caramelized apple, bacon + blue cheese pan pizza
True story: This pizza was gone in less than 12 hours. That either means a) we are not eating enough pizza in this household so when we do, it’s a free-for-all or b) this pizza was just that good.
Considering I ate my weight in delicious pizza last weekend (and my husband has been known to down an entire frozen pizza on his own without blinking), I’d say it’s the latter.
But really, when you’ve got crispy bacon, caramelized apples and onions and loads of melty mozzarella and blue cheese for toppings, are you surprised? I know I sure wasn’t.
Plans for this pizza went a bit awry when I went to make it last week. Originally it was destined for the grill (as a grilled pizza, by the way. I feel like that needed clarification), but not-so-ideal weather and, more likely, my laziness got in the way and so a pan pizza it became. But honestly, it turned out so much better that way. The crust was crispy on the bottom, soft on the top, and the perfect thickness with which to hold up all the ridiculously yummy toppings. So thanks, Gross Weather and Laziness, for being on my side for once. Apparently they, too, understood the importance of making the best pizza possible.
What do I love most about this pizza? Oof, why do you always ask the tough questions? OK OK, I’ll tell you. I love the crust, obvi. But I really also love the pairing of the sweet-tart apples (that caramelize when baked in the oven atop the pizza, yasssss) paired with the sharp-salty flavor of the blue cheese. Oh but I also love the buttery caramelized onions scattered across the top of the pizza. Ooooh, but that melty mozzarella cheese, though. And bacon = love, always.
So basically I love all the things about this pizza. And so will you, when you make it for your next pizza night (I’m pushy, I know. But you really should).
I used my recipe for 100% whole wheat pizza dough this time around and it was dee to the licious, but you can use whatever pizza dough you fancy — yes, even storebought. But if you’ve got a little extra time, I highly suggest going the homemade route. See the recipe below for other pizza dough recipe options for ya! One of them involves beer and the other wine, so there’s some good stuff going on.
Of course, if it’s been a while since you’ve had a pizza night in your house, I also highly suggest making two of these pizzas, lest you want to be pizza-less within 12 hours. And I don’t think anyone wants that.
Caramelized Apple, Bacon and Blue Cheese Pan Pizza
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 1 12-inch pizza 1x
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 prepared homemade pizza dough (I used my recipe for 100% whole wheat pizza dough on Tablespoon, but this, this and this recipe also will work well) or storebought pizza dough
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces crumbled blue cheese
- 1 small sweet-tart apple (like Honeycrisp, Jazz or Pink Lady), cored and thinly sliced
- 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Heat oven to 475 degrees F.
- Coat the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with the olive oil. After the prepared pizza dough has finished its first rise*, gently press the dough into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the skillet. Cover skillet loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel; let dough sit 20 minutes until slightly puffy (alternatively, if using a storebought dough, you don’t need to let it sit until puffy; you can move right on to the toppings).
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and butter. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes until soft and caramelized.
- Sprinkle pizza dough with mozzarella cheese and blue cheese. Top with sliced apple, chopped bacon, caramelized onions and chopped rosemary.
- Bake pizza in skillet 15 minutes until crust is baked through and golden brown on the edges and the cheese is melted. Cool pizza 5 minutes before slicing.
- *To cut down on dishes/streamline the process, I let my pizza dough complete its first rise in the oiled skillet. I simply shaped it into a ball after kneading, turned it once to coat it in the olive oil, covered it with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled. Then I gently pressed the dough into the bottom and sides of the skillet and proceeded with the recipe.
I would be tempted to polish off the whole thing. This pizza has all my favorites!! So much flavor, Stephanie! No wonder it was a hit with your fam.
Oh my gosh. I’d be surprised if this pizza lasted that long around here! All of my favorites = inhaling it!
If you are cooking this on lazy and wet days; I want to be around to eat! I am longing for pizza now; I have to get myself some blue cheese
Oof is right! Blue cheese + bacon + caramelized onions = Julia’s in a pizza coma. So beautiful and full of all the flavas! I’ve been meaning to make a skillet pizza for a while now, and you’re definitely lighting a fire under me booty 🙂
Hope you had a great weekend!
Sally — Thank you so much for the inspiration! The recipe is a keeper in our house now, for sure. 🙂
This is all of my favorite flavors combined into one. The sweet and savory and all the blue cheese! YESS.
We’ve only recently started making homemade dough for the crust – no turning back!
I’m feeling these toppings big time; I love pairing fruit with cheese.
Nice one! 🙂
Hell yea to pizza Mondays! I love apples on pizza, so this is a winner in my book.
So good! I am loving the flavors on this pizza!
Erika — Apples on pizza is a new love of mine; SO good. Wish I could have you over for our next pizza night! 🙂
I’m obsessed with pizza…and pan pizza? Sounds genius!
Girl I can totally tell why you adore the crust on this pizza so much. It is fantastic!
I LOVE homemade pizza like life itself. These flavors are making me do a happy dance!
You hit the mark on this one! YUM!
I love everything on this pizza! I would definitely devour the entire thing in one sitting!
What a great combination of flavors for pizza! This looks so good!
Definitely not surprised. I could totally dig in right now! Gorgeous combo of flavors. Pinned!
Happy Monday!
This sounds fantastic Stephanie! I love the combination of sweet apple with sharp blue cheese!! Yum!
Yes, yes and yes! This so so gorgeous and all those flavors…swoon!
I honestly would have never thought to put apple on a savory pizza! Superb idea. And it’s obviously delicious since it disappeared so quickly. I’m looking forward to many more great recipes!
Everything I love all atop one pizza! I can see how this wouldn’t last long in your house. Can’t wait to try it!
What a stunning pizza, love the flavors!!
This is a perfect beginning of fall kinda recipe! I can totally see me and the hubs devouring this immediately!
true story: my husband and I can usually devour a pizza in one sitting..talk about terrible portion control!
Love all the flavors on here…fruit is so great on pizzas!
I love you so much for this.
Totally craveworthy + apples on pizza is the bomb. Actually, anything sweet on a pizza is probably the greatest thing ever.
I’ve never has a blue cheese pizza before, but I think that’s all going to change!
This looks so so good! Can’t wait to make some fall pizza.
Graham — And I, you, for joining me in the love for apples on pizza. 😉
Sooo…I’m mildly anti-blue cheese, but I’m TOTALLY pro this pizza and seriously considering replacing the blue cheese with some brie for my ultimate heaven pizza. I need it…because bacon, and caramelized onions, and it just looks soooo good. Pinned!
Crispy bacon, caramelized apples and onions and loads of melty mozzarella and blue cheese . . gah!!! I’m surprised this pizza wasn’t gone in 30 minutes! love and pinned the whole wheat pizza crust recipe. . can’t wait to try this!
Omg yyuummmmm! I’m more of a goat cheese gal myself but thats an easy switch here. Why do I never think to pair bacon and apples?!
Rachel — Um, DO THAT. Brie on this pizza would be oh so amazing. (Thanks for the pin!)
Annie — Yes yes, goat cheese would be an awesome alternative!
Can I just let you know that I’m a vegetarian but my mouth is watering looking at the pictures of your pizza! Sounds and looks so tasty! Might have to make this with mushrooms instead of the bacon one night!
Rosey Rebecca — Oh yes, do that! I am totally going the ‘shroom route next time to keep it meatless/extra delicious. 🙂
This looks a lot like a pizza I had at a restaurant recently…except BETTER! I love caramelized onions, so this is definitely my kind of pizza. I wouldn’t be surprised if it disappears from my kitchen in less than 3 hours!
DROOL FEST happening over there!! You absolutely cannot go wrong by putting those ingredients together — onapie.
I would eat my weight in this pizza too, love!
This is kind of an answer to a very bacony prayer. I went to a pizza farm in Wisconsin and had a pizza with mozzarella, goat cheese, cottage bacon, pears, red onions, & portabella mushrooms. My goal this Friday was to try to recreate it but I couldn’t quite figure out if there was any kind of “sauce” on the pizza we ate. I think I’m going to try a slight variation on this recipe to see if I can nail it. Hooray for fall pizzas. And, of course, bacon.
Liz — Pizza farm <--- Best. Idea. Ever.
Wow..this is just a flavor combo of greatness!
This pizza is so delicious! The combination of ingredients is fantastic!
I’m not surprised this pizza went so quickly – the flavours sound incredible!
This looks so delicious! I’m definitely not eating enough pizza 🙂
12 hrs? It would lat 12 minutes at my house. Beautiful. GREG
Oh my gosh!! This is just insane 🙂
Wowzers! Homemade pizza night is something that happens late night around here after andy is asleep. I love this flavor combo.
This pizza wouldn’t last ONE hour in my house. Omg. A must try this Fall.
Haha, I don’t even think this pizza would last 12 hours in my house! I would maybe give it an hour! My husband has also been known to eat an entire frozen pizza by himself and I know he would love this one. All the flavors sound amazing!
We tend to down our pizzas in less than 12 hours also! I thought it was because we were heathens, but maybe we’re just largely pizza deprived. Hmmmm…
Love this sweet savory apple funky cheese combo!
Oh man, this looks SO GOOD. I need it on my dinner plate asap. It’s like my dream pizza.
This pizza needs to get in my belly! I just might make it for my best friend’s bachelorette party at the end of the month. I mean, it’s FANCY pizza!
It never ceases to amaze me that many people eat the same ol same ol pizzas like pepperoni, when there are amazing things you can do with pizza like this perfect example. Now THIS is a pizza!
Ooooh, all that blue cheese!!! Swoon.
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Absolutely LOVE every freaking ingredient in this especially the blue cheese. Love that it’s in a pan, too! It makes it look so much more rustic!
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Made this tonight for dinner and it was OUTSTANDING. I have a food coma in the best possible way. Thanks for a great recipe Stephanie!
Erin — Ahh yes! SO glad you liked it! 🙂
I’m terrible when it comes to homemade pizza. I can easily polish off half of one on my own! This is gorgeously happy combo of flavours. I love blue cheese and I’m already imagining how delicious the finished product would be. Yum!
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I’m going to try this tonight. It sounds great, however, I must say, the title is very misleading. I thought the apples were caramelized from reading the title but they aren’t, at least according to the recipe. I will call this Blue Cheese, Bacon and Apple Pizza with Caramelized Onions. Thanks for the posting!
AuntLeesie — The apples actually caramelize a bit in the oven as they bake on top of the pizza. Didn’t mean to mislead! Hope you love the recipe!
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YUM. My fiance hates blue cheese but I am so making this next time he has to work late. Looks so delicious!!
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