Quad City-style pizza crust is characteristically made with malt.
The malt is mixed into the dough, where it contributes a toasted, nutty flavor and helps distinguish this regional style from other thin-crust pizzas. The style originated in the Quad Cities region along the Illinois-Iowa border and is associated with a crust that is thin across the center but slightly raised at the edge.
Quad City pizza has several other recognizable traits: a spicy tomato sauce often seasoned with red chili flakes and cayenne, fennel-seasoned sausage spread broadly across the pie, and toppings placed beneath the cheese. It is also commonly cut into narrow strips rather than triangular wedges.
Malt is sometimes confused with molasses or honey because all can add sweetness and browning, but those are not the characteristic ingredient identified with this crust. The defining dough addition is malt, while the sauce and toppings provide much of the style’s savory character.