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Woolworths Cheese Pizza

Re: Woolworth's Cheese Pizza
Subject: Re: Woolworths Cheese Pizza
From: Phaedrus
Date: 10/8/2026, 3:00 PM
To: Kelly

On 10/8/2026 7:19 AM, Kelly wrote:

Hello there -

Still searching for the woolworths cheese pizza recipe used at River Roads in St. Louis. Guessing it was a canned sauce! 

Thank you -
Kelly

 Hi Kelly, 

Woolworth's had a corporate recipe manual that was used at all their stores, so I am doubtful that the cheese pizza at the Woolworth at River Roads was much different than the cheese pizza at any other Woolworth's. I have a partial Woolworth's recipe manual, but there is no pizza recipe in the part that I have. The cheese pizza recipe is not in any of the references that I  have  access to, so I cannot help you there.

I posed the question to my associate, Gemini, and below is the reply. I have no clue as to whether the pizza made from this recipe will match your memory, but I'm afraid that it is the only possibility. 

Phaed

Gemini:

While Woolworth's never publicly released their official corporate recipe manual, former employees and nostalgic St. Louis locals have pieced together copycat recipes that perfectly replicate that specific lunch counter taste. Woolworth's pizza was defined by a simple, yeast-free thin crust, a slightly sweet tomato sauce, and a standard melting cheese blend (unlike traditional St. Louis style pizza, Woolworth's used a mozzarella blend rather than Provel).

The Woolworth’s Copycat Cheese Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

For the Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder (the secret to a yeast-free, crisp cracker crust)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

For the Sweet Lunch-Counter Sauce:
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (for thickness)
• 1 tbsp sugar (crucial for that nostalgic, sweet five-and-dime flavor)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

For the Cheese Topping:
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (often mixed with a touch of white cheddar for flavor)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven: Crank your oven as high as it will safely go, ideally 450°F to 500°F. If you have a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet, place it inside to heat up.
2. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Let it sit at room temperature while you make the dough so the flavors marry.
3. Mix the crust: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the warm water and oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a cohesive dough forms. Turn it out and knead it for just 1–2 minutes until smooth. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
4. Roll it thin: On a sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough out very thin—about 1/8-inch thick—to replicate the signature thin lunch counter style.
5. Assemble: Spread a thin layer of the sweet tomato sauce all the way to the very edges of the dough. Sprinkle the shredded cheese generously over the sauce.
6. Bake: Carefully slide the parchment paper with the pizza onto your preheated baking sheet or stone. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown and crisp, and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned in spots.
7. Cut and Serve: Slice into traditional wedges or square pieces