Rising-crust frozen pizzas generally use raw, frozen dough. Once baking has set the dough’s structure, it cannot rise substantially again. A commercial crust manufacturer lists par-baked crusts and raw, “self-rising” crusts as separate products. [Manufacturer’s product guide](https://www.akcrust.com/hubfs/Downloadable_pdfs/A_and_K_Product_Overview_Guide.pdf)

The dough often contains both yeast and chemical leaveners. Yeast gives it fermentation flavor and, depending on the manufacturing process, may help it rise before freezing or early in baking. Freezing does not necessarily kill the yeast.

Chemical leaveners release carbon dioxide as the dough warms and bakes. Heat-activated systems allow the pizza to go straight from the freezer to the oven without thawing and proofing first. A strong, stretchy gluten network holds the gas as the dough expands, and baking sets the structure.

One patented frozen-pizza process uses yeast mainly for flavor and chemical leavening for lift. Recipes vary by brand. DiGiorno’s published rising-crust ingredients include yeast and baking soda, along with added wheat gluten and dough conditioners. [Self-rising dough patent](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030049359A1/en), [DiGiorno ingredients](https://www.goodnes.com/digiorno/products/rising-crust-pepperoni-pizza-24-oz/)

That helps explain the texture you describe. Dough that traps enough gas can rise tall while staying light and chewy. A thicker layer of poorly aerated dough will give you a much more bread-like crust.

At home, I would start with fresh yeast dough to get the texture right. Getting it to bake reliably straight from frozen is a separate challenge.

For one roughly 12-inch/30-cm pizza, try:

| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---:|
| Bread flour | 300 g |
| Water | 195 g |
| Salt | 6 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Oil | 9 g |
| Instant yeast | 3 g |

1. Knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise until noticeably puffy, about 1 to 2 hours depending on the temperature.
2. Gently stretch the dough onto a lightly oiled pizza pan, leaving the rim thicker. Avoid using a rolling pin, which can crush the bubbles.
3. Cover and let the shaped dough rise for another 30 to 60 minutes, until puffy.
4. Add a moderate amount of sauce and toppings. Bake in a thoroughly preheated 450°F/230°C oven, preferably with the pan on a heated stone or steel. Start checking around 15 minutes; the bottom should be browned and the center cooked.

Bread flour, gentle shaping, and letting the dough rise after shaping help give the crust height and a light interior. [King Arthur’s pizza guidance](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/pizza), [Thick-crust shaping and proofing](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/now-or-later-pizza-crust-recipe)

To experiment with the commercial leavening approach, add 4 g of double-acting baking powder to the formula. This is a starting point for experimenting; it will not exactly reproduce a commercial crust. Use baking powder, since adding baking soda alone can leave the formula unbalanced. The powder supplies extra lift during baking, while the yeast dough keeps the chewy pizza texture.