How to Make Pizza Crust Crispier

I've been making homemade pizza for decades, but my homemade pizza crust wasn't always crispy and tasty. The first homemade pizzas I made were from a kit, and the crust was soft, cake-like, and sometimes even soggy. My first homemade pizzas were edible, and they were still good, but they were nothing like the pizzeria pizzas I loved. Over the years I've perfected my homemade pizza crusts. I still use a mix, but I've discovered how to make it crispier and much more like the tasty pizzeria varieties.

The Importance of Preheating Your Oven

If you want crispier homemade pizza crust, preheating your oven to the proper temperature is of the utmost importance, especially when using a baking stone that takes longer to fully absorb the heat. Using an oven temperature gauge, make sure your oven temperature is accurate. If the oven isn't preheated to the correct temperature, the toppings will bake before the crust, and when the top is done, the crust will still be soft.

Whether you use a recipe for homemade crust or save time by using a mix, pay careful attention to the recommended temperature in the instructions. Along with the following tips, when you preheat your oven to the proper temperature, you'll find your homemade pizza crust is crispier than ever.

Baking Stones

Baking stones do a fantastic job of making pizza crust crispier, and they're not just for frozen varieties. I never use baking sheets to make my homemade pizzas. Instead I use two round well seasoned baking stones. They've darkened with age, and they have a fantastic nonstick surface that's perfect for homemade pizza crust.

Once the oven is preheated to the right temperature, press out the dough onto the stone. Keep in mind that a pizza made on a stone will take longer to bake than a pizza baked on sheet metal. The stone will heat quickly, but not as quickly as metal, and this is also why preheating the oven is very important.

Bake it Before Adding the Toppings