How Long Does Pizza Take to Cook?

Getting pizza just right is like solving a delicious puzzle - it can take anywhere from 2 minutes to half an hour, depending on what you’re making. Whether you’re baking a thin-crust pizza at home or cooking up a deep-dish masterpiece, timing is everything for that perfect mix of crispy crust and melted cheese.

The real magic happens when you understand the science behind pizza cooking. Professional pizza ovens can reach a blazing 900°F, cooking a pizza in just 90 seconds and creating that sought-after leopard-spotted crust. Home ovens might max out at 500°F, but with the right technique - like preheating your pizza stone for an hour or using the broiler setting - you can still achieve restaurant-quality results in about 12-15 minutes.

What Affects Pizza Cooking Time?

Three main things control how long it takes to cook a pizza properly:

First, your oven temperature makes a huge difference. For most home ovens, you’ll want to hit about 475°F to get the best results.

Next, think about your pizza’s build. A thick, deep-dish style needs more time in the oven than a thin, crispy crust. Similarly, a large 16-inch pizza requires longer cooking than a personal-sized 8-inch one.

Building on this, the dough itself plays a crucial role. How you prepare it matters - from how long it rises to how much water you use.

When dough has properly risen (or “proofed”), it actually cooks more evenly and quickly than dough that’s been rushed.

Oven Temperature

Professional pizza ovens reach around 900°F, while your home oven typically tops out between 475-550°F. This generally means you’ll need to adjust (read: extend) your cooking time.

We recommend preheating your oven for at least 45 minutes at its highest setting (ideally 500°F) with a pizza stone or steel inside. This extended preheating time will get you that crispy crust you’re looking for.

While your pizza will take longer to cook at home (about 15-20 minutes versus the 90 seconds in professional ovens), you can still achieve decent results. Just remember to give your oven plenty of time to heat up, and you’ll be amazed at what you can create.

Pizza Size and Thickness

With a pizza oven, you can cook your pizza in just a few minutes, but the size and thickness of your dough will change how long it needs to bake. Let’s break it down so you can get the best results every time.

Adjusting for Larger Pizzas

The bigger the pizza, the longer it will take for heat to reach the center. If baking in a home oven, you may need to extend the time slightly to make sure the middle is fully cooked.

Using a pizza oven allows you to bake large pizzas more evenly at high heat.

Dough Type and Preparation Method

The type of dough you use and how you prepare it will impact how long your pizza takes to cook. Some doughs ferment for hours or even days, affecting structure and baking time. Let’s break down the key differences.

Biga Dough

• Fermentation Time: 18-48 hours
• Texture: Chewy, airy, with a deep flavor
• Pizza Oven (900°F / 482°C): 90 seconds to 2 minutes
• Home Oven (500°F / 260°C): 8-12 minutes

Biga will develop a more complex taste and is ideal for Neapolitan pizzas. You might want to check our Biga dough recipe in detail.

Poolish Dough

• Fermentation Time: 12-24 hours
• Texture: Light, open crumb with slight tang
• Pizza Oven (900°F / 482°C): 90 seconds to 2 minutes
• Home Oven (500°F / 260°C): 8-12 minutes

Poolish-based doughs are slightly softer and easier to work with compared to biga. We also wrote a Poolish dough recipe step by step.

Direct Dough (No Pre-Fermentation)

• Fermentation Time: 3-6 hours at room temperature
• Texture: Soft, balanced chewiness
• Pizza Oven (900°F / 482°C): 90 seconds to 2 minutes
• Home Oven (500°F / 260°C): 10-15 minutes

Direct is the quickest dough method and works well for same-day pizza making. Read more about Direct dough step by step recipe.

At the end - longer fermentation and higher hydration results in better texture and deeper flavor but will require more time.

Cooking Equipment

Pizza ovens reach far higher temperatures than conventional home ovens—up to 900°F compared to 500°F. This intense heat is what gives pizzeria-style pizzas their signature crispy, airy crust. While a standard home oven can make great pizza, the right equipment makes all the difference in getting as close as possible to the real thing.

Our Glowen ovens, like the Raptor 2, are built to achieve those high temperatures, cooking a thin-crust pizza in just 90 seconds. 

But even without a dedicated pizza oven, there are ways to optimize a home setup. Glowen Pizza Clay Baking Stones  will help by absorbing and evenly distributing heat, creating a surface that mimics the intense heat retention of a traditional brick oven.

Conventional Oven vs. Pizza Oven

The biggest challenge when baking pizza in a home oven is temperature. While professional ovens easily reach 700-1000°F, most kitchen ovens max out at around 500°F. This means you will need to rely on a heat-retaining surface to replicate the conditions of a true pizza oven.

• A preheated Pizza Stone or Baking Steel creates an ultra-hot surface, crisping the crust while keeping the inside airy and soft.
• Max oven temperature will ensure the best possible bake—set it as high as it will go.
• Air circulation needs to be on. It will prevent excess moisture buildup.
• Baking time is important—It will typically take 5-8 minutes, and even a minute too long can mean the difference between perfectly cooked and overdone.

How can we improve our Cooking Time

Getting your pizza to cook faster while maintaining the perfect crust comes down to temperature, heat retention, and technique. Whether you're using a Glowen Raptor 2 Pizza Oven or a standard home oven, small adjustments can make a big difference.

• Preheat your oven properly – A high temperature is essential. In a Glowen pizza oven, reaching 900°F allows for a 90-second bake. In a home oven, set it to the maximum temperature (typically 500°F) and allow at least 45-60 minutes for a pizza stone or Baking Steel to fully absorb heat.
• Use the right surface – A Glowen Clay Baking Stone or Baking Steel holds and transfers heat efficiently, helping to crisp the base faster and reducing overall cooking time.
• Optimize air circulation – Trapped steam can slow down the baking process. Proper ventilation ensures moisture escapes, allowing the crust to crisp up while keeping the toppings from becoming soggy.
• Choose the right dough – Higher hydration doughs bake faster in high heat, while thicker, low-hydration doughs require longer baking times.
• Position your pizza correctly – Placing it closer to the top heating element in a home oven can help speed up cooking, especially when using the broiler in the final minutes.

Let’s wrap Up

Pizza-making is a balance of heat, timing, and technique. Small adjustments can take your pizza from good to unforgettable.

Perfecting your bake comes down to understanding your oven, choosing the right surface, and keeping an eye on the clock. A little patience, some trial and error, and the right tools will get you closer to that crispy, airy, pizzeria-quality crust every time.

So, whether you're making a quick weeknight pizza or experimenting with long-fermented doughs, now you know exactly how to get it right. Time to fire up the oven and put those tips to work! 🍕🔥