Detroit-Style Pizza – Crispy, Cheesy, and Authentically Delicious
Detroit-Style Pizza is a rectangular, deep-dish pizza featuring a crispy crust, caramelized cheese edges, and rich tomato sauce. Its signature upside-down layering—cheese first, then toppings, and sauce last—creates a perfect blend of textures and flavors. Bold, hearty, and comforting, it’s the ultimate pizza experience straight from Detroit.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2¼ cups bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Toppings:
- 2 cups brick or mozzarella cheese, cubed
- ½ cup pepperoni slices
- 1½ cups pizza sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil for greasing the pan
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt, sugar, water, and olive oil. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead lightly and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for 2 hours until doubled.
- Grease a rectangular (9x13-inch) steel or cast-iron pan with olive oil.
- Spread the dough evenly to the edges of the pan and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Press cubed cheese right up to the edges to create caramelized borders. Add pepperoni on top of the cheese.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 475°F (245°C) for 12–15 minutes, until edges are dark golden brown.
- Spoon warm pizza sauce over the baked pizza in thick stripes or dollops.
- Slice into squares and serve hot.
Notes
- Use Wisconsin brick cheese for authentic flavour, or substitute with mozzarella and Monterey Jack.
- A well-oiled pan ensures that signature crispy, buttery crust.
- Sauce goes on top after baking—never before!
- Let the dough rest fully for a light, airy texture.
- Don’t skip cheese on the edges—it creates the caramelized crunch.