Papa John's New Pan Pizza Copycat Recipe (Detroit Style Review)
Detroit-style with garlic butter and parmesan baked into the base. The bottom gets impossibly crispy, and the cheese caramelizes at the edges. Thick, airy, and the garlic hits just right. 🍕
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- bread flour 2.5 cups
- lukewarm water 1 cup
- instant yeast 2.25 tsp
- sugar 1 tsp
- fine sea salt 1.25 tsp
- olive oil 2 tbsp
- unsalted butter 3 tbsp
- parmesan cheese, grated 0.25 cup
- pizza sauce (see seasoning) 0.5 cup
- whole milk mozzarella, shredded 2 cups
- provolone cheese, shredded 1 cup
Seasonings/Sauce
- San Marzano tomatoes, crushed 1 cup
- fresh garlic, minced 1 tbsp
- dried oregano 1 tsp
- dried basil 1 tsp
- kosher salt 0.5 tsp
- black pepper 0.25 tsp
- unsalted butter (for garlic butter) 2 tbsp
- fresh garlic, minced (for garlic butter) 1 tsp
- parsley, chopped 1 tsp
Nutrition summary
Carbohydrates
39 g
46%
Protein
14 g
16%
Fat
14 g
38%
Cooking steps
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1
In a large bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, and instant yeast. Add water and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Add salt and olive oil, then knead until smooth (about 5–7 minutes by hand or mixer).
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2
Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and cold ferment in the fridge for 24 hours. This extended fermentation is essential for Papa John's signature airy, flavorful pan dough.
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3
After ferment, coat a 9x13-inch baking pan or Detroit-style pan with 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter and the grated parmesan, ensuring bottom and sides are covered. Gently press the dough into the pan, creating an even base with slightly raised edges.
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4
Let dough proof at room temperature for 2–3 hours until puffy. Meanwhile, make pizza sauce: mix San Marzano tomatoes, 1 tbsp minced garlic, oregano, basil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Simmer briefly until slightly thickened and chunky.
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5
Preheat oven to 525°F with a pizza stone or steel if available. Layer shredded mozzarella and provolone edge to edge for caramelized borders. Spoon sauce in three stripes over the cheese (classic Detroit style). Drizzle garlic butter (melt 2 tbsp butter with 1 tsp garlic and parsley) between the cheese and crust.
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6
Bake for 13–16 minutes until crust is deep golden and cheese edges are bubbling and dark. Let cool 2 minutes, carefully loosen with spatula. Slice into 8 and serve hot for maximum crisp, garlic-buttered crust perfection.
Personalized Q&A
Q. Does this New Pan Pizza copycat really taste like Papa John's?
Yes! This recipe uses high-protein bread flour for the signature chewy, pillowy crust and undergoes a 24-hour cold fermentation—just like the real Papa John's pan pizzas. Using edge-to-edge cheese blend and garlic butter with parmesan in the pan gives you that crispy, caramelized base and authentic flavor.
Q. What dough technique makes this pizza airy and crispy like Papa John's?
Cold fermenting the dough in the fridge for 24 hours is a must—this develops a flavorful, airy structure. Pressing the dough into a buttered, parmesan-lined pan and letting it proof for 2–3 hours ensures it bakes up with both a crispy base and soft interior, just like Papa John's New Pan Pizza.
Q. How do I get the garlic flavor just right in this recipe?
This pizza features garlic three ways: minced fresh garlic in the sauce, a drizzle of homemade garlic butter made with unsalted butter, garlic, and parsley, and parmesan baked into the base. Each layer brings punchy but balanced garlic flavor, closely matching the Papa John’s style.
Q. What is the estimated nutrition in one slice of this copycat pan pizza?
Each serving (about 140g, one slice) has roughly 340 kcal, with 39g carbs (46%), 14g protein (16%), and 14g fat (38%). Values are based on classic Papa John’s pan pizza portions and ingredients.
Q. Can I make this New Pan Pizza without a pizza stone or Detroit pan?
Absolutely! Use any heavy 9x13-inch metal baking pan—coat it well with butter and parmesan. If you don’t have a pizza stone, just bake on your oven’s bottom rack for extra crispiness. Even without specialty equipment, you’ll get a deliciously close copycat result.
