Explaining the Difference Between Hand-Tossed and Pan Pizza

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Know whether to order a hand-tossed or pan pizza the next time you’re going out to eat

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and Devin McSween

Last Updated: October 10, 2024 Fact Checked

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Differences Between Hand-tossed and Pan Pizza

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Making Hand-Tossed Pizza

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Making Pan Pizza

You call up your favorite pizza shop, ready to ask for your usual order. But when the shop answers, they ask a question you didn’t see coming: “Do you want that hand-tossed, or pan?” If you’re at the crossroads of making this important pizza decision, but aren’t sure how these types of pizza are different, we’ve got you covered! We understand the importance of pizza, so we’ll tell you all about the differences between hand-tossed and pan. And, if you’re curious about making your own pizza, we’ll tell you how to make each type!

Things You Should Know

Hand-tossed pizza has a thinner, crispier crust and softer dough. A pan pizza’s crust is thick and chewy, while its dough is more bread-like.
To make hand-tossed pizza, hold the dough with one hand palm up and the other in a fist. Angle and extend your arms towards your face and toss the dough up.
To make pan pizza, roll the dough out with a rolling pin. Spread it inside a cake pan or skillet greased with olive oil.

Section 1 of 3:

Differences Between Hand-tossed and Pan Pizza

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1
Preparation As the name implies, hand-tossed pizza is made by tossing pizza dough up in the air with your hands. The tossing thins out the dough, which is then cooked on a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. On the other hand, pan pizza dough is simply spread out and baked in a circular pan or skillet.^{[1]
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- Hand-tossed pizza is often called New York-style pizza.
- Other names for pan pizza include deep-dish and Chicago-style pizza.
2
Crust Hand-tossed pizza has a thinner, crunchier crust than pan pizza. When dough is tossed in the air, it loses air bubbles. This means it doesn’t rise as much, coming out of the oven thin and crispy. Pan pizza dough rises a lot because its air bubbles stay intact. So, its crust comes out of the oven thick and chewy.^{[2]
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- Pan pizza dough is covered in oil, so its crust is often crispy, as if it’s been fried. While the crust on hand-tossed pizza is also crispy, it’s more on the dry side.
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Texture Hand-tossed pizza dough is soft, while pan pizza dough is bread-like and fluffy. The act of tossing and rotating the dough kneads and softens it. So, when it comes out of the oven, it’s thin and easy to chew. Because pan pizza dough is denser and full of air bubbles, it’s more bread-like. It’s spongier and fluffier in texture, which means it also takes longer to chew!
- Pan pizza dough is often compared to focaccia bread, which is also spongy and dense.
Pan pizzas can typically hold more toppings than hand-tossed pizza. Because pan pizza dough is thicker, it’s usually loaded up with sauce, several different cheeses, veggies, and meats. You’ll usually find fewer toppings, especially less cheese, on hand-tossed pizza. This is because the thinner crust can’t withstand as much weight.^{[3]
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While they use most of the same ingredients, pan pizzas tend to taste cheesier and oilier than hand-tossed pizzas. Pan pizzas are super hearty, stuffed full of cheese and baked in olive oil for a crispy, flaky crust. Hand-tossed pizzas are usually on the lighter and drier side because they don’t use as much oil and cheese.^{[4]
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Pan pizza is usually baked at a higher temperature than hand-tossed pizza. Most hand-tossed pizzas are cooked at around 500° F (260° C) for 10 to 15 minutes, giving them their signature crunchy crust. Because pan pizza dough is thicker, it usually bakes at 550° F (287° C). It needs about 15 minutes or more in the oven to come out golden and crispy.
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Eating method The best way to eat pan pizza is with a fork and knife, while hand-tossed is eaten with your hands. The thick crust, mile-high toppings, and melty cheese makes it difficult to eat pan pizza with your hands. So, most people cut it up. You can certainly eat hand-tossed pizza with a fork and knife, but it’s easier to eat it with your hands. Simply hold it flat or fold it in half, which is perfect for when you’re on the go.^{[5]
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- However, there’s no right or wrong way to eat pizza! Pizza is meant to be enjoyed however you like.

Section 2 of 3:

Making Hand-Tossed Pizza

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To prevent your dough from sticking to the counter, sprinkle it with a thin layer of flour. Then, place your store-bought or homemade dough on top of the flour. Using your hands, press the dough into a flat circle.^{[6]
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Press your hands into the dough, about 1 inch (2 cm) from the edge. Move your hands around the perimeter of the dough, pressing and spreading your hands into it as you go. This creates the crust and thins the dough out.^{[7]
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Take the dough into both of your hands. With your dominant hand, face your palm up and press your fingers together. With your other hand, make a fist.^{[8]
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Swing the dough up and out from your chest and towards your face. Hold your hands tight against your chest, twisting your body towards your non-dominant side. Then, quickly extend and swing your arms over to the other side of your chest. At the same time, push your arms up so you’re bringing the dough level with your face.^{[9]
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- Essentially, you’re swinging the dough across your body while pushing it upwards. This creates a rotation which thins your pizza as it spins in the air.
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Toss the dough up and catch it with your fists. Release the dough from your hands once it reaches your face. While in the air, it should rotate and spin, thinning out. Then, fist both of your hands. When the dough starts to drop, extend your arms forward to catch it.^{[10]
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- If you tear your dough when you catch it, don’t worry! Just take a small piece from the crust and spread it over the tear.
Keep tossing the dough until it’s reached a thinness that you like. You might throw it once, or decide it needs multiple tosses. This is just personal preference, as there’s no right amount of times to throw it.^{[11]
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Place the dough on a baking sheet and add your toppings. Gently lay your tossed dough on a baking sheet. Brush olive oil on top of your dough and add on your favorite pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese. Then, layer on any other toppings that you like.
- If you’re cooking your pizza on a stone or slab, set your pizza on it before adding your toppings.
- When it comes to pizza, the toppings are truly endless! Veggies like green peppers, olives, onions, and jalapeños add a great crunch, while meats like pepperoni, ham, and chicken pack lots of yummy flavor.
Put your pizza into the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. Take your pizza out once the cheese is bubbly and the crust is lightly brown on the bottom, which might take an additional 5 minutes.

Section 3 of 3:

Making Pan Pizza

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Add a thin layer of flour on top of your workplace. Place your homemade or store-bought dough on top of the flour. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about 12 inches (30 cm) across.^{[12]
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Take out a cake pan or skillet, whatever you have on hand. Then, pour in a splash of olive oil to lightly coat the bottom and sides of the pan.^{[13]
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Place your dough inside the pan, spreading it with your fingers so it fits tightly against each side and reaches the top of the pan. Then, brush the dough with olive oil. This helps the crust come out super tasty and crispy.^{[14]
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With pan pizzas, you start with the cheese and toppings, then add the sauce last. Cover the top of the dough with mozzarella cheese. Then, add some tasty toppings like olives, mushrooms, green peppers, and pepperoni. To finish it off, pour your favorite pizza sauce on top.^{[15]
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Place your pizza in the oven and set your timer for 12 minutes. When the timer goes off, check the bottom of the crust. If it’s golden and crispy, take it out. If not, give it an additional 3 minutes.^{[16]
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