Why Your Pizza Cheese Cooks or Browns/Burns Too Quickly [Causes & Solutions]

Pizza cheese that browns or burns too quickly results in a bitter taste, dry texture, and possibly an undercooked crust, creating an unappetizingly unbalanced bake. This is mostly a result of improper baking settings or the specific characteristics of the cheese used. This page details the exact causes and provides actionable solutions for reducing cheese browning and achieving a balanced overall bake

Cause 1: Cheese Is Cut or Grated Too Thinly

Explanation:
The thinner or more finely grated the cheese is, the faster it melts, bakes, and browns.

Solution:
Use coarsely or thicker-cut cheese. The thicker or coarser the cheese is cut, the slower it will bake and brown.

Read More:

• How the Way the Cheese is Cut and Applied Affects Baking

Cause 2: Cheese Has Low Fat Content, Leading to Faster Browning

Explanation:
Fat “protects” the cheese from the heat. Cheeses with lower fat content (such as part-skim mozzarella) bake and brown faster.

Solution:
Use cheese with higher fat content (such as whole-milk mozzarella).

Read More:

• How the Fat Content of the Cheese Affects Baking

Cause 3: Cheese Has Low Moisture Content, Causing Faster Browning (Mainly for High-Temperature Baking)

Explanation:
Cheeses with lower moisture content bake and brown faster. Higher moisture slows down browning during baking.

Solution:
Use cheese with higher moisture content (e.g. such as fresh mozzarella for Neapolitan pizzas baked in wood-fired ovens).

Read More:

• How the Moisture Content of the Cheese Affects Baking

Cause 4: Using Pre-Grated Cheese That Contains Anti-Caking Agents

Explanation:
Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents (such as potato starch or cellulose) to prevent clumping. These additives brown faster than cheese itself, causing the cheese to over-brown and negatively affecting its texture and mouthfeel.

Solution:
Use freshly grated cheese without anti-caking agents.

Read More:

• How/Where to Buy Cheese for Pizza (Mozzarella or Other Cheeses)

Cause 5: Improper Baking Settings

Explanation:
Baking settings such as temperature, oven position, baking mode, or baking time directly affect browning of the cheese. Finding the ideal settings for your equipment is key to achieving even, balanced baking.

Solution:
Find the ideal baking conditions in your oven to balance the top and bottom heat. This can be achieved by:

1. Placing the pizza on a lower rack, farther from the top heating element (if your oven has one) to slow down top browning.
2. Adjusting the oven settings – avoid using convection mode or the broiler, as they promote cheese drying and browning.
3. Baking for a shorter time.

Read More:

• The Importance of Balancing Top and Bottom Heat in Pizza Baking
• How to Bake Pizza in a Home Oven: Everything You Need to Know [A Practical Guide]

Cause 6: Sauce Is Too Thick (Low Water Content), Causing the Cheese to Brown Faster

Explanation:
A thick sauce with low water content doesn’t release much steam during baking. Steam helps keep the surface of the pizza slightly moist and cooler, which slows cheese browning. When the sauce is too thick, the cheese is exposed to drier heat and browns more quickly.

Solution:
Use a thinner or more watery sauce to introduce more surface moisture and slow down cheese browning.

Read More:

• How the Consistency of the Sauce Affects Baking and Pizza Appearance
• Thinning or Thickening Tomato Sauce

Additional Notes / Information

Another way to slow down cheese cooking and browning is to layer the sauce over the cheese. The sauce acts as a protective layer for the cheese, absorbing heat and slowing the cheese’s cooking.

For additional tips on using cheese and controlling its texture and how it bakes, see: How to Control Cheese Baking, Melting and Oil Separation.

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