50 States of America Recipes, Michigan Madison . 50 States of America Recipes, Michigan Madison .

Michigan: Detroit style pizza

A crispy, cheesy Detroit-style pizza made with a combination of sourdough starter and instant yeast for extra flavor without an all-day fermentation. No sourdough option available below.

Recipe:

Dough

  • 250 g all-purpose flour

  • 170 g water, room temperature

  • 50 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)

  • 2 g instant yeast (½ tsp)

  • 5 g salt (1 tsp)

  • 10 g olive oil (2 tsp)

No sourdough starter? No problem!
Replace the 50 g sourdough starter with 25 g all-purpose flour + 25 g water, and increase the instant yeast to 3 g (about 1 tsp). The recipe will still make a delicious Detroit-style pizza, but without the subtle tang from the sourdough.

Pan

  • 2–3 tbsp olive oil

Toppings

  • 8 oz (225 g) low-moisture whole milk mozzarella, shredded

  • 2 oz Monterey Jack, cubed (optional but recommended)

  • 2–3 oz pepperoni

  • ½ cup pizza sauce

  • Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

  • Fresh basil, optional

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough

Combine the flour, water, sourdough starter, instant yeast, salt, and olive oil until no dry flour remains. The dough will be soft and sticky.

If using the starter-free option: Combine the flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil instead.

Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. Strengthen the Dough

Perform 3 stretch-and-folds, about every 30–45 minutes.

For the sourdough version, continue fermenting until the dough has increased in volume by about 50–75%, approximately 3–4 hours total, depending on room temperature.

For the starter-free version: The dough may ferment more quickly. Begin checking around 2 hours and continue until it has increased in volume by about 50–75%.

3. Pan the Dough

Generously coat an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with 2–3 tablespoons olive oil.

Transfer the dough to the pan and gently stretch it toward the corners. If it resists, let it rest for 10–15 minutes before stretching again.

Cover and proof until noticeably puffy, about 45–90 minutes. A warm (not hot) turned-off oven can help speed up this final rise.

4. Preheat

Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).

5. Assemble

Cover the dough with mozzarella, making sure the cheese reaches all the way to the edges of the pan.

Scatter about half of the pepperoni beneath the cheese and the remaining pepperoni on top.

If using Monterey Jack, scatter the cubes over the mozzarella.

6. Bake

Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until:

  • The cheese is bubbling.

  • The edges are deeply caramelized.

  • The crust is golden brown and crisp.

7. Finish

Carefully loosen the edges with a spatula and remove the pizza from the pan.

Spoon or pipe the pizza sauce over the top in 2–3 stripes.

Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil, if desired.

Allow the pizza to rest for 5–8 minutes before slicing into 4 squares.

Notes

  • Cheese all the way to the edge creates the signature crispy, caramelized Detroit-style crust.

  • Don't be afraid of the olive oil in the pan—it gives the pizza its crisp, almost fried bottom.

  • The sourdough starter adds flavor and a subtle tang while the instant yeast keeps the fermentation time manageable.

  • No starter? Use the flour-and-water substitution listed above and increase the yeast to 3 g.

  • A metal 8×8-inch pan works best for achieving crispy, caramelized edges.

  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in an air fryer or hot oven.

Read More