The Great Bake 
The debate of whether pizza dough vs biscuit dough is interchangeable can become tricky if you don’t have experience with baking. So, what’s the difference, and which one is the best?
Pizza dough is a type of bread dough used to make pizza. Its ingredients include flour, yeast, salt, water, and oil. The dough is kneaded and then allowed to rise before being shaped into a pizza crust.
Biscuit dough is a type of dough that is used to make biscuits. It is a simple dough that consists of flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and shortening or butter. The dough is mixed together and then rolled out to about 1/2 inch. It can be cut into any shape and then baked in the oven.
Here we will discuss the differences in full detail to enable you to decide which dough is the best for the occasion.
Key Differences Between Pizza Dough and Biscuit Dough
There are a few key distinctions between pizza dough and biscuit dough. The two doughs have different purposes, so they use deciphering preparation methods and other ingredients.
There are major differences in the ingredients in pizza dough and biscuit dough. While the basic ingredients of flour, sugar, salt, and liquid (water or milk) are similar, they differ.
Cooking Time and Temperature
Pizza dough and biscuit dough have different ideal cooking times and temperatures. Pizza dough should be cooked at a high temperature for a shorter time, while biscuit dough should be cooked at a lower temperature for a longer time.
Different recipes have different recommendations, but pizza dough should generally be cooked at around 425-450 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-18 minutes. On the other hand, Biscuit dough should be cooked at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
The main difference between these two types of dough is the amount of fat in each recipe. Pizza dough has less fat than biscuit dough, so it needs to be cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter time. The higher temperature will help the pizza dough cook without burning the outside.
Biscuit dough has more fat, making it more forgiving as far as cooking time and temperature are considered. The lower temperature will help prevent the biscuit dough from spreading too much and becoming tough.
Pizza dough is a great option if you’re looking for a quick and easy meal. Biscuit dough is a better option if you’re looking for something more hearty and filling. Whichever dough you choose, make sure to cook it at the correct temperature for the perfect result. Try out both types of dough on your next homemade pizzas and see which one you prefer!
Flour
Flour is the main ingredient in both pizza dough and biscuits. However, pizza dough is bread flour or all-purpose flour.
All-purpose flour is a blend of hard and soft wheat flour in a ratio of 80:20. It can be used for everything from bread to cakes to cookies to pastries. All-purpose flour contains neither too much gluten (the protein found in wheat) to make it tough nor too little gluten to make it tender. Due to its lower gluten content than biscuit flour, all-purpose flour in pizza dough won’t rise as high as dough with more gluten.
In contrast, biscuit dough uses self-rising flour. Like all-purpose flour, self-rising flour is a blend of hard and soft wheat flour. However, self-rising flour is made by adding baking powder and salt to all-purpose flour.
Baking powder helps baked components rise by creating tiny gas bubbles inside them during baking. This makes them light and fluffy. Salt also plays a role in the rising process; it adds flavor to the biscuit and helps control the rate at which the baking powder breaks down and creates bubbles.
Pizza dough uses yeast, while biscuit dough calls use baking powder or baking soda. Yeast works as a leavening agent in pizza dough and results in a puffier crust after baking. Biscuit dough uses baking powder or baking soda as a leavening agent resulting in fluffy biscuits after baking.
The fat content in pizza dough and biscuit dough can also vary. Pizza dough usually contains olive oil, which gives it a richer flavor. Biscuit dough often contains butter, shortening, or buttermilk, giving biscuits a more subtle flavor.
Preparation
Let’s talk about how pizza dough and biscuit dough are prepared.
The main difference is the amount of time spent kneading the dough. Pizza dough needs to be kneaded for about 15 minutes to develop the gluten, which gives it a chewy texture. On the other hand, Biscuit dough is only kneaded for about 30 seconds to one minute. This is because too much gluten development will make the biscuits tough.
Pizza dough is typically kneaded by hand or with a mixer and then left to rise for 30 minutes to an hour. Biscuit dough is also usually kneaded by hand or a mixer, but it does not need to rise. Pizza dough is then rolled out into a thin crust and placed on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Biscuit dough is typically cut into biscuits and placed on a baking sheet with a biscuit cutter.
Another difference is the amount of fat used. Pizza dough uses less fat than biscuit dough because you don’t want the dough to be too greasy. However, too much fat in biscuit dough gives them a light and flaky texture.
Taste and Texture
Pizza dough and biscuit dough have different tastes and textures. Pizza dough is chewy because of the gluten that is developed during kneading.
The crust of a pizza is the foundation of what makes it delicious. It perfectly complements whatever toppings you choose and gives the whole dish stability. But there are different types of pizza crusts:
- Thin Crust Pizza: Thin crust is the most popular when it comes to the preparation of pizza. It can be made crispy or soft, depending on how it’s prepared.
- Pan Crust: Pan crust is very similar to the thin crust but thicker and with a little more crunch. The edges are usually thick enough to hold more cheese and toppings.
- Stuffed Crust: This crust has cheese or another filling along the edge of the dough before it’s baked in a pan, creating a pocket with melted cheese inside.
- Deep Dish Pizza: Deep dish pizza, also known as Chicago-style pizza, is a thick pizza baked in a pan and layered with cheese, toppings, and sauce.
Biscuit dough is light and fluffy because of the fat content and the shorter kneading time. Biscuit dough has a more subtle flavor because of the butter, shortening, or buttermilk.
The texture of your biscuits is really up to you. You decide to go for thin and crisp, light and crunchy, or soft and chewy. A wetter dough will produce a higher, fluffier biscuit. Dryer dough will yield a flatter, denser biscuit. You can make the dough as dry or wet as you like.
Usage
On most occasions, pizza dough is mainly used for, you guessed it, pizza! It can also be used for calzones, breadsticks, and garlic knots. The chewy texture makes pizza dough the right choice for these dishes.
We know that biscuit flour can be leveraged in other ways like casseroles, muffins, monkey bread, or bombs. However, biscuit dough is mainly used for biscuits! You can use biscuit dough to make pizza, but you cannot use pizza dough to make biscuits.
Biscuit pizza is like a hybrid between pizza and calzone. Try biscuit dough instead of traditional pizza dough for a flaky texture and a different flavor.
Any biscuit dough can be used, but the preferred one is the kind that comes in the tube. It’s already divided into perfect portions, so you don’t have to worry about rolling it out evenly. You simply cut off the top of the tube, unroll the dough and cut it into quarters. Then just add your favorite toppings and bake for about 20 minutes at 375ºF.
Biscuit dough can also be used for scones, shortcakes, and dumplings. Biscuit dough’s light and fluffy texture make it the perfect choice for these sweet and savory dishes.
Takeaway
There are plenty of insights differentiating pizza and biscuit dough on the internet. Picking the right dough for your recipe depends on the meal you want to make. The dough you choose will affect everything from taste to texture and time spent in the kitchen.
Biscuit dough is often preferred for a quick, easy meal, while pizza dough is ideal for a sit-down meal with family and friends. Whether you wish to use pizza or biscuit dough, you can go wrong with any of them.
To decide which type of dough is right for you and your family, consider what kind of meal you’re having. If it’s a fast, easy meal during the week, biscuit dough may be best for you. However, if it’s a gathering with loved ones to celebrate a special occasion, pizza dough is more likely to fit the bill.
