While Ian’s Pizza in Madison and Milwaukee may be notorious for its macaroni and cheese pizza, my introduction to this unique combination began as a little kid. Each summer, my mom would gather her pizza-making tools, ignite the grill’s open flame and craft a variety of pizzas. Among them, the standout was always the macaroni and cheese pizza. Her airy dough, topped with a decadent layer of gooey mac and cheese, never fails to leave everyone craving seconds.

What truly sets this pizza apart is the use of an open flame on the grill rather than the oven. The flame gives the crust a perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness, while making the macaroni and cheese irresistibly bubble and ooze. Plus, the grill ensures the pizza is ready in just 5 to 10 minutes! Even today, my friends beg for my mom’s famous grilled macaroni and cheese pizza.

Pizza dough:
28 ounces (6-6.5 cups) bread flour (all purpose is OK)
17.4 ounces (a little less than 2¼ cups) warm water
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
2 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup cornmeal

Macaroni and cheese:
1 pound elbow macaroni
½ cup unsalted butter
3 ½ cups of medium cheddar, grated
1 ½ cups of Gruyere cheese, grated
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole milk
2 ½ cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Pizza dough
Place water in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix yeast, salt and sugar into flour. Combine flour/yeast/salt/sugar mixture into water and mix until all the flour has been incorporated. Add oil and knead for about 4 to 5 minutes until the consistency is not sticky. Roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thick, aiming for a 12-inch circle.

Macaroni and cheese
Boil water and cook the macaroni (optional: add salt to water to speed up the water boiling). In a separate pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half-and-half, whisking constantly until smooth. Pour in the remaining half-and-half and the whole milk, whisking until combined and smooth. Continue to heat over medium heat, whisking very often, until the mixture has a very thick consistency. Stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and add in 2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt. Stir in another 2 cups of cheese until fully melted and smooth. Combine the cooked macaroni to cheese sauce and mix until fully combined. Top with the 1 cup of shredded cheeses that remain.

Time to grill!
Place a pizza stone on the grill and turn the grill to the hottest temperature. Close the grill lid so the pizza stone can start to get hot.
Grab a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal down before putting the dough onto the parchment. Flatten the dough into a crust on parchment paper. Pour your mixture of macaroni and cheese onto the flattened-out dough. Spread the macaroni around so that it’s covering the base of the dough. Leave about an inch of space for the edge of the crust. (Here’s where you can sprinkle more cheese on top for good measure.)
Slide a large spatula under the parchment paper holding the pizza and place it on the warmed-up pizza stone inside the grill. After about 5 to 10 minutes, the pizza is ready to enjoy!
Optional: Add red chili flakes or Cholula hot sauce to spice up the pizza! (My friends and I think it’s absolutely delicious that way.)