Deep Dish Pizza Dough
Key Takeaways
- Hydration: 60% — a stiffer dough holds the deep walls of a Chicago-style pie.
- Storage: Best fresh. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Substitutions: All olive oil works in place of the butter; flavor will be more savory than buttery.
About this recipe
Baking with freshly milled hard white wheat flour transforms an everyday recipe into something extraordinary. Within minutes of milling, whole-grain flour is bursting with natural oils, sweet wheaty aroma, and the full nutritional profile of the bran, germ, and endosperm. Commercial flour is stripped and stabilized for months of shelf life — fresh milling skips all of that, giving you flavor and nutrition the moment you bake. Chicago-style deep dish demands a dough that's almost like a savory pastry — flaky, buttery, and sturdy enough to support a thick layer of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. Fresh-milled hard white wheat brings natural sweetness and tenderness that store-bought flour can't quite match, and a generous amount of olive oil and butter gives the crust its signature golden, slightly crisp edge. Plan to bake in a cast iron skillet or dedicated deep dish pan. The pan goes into a screaming-hot oven and the high sides slow-bake the toppings without burning the crust. Layer cheese first, sausage or veggies next, and chunky tomato sauce on top — counter-intuitive but it prevents a soggy bottom.
Prep: 20 min
Bake: 40 min
Hydration: 60%
Ingredients
- Fresh-milled hard white wheat flour500 g
- Warm water270 g
- Cornmeal60 g
- Olive oil50 g
- Melted butter55 g
- Sugar10 g
- Instant yeast8 g
- Fine sea salt10 g
Instructions
- 1
Mill the wheat berries and let cool. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and yeast in a stand mixer.
- 2
Add water and mix on low until shaggy.
- 3
Add salt, olive oil, and melted butter. Knead 6 minutes on medium until smooth and slightly stiff.
- 4
Cover and bulk ferment 90 minutes until nearly doubled.
- 5
Punch down, divide into two 425 g pieces, and press each into a greased 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- 6
Press the dough up the sides about 1 inch to form a wall.
- 7
Cover and rest 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- 8
Layer 8 oz sliced mozzarella directly on the dough.
- 9
Add cooked sausage, peppers, mushrooms, or veggies of your choice.
- 10
Top with 1½ cups chunky crushed tomatoes seasoned with oregano, garlic, and a pinch of sugar.
- 11
Bake 35–45 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the toppings are bubbling.
fresh milled baking basics — hydration, gluten development, and grain choice tips that make this recipe work.
Learn about this grain: Hard White Wheat guide — flavor, milling notes, baking tips, and four in-depth guides on hydration, storage, and common mistakes. Or browse more Hard White Wheat recipes.