Can You Bake Pizza at 170°F or 170°C?

On this page (9 sections)

1. Is 170°F hot enough to bake pizza?
2. Can you bake pizza at 170°C?
3. Is 170°F useful for keeping cooked pizza warm?
4. How do you check whether an oven uses Fahrenheit or Celsius?
5. What temperature should you use instead?
6. Which cookbook fits your outdoor pizza oven?
7. How can you tell when pizza is done?
8. Common mistakes when setting the oven to 170 degrees
9. Should you preheat to 170 degrees for pizza?

For preheating an oven to 170 degrees for pizza, check the unit first: 170°F is too low to bake raw dough, while 170°C can bake pizza slowly. At 170°F, the oven is about 77°C and is better for warming cooked slices.

At 170°C, about 338°F, pizza can bake, but the crust may brown more slowly than a recipe written for higher heat.

The right temperature depends on your oven, dough, pan, and recipe. Flour also affects the dough; see the best flour for pizza dough for options.

Don't choose 170 simply because it appears on the dial; match the unit and setting to the method you plan to use.

Is 170°F hot enough to bake pizza?

No, 170°F is too low for baking a typical pizza from raw dough. It may warm the toppings, but it won't provide enough heat to cook and brown the crust properly.

Use the temperature and timing in a recipe designed for your oven. A home oven, grill-top attachment, and countertop pizza oven can require different methods, so check the appliance instructions too.

If your oven displays Fahrenheit, don't mistake 170°F for 170°C. The difference changes the setting from gentle warming to low-temperature baking.

Can you bake pizza at 170°C?

Yes, pizza can bake at 170°C, but it will cook slowly compared with recipes written for hotter ovens. At about 338°F, the crust may take longer to brown and crisp.

Choose this setting when your recipe calls for it, such as for a particular dough or pan method. Keep an eye on the pizza as it cooks because timing from a hotter recipe won't apply.

For a standard home-oven method, see how to bake homemade pizza in an oven. A recipe with a specific temperature and timing gives you a better starting point than choosing 170°C by default.

Should you preheat the oven to 170 degrees for pizza?

Preheat to 170°C only when your recipe calls for it; don't use 170°F to bake raw pizza. Check the unit, then follow the preheat time recommended by the recipe or oven maker.

A pan pizza or a particular dough may use a different setting from a thin crust. Changing the heat can affect both cooking time and browning, so don't adjust it without a reason.

For outdoor recipes and ideas, the best outdoor pizza oven cookbook can help you find a method suited to that equipment.

Is 170°F useful for keeping cooked pizza warm?

Yes, 170°F can gently warm cooked pizza for a short time. It isn't a baking temperature for raw dough, and leaving slices in too long can dry the crust.

Place slices on an oven-safe pan and check them often. Remove them once they are warm enough, rather than holding them in the oven throughout a long meal.

Don't use 170°C for the same purpose. At that temperature, the oven will continue cooking the pizza.

How do you check whether an oven uses Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Look for °F or °C on the display, control panel, or temperature selector. If there is no unit label, consult the manual or settings menu before entering a temperature.

Some ovens let you change the display unit in their settings. Confirm which unit is active before you preheat.

Check the recipe's unit as well. If it calls for 170°C and the oven is set to Fahrenheit, convert the temperature before choosing a setting.

What temperature should you use instead?

Use the temperature and timing written for your recipe and oven type. Oven designs vary, so a household oven, grill-top attachment, and electric pizza oven may not heat or cook in the same way.

For its steel surface, check the recommended BOACHEE pizza steel temperature before baking.

If you use an outdoor grill-top oven, follow its setup and cooking instructions. Our guide explains how to use a grill top pizza oven.

For a countertop electric model, see how to use an electric pizza oven. Match the recipe's temperature unit and preheat method to that appliance.

What should you do before putting pizza in the oven?

Preheat the oven and prepare the cooking surface according to the recipe and appliance instructions. Starting with a cold oven or an unsuitable pan can change cooking time and crust texture.

If you're unsure how to prepare the oven, read how to preheat a pizza oven and what you need to preheat a pizza oven. Those guides cover the setup steps before baking.

Keep toppings in proportion to the crust and cooking method. If sauce is part of your plan, the guide to the best pizza marinara sauce can help you compare options.

For prepared options, compare store bought pizza sauces.

Which cookbook fits your outdoor pizza oven?

Choose a cookbook based on your oven and the styles you want to make. A book focused on wood-fired cooking is a better fit for that method, while an oven-specific guide can help beginners follow recipes for their appliance.

The Anneliese Woodrow cookbook is a focused choice if you own or plan to use the Ninja Artisan Outdoor Pizza Oven and want recipes for styles such as Neapolitan, New York, thin crust, and pan pizza. For a comparison of two popular styles, see Neapolitan vs New York pizza.

It also includes dough ideas, calzones, breads, rolls, savory bakes, and sweet treats.

Skip it if you need a general guide for a different oven, since its recipes are adapted for the Ninja Artisan.

The other two options suit readers looking for wood-fired oven guidance or backyard oven and grill recipes. If you are comparing crust styles, see Neapolitan vs Roman pizza.

Check that the cooking method and temperature unit match your equipment before following any recipe.

How can you tell when pizza is done?

Check the crust and center instead of relying on the number 170 alone. Look for a crust cooked to the finish your recipe describes and a center that is done.

At 170°C, allow more time than a recipe written for higher heat and check the pizza as it cooks. If the crust browns slowly or the center remains undercooked, return to the recipe's guidance instead of guessing at a new setting.

At 170°F, don't expect raw pizza to bake properly. Set the oven to a suitable baking temperature before putting the pizza in.

Common mistakes when setting the oven to 170 degrees

The most common mistake is confusing Fahrenheit with Celsius. Confirm the unit on the oven and in the recipe before preheating, especially when the same number appears in both.

Another mistake is using a baking temperature as a warming setting. At 170°C, cooked slices will continue cooking, while 170°F is too low for baking raw pizza.

Don't assume all ovens use the same preheat routine or cooking time. Follow the instructions for your appliance, use an oven-safe pan when needed, and check the pizza during cooking.

Should you preheat to 170 degrees for pizza?

Choose 170°F to warm cooked slices briefly, and choose 170°C for slow baking only if your recipe calls for it. For raw pizza, follow a recipe matched to your oven and confirm the unit before you preheat.

If you're using an outdoor appliance, choose a recipe designed for that style of cooking and follow its setup instructions. For another look at preheating, read how to preheat a pizza oven.

Frequently asked questions

Can you bake pizza at 170°F?

No. 170°F is too low to bake a typical pizza from raw dough.

It may warm the toppings without cooking the crust properly.

Use a recipe temperature matched to your oven, and follow the appliance manual.

If you meant 170°C, that is a different setting and can bake pizza slowly.

Is 170°C hot enough for pizza?

Yes, 170°C can cook pizza, but it is lower than many recipes call for and may take longer to brown the crust. The result depends on the dough, toppings, pan, and oven.

Follow a recipe that uses this temperature and check that the center and crust are cooked through.

Can 170 degrees be used to keep pizza warm?

A 170°F oven can keep cooked pizza warm for a short time, but prolonged warming may dry the crust. Put slices on an oven-safe pan and check them often.

Don't treat 170°C as a warming setting.

That is much hotter and will continue cooking the pizza.

How do I know if my oven uses Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Check the display, control labels, and manual. A setting marked °F is Fahrenheit, while °C is Celsius; the numbers are not interchangeable.

If the oven only shows a number, consult the manual or settings menu before preheating.