Quick Skillet Pizza with Beer Dough

Craving pizza? Try this Quick Skillet Pizza with Beer Dough. Yes, making dough with beer is a thing and no yeast is required just your favorite beer.  And one more thing, no oven is required. Seriously. You just need a beer and a skillet to make this golden brown crispy and chewy crust Margherita-inspired pizza.

Jump to:

• 🍕Homemade pizza for one
• ❔Dough Questions
• Dough and topping ingredients
• Useful tips and tools
• Other recipes made in a skillet
• Why you will love this pizza
• A pizza story
• Recipe

🍕Homemade pizza for one

• Making homemade pizza doesn't need to be a long-drawn-out affair of making dough and letting it rise. The recipe uses beer instead of yeast. Well, actually beer has yeast in it so it makes sense to use your favorite beer which is going to add flavor to the dough and give it a little rise. 
• And, what if you just want your own personal pizza and aren't in the mood for takeout. You can make this pizza in less than an hour. 
• Maybe you don't even have an oven. I know that's not uncommon, especially in some tiny apartments....ask my daughter. And, not everyone keeps yeast in the house...ask my other daughter. A skillet and a bottle of beer to the rescue.
• For this recipe, you don't need fancy pizza stones, fancy flours, yeast, or a hot oven.  The dough takes just six ingredients plus some simple toppings. Today's pizza is a simple Margherita-style pizza with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.  

❔Dough Questions

Normally pizza dough is made with water and yeast and for this recipe, the beer is going to replace both. The dough doesn't rise much but gets a little help from the baking powder.  You will get more of a thin crust that will get nice and crispy outside and still chewy inside. 

The flavor of the dough depends on the type of beer you use and you will taste just a hint of the beer. We are Sierra Nevada fans and usually have that in the fridge, but feel free to use what you like.  I haven't tried a dark stout yet, so can't give you any thoughts on that.

This dough is nice and soft with some elasticity to it, let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten and then roll away. 

Dough and topping ingredients

Making the dough in a bowl

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a medium-sized bowl and whisk it together. Pour in the beer and olive and mix with a fork until combined and the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.

Making the dough in a food processor

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to the food processor and whirl to combine.  Pour in the beer and olive oil and process until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. It is best to use a small food processor since this is a small amount of dough.

Rolling the dough and making the pizza

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead to form a smooth ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10-15 minutes, or up to two hours. I use a muslin rolling mat for all rolling doughs.

The longer you let this rest the more flavor the dough will develop.

While the dough rests chop the tomatoes and mix with salt then put the tomatoes in a strainer over a bowl. Chop the basil into thin slivers.

Roll the dough into a 9" circle on the floured surface. Heat a 10" skillet over medium heat and add the olive, when the oil is hot place the pizza dough in the skillet. The dough will be stiff enough to pick up with your hands. Place the dough in the skillet and poke holes in it with a fork to keep it from puffing up.

Cook the dough for 3-4 minutes until the bottom is brown and crispy, flip the dough over then lower the heat and add the tomatoes, cheeses, and basil. Cook covered for 5 - 7 minutes, watching the bottom crust so it doesn't get too brown.

Slide the pizza onto a cutting board and cut into fourths and enjoy! 

Useful tips and tools

• This recipe calls for cooking the pizza in a skillet. I use a 10" cast-iron skillet or a heavy-duty stainless steel skillet.
• You can also bake the pizza in the oven on a pizza pan, a pizza stone, or in a skillet. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
• If you prefer to use homemade or prepared pizza sauce that will work just as well instead of the chopped tomatoes.

Other recipes made in a skillet

You can bake cakes in a cast-iron skillet and they are fabulous. This Vanilla Bean Skillet Cake is from my grandma's recipe box and it's simple and so full of rich vanilla flavor. For a fruity cake bake this Maple Apple Skillet Cake that just uses maple syrup for a sweetener. 

Use your iron skillet to make this Farmstand Cornbread that is full of fresh veggies and lots of cheese. You will love the crispy edges and tender insides of this bread, which is perfect with soup, salads, or even just by itself.

If you love your cast-iron skillets make sure they are seasoned properly. This guide will show you the best tips and tricks for keeping your skillet in the best shape for cooking and baking.

Why you will love this pizza

• It's really easy to make, no fancy ingredients are required
• You don't need yeast
• No oven is required, so if you don't have one or it's too hot to turn yours on you can still have homemade pizza
• This recipe makes a small pizza, perfect for one person

A pizza story

Leftover beer oh-no!

So I hear ya, if I'm only using ⅓ cup of beer what should I do with the rest?  Well, you can make a double batch of this dough or another single recipe for the dough and freeze it for up to three months, or do as I did, and drink it while cooking the pizzas.  Either way works!

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Recipe

This post was first published Dec. 11, 2012, and last updated July 15, 2021

About Jere'

From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending.  Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory recipes with all my baking friends.