Pizza Hut Original Pan vs Hand Tossed: Which is Better?

Last Updated on July 16, 2024 by Shari Mason

Love **Pizza Hut**? Torn between the **Original Pan Pizza Crust** and the **Hand Tossed Pizza Crust**? Don’t sweat it, your dilemma is clear as day!

That’s why we’ve decided to settle the debate: Pizza Hut Original Pan vs Hand-Tossed Crust – which is the perfect pizza for you?

Get ready for a tasty showdown as we compare some critical aspects of both pizza crusts.

Pizza Hut Original Pan & Hand-Tossed Crust Compared

Pizza Hut Original Pan pizza, also known as deep dish pizza or Chicago-style pizza [1], is thick with a slightly crispy exterior, in contrast to Hand Tossed pizza which is thin and has a crispier crust yet soft on the inside.

The Original Pan crust’s dough contains oil, making it a firmer and chewier texture, while the Hand Tossed pizza dough is oil-free, has a lighter texture, and is a less doughy pizza.

Similar toppings are available on both crusts. However, the Original Pan pizza has a greater thickness, allowing for additional toppings. In addition, the Original Pan’s slices have more cheese and sauce than the Hand Tossed’s.

Overall, the Pan pizzas are a heartier and more indulgent choice than the Hand Tossed pizzas.

Read: Why Is My DiGiorno Pizza Soft In The Middle?

How Are They Different?

Crust Thickness

The first thing we noticed about Pizza Hut Pan pizza is its fluffy and thick crust, while the Hand Tossed pizza has a crispier and thinner crust.

Depending on personal preference, we love how the Hand-Tossed pizza gives a lighter and crisper bite because of its medium crust. But if you like a more substantial bite, you should go with Pan pizzas.

Dough

In terms of doughiness between Pizza Hut Hand-Tossed vs Pan pizza, the Hand Tossed dough is less doughy than the Pan pizza dough, given that the crust of baked Hand Tossed dough is thinner while the crust of baked Original Pan pizza dough is thicker, making it denser.

The choice ultimately comes down to personal preference; we suggest trying both pizza crusts to determine which one you prefer.

Baking Method

The Original Pan Crust is prepared by pressing the pizza dough into a deep-dish pan or cake pan and brushed with olive oil to create a crispy, thick crust with a golden-brown toast.

On the other hand, the Hand Tossed Crust is kneaded until it becomes delicately soft and hand-tossed in the air several times to release air bubbles and get the pizza dough into shape, creating a thin or medium crust.

Finally, since Original Pan pizza is denser, it requires a longer cooking time than Hand Tossed pizza.

Texture

Pizza Hut’s Hand-Tossed texture has a thinner and more uniform texture, with a chewy interior and crispy crust.

At the same time, we describe Original Pan’s as thick, soft, and airy, with a fluffy interior and a slight crunch on its chewy crust.

Toppings

Regarding Pizza Hut Hand-Tossed vs Pan pizza toppings, we tried the pepperoni from both crust options.

While both versions’ toppings are generally the same, the Pan Pizza Hut has a slightly heavier amount of pepperoni than the Hand-Tossed pizza, giving it a layered effect.

It is probably due to the Pan Crust’s thickness which can support more toppings than the Hand-Tossed thin crust.

“I had a meal in Pizza Hut, and the waitress told me I didn’t need to pay. So I decided to be a bit cheeky and ask for more pizza and garlic bread.”

— Gareth Gates, English Singer-Songwriter and Actor

Regardless of which crust option, our overall experience eating them was somewhat similar.

Cheese

Both Pan pizza and Hand Tossed pizza offer the stretching and pulling apart of melted cheese in every bite we take, providing a gooey and satisfying mouthfeel.

However, we noticed that the amount and distribution of cheese on the Pan Pizza is more significant than the Hand Tossed for the same reason – the crust’s thickness.

We believe that it’s due to the fact that the Pan pizza is thicker and has a higher edge, allowing more mozzarella cheese to be added on top.

In contrast, the cheese on the Hand-Tossed pizza can only be sparingly and evenly distributed throughout this thin-crust pizza.

Sauce

While both Pan pizza and Hand-Tossed pizza deliver a tangy and slightly sweet tomato sauce to our taste buds, the Pan pizza sauce is way more substantial than Hand-Tossed because of the crust.

Taste

Pan pizza has a buttery-like flavor that complements its rich and bold toppings. We enjoyed the chewiness along with its slight crispiness in our mouths like we were eating fried bread.

Hand Tossed pizza, on the other hand, boasts its thinness along its unmistakable crispy exterior. Having said that, as we started chewing on it, we were amazed by how its interior was soft and tender, making it a well-rounded crust.

Price

The price points for Hand Tossed and Pan pizzas are the same. We got the medium size for both for around $13.49 each. As for the large size, both Pan and Hand Tossed pizzas cost around $15.49.

However, it’s important to note that the price points may vary depending on your location.

FAQs

In Conclusion

Pizza Hut’s Hand Tossed and Pan pizzas are two distinct options that cater to different preferences.

Original Pan pizzas offer a thick, slightly crispy exterior with a chewy texture, while Hand Tossed pizzas feature a thin, crispy exterior and a soft interior.

Most Pizza Hut stores offer both crust options, allowing customers to choose based on their preferences.

Whether you prefer a heartier, indulgent pizza or a lighter, more balanced option, Pizza Hut has you covered with its Original Pan and Hand Tossed pizzas.

Speaking of which, if you prefer other than these two, there are other crust options available that Pizza Hut makes that you will enjoy, such as the Pizza Hut Thin ‘N Crispy, Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust, and more.

References:

1. https://www.thespruceeats.com/chicago-style-deep-dish-pizza-2708753
2. https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/pizza-hut-personal-pan-1st-change/