You guys, I made pizza on a pretzel crust.
And I totally wish it was my idea, but I actually saw the idea on a Little Caesars commercial. I was instantly jealous that it wasn’t my brain that came up with that idea, since I’m totally and completely obsessed with soft pretzels.
Regardless, I knew I was going to make it and I knew it was going to be soon.
So I whipped up a batch of homemade pretzel dough in the stand mixer and let it rise a bit. I knew I wanted plain old pepperoni and tomato sauce.
The sweetness of the tomato sauce and the spiciness of the pepperoni with the buttery, salty crust? So unreal.
So I let my dough rise about 45 minutes (you could totally leave it longer), and preheated my oven with my cast iron pan in it.
Now, this was the first time I’ve cooked in real cast iron. I just got my skillet for my birthday (thanks mom!) and it seemed like the right thing to do. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a regular pizza pan would work just fine, it just might not get quite as crispy on the bottom.
Once my oven was up to temperature, I stuffed my whole recipe of pretzel dough into the pan (carefully! That baby is hot).
There was a part of me that was saying, “this is too much dough, Ashley. You need to take some and make regular pretzels with it.” But the part of me that is extremely lazy won, and — even though making the actual pretzels isn’t that much extra work — I stuffed it all in.
And it rose. Quite a bit.
But it was still incredible tasty, and this way you have an excuse to eat soft pretzels for supper. If you’d like a little less pretzel and a little more pizza, you can always take ⅓ to ½ of the dough and make regular pretzels or pretzel bites with them — they also freeze and reheat well in the oven!
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Pin this recipe to your favorite boardPretzel Crust Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 recipe soft pretzel dough
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
- 12-15 slices pepperoni
- Additional melted salted butter and sesame seeds if desired
Instructions
- Prepare pretzel dough up to the point of rolling out the pretzels.
- Brush your skillet with ½ tsp oil and set it in the oven while it preheats to 425 degrees F.
- Roll out a circle of pretzel dough to fit your skillet*. Bake pretzel crust for 5 minutes without toppings.
- Spread pretzel crust with sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Bake another 10 minutes until crust is golden and toppings are warmed through.
- Brush the crust with additional melted, salted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Cynthia says
Hello! Crazy question…if you were making small pizzas, could you put the small flattened dough circle in baking soda boiling water before topping and baking? Just a thought as that’s what makes the brown crust of the pretzel?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes you definitely could!
Deborah says
Thank you I dearly love Little Cesar’s Pretzel Pizza. There are only two things that could make it better .. 1. is to always have it on the menu and 2, to have a cheese stuffed pretzel crust!!!! and now I don’t have to wait for it to come on the menu and I can make a cheese stuffed Pretzel crust! Thanks again. Deborah
Ashley Fehr says
The pretzel crust makes all the difference! Thanks Deborah!
Tara says
I have used this recipe multiple times. I like to mix up a little baking soda and water and brush it on the crust after topping, before baking. It gives the crispy golden brown.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Tara! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Dann McNulty says
I have this bookmarked and it’s my go-to pizza recipe every single time I make pizza. Always amazing. Thanks for making it!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing! I’m so glad you liked it!
sherry says
Oh wow.. I was just checking the net trying to find a use for leftover pretzel dough and came upon your awesome site. I made pretzels yesterday, but this time, I made waaaAAaaay too much dough. My dough is a sourdough (yum) dough…. but it’s yummy and I’ll bet your pizza recipe will work perfectly! Ok.. I’m off to the store for some toppings. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe Ashley!! :0) Yay!
Ashley says
That would be awesome! Homemade pretzels are so good — I’ll have to try a sourdough version sometime! Thanks Sherry 🙂
Mr.Pretzel says
There is no such thing as too much pretzel dough.
Shirley says
I’m a little confused. You talk about a “buttery, salty” pretzel crust, and photo shows salt, but no where do you mention using butter or salt on this crust!
And since we boil soft pretzels to get that classic taste, will this really taste like a soft pretzel, or just pizza dough?
Ashley says
You’re right — I did brush the crust with a little butter after I took it out of the oven. I’ve updated the recipe. The crust definitely has the texture of a pretzel! It is slightly denser and chewier than regular pizza dough. The cast iron skillet helps the crust get that nice chewy texture.
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
It’s like my two favorite foods got together and had a delicious pretzel pizza baby! 😉 I love the combo you came up with here (and I bet yours tastes way better than Little Caesars)!
Ashley says
Thanks Jess! I’m not sure I even need to try their version now 🙂
ami@naivecookcooks says
Since I saw ads for pretzel crust pizza on TV I have been wanting to make it but I suppose I was too scared to give it a try!! Thanks for posting this!! You rock!
Ashley says
Haha, there was no fighting it any longer Ami — I had to try it!
Justine @prettyinpistachio says
So. Much. Yes. 😀
Ashley says
Hahaha — agreed!
Amanda says
I have to try this!!!
Ashley says
You do Amanda! So good!
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
Oh gosh this pizza looks to die for good!! And who cares if you didn’t think about a pretzel crust because you created a pizza that looks like the best one EVER! YUM! Pinned for sure 🙂
Ashley says
Thanks Chelsea! It’s a pretty fantastic combo!
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
I must try this! We have homemade pizza once a week, and this sounds AMAZING!
Ashley says
Thanks Amber! It was a big hit here!
Nora @ Savory Nothings says
Oh this looks so good! Totally understand being jealous about not being the inventor – I’m jealous this isn’t in front of me right now! I’m obsessed with pretzels!
Ashley says
Oh me too, Nora — one of my favorite breads!
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says
Hahaha, I saw that Little Caesar’s ad a while back and thought, that’s probably not very good cause I don’t like their pizza, BUT, if I made a homemade pretzel crust how awesome would that be?! You totally beat me to it though because I have not gotten around to it yet! I will most definitely be trying it at some point though! Good to know that it IS good so I won’t be wasting some soft pretzel dough!
Ashley says
Haha, it’s totally worth it! You need to try it!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
Love this! I’m sure yours is MUCH better than Little Caesar’s! Pizza and pretzels are 2 of my faves… basically I just love carbs, so this is awesome. 😉
Ashley says
Haha, I can totally relate! I kind of love carbs too…. but I’m sure that’s not noticeable at all… 🙂 Thanks!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
This…is…genius! What’s better than a thick, salty pretzel? A thick, salty pretzel with pizza on top. Even though this is Little Caesars brain child, I think you should still get all the blog credit because this is the first I’m hearing of it! I can’t wait to make this. Your pictures are beautiful!
And thanks for commenting on my blog! I just added you to my reader, and am excited to see what you cook up next! Xoxo : )
Ashley says
Thanks Natalie! I’m sure it’s been done before, but I had to do it anyways! I love pizza AND pretzels, so it had to be good, right?!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
I am a sucker for soft pretzels and can just imagine how quickly this pizza would disappear at our house – that crust is just gorgeous!! Love that you made it in a skillet too 🙂 Pinning!
Ashley says
Thanks Kelly! I may have gone a little overboard on the crust, but no one complained over here! 😉
Amy says
I know which commercials you’re talking about! I thought it look delicious, but your version looks even better! I’ll have to try it this weekend!
Ashley says
Thanks Amy! I couldn’t believe I’d never thought of it before!
marcie@flavorthemoments says
I’m in love with this, because I’m in love with soft pretzels! This is the best way to eat pizza! Pinned.
Ashley says
Thanks Marcie! I am TOTALLY in love with them too! It had to happen.
Matt Robinson says
I need to make this pizza, LOVE the crust so much!!
Ashley says
Thanks Matt! It definitely went over well here!
Annie @Maebells says
Oh yum!! This looks great! Don’t you just love cast iron skillets. I am kind of addicted to mine, I think everything is better in them!
Ashley says
Thanks Annie! I’m still a newbie with it, but I’m figuring it out! It totally rusted after like the second time I used it, so I had to scrub it and reseason it, but I think it worked! lol