Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Pizza (from Scratch!)
Bacon, mozzarella cheese, and eggs on pizza? This Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Pizza is a perfect weekend brunch option. It’s simple and entirely homemade, including the pizza dough. Feel free to get creative with the toppings! The egg yolk oozes out when you cut through the pizza, making it hard to resist.
What is Breakfast Pizza?
A breakfast pizza is a pizza tailored for morning meals, topped with breakfast staples like eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, and vegetables. The crust is usually brushed with olive oil or a light sauce, and the eggs can be scrambled or whole. It’s a savory and customizable dish perfect for brunch or a special breakfast.
Tips for Making Pizza Dough from Scratch
Prepare the Baking Sheet
Place your baking sheet (or pizza pan) in the oven on a rack positioned close to the bottom. This helps form a golden-brown crust and sets the egg without fully cooking the yolk.
Preheat the Oven Properly
Preheat the oven to 260°C (500°F) before starting on the dough. This high temperature allows the crust to become golden-brown without burning the pizza. Allow ample time for the oven to reach this temperature.
Activate the Yeast Correctly
Use warm water to activate the yeast. It should feel comfortably warm, not hot, to the touch. Cold water won’t activate the yeast, and hot water can kill it. The ideal temperature is between 100-110°F.
After mixing the yeast with warm water, cover the bowl and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. If it starts to foam and bubble, the yeast is active.
Deflate the Dough
Once the dough has risen, punch out the air to deflate it before rolling. Excess air makes the dough hard to shape and can cause it to rise too much in the oven, resulting in an overly thick crust.
Form the Crust
Create a crust by pinching or folding the edges. This helps contain the egg within the pizza, especially for smaller pizzas, preventing the egg whites from spilling over the baking sheet.
Brush with Olive Oil
Generously brush olive oil on the crust to achieve a beautiful golden-brown finish during baking.
Protect the Yolk
To avoid a layer of egg white forming over the yolk, bake the pizza on the lowest rack. This keeps the yolk from direct heat exposure, preventing it from cooking through while the egg white sets on the pizza. This tip ensures the yolk remains beautifully visible and appealing in the center of the pizza.
How to Knead Pizza Dough
Knead by Hand
- Kneading by hand is not difficult and takes only 10-15 minutes. Follow the recipe below for hand-kneading.
Use a Stand Mixer
- If you have a stand mixer, the process is straightforward.
- Activate the yeast in the mixing bowl, add olive oil, and slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the activated yeast.
- Beat on low speed for 2-3 minutes. Once the dough forms, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 more minutes.
Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Pizza (from Scratch!)
Equipment
- Oven
- Chopsticks or a fork
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 2 cup all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 1½ tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast or 1 pack (7g)
- ¾ cup warm water
Pizza Toppings
- Spinach
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Bacon chopped
- Cherry Tomatoes halved
- 4 Burnbrae Farms Nestlaid™ Eggs or any eggs
Instructions
- Place your baking sheet in the oven and position a rack in the second lowest slot. Preheat the oven to 260°C (500°F). It’s important to preheat the oven now, as it will take some time to reach the desired temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine warm water, ½ tsp sugar, and instant yeast. Stir until combined, then cover the bowl with a lid or towel. Set aside for 5 minutes. The yeast is ready when it starts to bubble.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp sugar, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with chopsticks or a fork until combined, forming a wet dough.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil and ½ cup of all-purpose flour to the wet dough. Mix until the dough fully incorporates the flour. The dough will still be sticky, so using chopsticks or a fork can help.
- Add the remaining ½ cup of all-purpose flour to the dough. Use your hands to knead the dough until it is smooth and slightly sticky but not sticking to your hands. If kneading in the bowl is difficult, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. The dough is ready when it springs back slightly when touched. Shape the dough into a round ball.
- Grease a separate bowl with olive oil. Roll the pizza dough inside the bowl until it is coated with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- The dough has finished rising when it doesn’t spring back after being poked. Punch out the air to deflate the dough, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times). Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, or keep it as one large (approximately 12″) pizza.
- Use your hands or a rolling pin to shape the dough into a round or oval (or any desired shape). Ensure to punch out the air before rolling the dough into a thin sheet.
- Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the dough to it. Pinch or fold the edges to form a crust.
- Drizzle additional olive oil over the pizza. Brush the entire surface, including the crust, with olive oil. Be generous on the crust to achieve a beautiful golden brown color during baking.
- Poke holes all over the center of the pizza with a fork to prevent the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
- Top with spinach, shredded mozzarella, bacon slices, and cherry tomatoes, leaving the center open for the egg. Gently break an egg into the center of each dough piece.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is golden and the egg is set. Season with salt and pepper. For a large pizza, bake for 10-12 minutes instead.
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