5 Reasons You Need a Pizza Baking Stone in the Oven

Have you ever used a baking stone? It’s one of my favorite pans to cook with. Learn about the advantages and do’s/don’ts of a baking stone.

I didn’t know anything about a baking stone until after I met my husband and his mom suggested we get one since we were trying to cook more for ourselves.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first. After all, I had only ever used a cookie sheet in the oven before. Those stones were meant for fresh pizza at fancy pizza places, right? Wrong. So wrong. So very wrong. Once I started using my baking stone I never went back! Seriously, unless I need a pan with sides on it, everything is cooked on the baking stone.

So what is a baking stone? 

A baking stone is often called a pizza stone as well. It’s a piece of either stone or ceramic that is used to mimic a stone oven by heating through to cook the bottom of your foods as well as the top.

What is the Best Pizza Stone?

Honestly, the best baking stone or pizza stone is the one that you will use. 

Shape and Size

There are all types of baking stones available in a variety of shapes including round, square, and rectangular stones. 

You can get a stone in a variety of sizes as well. Just make sure you pick the proper size stone for your cooking needs. I find a rectangular pizza stone to be the most versatile and can cook a wide variety of food with enough room for even large pizzas to fit. 

Accessories

Look for one that comes with a steel handle on the side of the stone as that makes it much easier to get it in and out of the hot oven. You can oftentimes get one that comes with a plastic scraper that’s used for cleaning the stone. 

Material

Cordierite stones and ceramic stones are the typical stones you’ll see. We have had a ceramic stone for over a decade now with no issues. 

Another option is a pizza steel. This is made of steel instead of stone but works the same way. The original baking steel can be purchased online with free shipping to the contiguous United States. 

5 Reasons You Need a Baking Stone In Your Home Oven

1. Perfect Crispy Crusts

A baking stone is made so that it heats evenly, meaning the entire surface is warmed to cook your food. Since they are also porous, a baking stone will absorb some of the moisture in your homemade bread or homemade pizza dough meaning you will have a slightly crispier crust. And, due to the thermal mass of the stone, it keeps the heat for a long time even if you have to open the oven door or grill to check on the food. The stone will transfer heat to the food. 

2. Easy to Use and Clean

If you have been using a regular cookie sheet, then a baking stone is not much different. Place your food directly on the stone, put that in the oven, and bake for the same amount of time. It often helps to heat the stone with the oven, then remove it to add your food and place it back in. Cleanup couldn’t be easier either as you don’t want to use soaps or detergents because, as a porous material, it will soak up the flavors of the soap. Designate a brush or scraper that is only for the stone, and use that with hot water to wipe it down, then let it air dry.

3. Lives in the Oven Full-Time

Adding a baking stone to your kitchen does not mean you have to find space for something else. A baking stone can and should live on the bottom oven rack. Because of the way it holds and transfers heat, it can be on the bottom rack while you cook other foods and won’t mess up the baking process.

4. Withstand High Temperatures

Unlike some other pans, a baking stone is designed to withstand extremely high temperatures and intense heat, some up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. A lot of bread recipes require an oven temperature of about 450 to 500 degrees which can be hard on other pans. I’ve also heard of a stone being used on a regular grill and in outdoor ovens, but we haven’t tried that yet.

5. Decent Prices

As with almost any product, you get what you pay for. But there are some great options for baking stones under $30 that can be purchased on Amazon or other stores. Here are a few to get you started:

Do’s and Don’t’s of a Baking Stone

DO:

• Preheat the stone (unless you need to roll your dough out on it)
• Prevent thermal shock by heating or cooling the stone too quickly otherwise, it can crack
• Use parchment paper to transfer the dough to a warm stone and for easy cleanup
• Consider a stone with a wire rack to make it easier to get in and out of the oven

DON’T:

• Clean with any soaps or detergents (unless you want to taste it in your food!)
• Worry about discoloration, it happens over time as the stone gets “seasoned” similar to a cast iron pan
• Leave the stone in the oven if you are running a self-cleaning cycle
• Let the stone hit your counters too hard or it could crack the stone or the countertops

Food Allergy Note

Keep food allergies in mind as you cook with the stone. Because of the way it absorbs flavors into the stone, and it isn’t cleaned with soap, you need to be cautious of what is prepared on the stone if there are allergies in the home. For example, if you make buttermilk biscuits, and the next time you use it you are cooking for someone with a dairy allergy, the stone is not a good option as some of that dairy could get into the next food. 

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