Pretzel Crust Pizza Recipe

A pretzel dough may not be your first thought when you want to make a pizza, but it's the perfect way to try something new. And if you are both a fan of soft pretzels and pizza, youve come to the right place. The crust is the perfect balance of dense and fluffy, tasting like a traditional pizza but with a crunchy-salty pretzel crust surrounding all the cheesy goodness. This recipe is versatile you can use any sauce and toppings you want, but it features a cheese sauce base and mozzarella for extra meltiness. A tomato sauce is always an option, and for a bit of heat, try adding chopped pickled jalapenos to the cheese sauce.

The key difference between pretzel dough and traditional pizza dough is the wash used to create the signature pretzel flavor. Typically, a lye bath is used for authentic pretzels, but in this recipe, a safer baking soda bath provides a similar crunchy brown crust and unique taste.

Ingredients

For the Pizza

• 1 cups warm water (about 110F / 43C)
• 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 (-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Neutral cooking oil (for greasing bowl)
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 30 pepperoni slices (such as Hormel)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• Pretzel salt

For the Cheese Sauce

• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 8 ounces processed cheese (such as Velveeta), cubed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• teaspoon onion powder
• teaspoon paprika
• teaspoon garlic powder
• teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Step 1: Gather all the ingredients and prepare the necessary tools: stand mixer, dough hook, pizza pan, and small bowl for the baking soda mixture.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Whisk until combined and let stand for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.

Step 3: Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for about 20 seconds until just combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Step 4: Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a large, greased bowl. Rotate the dough to coat all sides in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rest in a warm spot for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Step 5: Preheat your oven to 425F (230C). Place a pizza stone or a large, overturned baking sheet in the center rack. Grease a 15-inch pizza pan with cooking spray.

Step 6: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to the prepared pizza pan. Use your hands to stretch and press the dough to cover the pan, leaving a 1 to 1 -inch crust around the edges. The dough should be about 13 inches in diameter at the outer edge.

Step 7: In a small bowl, combine the baking soda and hot water. Use a pastry brush to brush the top and outer edges of the dough with the baking soda mixture. Discard any leftover solution.

Step 8: Place the pizza pan on the preheated pizza stone and bake for 8 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Step 9: While the crust is baking, prepare the cheese sauce. In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the cubed processed cheese in batches, whisking constantly until fully melted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Step 10: Remove the crust from the oven and spread the cheese sauce evenly over it. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and top with pepperoni slices. Brush the outer crust with melted butter and sprinkle pretzel salt over the edges.

Step 11: Return the pizza to the oven and bake at 425F (230C) for an additional 8 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and slightly browned and the crust is cooked through.

Step 12: Once baked, remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)