Puffy Pizza (No-Scale Recipe)
this one’s for anyone who loves tall crusts, big bubbles, and dough that does most of the work for you. no scale, no fuss, just cups, spoons, and a simple, repeatable method that makes your home oven feel like a pizzeria. if you’ve ever wanted that dramatic puff without complicated measurements, you’re in the right place.
we build puff by not stretching much, letting the dough ferment 12–24 hours, and baking hot on a baking steel. it won’t be lab-precision, but it will be really, really good.
caution: this recipe isn’t designed to double or triple. keep the measures as written and make those 2 cups of flour a little “big.”
watch how we make this puffy pizza step by step. simple ingredients, no scale required just cups, spoons, and a hot oven with a baking steel.
What Actually Creates the Puff (Explained)
- minimal stretch: preserves gas so the rim inflates in the oven.
- slow ferment (12–24h): flavor + extensibility without aggressive handling.
- high heat on steel: rapid oven spring for tall, airy bubbles.
Recipe: Puffy Pizza (Cups & Teaspoons)
yield: 2 small pizzas | ferment: 12–24 hours | bake: 500°F + broil on baking steel
what you need (super simple):
- flour (bread or all-purpose)
- water
- salt
- yeast
- a drizzle of olive oil
that’s it. five ingredients. zero weighing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic bread or all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- quick drizzle olive oil
Method
- mix: in a bowl, whisk flour + salt. whisk in yeast. add all the water and mix with a spatula until hydrated, then knead by hand until it comes together. clean the bowl.
- oil & rest: return dough to bowl, drizzle with olive oil and knead 2 minutes to coat. cover and rest 12–24 hours.
- divide & ball: split into 2 portions. flour your hands, fold and turn each piece to create a smooth, tense surface, and pinch the seam closed. rest the dough balls 3–4 hours at room temp, covered.
- preheat: with 1 hour left, heat oven to 500°F with your Baking Steel on the top rack (convection if available).
- shape minimal: keep handling light and don’t stretch much. you’re preserving gas for puff.
- Topping; crushed tomatoes, shredded fontina and fresh mozzarella
- bake: build on a floured/semolina peel. switch to broil; when the broiler fires, launch onto the hot steel. bake ~2 minutes, rotate, switch back to 500°F convection, and bake ~2 minutes more or until tall, blistered, and golden.
- finish: cool briefly, slice, and let the bubbles speak for themselves.
Pro Tips for Maximum Puff
- warm room = faster ferment; cool room = slower. use the full 24 hours if it’s chilly.
- resisting stretch? set the dough down for 60–90 seconds and let gluten relax.
- go light on toppings so bubbles don’t collapse.
- stretch it out, just not too thin. we want this dough to spring when it hits that hot steel.
FAQ
can i make this without bread flour?
yes, ap flour works great. the dough might be slightly softer, but puff stays strong.
why no scale?
this recipe was built for speed and simplicity. cups get you close enough, and the long ferment smooths out the differences.
my dough spread too much what happened?
your room might be warm. next time shorten the ferment to 12–14 hours or add a touch more flour at mixing. don't be afraid to sprinkle in more flour.
want the dramatic puff every time?
a fully preheated baking steel gives you the fast, upward heat needed for real oven spring.
