Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe
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My go-to homemade pizza dough recipe, made with just a few simple ingredients. The best easy dough pizza recipe to showcase all of your pizza creations.
Why Do I Love Making Homemade Pizza Dough?
A few Februaries ago, after after weeks on end of nothing but Valentine’s Day bakes, I decided it was time to make something that was neither pink, nor chocolate, nor shaped like a heart. And what could be better than pizza?
Although store-bought pizza doughs and pre-made frozen crusts are readily available in most grocery stores, homemade pizza dough is actually very easy to make. Plus, it requires just a handful of basic ingredients (flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil) that you probably already have on hand. It’s really so easy to make your own pizza dough from scratch.
I won’t lie, making pizza dough is a bit time consuming. From start to finish, making pizza from scratch takes about 2 1/2 hours. But, most of that time is rise time (a.k.a., time to go and do something else). The actual dough-making only takes about 15 minutes, plus a few minutes more to stretch the dough and scatter with your favorite toppings. Then just bake and enjoy.Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe Ingredients
To make your own pizza dough, you’ll need:
- All Purpose Flour – All purpose flour (plain flour in the UK) forms the base of the dough. Keep plenty of extra flour on hand for dusting the countertop.
- Yeast – I like instant yeast for speed and consistency. If using active dry yeast, remember to prove it in the warm water before combining with the other ingredients.
- Granulated Sugar – A teaspoon of granulated sugar gives the yeast a boost.
- Olive Oil – You’ll need olive oil to make the dough, plus more for coating the bowl.
- Kosher Salt – Kosher salt regulates the yeast, adds flavor, and promotes gluten development.
Pizza Crust Notes
As written, this recipe will make two 12-14-inch thin crust pizzas, or one pizza with a thicker crust. Recipe can be doubled or halved as necessary.
Homemade Pizza Dough Tips & Tricks
Choose your toppings. The pizza pictured here is a classic Margherita pizza. I topped it with red sauce, sliced mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, olive oil, Parmesan, and loads of fresh basil, plus a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat. However, this recipe is highly versatile, and makes the perfect blank canvas for all of your pizza creations. Top it with red sauce, white sauce, sweet chili sauce, meat, vegetables, pineapple, olives, grilled peaches, or buffalo cauliflower. This is my go-to dough recipe for pizza rolls, calzones, garlic knots, and strombolis, too.
Use a ventilated pan. I recommend using a ventilated pizza pan or a pizza stone to bake your pie. If you don’t have either, you can bake your pizza on a large metal baking tray lined with parchment instead.
Handy Tools for Making Pizza Dough from Scratch
Homemade pizza dough is easy to make, and does not require many fancy tools are ingredients. However, there are a few things I find helpful to keep on hand:
- Bench Scraper – For mixing the dough. I prefer a plastic bench scraper, rather than metal.
- Large Metal Bowl – You’ll need a large metal bowl for mixing and proving the dough.
- Reusable Elastic Food Storage Covers – These reusable elastic covers are great for proving the dough, but clingfilm/plastic wrap or a tea towel will also work in a pinch.
- Pastry Brush – You’ll need a natural bristled pastry brush for brushing the dough with olive oil.
- Kitchen Scissors – It’s much easier to use kitchen scissors to cut homemade pizza, rather than a chef’s knife.
- Ventilated Pizza Pan – A ventilated pizza pan provides the best surface for baking the pizza.
- Olive Oil – Choose a good-tasting olive oil for coating the ball of dough and brushing on the unbaked crust.
- Kitchen Scale – Cup measurements don’t work well for pizza dough. Instead, measure precisely with a kitchen scale.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Plan ahead. Homemade pizza dough requires about two hours of rise time before it’s ready to top and bake.
Other pizza recipes you might enjoy:
Buffalo Caulilfower Pizza
Grilled Peach and Goat Cheese Pizza
Cheese Pizza Rolls
Pesto Pizza
Roasted Brussels Sprout Pizza
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, be sure to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Print
Homemade Pizza Dough
- Total Time2 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield1 thick 12-14-inch pizza crust, or 2 thin crusts 1x
My go-to homemade pizza dough recipe, made with just a few simple ingredients. This easy pizza dough recipes makes the perfect blank canvas for showcasing all of your pizza creations.
Ingredients
256 grams all-purpose flour (2 cups), plus more for coating the countertop
180 milliliters lukewarm water (3/4 cup)
7 grams instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for coating the bowl
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, water, instant yeast, granulated sugar, olive oil, and kosher salt.
Use a bench scraper to combine the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a generously floured countertop. With your hands, knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary. The dough will seem very wet and sticky at first, but will become more workable as you incorporate the flour from the countertop.
Place ball of dough in an oiled bowl, and coat dough in additional oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel. These reusable elastic food storage covers are also great for proving pizza and bread doughs.
Allow bowl to stand in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours.
When doubled in size, punch dough down and allow to rise again, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450° F / 230° C.
Stretch pizza dough into a round, about 12-14 inches in diameter.* Transfer to a pizza pan and use your fingertips to stretch again, until dough reaches the edges of the pan.
Brush dough with a few tablespoons of olive oil, then add sauce, cheese, and other toppings as desired.
Bake pizza in preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
Notes
*As written, this recipe will make two 12-14-inch thin crust pizzas, or one similarly sized pizza with a thicker crust. The photos above show the thinner crust version.
Recipe can be doubled or halved.
I recommend using a ventilated pizza pan or a pizza stone to bake your pie. If you don’t have either, you can bake your pizza on a large metal baking tray lined with parchment instead.
