I Tried King Arthur's 2026 Recipe of the Year (It Surprised Me in the Best Way)

Right before I started writing full-time, I was a cook for a mobile, wood-fired pizza business called Pizza Tonight. I made hundreds of pounds of dough and countless pizzas, and rather than leading to pizza fatigue (probably not a real condition), the time only served to reinforce my love of pizza in its many-splendored forms.

Pizza Tonight was all about the crispy, Neapolitan-style pizzas, but I have love in my heart for every kind of pie. So when my friends at King Arthur Flour told me their 2026 Recipe of the Year was for a new kind of pizza, my heart went pitter-pat. I tried the Flaky Puff Crust Pizza, and it became an instant favorite.

What Is King Arthur's Flaky Puff Crust Pizza

You've heard of deep dish, you know all about thin crust, but have you ever experienced a pizza whose crust can only be described as "croissant-esque?" This Flaky Puff Crust Pizza uses a technique called lamination—the same method bakers use to create those flaky layers in a croissant—to create a crust that tastes like a pastry.

And let's talk about that pan: King Arthur makes a sheet pan called the Crispiest Crust Pizza Pan that is worth the investment if you're serious about making killer home-baked pizzas. The dark finish and easy-release coating make this a great choice for making a family-sized pan of pizza, no pizza stone required. 

However, if you don't have the Crispiest Crust Pizza Pan, you can make a few adjustments to the baking process: bake your pizza on the lowest oven rack, rather than the center. Then, once it comes out of the oven, turn off the oven, carefully remove the pizza from the pan, and put it, sans tray, back in the oven to finish crisping for about three to five minutes.

The process of making this pizza takes about two hours from start to finish. For folks who are used to an overnight process for pizza dough, this saves a lot of time. However, keep in mind this pizza will keep you in or near the kitchen for the whole two hours. I tried out this recipe for family dinner on Sunday when I was already doing some meal prep for the week ahead, and it was a great way to maximize my time in the kitchen.

The Special Flour That Makes the Best Pizza Crust

If you're a home pizzaiolo, you are likely already familiar with '00' Pizza Flour. It's often used in pizza dough because the ultra-fine flour hydrates beautifully, resulting in a silky dough with excellent elasticity and giving you a pizza that has both crunch and chew.

But if you don't have it on hand, don't stress. "'00' Pizza Flour yields dough that's slightly easier to roll out and a lighter, more delicate crust than the pizza made with all-purpose flour," the recipe developers at KAF explain. "However, both produce flaky, flavorful pizza, and the textural differences are subtle."

Tips for Making the Perfect Flaky Puff Crust Pizza

The folks who worked on this recipe told me, "During the development of this recipe, we were intentional about testing precise amounts of toppings that would deliver the maximum flavor without weighing down the delicate layers of crust." If you want to add extra toppings, they recommend keeping it to a maximum of 2/3 cup pre-cooked vegetables, like mushrooms and onions, after adding the cheese. 

If you want to add pepperoni, they suggest reducing the cubed fresh mozzarella to two ounces and swapping it out for two ounces of pre-sliced pepperoni. Their biggest piece of advice for topping this pizza is, "Less is more," so save the crazy toppings for your next deep dish, and keep this one light, crispy, and perfectly flaky with just a small smattering of toppings.

And remember, you can add tons of flavor with post-bake additions like chili crisp, ranch dressing, and hot honey without compromising the integrity of your gloriously flaky puff crust pizza.