Detroit-Style Pizza Recipe with Crispy Edges (and Video)

What is Detroit Pizza?

Authentic Detroit style pizza is a deep-dish, thick crust, rectangular pizza that’s all about contrast: thick and fluffy inside, golden and crunchy on the outside, with cheesy edges and sauce layered on top rather than underneath. It’s more like a Focaccia Pizza or a sheet pan pizza than a pizza in the traditional sense.

It was invented in Motor City (you’ll see what this is a fun story later) in the 1940s and has been making waves ever since. I personally prefer it over Chicago pan pizza, which is too thick and stodgy for my taste.

The original version was reportedly baked in repurposed automotive parts trays (yes, really! It’s Motor City after all!) at a spot called Buddy’s Rendezvous. The heavy steel pan allowed the dough to puff while still crisping up beautifully on the bottom and sides, creating that iconic cheesy, caramelized edge now synonymous with Detroit Pie.

So this recipe may not be exactly like the way they make it in Detroit (I had to adapt it for the home baker), but I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless. And no, you don’t need to go to your local car parts shop for the pan! But if you are seeking a more traditional Italian pizza, check out my Neapolitan Pizza Dough recipe.

Ingredients

You only need 5 ingredients for the base recipe (topping ingredients listed below the base recipe). Here’s what you’ll need:

• Flour: I am using all-purpose flour. It’s easy, it’s readily available, and everyone has it. Bread flour gives a chewier texture, but both work great. If you want to use some whole wheat flour in this recipe, sub out a quarter to a half of the white flour for whole wheat, just like how I do it in my Whole Wheat No Knead Focaccia recipe.
• Olive oil: You are going to need quite a bit of olive oil for this recipe. Use good-quality extra virgin olive oil.
• Yeast: I like to use Instant yeast in most of my Baking Recipes, but active dry yeast will work just fine too. Just make sure to bloom it in the water for a few minutes before adding the flour. You can also use fresh yeast but do adjust the quantity. When using fresh yeast instead of dry, use double the amount by weight.

Step by Step Video Tutorial

How to Make this Detroit-Style Pizza Recipe

I highly recommend that you read through all the steps before starting this bake!

Step 1. Mix the Dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, kosher salt, lukewarm water, and olive oil (Image 1). Mix using a fork, wooden spoon or Danish whisk until well combined and a shaggy dough forms (Image 2). The flour should be fully hydrated. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes (Image 3).

Step 2. Stretch and Fold. Wet your hands and perform a stretch and fold. Grab the dough from one side, gently pull up, and fold it over (Images 4-5). Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times (Images 5-7). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. As you do this, try to scrape down any dough stuck to the sides of the bowl.
Step 3. Repeat Stretch and Fold. Repeat the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes, for a total of 3 to 4 rounds over 2 hours. At this point, the dough should be much smoother.

Step 4. Transfer to Pan & Proof. Grease a baking tray with butter and olive oil. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, fold it gently like a letter, then flip it so the seam is on the bottom (Image 8). Cover with a clean kitchen towel and rest for 1.5 to 2 hours to proof in a warm place.
Step 5. Stretch the Dough in the Pan. Preheat the oven to 450°F / 230°C. If the dough hasn’t spread fully, lightly oil your hands and stretch it gently into the corners of the baking pan. Punch out most of the air from the dough with your fingers. You want an even layer of dough that touches all edges (Image 9).
Step 6. Add Cheese. Add the cubed cheese all over the dough, making sure to place pieces of cheese right up against the edges of the pan (Image 10). The idea is that the cheese will melt along the edge of the pan, forming a crispy crust.
Step 7. Add Pepperoni Cups. Layer the pepperoni cups on top of the cheese (Image 11).

Step 8. First Bake. Bake in the hot oven for about 15 minutes. Use the bottom rack of the oven (Image 12).
Step 9. Add Marinara Sauce. Pull the pizza out at around 15 minutes. Spoon over the marinara sauce. Don’t cover the whole pizza completely. Spoon in parallel lines or dollop so you still have cheese and pepperoni exposed (Image 13). This helps avoid sogginess.
Step 10. Finish Baking. Return the pan to the oven and bake another 5‑8 minutes, or until the edges are golden‑crisp and the cheese is bubbly and blistered (Image 14).

Step 11. Make Garlic Basil Oil. In a small food processor, process the basil leaves, garlic, olive oil, with a pinch of salt and black pepper (Image 15).

Step 12. Remove from Pan & Dress. Using a butter knife or small spatula, go around all edges of the pan to release the pizza. If you’re using a nonstick or well‑oiled pan, the pizza should slide out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack so the bottom stays crisp. Drizzle the garlic basil oil over top. Slice and enjoy right away (Image 16).

Expert Tips

• Use a kitchen scale. I have provided US customary measurements, but for accuracy, I recommend that you weigh out your dough ingredients.
• The dough should be fairly wet (but manageable). It’s a high hydration dough. Resist the urge to add more flour!
• Stretch-and-fold magic: Don’t skip this step! It builds gluten and structure without kneading. It’s the same process I outlined in my Tuscan Flatbread (Schiacciata) and Mushroom Cheddar Focaccia recipes.
• Use a non-stick metal baking pan. It’ll be the closest to a Detroit-style pizza pan you can find. I like to use a non-stick 9×13-inch pan (Affiliate Link).
• BUTTER THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN! Before you oil the pan, butter it. The butter creates a layer between the pan and the dough, making it so incredibly easy to remove the bread from the pan once baked.
• Cheese to the edges. Overlapping cheese pieces so that they run up the sides of the pan helps them caramelize against the metal, forming that lacy dark‑brown crispy rim. Make sure to look at the photos above to get a clear idea of how to place the cheese.
• “Red Top” Sauce strategy. Applying the sauce after cheese (or in stripes/dollops) instead of spreading it flat across everything helps prevent the center from being soggy and keeps the crispness intact. It’s called a Detroit Red Top for a reason! The red sauce goes… You guessed it… On top!
• Other Toppings: parmesan cheese, a drizzle of hot honey, chili flakes… make it your own!

Recipe FAQs