Pizza Hut Pans: What's The Difference?

Pizza Hut offers a variety of crusts, but two of the most popular are Hand Tossed and Pan. The primary difference between these two crusts is their textures and thicknesses. Hand Tossed crust is thinner and crispier, while Pan crust is thicker and doughier. Hand Tossed crusts are made with flour, yeast, salt, and water, while Pan crusts contain flour, yeast, salt, oil, and water. Pan crusts are denser and have a chewier texture. Hand Tossed pizzas are cooked in an oven, while Pan pizzas are cooked in a pan or panini press.

Original Pan Pizza

Pizza Hut's Original Pan Pizza has been a menu staple since the late 1950s. Also known as their deep-dish pizza, the Original Pan Pizza has been the same for nearly 40 years. In 2019, Pizza Hut announced that they would be updating the recipe to cater to their consumers' evolving taste buds. This included changing the sauce and cheese ratio, as well as re-engineering the type of pan used to improve the crust texture. The new pan was designed to create a crispier and buttery crust, while the new blend of cheese and sauce was intended to enhance the flavour and complement the chewy centre.

The Original Pan Pizza is Pizza Hut's signature premium option. It is often imitated but, according to Pizza Hut, never duplicated. The pizza has a buttery, golden-brown finish with a soft and fluffy inside. The outer crust is crispy and crunchy, and the pizza is topped with a blend of sauce and perfectly melted cheese.

The Original Pan Pizza is available at Pizza Hut locations nationwide for contactless delivery, carryout, or curbside pickup. It is priced at $10.99 for a large pizza with up to three toppings.

The Original Pan Pizza has been perfected over the years by the Pizza Hut culinary team. In 2019, Pizza Hut completed a three-year innovation journey that led to a newly engineered pan recipe to perfect the famed crust. This journey was focused on combining art, science, and culinary expertise to bring the taste of the Original Pan Pizza to the next level.

The Original Pan Pizza has a special place in the memories of many customers. For those who grew up in the '80s and '90s, the Original Pan Pizza was a signature option for family dinners, birthday parties, and celebrations.

Hand-Tossed Pizza

When preparing a hand-tossed pizza, the dough is kneaded until soft and then repeatedly tossed in the air to achieve the desired shape. This technique results in a flatter and crispier crust compared to a pan pizza. The dough for a hand-tossed pizza is softer, allowing it to spread easily onto the pan during shaping.

Baking a hand-tossed pizza typically involves a lower temperature than a pan pizza, with the oven set at around 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It is baked for a shorter duration, usually between 10 to 15 minutes, resulting in a crispier texture.

Pizza Hut's Classic Hand-Tossed Crust, also known as their original crust option, is a testament to the popularity of this style. It offers a middle ground for those who find pan pizza too thick and thin crusts too thin. While pan pizza may give you the feeling of eating fried bread due to its deep-dish cooking method, hand-tossed pizza leans towards the classic, crispy crust experience.

Thin & Crispy Crust

Pizza Hut's Thin & Crispy Crust is ideal for those who prefer a lighter, crispier pizza base. It is perfect for those who want a well-balanced topping experience with a delicate and crunchy texture.

This crust has been a part of Pizza Hut's menu since 1997. It is thin and crispy, providing a light and crunchy texture that beautifully contrasts with the softness of the toppings. The thin nature of the crust allows for a less doughy eating experience, enabling the perfect crust-to-topping ratio in every bite.

The crust has a subtly toasty flavour that allows the flavours of the toppings to shine through. It is prepared from a simple mix of high-quality wheat flour, yeast, water, oil, and a pinch of salt. This mixture is rolled out thinly and baked until it achieves its characteristic light, crispy texture.

The Thin & Crispy Crust is available in large, medium, and personal sizes. It is a good option for those who want to taste more of their toppings and prefer a less doughy pizza. It offers a cracker-style crust that is dry and not as greasy as the deep-fried Pan Crust.

Stuffed Crust

Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Pizza is a large pizza with warm, melty cheese baked directly into the crust. The crust is significantly thicker than the pan pizza crust, but this is for a good reason: inside the thick crust is a five-cheese blend of mozzarella, provolone, fontina, asiago, and white cheddar. It's perfect for cheese lovers who want a thicker dough but don't enjoy eating the flavourless crust.

Pizza Hut launched the stuffed crust pizza at the Super Bowl in 1995, and it has since become a crucial part of the menu. The chain has introduced over 40 stuffed crust versions globally, including in Asia, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, Latin America, and Canada.

The Stuffed Crust Pizza is not as unhealthy as one might think. A large hand-tossed Pizza Hut pizza with marinara, pepperoni, and cheese has around 300 calories per slice. The cheese-stuffed crust option with pepperoni only adds 40 calories per slice. In fact, one slice of pepperoni Stuffed Crust Pizza has fewer calories than a typical salad from Pizza Hut.

Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Pizza is legendary and has left an indelible impression on the taste buds of many.

Gluten-Free Crust

Pizza Hut offers gluten-free crust pizzas in certain participating restaurants. The gluten-free crust is provided by Udi's Gluten Free, the No. 1 gluten-free brand in North America. The crust consists of whole-grain sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and olive oil. It is also dairy-free and soy-free.

The gluten-free pizzas are available in two options: Cheese-only or Pepperoni. The pizzas are 10 inches and cut into six slices, with prices starting at $9.99.

Pizza Hut has partnered with the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), a pioneer non-profit organisation that verifies gluten-free food, to ensure that the pizzas are prepared in a way that minimises the risk of cross-contamination. GIG was also instrumental in the in-store training process for Pizza Hut staff.

However, it is important to note that Pizza Hut kitchens are not gluten-free environments. The company recommends that customers with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance consult their medical advisor to determine if the gluten-free options are safe for them.

As of May 2019, Pizza Hut no longer offers certified gluten-free pizzas and has terminated its relationship with GIG. This means that while gluten-free crust options are still available in select locations, they are not certified gluten-free.

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