Baked Detroit-Style Square Pizza with Caramelized Pepperoni and Cheese

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Thick, airy square pizza with a crispy cheese edge and caramelized pepperoni slices, capturing the essence of Detroit’s famous pizza style. This American-inspired pizza recipe, ready in about 98 minutes, pairs all-purpose flour, warm water, active dry yeast for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 80 min Cook: 18 min Serves 8 American cuisine 350 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 1 cup warm water (110°F), 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar; stir and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the yeast mixture; mix until a sticky dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  3. Step 3: Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled.
  4. Step 4: Preheat oven to 500°F and lightly oil a 9x13-inch rectangular baking pan with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  5. Step 5: Press risen dough into the prepared pan evenly, pushing dough to edges; spread 1 cup pizza sauce evenly over the dough.
  6. Step 6: Evenly distribute 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce, making sure some cheese touches the pan edges to create a crispy crust.
  7. Step 7: Top with 30 pepperoni slices arranged in a single layer.
  8. Step 8: Bake for 15-18 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and edges are caramelized and crisp.
  9. Step 9: Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes, then slice into squares and serve.

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