Description
This barbecue bacon pizza is the perfect blend of smoky and savory! Crispy bacon, tangy BBQ sauce, and melted cheese make this a delicious twist on classic pizza.
Ingredients
Good pizza dough – I buy the fresh stuff from the grocery store deli counter because it tastes way better than frozen
Smoky barbecue sauce – This replaces regular pizza sauce and is really the star of the whole thing
Crispy bacon – Cooked until it’s nice and crunchy so it adds texture instead of being chewy
Two kinds of cheese – Mozzarella for that classic pizza stretch and cheddar for sharp flavor
Red onion – Sliced thin so it gets slightly caramelized and adds that perfect tangy bite
Instructions
Heat your oven to 475 degrees, and if you have a pizza stone, stick it in there to get screaming hot. This high heat is what creates that crispy, bubbly crust that makes homemade pizza actually taste professional instead of like cardboard.
Roll out your pizza dough on a floured surface to whatever thickness you prefer – I like mine somewhere between thin and thick crust. Transfer it to parchment paper because this makes getting it in and out of the oven so much easier without making a mess.
Here’s the key step that most people skip – pre-bake the crust for 5 to 7 minutes until it’s just starting to turn golden. This prevents the bottom from getting soggy when you add all those wet toppings, and it’s what separates good homemade pizza from disappointing homemade pizza.
Spread your barbecue sauce evenly over the pre-baked crust, leaving about an inch border around the edges for that perfect crust. Don’t go crazy with the sauce – you want enough for flavor but not so much that it makes everything soggy. Sprinkle the cooked bacon pieces all over, then add both cheeses, and finish with the thinly sliced red onion.
Slide the whole thing, parchment paper and all, onto your hot pizza stone or just put it on a regular baking sheet if that’s what you have. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden and the crust looks perfect.
Let it cool for just a few minutes before slicing – this keeps the cheese from sliding off in one big sheet when you cut it. If you want to get fancy, sprinkle some fresh cilantro or parsley on top for color and freshness.
Pre-bake that crust – This step prevents soggy bottom pizza that nobody wants to eat
Don’t oversauce it – Barbecue sauce is thicker than regular pizza sauce, so a little goes a long way
Let it rest before cutting – Hot pizza falls apart, but a few minutes of cooling makes perfect slices
I used to skip the pre-baking step thinking it was unnecessary, but after ending up with soggy, disappointing pizza too many times, I learned it really does make all the difference. Also, I used to put way too much barbecue sauce on thinking more was better, but it just made everything slide around and taste overwhelming.
Notes
Cook the bacon until really crispy – Chewy bacon on pizza is disappointing, but crispy bacon adds perfect texture
Slice the onions thin – Thick onion pieces don’t cook through and can be overpowering
Use parchment paper – Makes transferring the pizza so much easier and prevents sticking
Don’t skip the cooling time – I know it’s hard to wait when it smells so good, but those few minutes make all the difference
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Cuisine: American