Why You Should Always Par-Bake Your Breakfast Pizza

Pizza can make for quite the breakfast of champions, and it doesn't necessarily have to be the leftover slices from last night's takeout dinner. Perhaps you haven't indulged in breakfast pizza, but it combines the usual morning foods like eggs and bacon with classic toppings like cheese and vegetables. Whether you prefer crumbled bacon or sausage on your morning pie, you must par-bake it first so that it all cooks properly from the toppings to the crust.

The biggest reason for par-baking the crust of your breakfast pizza is so that the dough has ample time to cook before you put on the eggs, bacon, and other toppings. Otherwise, those toppings, especially the eggs, might overcook before the crust is crispy and ready to eat. You can pre-cook ingredients like bacon and sausage, which will also reduce the grease that's on top and avoid potentially making the bottom soggy. This tip is important whether you use canned biscuits to make breakfast pizza, or go with another ingredient to make the crust, like puff pastry or traditional pizza dough.

The first step to par-baking your dough is to line a baking sheet with parchment paper to eliminate the risk of the pizza getting stuck (and to make less of a mess). If you want to use another vessel, like a cast-iron pan, use cooking spray or oil to coat the pan instead. Roll out the dough so that it lies flat on the baking sheet or pan. Use a fork to dock the bottom, so it doesn't puff up before the toppings go on. This is important if you use a dough like puff pastry for the pizza. Place it in an oven set at 425 degrees Fahrenheit and par-bake for about 8-10 minutes. For more guidance, follow our Mexican breakfast pizza recipe, which uses homemade dough.

When the pizza comes out after the first round in the oven, add those breakfast toppings. Don't overload the pizza, or even a perfectly par-baked crust might not be able to handle it. When it comes to a protein, like soft and fluffy scrambled eggs, cook them first along with the other toppings like bacon for a quicker cook time. Prefer sunny side-up eggs? Carefully crack them on top and allow them to cook directly on top of the pizza until the whites set. Depending on what ingredients you add, your breakfast pizza should be ready to cool, serve, and eat in less than 10 minutes.