Which Pizza Dough is Better for Pizza Cones?

Finding the perfect pizza dough recipe is a never-ending hunt for some people, but what actually makes the biggest difference is what kind of pizza you plan to make with that dough! There's a pretty big difference between a New York slice, a Chicago deep dish, and whatever they're trying to pass off as a crust over at Domino's.

The latest, coolest pizza incarnation is the pizza cone. The Pizzacraft Pizza Cone Kit comes with a recipe for dough right on the box - but why is that the dough recipe we recommend? We decided to do a side-by-side comparison of our dough versus your average store-bought dough, and here are the results! First thing's first: we had to make the homemade dough. It's a bit more work up front than just walking into a Trader Joe's and buying a bag of dough, but it turned out to be worth it.

Pizzacraft Pizza Cone Dough Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 C. (plus 2 Tbsp.) all-purpose flour
• ½ C. (plus 2 Tbsp.) warm water (80°F)
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. instant yeast

Instructions

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in mixing bowl.
2. Add water and canola oil.
3. Using the dough hook of an electric mixer, mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes, or until dough comes together. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to mix for another 4-6 minutes, or until the dough is elastic (approximately 8-10 minutes by hand).
4. Apply a thin coat of oil to the dough’s exterior.
5. Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 45-60 minutes.
6. Use a rolling pin to roll dough to approximately 1/8” thickness.
7. Press the dough cutter into the rolled dough.
8. Use your finger to apply a thin coat of water or egg wash to the edge of the dough.
9. Fold dough over so the edges meet and form a cone.
10. Run the docker over the edge of the seam to close; repeat on other side of seam. Let the cone rest on the cutting board for 10-15 minutes. Repeat process for remaining cones.
11. Preheat oven to 400°F.
12. After dough has rested on the cutting board for 10-15 minutes, slip dough over the cone mold and bake for 6-7 minutes, or until outer crust is just beginning to brown.
13. Remove cones from oven and cool for 2 minutes.
14. Remove cone from mold and place into the pizza cone holder.
15. Fill pizza cone as desired and return to the oven for another 8 minutes, or until fillings are warm and bubbling.
16. Let pizza cone rest a few minutes before eating.

Note: Pizza cone ingredients will settle while baking in oven. For a fuller pizza cone, stuff ingredients to the brim of the cone before baking.

Once we had our dough ready, we rolled it out with a rolling pin. The consistency of the dough was a bit tougher, and much less sticky than store-bought dough. Though it took a little longer to roll, it made it much easier to cut with the pizza cone cutter. It was the same when we wetted the edges and used the crimper to seal the edges, as well as slipping the dough on the cone form. The dough stuck to itself nicely and held its shape as it went onto the form.

Store-Bought Dough

Now for the store-bought dough! Obviously, the biggest advantage was not having to make it from scratch -- plus Sarah showed me how to toss and spin the dough. The homemade stuff is definitely too thick for that kind of show! Cutting the store-bought dough was slightly more problematic. Because the store-bought dough is more elastic, it's harder to cut and doesn't hold its shape as well. Putting the shaped dough onto the cone form was also a bit of a trial, as the dough just didn't want to stay where we put it!

After we pre-baked both cones, the differences were apparent. The homemade dough created a thicker, more bread-like crust, similar to a calzone. The store-bought stuff was thinner and softer, but had also opened up along the seam. Although you obviously want to avoid any separation by crimping and sealing your dough thoroughly, you can still fix any potential leaks after baking by lining your cone with cheese or other non-drippy fillings, then adding your sauce and other fillings.

Of course, after we loaded both cones with fillings and finished baking them...

… it didn't make that much of a difference! Both were delicious and fun to eat… and I might have eaten both. Don't judge me -- try them for yourself at home!