A pizza stone is a flat, thick slab (usually ceramic, stone, or cordierite) used in an oven to bake pizza and other breads.

Basic idea

A pizza stone sits on an oven rack, heats up, and then transfers that stored heat quickly into the dough, similar to the floor of a brick or masonry pizza oven. Because it gets very hot and holds that heat, it helps produce a crisp, well-browned crust instead of a pale or soggy bottom.

How it works

The stone absorbs and distributes heat evenly across its surface, so the pizza bakes more uniformly than on a thin metal pan. Its porous material also allows moisture from the dough to escape faster, which further improves crispness.

Other uses

Although called a “pizza” stone, it is really just a type of baking stone and can be used for flatbreads, loaves of bread, crackers, and similar baked goods. Many home ovens and even grills can use a pizza stone to mimic some of the results of professional deck or brick ovens.