Bacon Cheddar Delight Pizza Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Place a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes so the stone/sheet is thoroughly heated.

Lightly flour your work surface with the 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Let dough come to room temperature (20–30 minutes if refrigerated).

On the floured surface, press and stretch the dough into a 12-inch round (about 10–12 oz dough). Use your knuckles or a rolling pin to achieve an even thickness, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Transfer stretched dough to a well-floured pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet lined with parchment for easy transfer.

Brush the outer 1/2-inch rim of the dough lightly with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to help browning.

In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup pizza sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp dried oregano and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes until combined.

Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the prepared rim exposed (about 1/2 inch). Aim for a thin, even layer so the crust crisps well.

Combine the shredded sharp cheddar (1.5 cups) and shredded mozzarella (1.5 cups) in a bowl and toss lightly so they’re evenly distributed.

Evenly sprinkle about 2/3 of the cheese blend over the sauced dough, leaving a small amount to finish after bacon placement for even coverage and better melt.

Cook the bacon: place 8 slices of thin-cut bacon in a cold skillet without overlapping. Turn heat to medium and cook, turning occasionally, until bacon is just crisp and slightly flexible (about 6–9 minutes). Drain on paper towels and blot to remove excess grease. When cool enough, chop or tear into 1-inch pieces.

If using onion: very thinly slice 1/4 cup yellow onion and scatter lightly over the cheese so it will caramelize slightly while baking.

Scatter the chopped bacon evenly over the cheese layer. Finish by sprinkling the remaining cheese blend over the bacon to help it meld into the pizza surface.

Season the top with 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Slide the assembled pizza (on the parchment or well-floured peel) onto the preheated stone or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the crust is golden-brown and cheese is bubbly and starting to brown in spots.

If desired, in the final 30–60 seconds, switch to broil to quicken top browning—watch closely to avoid burning.

Remove pizza from oven and brush the crust lightly with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil for sheen and flavor. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley over the pizza if using.

Let pizza rest for 3–5 minutes to set cheese, then slice into 8 pieces and serve hot.