Home » Recipe » Italian » Ultimate Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
Amazon Associates Disclosure We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
PinterestXFlipboardFacebookYummlyLinkedInEmailMessengerReddit
Jump to Recipe
Come get our recipe for Chicago Style Deep dish pizza with a thick and buttery crust loaded with cheese and sauce. This one is sure to be a family favorite!
We love all things pizza and eat some form of it weekly but this one is the most requested of them all. It isn’t a quick recipe like our no-yeast pizza dough, so this one only gets made every couple of months.
This pizza recipe has 2 rising times of about an hour each and a 35 to 40 minute baking time so don’t plan on making this when you are in a rush. Trust me, it’s worth the time!
Ingredients
Yeast – active dry yeast will work the best in this recipe because it has two rise times.
Brown sugar – white sugar can be used, brown sugar just gives a deeper flavor.
All-purpose flour – I don’t use any specialty flours in this recipe because I don’t find it necessary.
Melted butter – I use salted butter. If you use unsalted butter be sure to add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dough or it will be bland.
Softened salted butter – this is where the extra buttery crust comes from. Use salted butter to keep your dough from being bland. You can probably get away with substituting margarine, but I have never tried this.
Shredded mozzarella cheese – about 2 cups for each 8-inch deep-dish pizza. Our dough recipe makes 2 of these pizzas.
Pizza toppings – you can add any pizza toppings you like, just make sure that any meats you are using are pre-cooked. We love pepperoni and pineapple!
Pizza sauce – I use my homemade pizza sauce but store-bought sauce will also work.
Grated parmesan cheese – you’ll need about 2 to 3 tablespoons for each pizza. I use the stuff in the green can, but feel free to grate your own.
Make the Dough
To make the dough you’ll need to dissolve 1 teaspoon of brown sugar in 1 1/4 cups of 110-115⁰ warm water.
Once the sugar is dissolved, add 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast and stir to combine.
Set the mixture aside to bloom.
The yeast will get all puffy, float on the top, and start to smell like beer. This is what you want!
Next, put 3 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 more teaspoon of brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
If you have a stand mixer, now is the time to dust it off.
Add the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the flour and mix well. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough seems super sticky.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. 3 to 4 minutes using a dough hook on a stand mixer, or 8 to 10 minutes by hand.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and flip the dough over to cover it completely with oil.
Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot in the kitchen until it has doubled in size, about an hour.
Once the dough has risen, deflate the dough and roll it into a rectangle and spread 3 tablespoons of softened, salted butter over the dough.
Roll the dough up and pinch the seam to close.
Cut the roll into half and roll each half into a ball.
Roll each half of the dough into a ball, cover, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled again, about 60 minutes. You can put this into an oiled bowl again or just leave them on the counter under a towel.
** You can make 2 deep dish pizzas now or make one and freeze the other ball, sealed in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
Assembly
Once the dough has risen, form each ball it into a 12-inch square or circle. This depends on the shape of the cake pan you are going to use. I prefer square cake pans, but use round if that’s what you have.
Move the dough into 8 to 9-inch cake pans that have been coated in oil and press up the sides of the cake pans.
Place 2 cups of shredded cheese directly on top of each formed pizza dough. That’s 4 cups total for 2 pizzas!
Add whatever topping you might want, we love pepperoni and pineapple tidbits.
Cover each pizza with 1 cup of sauce, 2 cups total.
Top each pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.
Bake in a 425⁰F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust has turned brown.
Remove from the oven and allow the pizza to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and cutting.
Suggested Sides
Green Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing
Simple Caesar Salad
Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Garlic Bread
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SHARE THIS RECIPE
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS AND NEVER MISS AN UPDATE
Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
Thick and buttery pizza crust loaded with cheese and sauce. Better serve with a knife and fork!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Rising time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours
Servings: 8 pieces
Calories: 442kcal
Author: Beth Mueller
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar white or brown divided
- 1 1/4 cups 115 Degree F water
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 3 tablespoon butter softened
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups pizza sauce
- 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Combine yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar and water [1 1/4 cups] in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
Combine flour [3 cups] and the remaining 1 teaspoon of brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Use the dough hook on a stand mixer if available.
Once the yeast mixture is foamy on the top, add the melted butter [2 tablespoons] and mix to combine.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. If not using a mixer, knead the dough by hand until smooth and elastic.
Set dough aside and allow to rise for at least one hour.
Roll the dough out into a large rectangle and cover with softened butter [3 tablespoons].
Roll the dough into a log starting at one of the long sides.
Cut the log into two equal pieces and roll into balls.
Cover the dough and allow to rest until doubled in size again.
Preheat an oven to 425⁰F.
Prepare two 8 to 9-inch square or round baking pans by lightly coating with oil or baking spray.
Roll each ball into a 12-inch square or circle and move into the prepared pans.
Press the dough into the corners and up the sides of the pans.
Cover each pizza with 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Cover cheese with toppings, optional.
Cover each pizza with 1 cup of pizza sauce.
Top pizza sauce with 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese on each pizza.
Put the pizza into the preheated 425⁰F oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust has turned brown.
Allow the pizza to cool 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.
Notes
Nutritional data provided is a rough guidance and is for a cheese deep dish pizza, no additional toppings included.
If not using the dough within 2 hours place into the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
Pizza dough balls can be frozen tightly sealed in a freezer container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely and rise until doubled in size before using it.
Nutrition
Serving: 14-inch X 4-inch piece | Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 775mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 884IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 327mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @PearTreeChefs or tag #PearTreeKitchen!
Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller
Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller is a food journalist, CEO of Pear Tree Kitchen, and co-creator of Food Blogger Help. She also has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a registered nurse licensed in the State of Oklahoma. When she has free time between writing, blogging, and cooking, she can be found volunteering as an RN with the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps.
PinterestXFlipboardFacebookYummlyLinkedInEmailMessengerReddit
