Homemade Sheet Pan Pepperoni Pizza with Easy Pizza Dough

This homemade sheet pan pepperoni pizza starts with an easy, chewy pizza dough, a quick seasoned tomato sauce, plenty of mozzarella, Parmesan, and pepperoni. Make the dough the same day or let it cold ferment for 48 hours for even better flavor and texture.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Pizza night is one of those dinners that never really needs convincing, and making the dough yourself makes it even better. This recipe gives you a crust that’s crisp and golden along the bottom and edges while staying soft and chewy inside, with a simple tomato sauce that takes just a couple of minutes to mix together.

When I have the time, I prefer letting the dough sit in the refrigerator for about 48 hours. The slow fermentation develops more flavor and gives the crust an even better chewy texture. But I don’t always plan pizza night two days ahead, so I’ve included my same-day method too.

Once the dough is ready, I stretch it into a rectangle on an olive-oiled counter before transferring it to my sheet pan. Then it gets topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and plenty of pepperoni before baking in a hot oven.

Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough

Bread flour: You’ll need 375 grams of bread flour. Bread flour gives this crust more chew and structure than all-purpose flour.

Salt: One teaspoon seasons the dough and helps balance the flavor.

Water: One cup of lukewarm water hydrates the flour and is used to bloom the active dry yeast.

Sugar: One teaspoon gives the yeast something to feed on and also helps the crust brown.

Active dry yeast: One teaspoon is all you need for this dough.

Olive oil: One tablespoon goes into the dough, plus a little more for stretching.

For the Quick Tomato Sauce

• 1 (8-ounce) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Pepperoni Pizza

• 1 batch prepared pizza dough
• About 1/2–3/4 cup quick tomato sauce
• 8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 3–4 ounces sliced pepperoni
• Olive oil, for stretching the dough

How to Make the Pizza Dough

Start by combining 375 grams bread flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine 1 cup lukewarm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon active dry yeast. Stir and let it sit for about 5–10 minutes, until the yeast starts looking foamy.

Pour the yeast mixture into the flour, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Transfer the dough to your work surface and knead for about 7–8 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky but shouldn’t be excessively sticky.

Shape it into a ball and then choose either the 48-hour or same-day method.

48-Hour Pizza Dough

For the best flavor, place the freshly kneaded dough into a lightly oiled covered container and put it straight into the refrigerator.

Let the dough cold ferment for approximately 48 hours.

The slow fermentation gives the dough more time to develop flavor while also creating that chewy pizza-shop-style texture.

About 1 1/2–2 hours before making your pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator and leave it covered at room temperature. This gives the dough time to warm up and relax so it’s easier to stretch.

Same-Day Pizza Dough

If pizza is on the menu tonight and you didn’t start the dough two days ago, you can still use the exact same recipe.

After kneading, place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl or container and cover it tightly. Let it rise at room temperature for about 2–3 hours, or until noticeably puffy and roughly doubled in size.

Gently reshape the dough into a ball, cover it again, and let it rest for another 1–2 hours.

By the time you’re ready to make your pizza, the dough should feel soft, airy, and relaxed.

How to Make Tomato Sauce

This sauce doesn’t need to simmer on the stove, which makes it perfect for an easy pizza night.

Add the tomato sauce, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a bowl and stir until everything is well combined.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then set it aside while you prepare the pizza.

You’ll only need about 1/2–3/4 cup for one sheet pan pizza, so any extra can be refrigerated for another pizza.

How to Make Sheet Pan Pepperoni Pizza

Preheat your oven to 500°F.

Drizzle a little olive oil directly onto your counter. Place the room-temperature dough over the oil and use your fingertips to gently press and stretch it into a rough rectangle.

Try to get it close to the size of your 13×18-inch baking sheet, but it doesn’t need to be perfect.

If the dough keeps springing back while you’re stretching it, leave it alone for about 10 minutes. Once the gluten relaxes, it will be much easier to stretch.

Carefully transfer the rectangle of dough onto your baking sheet. Use your fingertips to gently adjust it and press the dough toward the corners.

Spread about 1/2–3/4 cup tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.

Top with the shredded mozzarella, followed by the grated Parmesan.

Arrange the pepperoni evenly over the cheese so there’s a little pepperoni in almost every bite.

Bake at 500°F for 14 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden brown around the edges and crisp underneath.

Let the pizza rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Ingredient Notes

Bread Flour

Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, which helps give this pizza its chewy texture. You can substitute all-purpose flour if necessary, but expect a slightly softer crust.

Active Dry Yeast

Because this recipe uses active dry yeast, I like to bloom it in warm water before adding it to the flour. Your water should be around 105–110°F. It should feel warm, not hot.

Canned Tomatoes

Crushed tomatoes make this sauce incredibly easy. Because the pizza cooks at such a high temperature, there’s no need to cook the sauce separately first.

Mozzarella

Low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella melts beautifully without releasing as much water as fresh mozzarella. I also prefer shredding a block myself for the smoothest melt.

Parmesan

A little grated Parmesan adds a salty, savory flavor that works especially well with the tomato sauce and pepperoni.

Pepperoni

Use your favorite sliced pepperoni. About 3–4 ounces gives you plenty for a 13×18-inch pizza without weighing the crust down.

Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Pizza

Cold ferment when you can. The same-day dough is delicious, but the 48-hour version develops noticeably more flavor.

Keep the dough covered. Leaving it exposed can cause a dry skin to form on top, which makes stretching more difficult.

Use olive oil instead of lots of flour for stretching. I like stretching this dough on an olive-oiled counter because it prevents sticking while also helping the bottom become crisp and golden.

Let the dough rest if it fights you. If it keeps shrinking back, the gluten needs a few minutes to relax.

Don’t use too much sauce. A heavy layer can make the center of a sheet pan pizza soggy.

Shred your own mozzarella. It generally melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.

Bake it hot. That 500°F oven is what helps give the crust its crisp edges while keeping the inside chewy.

What to Serve with Sheet Pan Pizza

This is an easy dinner on its own, but for pizza night I love pairing it with airfried wings and a simple salad.

You could also serve it with roasted broccoli, Caesar salad, garlic knots, fresh vegetables with ranch, or even a simple antipasto salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this pizza dough the same day?
Yes. Let it rise for 2–3 hours, gently reshape it, and let it rest another 1–2 hours before stretching.

Is the 48-hour dough better?
Both methods work, but the 48-hour cold ferment develops more flavor and usually gives the crust a better chewy texture.

Do I let the dough rise before refrigerating it?
No. For the cold-fermented version, you can place the dough directly into the refrigerator after kneading.

How long should refrigerated pizza dough sit out?
About 1 1/2–2 hours before stretching.

Do I have to cook the pizza sauce first?
No. Simply mix the canned tomatoes with the seasonings. The sauce cooks right along with the pizza.

Why does my dough keep shrinking?
The gluten is still tight. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes and then continue stretching.

Can I use all-purpose flour?
Yes, although bread flour produces a chewier crust.

How do I know the pizza is finished?
After about 14 minutes at 500°F, the cheese should be melted and bubbling, the edges should be golden, and the bottom of the crust should have some color and crispness.

Recipe