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St. Louis-Style Pizza (Thin Cracker Crust)
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The St. Louis-style of pizza originated in the 1940s when a Chicago native moved to St. Louis and was inspired by thin crust Chicago style tavern pizza. The thin and cracker crispy crust is perfect for weeknight dinners because the dough comes together quickly (no need to wait for the dough to rise since it’s made without yeast). This recipe is specifically based on the square slices from Imo’s. One of the main signatures of this style of pizza is Provel cheese. Unfortunately it’s hyper regional, and very difficult to find outside St. Louis, so I’ve created a blend for at home use below! For a more traditional pizza dough, check out my quick and easy pizza dough. I also recommend my burrata pizza recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique cracker-thin crust. Unlike traditional pizza dough, this crust bakes up ultra-thin and crispy with a satisfying crunch in every bite.
- Authentic St. Louis flavor. Topped with Provel cheese (or a homemade blend like I make in this recipe), this pizza captures the classic taste locals love.
- Quick to make. No waiting around for dough to rise – this crust comes together fast, making homemade pizza night easier than ever.
What Makes St. Louis Style Pizza Different?
- A cracker thin crust. There is no yeast in this style of pizza dough, instead it relies on a bit of baking powder in the dough.
- Edge to edge toppings. The toppings cover the pizza edge to edge so there is no crust around the pizza, and you get lots of gooey cheese in each bite.
- Cut into squares. It’s served tavern-style, cut into a bunch of small squares rather than into pizza pie slices. It’s too thin to be folded and the crisp small slices hold the toppings well.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Flour – Some recipes call for self-rising flour, but I simply add a bit of baking soda to the all-purpose flour to make the dough.
- Tomato sauce – The tomato sauce is a sweetened tomato paste-based sauce I modeled on the St. Louis-style pizza chain, Imo’s, sauce.
- Cheese – Provel cheese is a processed cheese and is difficult to find outside of St. Louis, so I use a blend of Swiss, provolone and Cheddar cheese. For the most accurate flavor, use smoked provolone. If you can’t find it, you can add a few drops of liquid smoke (a little goes a long way). I use the grater on a food processor to quickly shred the blend though you can also shred it by hand or buy them pre-shredded.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro tip
If you are using blocks of cheese rather than shredded cheese, I recommend shredding them in a food processor to easily make the cheese blend.
Other Pizza Toppings
Because it’s such a thin pizza, to get the ultimate crisp bottom, I prefer to keep toppings minimal, but feel free to add any combination of the below (any toppings typically go under the cheese),
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Crispy cooked and crumbled bacon
- Sautéed peppers and onions
How to Make St. Louis-Style Pizza (Step-by-step)
In a small saucepan, combine the tomato paste, 1 cup (237g) of water, olive oil, sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and basil. Whisk to combine and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat the oven to 450°F (230ºC). Grease two 12″ (30cm) round pizza pans, or a couple of baking sheets. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the water, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough is too dry add water 1 teaspoon (5g) at a time. Gather the dough in half and shape each into a disc. Cover each and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Press and stretch out each half of dough onto a greased baking sheet until you form a ⅛” (3mm) thin 12” (30cm) circle. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (14g) of olive oil and spread evenly to the edges. Parbake the crust until lightly golden at the edges, about 7 minutes.
Top each pizza with ⅓ cup (80g) of the pizza sauce and sprinkle a heaping cup (about 140g) of the cheese mixture over each.
Bake the pizza until the cheese has melted and begins to lightly brown, about an additional 8 minutes. Use a pizza cutter to cut the pizza into squares and serve hot.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
St. Louis pizza is known for its ultra-thin, cracker-like crust, a unique cheese blend called Provel, and being cut into squares (often called the “party cut” or “tavern cut”).
Provel cheese is a processed cheese blend made of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone. It has a creamy, almost buttery melt and a distinct flavor that defines authentic St. Louis pizza.
Provel is difficult to find outside of St. Louis, so I use a blend of Swiss, provolone and Cheddar cheese. For the most accurate flavor, use smoked provolone. If you can’t find it, you can add a few drops of liquid smoke (a little goes a long way).
The “party cut” or “tavern-style cut” makes the thin crust easier to handle and share, especially for gatherings. It’s a signature part of the style.
No, not for this recipe! I use a circle baking sheet and par-bake the dough for a crisp crust.
Yes! You can prepare the dough and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just roll it thin before baking for the signature cracker-like texture.
Traditional St. Louis pizza keeps toppings simple, like pepperoni, sausage, or veggies, so the crust and cheese shine. You can absolutely use your favorite toppings, it’s very customizable!
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this St. Louis-style pizza, give these other pizza recipes a try:
Tried it? Loved it? Tweaked it? Leave a review below and tell me how it went – I’m all ears (and always hungry).
St. Louis-Style Pizza (Thin Cracker Crust)
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Ingredients:
For the sauce:
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
For the dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons water
For the pizza:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup shredded smoked provolone
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
Instructions:
For the sauce:
- In a small saucepan, combine the tomato paste, 1 cup (237g) of water, olive oil, sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and basil. Whisk to combine and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the dough:
- Heat the oven to 450°F (230ºC). Grease two 12″ (30cm) round pizza pans, or a couple of baking sheets.
- In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the water, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough is too dry add water 1 teaspoon (5g) at a time. Gather the dough in half and shape each into a disc. Cover each and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
For assembly:
- Press and stretch out each half of dough onto a greased baking sheet until you form a ⅛” (3mm) thin 12” (30cm) circle. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (14g) of olive oil and spread evenly to the edges. Parbake the crust until lightly golden at the edges, about 7 minutes.
- Top each pizza with ⅓ cup (80g) of the pizza sauce and sprinkle a heaping cup (about 140g) of the cheese mixture over each.
- Bake the pizza until the cheese has melted and begins to lightly brown, about an additional 8 minutes. Use a pizza cutter to cut the pizza into squares and serve hot.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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Great party option. Loved the thin cracker crust. Delicious.