How Long to Cook Homemade Pizza at 450 (+ Recipe)

Making homemade pizza is an adventure, but achieving the perfect crust can be tricky. Knowing how (long) to cook homemade pizza at 450 degrees can help. 

Bake your homemade pizza at 450 for 12-15 minutes, and I guarantee perfect homemade pizza. Every time. 

Cooking time and temp are crucial factors in determining the success of your pizza. 

They play a more significant role than the toppings or the type of cheese you use. 

I’ll provide essential tips to ensure your homemade pizza emerges from the oven just right. (Golden, mouthwatering perfection.) 

Here’s how to cook a homemade pizza at 450.

How Long Do You Have to Preheat the Oven for Pizza?

Most ovens made in the last few decades have a feature that alerts you when it’s preheated. 

Just set the temperature. The oven lights up or produces an audible sound when it reaches that temperature. 

This makes it easy to know when it is ready. 

Knowing how long to preheat can be more difficult if your oven doesn’t have this feature. 

Keep these degrees and times in mind:

• 375 degrees: 10 to 15 minutes
• 450 degrees: 20 to 25 minutes
• 500 degrees: 30 minutes to an hour

The time you’ll need to preheat will also depend on the type of crust. For example, deep-dish pizzas require longer preheating than thin-crust pizzas. 

How Do You Make Pizza Dough Rise Faster?

It takes a couple of hours for pizza dough to rise. But sometimes, you don’t have a couple of hours. 

Here are a few tips to make sure the dough rises as quickly as possible: 

• Use fresh yeast. 
• Use warm water (110 degrees) instead of cold when making the dough. 
• Knead forcefully and for as long as necessary. 

Of course, even following these instructions won’t really “speed up” the process. 

You have a couple of options to speed up the rising process. 

Try these tricks to make the dough rise faster: 

• Place the dough in a warm (not hot) oven. The heat will activate the yeast and make the dough expand more quickly. 
• Use quick-rise yeast. That will cut the rising time in half. 

Also, you can speed up the process by using your microwave. 

Follow these steps: 

1. Place the dough in a microwave-safe bowl. 
2. Cover the bowl lightly with a damp paper towel. 
3. Microwave for 30 seconds on high. 
4. Remove the dough from the oven to see if it has doubled in size. 
5. Once it doubles, take it from the microwave and assemble the pizza. 
6. If it has not doubled, nuke it for another 30 seconds. 

Continue microwaving and checking until the dough has doubled. 

How to Cook Homemade Pizza at 450 

1. Make the dough. Combine the yeast and sugar in warm water in a small bowl. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. 

(It’ll froth up when it’s ready.) 

Then, use a large bowl to mix the flour and salt. Make an indention in the center and pour in the olive oil and the yeast mixture. Stir until it turns into dough. 

2. Knead the dough. Knead it vigorously on a floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes. 

3. Let the dough rise. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover it with a clean cloth and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place. 

It’s ready when it doubles in size.

4. Preheat. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a pizza stone (if using) in the oven to preheat.

5. Assemble the pizza. Flatten and roll the dough into whatever pizza shape you like best. Then, place it on parchment paper or a greased baking sheet. 

Next, top the pizza with sauce, cheese, and your chosen toppings. 

6. Bake. Place the parchment paper and pizza on the pizza stone. Or place the baking sheet with the pizza on it in the oven. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 

7. Enjoy. Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then slice, serve, and enjoy! 

How Do You Make Pizza Crust Crispy on the Bottom?

The trick to getting a crispy crust on the bottom of your pizza is simple. Preheat your pizza stone or baking sheet while preheating your oven. 

This ensures the bottom crisps up well. Cooking the pizza in a high-temperature setting will help, too. 

How to Tell When Pizza Is Done 

Check for these three things to determine whether your pizza is done: 

• The cheese will be melty, and all the toppings will be cooked. 
• The crust will be crispy and firm. 
• The crust should be golden brown with no cold spots. 

Of these three, feeling the crust and seeing if it’s crispy and firm will be the most accurate. 

The color of the crust is the least precise way. So, I do not recommend using that as your only determining factor. 

Why Is My Homemade Pizza Soggy? 

Often, homemade pizzas come out soggy because you didn’t cook them at a high enough temp. 

Cooking the pizza at 450 degrees can help prevent sogginess. 

Also, give your pizza time to cool before cutting into it. Cutting into a hot pizza nearly always results in a soggy crust. 

Instead, give your pizza at least 5 minutes to cool before slicing it. That will help prevent sogginess and sagging crust. 

How Long to Cook Homemade Pizza in an Air Fryer 

Remember, to cook a homemade pizza in the air fryer, you must freeze it first. Then, set the temperature to 400 degrees and preheat the air fryer. 

Once the air fryer preheats, the pizza shouldn’t take longer than 6 to 8 minutes to cook. 

Check for doneness by feeling the crust and looking at the meltiness of the cheese. 

Tips & Tricks for the Best Homemade Pizza 

Here are a few final tips and tricks to keep in mind: 

• Invest in a pizza stone or cast-iron pizza pan. These are the best options. If you don’t have these, use a parchment-lined baking sheet, non-stick pizza pan, or aluminum pan. 
• Keep the oven door closed! Don’t check the pizza too often.Frequently opening the stove door lets too much heat escape. The pizza will cook unevenly. 
• Rotate the pizza halfway through. This will ensure the pizza cooks evenly on both sides. 
• Try not to overcook the pizza. Overcooked pizza is rubbery and unappetizing. Remove the pizza from the oven as soon as it’s done. 

What to Serve With Homemade Pizza 

Many people serve nothing with pizza; they enjoy it alone. 

However, you can make a complete meal by pairing it with the right stuff. Dipping sauces are also a good idea.

Here are a few options: 

• Julia Child’s French Onion Soup
• Papa John’s Garlic Sauce
• Wingstop Garlic Parmesan Wings
• Jennifer Aniston Salad
• Ina Garten Pasta Salad
• Little Caesars Pizza Sauce

How to Store Leftover Pizza 

You have a couple of options for storing leftover pizza. They all start the same way: by letting the pizza cool down. 

After that, store the leftover pieces in one of the following ways: 

• Stack a few slices in Ziploc bags in the fridge. Once cool, the pieces shouldn’t stick together. You should be able to store between 2 and 6 pieces in each. (Depending on the size of your bags and slices.)
• Put them on plates and plastic-wrap them. Put a single layer of slices on the plate. Then, wrap the whole thing with plastic wrap. Stack another layer of pizza over that and cover it with another layer of plastic wrap. Continue until you’ve wrapped all the leftovers.

How to Reheat Pizza in the Oven 

Follow these steps to reheat your pizza in the oven: 

1. Put your pizza stone or baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. 
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
3. Once the oven preheats, remove the stone/tray from the oven. (Use an oven mitt; it will be hot.) 
4. Place the leftover pizza on the stone/tray.
5. Place the pizza in the oven. 
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 

Take it out and check to see if it is warm enough to eat. If so, let it cool for a few minutes before eating it. If not, put it back in the oven for another 2 minutes.