Peel-Free: 6 Ways to Shift Pizza Dough on Pizza Stone

I’m not here to tell you what a pizza peel is for a pizza stone but to help you know how to use a pizza stone without a pizza peel. And what ultimately? 

It’s to help you make the perfect pizza with an equally tasty, crispy, and soft pizza base. The thing is, though, that there are ways to get around using a pizza peel if you don’t have one. There are also ways to make one yourself if you want to.

What? Most people tell you that you can’t use a pizza stone without a pizza peel ( a shovel-like tool to allows you to shift your pizza in the oven. 

The truth is, you need very little to know what is a pizza peel and how to use it. But what do you need instead of a pizza peel?

You can use almost anything as a replacement for a pizza peel, but I’ll focus on the most effective alternatives for this article. Moreover, I’ll help you to create one homemade peel. 

I’ve already said you’ve several options as pizza peel alternatives. The good news is that you’ll probably find most of these objects are already in your possession.

Now, here is a list of the 6 most workable alternatives of pizza peel for your homemade pizza. 

1. Rimless Cookie Sheet as Pizza Peel Substitute

The rimless cookie sheet is a handy thing to have around the kitchen. You can use it for everything, from baking pizzas to roasting vegetables and baking cookies. 

It’s also great for making pizza at home. It works like a charm, and you’ll love using this one all the time.

The rimless cookie sheet is like any other cookie sheet out there but with the added benefit of having no rim, making it easier to slide off your pizzas and other baked goods from the surface of the pan easily.

These pans are available in many sizes and styles for your convenience. They’re suitable for all kinds of baking needs you have.

What makes these pans so popular?

• The price
• You can pick the size options even though they’re just standard-sized pans.
• The ease of use:  no need to exert extra effort when using these pans as they’re easy to handle, handle hot items very well, and can be cleaned easily as well.

2. Cutting Board or Serving Platter to Transfer Pizza on Pizza Stone

Yes, this one appears to be a little far-fetched, but listen to me. Cutting boards don’t have to be big and bulky; in fact, thinner versions are becoming increasingly popular.

So, if you’ve one, you can easily substitute it for a pizza peel. If your cutting board has handles, it’ll become even more effective. 

In that scenario, it’ll not only operate like a pizza peel, but it’ll also appear like one! Hacks are the best.

Remember that most cutting boards are rectangular, so your pizza shape will most likely need to be adjusted to fit. It shouldn’t be an issue; all you’ve to do is stretch the pizza dough slightly lengthwise to make it suit the cutting board’s shape better.

Another thing to keep in mind regarding cutting boards is that they generally come in two types:

• Wooden 
• Plastic 

But it’ll be better if you don’t use the plastic-type. The board may melt if it comes into contact with your heated pizza stone. 

What an embarrassment! So, keep an eye on this one!

Alternatively, a wooden serving board can be used. It’s similar to the concept underlying the cutting board. Make sure it’s made of wood and has handles.

3. Upside Down Rimmed Baking Sheet

The best way to use a baking sheet as a pizza peel is to flip it upside down so that the rimless edge is facing up. It’ll allow you to slide the pizza onto the baking stone.

As you’re probably already aware, it’s not recommended that you simply slide the pizza directly onto an inverted baking sheet. The cheese and toppings definitely won’t stick, and they’ll likely end up all over your oven floor.

But if you’re using a rimmed baking sheet, this technique works perfectly. Just place the pizza on the inverted baking sheet. Then open the oven door, grab your pizza with one hand, and place the baking sheet end by the hot pizza stone. 

Now, slowly pull it toward you to help it land on the pizza stone with the other hand. As long as you control the motion slowly enough, there’s no way that any of your ingredients will fall off of your pizza as you move it onto the stone. The method is no different than using a rimless cooking sheet. The only difference is that if you don’t have a rimless, you can use a rimmed baking sheet or vice versa.

There is a drawback, too!

As the flipped rimmed cookie sheet will be a little higher than the stone, despite the effort, the pizza can be at risk of losing its crust thickness or breaking. So, be careful.

4. Using Parchment Paper can be a Cheap Option

Parchment paper is a great alternative to a pizza peel. It’s easier to use, disposable, and works just as well. How can you forget that it’s cheap too?

Once you’ve your dough ball, you can start stretching it into shape. Place the parchment on your work surface and sprinkle some floor so that your pizza dough doesn’t stick. Then, put the stretched dough ball in the center of the parchment. 

Now grab your rolling pin and start rolling out that pizza dough! 

Once you roll out the pizza dough into a perfect circle, you’ll be all set to add some sauce and cheese before sliding it onto your pizza stone. 

The high temperatures will not affect the parchment paper because it is made for baking. Be aware that when the oven heats up, the parchment paper may become brittle and fall apart when handled. 

To avoid this, retrieve your pizza with something like a pair of tongs. If you don’t do this, the paper will rip off. 

Remember: Never wax paper for baking. It’ll melt once it is placed inside your oven. 

5. A Stiff  Piece of Cardboard or Wood

If you’re set on using cardboard, try using the back of a cereal box for maximum stiffness. If it’s at all possible, fold the cardboard in half before you put pizza on it. It’ll help to keep it stiff while you slide your pizza off.

If you’re looking for something more reliable, then wood would be your best bet. Not only will it support the weight of your pizza better, but it’s also easier to use. 

When using wood, make sure you have a perfectly smooth surface. It’ll make it far more likely that your pizza will slide off the peel intact.

Some types of wood may not be safe for use in the kitchen. You don’t want to risk damaging your oven or potentially exposing yourself to harmful chemicals or allergens. Your best bet here is either cedar or maple wood. Both of these are extremely durable and safe for cooking with, so they’re great options if you’re looking for a pizza peel that won’t splinter if you drop your pizza on it. 

6. Simply Ignore Pizza Stone and Fry your Pizza on Stove Top

If you’re not interested in either of the above options you can also fry your pizza. 

If you’re like me, and you’ve spent your entire life ordering pizza from a restaurant, this is probably going to sound like an absurd idea. But I promise it works. It also offers a lot of advantages over the traditional baking method:

It’s (relatively) fast!

No need to wait for the pizza dough to rise. No need for yeast or kneading because you’re making a small pizza, you can make it in less time than it’d take to preheat your oven.

The stove-top method is also much quicker than the oven method when it comes to cooking time: you can cook a 10-inch pizza in just 5 minutes on a gas stove! That’s almost as fast as delivery!

You can customize your toppings while the crust cooks

By frying your crust first, you can add all your toppings while the crust is cooking so that they all come out hot and melty at the same time. If you use frozen pizza dough, this is an especially great option because the frozen dough needs more time on the stovetop than fresh pizza dough does.

How can you create your own DIY Pizza Peel?

Having learned how to use a pizza stone without a pizza peel might not feel that you have got a permanent solution. Resultantly, the continuous thoughts of having under budget pizza peel might knock at the windows of your mind. 

Then, what to do? Why not construct your own? 

Constructing your peel can be an enjoyable weekend project. The finished pizza peel will be a work of art and a practical tool in your kitchen. You can follow this simple tutorial to have a pizza peel that will last longer.

What can be the ideal material for DIY pizza peel?

The ideal material for your pizza peel can be plywood. You can find a piece of it in scrap. Once you’ve found the wood, remember the following things while constructing your pizza peel. 

What can be a suitable shape for your DIY pizza Peel?

The ideal shape for a peel is a long, narrow rectangle, like a very large spatula. This shape will allow you to transfer the pizza from your work surface (or the countertop) to the pizza stone with as little disturbance as possible.

How about  DIY pizza peel’s design?

The peel’s blade should be long and thin and slightly curved. It’ll allow you to slide under the crust of a pie and catch it on the end of the peel without deforming (and therefore ruining) the crust.

It’s also important that you make sure that your peel is smooth and has no rough surfaces that might scratch your pizza stone or damage your pizza. Smooth it down with sandpaper if necessary.

How can you Prevent Pizza Crust from Sticking to the Surface?

If you’re ordering a pizza from a local pizza hut, then there is nothing to worry about. But if you’re cooking a homemade pizza, it’s always better to know how to prevent your pizza crust from sticking to the pizza stone or peel. You can use the following steps to avoid such a situation: 

Step 1

Prepare your baking surface. Some people like to use a pizza stone, which does work, but I find that if I have a pizza peel, I always need it. 

The peel is essential when transferring the raw pizza dough to the pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can use a large baking sheet instead. You can also use a cast-iron skillet or griddle.

Step 2

Dust the surface with flour. Some people pre-bake their crusts on a lightly floured surface—this helps give them an extra crunchy texture. If you want to try this method, remember to dust your peel with flour before laying your crust on top.

Step 3

Sprinkle with semolina flour. Sprinkle the entire surface with flour and then dust liberally with semolina flour. It’ll keep your pizza from sticking. Just make sure not to put so much semolina flour that it gets all over your pizza!

Step 4

Use a rolling pin if necessary. If your crust still sticks after trying all of these tricks, try using a rolling pin after applying flour and semolina.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do you cook a pizza on a stone without a peel? 

The purpose of pizza peel is to only place the pizza inside the oven. It does not have any important role in cooking a pizza because you can find a replacement for it. And the replacement will be cheaper as you can use different pizza peel alternatives around you. 

The most common pizza peel alternatives are:

• Rimless cookie sheet 
• Cutting board 
• Upside down rimmed baking sheet 
• Parchment paper 
• A stiff piece of cardboard 

• How do you transfer a pizza to a pizza stone?

The best way to transfer a pizza to a pizza stone is to use a pizza peel. It’s a tool designed for placing the pizza in ovens without ruining it. But if you don’t have a pizza peel, you can go for its alternatives. 

Just remember the following points before choosing a pizza peel alternative. 

• Look for something flat 
• It should have a long handle. 
• The alternative should contain material like wood or limestone because they can be easily heated up. 

• How do you keep pizza from sticking to the pizza stone?

When the pizza stone is heated, avoid lifting or touching it. It’ll be preferable to use fine polenta, cornmeal, or semolina instead of flour to keep the pizza dough from sticking. These are somewhat coarser than flour, so when they come into touch with water, they won’t develop into a sticky paste as rapidly.

• Do pizza peel alternatives work?

Yes, any pizza peel alternative will work to some degree. Yet, as a permanent solution, a pizza peel is the best option, especially when you love to bake pizza at home frequently. So, why not get a $$ best pizza peel that will last for a decade?

• Do You really need pizza peel?

Yes,  you need a pizza peel to safely transfer your pizza on the pizza stone a few times, or in hasty situations, the alternatives can be helpful. Yet, remember, you’ve also spent $$ on the pizza ingredients, which you never want to GO WRONG! Would you?

In such a case, ask yourself, and you’ll get an answer, “yes, I need a pizza peel, ultimately.”

• What are the best pizza peels?

Pizza peels are available in many options like, with holes or no holes, steel or wooden. Yet, having some of the best wooden pizza peel can be ideal for utility and home usage.

• What type of pizza peel should I choose?

You’ve known about the pizza peel types, but the wooden can be better when it comes to wood vs. metal pizza peel.

Final Thoughts on Using Pizza Peel Replacement

In the end, you don’t need a pizza peel to make pizzas at home, occasionally. If you do end up using one, it’ll come in especially useful when your pizzas are big and you’re dealing with a lot of toppings. But if you find yourself without one, don’t feel like you can’t make pizza—there are other ways to get the job done.

The most important thing is to find something flat, with a handle to grab it. Also, you’ve to remember that wood, limestone, and any material heated up will be good for pizza peels.  

Moreover, you should remember that the goal is to get the pizza off the pizza stone. Don’t damage the pizza stone, don’t use metal spikes or metal-tipped/tipped tools, and try not to use too much pepper if you want to avoid sneezes. The important thing is to have fun with it!