Finishing our summer reading called for a celebration, and pizza felt like the perfect reward! Instead of ordering pizza, we made our own mini cast iron skillet pizzas using TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix. We used 6-inch cast iron skillets so everyone could have their own personal pizza and choose their favorite toppings.
It turned dinner into a fun activity for the kids and was an easy way to make finishing our summer reading feel a little more special.
These personal pan pizzas would also be fun for a family movie night, sleepover, birthday party or an easy weekend dinner.
Why Make Pizza in a Mini Cast Iron Skillet?
There is something about getting your own little pizza that makes pizza night more fun, especially for kids.
I used 6-inch cast iron skillets, which were a great size for individual pizzas. Everyone could choose how much sauce and cheese they wanted and add their own toppings.
It also turns making dinner into something you can do together. For us, it was the perfect way to celebrate completing our summer reading goals.
If you want to make your own, you can find the 6-inch cast iron skillets I used here.
What You Need for Mini Cast Iron Skillet Pizzas
You don’t need much to create your own personal pizza night:
- 4 6-inch cast iron skillets
- 1 package TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup warm milk
- Small amount of oil for the skillets
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Your favorite pizza toppings
One package of TruEats Pizza Crust Mix made about four 6-inch personal pizzas for us.
The Pizza Crust We Used
We used TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix for our personal pan pizzas.
One thing that immediately stood out to me was the ingredient list. The dry mix has just five ingredients:
- Rice flour
- Whole grain oat flour
- Whole grain sorghum flour
- Xanthan gum
- Salt
The TruEats dry mix is gluten free, allergen friendly and made with nothing artificial. The mix itself is made without gluten, nuts, dairy, eggs or soy.
To prepare the pizza crust, the package calls for baking powder, sugar, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and warm milk. We also topped our pizzas with mozzarella cheese, so the finished pizzas shown here contain dairy.
TruEats products are produced in a facility that also handles peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, dairy, eggs and soy. If someone in your family manages a severe allergy, always read the package before baking.
And probably the most useful thing to know: TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix is available at Walmart.
How to Make Mini Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
Yield: About 4 personal pizzas
Skillet size: 6-inch cast iron skillets
Oven temperature: 450°F
Pre-bake time: 8 to 10 minutes
Final bake time: 8 to 10 minutes
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Prepare the Pizza Dough
Combine the TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix with 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 cup warm milk.
Mix the dough according to the directions on the package.
3. Lightly Oil the Cast Iron Skillets
Lightly coat the bottom and sides of four 6-inch cast iron skillets with a small amount of oil.
This helps prevent the pizza crust from sticking and gives the bottom a nice crisp texture.
4. Divide the Pizza Dough
Divide the prepared pizza dough evenly between the four skillets.
Press and shape the dough so it evenly covers the bottom of each skillet.
5. Pre-Bake the Pizza Crusts
Before adding any sauce or toppings, place the skillets in your preheated oven.
Bake the crusts at 450°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Pre-baking gives the crust a chance to cook before adding the toppings and helps keep the center from getting too soft.
6. Add Your Pizza Toppings
Carefully remove the skillets from the oven.
Divide approximately 1/2 cup pizza sauce and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese among the four pizzas.
Then comes the fun part! Let everyone customize their personal pizza with their favorite toppings.
If kids are helping, remember that the cast iron skillets will be extremely hot after pre-baking. An adult should handle the pans while the kids add their toppings.
7. Bake Again
Return the pizzas to the oven and bake at 450°F for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is cooked through.
8. Cool and Enjoy
Allow the pizzas to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Cast iron retains heat for a long time, so be especially careful when making these with kids. Carefully remove the pizzas from the skillets before serving.
Personal Pizza Topping Ideas
Part of the fun of making personal pan pizzas is letting everyone create something different.
Try setting out toppings like:
- Pepperoni
- Mushrooms
- Peppers
- Onions
- Olives
- Cooked sausage
- Extra cheese
- Fresh basil
You could even set everything out in small bowls and make your own personal pizza bar.
Make It a Family Pizza Night
What I loved most about this was that dinner became part of our summer reading celebration.
The kids had finished their reading, so making their own pizzas felt like a fun reward. Everyone got to build exactly what they wanted, and the mini cast iron skillets made the pizzas feel extra special.
You definitely don’t need to wait until the end of summer to do this either.
Personal pan pizza night would be fun for a sleepover, family movie night, birthday, playdate or just one of those nights when you want dinner to double as an activity.
Where Can You Buy TruEats Pizza Crust Mix?
You can find TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix at Walmart.
I especially like that the dry mix contains just five simple ingredients, and using a mix makes personal pizza night easier than starting pizza dough completely from scratch.
Pair it with a few 6-inch cast iron skillets and your favorite toppings and everyone can make their own pizza.
Mini Cast Iron Skillet Pizza FAQs
What size cast iron skillet is best for personal pizza?
I used 6-inch cast iron skillets for these personal pan pizzas. They were a great size for making individual pizzas that everyone could customize.
Can you make pizza in a 6-inch cast iron skillet?
Yes. A 6-inch cast iron skillet works well for an individual personal pan pizza. I lightly oiled each skillet, added the dough and pre-baked the crust before adding the sauce, cheese and toppings.
How many personal pizzas does one TruEats Pizza Crust Mix make?
One package made about four 6-inch personal pizzas for us. Your exact yield may vary slightly depending on how thick you make each crust.
Do you need to pre-bake cast iron pizza crust?
I pre-baked these mini pizza crusts at 450°F for 8 to 10 minutes before adding the sauce, cheese and toppings. I then returned the pizzas to the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes.
What can I put on a personal pan pizza?
Use any of your favorite pizza toppings. Pepperoni, cooked sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives and extra cheese are all easy options.
Where can I buy TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix?
TruEats Simply Delicious Pizza Crust Mix is available at Walmart.
More Easy Family Recipes
Looking for another easy recipe or something fun to make with the family? Check out some of my other favorites:
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