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American · Style guide

Chicago Deep Dish pizza dough

Short chop; fatty, biscuit-like inside

Tall Chicago pie in a deep pan-rich crust, cheesy layers, capped with sauce.

Open Chicago Deep Dish in calculator Full codex entry

Default dough formula

Starting preset from the calculator. Adjust anytime in the app.

Hydration47%
Salt1.8% of flour
Oil18%
Sugar1.5%
Yeast (IDY)0.6% of flour
Total timeline6 h at 20°C

Fermentation schedule

Bulk ferment2 h
Cold ferment0 h
Bench / ball proof4 h
Cold placementpan

Same-day: brief bulk, then press into the buttered tin for the in-pan rise (not ball-out like thin crust). Longer cold is optional; this preset skips it.

Good fit when

Background

Chicago deep dish is usually dated to 1943 at Pizzeria Uno, where a deep, oiled pan turned pizza into a savoury pie. Assembly is practical: cheese first, then fillings, and sauce on top so it can bake longer without burning. The crust is often enriched with oil, resulting in a tender, almost pastry-like bite. It is its own Chicago tradition beside thin-crust pizza. Knives and forks are expected.

Common questions

What hydration for Chicago Deep Dish pizza dough?

The Chicago Deep Dish preset in 8Bit.Pizza starts around 47% hydration. Open the calculator to adjust for your flour and workflow, and the gram weights update instantly.

How long should Chicago Deep Dish dough ferment?

The default Chicago Deep Dish timeline is about 6 h total at room temperature, split across bulk and ball proofing. Use Wizard mode to set cold ferment hours if you prefer a longer schedule.

When should I choose Chicago Deep Dish style?

When you want a hearty, meal-like pizza. Great for deep pans and longer bakes. Ideal for lots of fillings and sauce.