slow fermentation (for deep, developed flavor)
✔ Perfect browning in an iron pan
No shortcuts. No bland one-hour doughs.
This is pizza with personality — bold, aromatic, alive.
Ingredients & Measurements (Your Dough Foundation)
Below is your simple, no-nonsense dough table. Everything weighs better in grams — because precision = better pizza every single time.
| Ingredient | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Caputo 00 or Bread Flour | 350g |
| Lukewarm Water (Room Temp) | 230g |
| Instant Yeast | 1 tsp |
| Sea Salt | 8g |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 1 tbsp |
| Sugar or Honey (optional) | 1 tsp |
This makes one large cast iron pan pizza (10–12 inch pan).
If using a 14-inch pan, simply multiply everything by 1.5.
How to Make the Best Cast Iron Pizza Dough (Step-by-Step)
Here’s the part where magic begins. Slow down. Enjoy the process. This is dough therapy.
1. Hydrate the Flour (The Secret Step Most People Skip)
In a bowl, mix:
- Flour
- All the water
- No salt yet
- No oil
- No yeast
Just water + flour.
Mix until it becomes a shaggy mess.
Not pretty. But full of potential.
Why?
Because this autolyse gives you softness without kneading your soul out.
Let it rest 20–30 minutes.
2. Add Yeast, Salt, and Olive Oil
Now sprinkle yeast, then salt, then drizzle the oil.
Massage it in with your hands.
Yes, your hands — not a mixer.
Feel the dough.
Understand it.
It’ll resist a bit.
But give it 4–5 minutes and it turns into this silky, elastic beauty that almost breathes back when you fold it.
3. First Rise: Let the Dough Become Itself
Lightly oil a bowl.
Place the dough inside.
Cover it loosely.
Let it rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours or until nearly doubled.
But here’s the secret move (the game-changer, trust me):
4. The Cold Ferment (Where Real Flavor Happens)
Pop that bowl into the fridge for:
18–48 hours
This slow rise =
✔ insane flavor
✔ deep aroma
✔ better browning
✔ air bubbles that sing under your fingertips
The dough becomes sweet, complex, alive.
5. Pan Prep (Your Cast Iron Throne)
Generously coat your cast iron pan with:
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- Make sure the base + walls glisten
This oil is what gives you that signature crispy, golden, almost-fried edge.
6. Shape the Dough (No Rolling Pins Allowed)
Take that cold dough out.
Let it warm for 30–40 minutes.
Now gently press it into the pan with your fingertips.
Don’t force it.
If it snaps back, let it rest 5 minutes and try again.
Cast iron demands respect.
Cooperate with your dough — don’t dominate it.
7. Choose Your Pizza Style (Pan, NY, or Hybrid)
Option A: The Thick, Puffy Pan Pizza Look
Let it rise in the pan for 30–60 minutes before topping.
Option B: Thinner, New York–ish Look
Top it immediately.
I usually go hybrid — crisp edges, tender middle.
8. Preheat Oven to 250–270°C (475–525°F)
Cast iron loves heat.
It thrives in chaos.
The hotter your oven, the better your crust.
9. Top the Pizza (Go Bold, Don’t Overthink It)
Use:
- Your favorite tomato sauce
- Fresh mozzarella or low-moisture
- Basil
- Olive oil
- Whatever your heart screams for
But keep toppings light so the dough can shine.
10. Bake Until the Crust Sings
Place the pan in the oven.
Bake for 12–17 minutes, depending on thickness.
You’ll know it’s ready when:
✔ The cheese bubbles
✔ The crust is deep golden around the edges
✔ The bottom is firm and crackly when lifted
Then — and only then — let it cool 5 minutes.
The crust sets beautifully during this time.
Tips & Tricks (Years of Trial and Error in One List)
Here’s everything I wish someone told me when I started making cast iron pizza dough.
🔥 1. Cold fermentation is EVERYTHING
Never skip it.
Even 12 hours makes a huge difference.
🔥 2. More hydration = better crumb
Don’t fear sticky dough.
Sticky dough = airy pizza.
🔥 3. Cast iron must be properly oiled
Not brushed.
OILED.
Think Detroit-style crisp, but Italian soul.
🔥 4. Don’t overload toppings
You’re making pizza, not lasagna.
🔥 5. Let the dough warm up before shaping
Cold dough resists.
Warm dough obeys.
🔥 6. Never roll — always stretch
Rolling kills the air bubbles.
Stretching respects the art.
🔥 7. Finish with olive oil
A drizzle at the end brings life into every bite.
FAQs — Because Everyone Asks These
1. Can I use all-purpose flour instead of 00 or bread flour?
Yes — but the texture will be softer and slightly less chewy.
Bread flour gives the best cast iron crisp.
2. Can I skip the cold fermentation?
You can, but you’re throwing away 70% of the flavor.
3. What size cast iron pan works best?
10–12 inch pans are perfect.
14-inch pans need 1.5x dough.
4. Why does cast iron pizza taste better?
Because the pan heats like a furnace and creates that fried-edge magic you can’t get on a normal tray.
5. Do I need to par-bake the dough?
Never for this recipe.
The hydration + cast iron heat do all the work.
Final Thoughts — From One Pizza Lover to Another
This cast iron pizza dough recipe is one of those things that stays with you.
It becomes your “Friday night ritual.”
Your stress therapy.
Your family’s “OMG can you make that again?” recipe.
When the dough rises in the fridge overnight…
When the cast iron pan glows with oil…
When the crust puffs at the edges like it’s coming alive…
You know — truly know — why people say pizza is love.
You don’t need a fancy oven.
You don’t need a pizzeria.
You just need a good pan, good dough, and that fire inside your heart that whispers:
“Let’s make something beautiful today.”
See Also: Caputo Gluten Free Pizza Dough Recipe – The Soft, Chewy, Authentic Italian Crust I Swear By