Pizza Dough Recipe
Nothing tastes quite as good as the food you can make from scratch, such as this quick and easy pizza dough recipe! Who needs takeout when you can prepare the dough at home and add your favorite sauce and toppings?
Are you tired of spending too much on takeout food from your local pizza restaurant? I felt the same way and decided to take matters into my own hands, preparing a delicious homemade pizza dough that turned into the perfect crust for the sauce, cheese, and extras added on top!
I know what you’re probably thinking – won’t making pizza dough from scratch take up way too much time and effort? It is so much easier than you might think. In fact, I guarantee you can make this easy pizza dough recipe in no time and have your delicious pizza ready to serve for dinner!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This is the absolute best pizza dough recipe.
- It is simple, requires a handful of ingredients, and tastes amazing.
- Only 6 pantry staple ingredients are required.
- Add your favorite sauce, cheeses, and toppings.
- This crust is both crispy and soft!
- This is an easy way to have pizza night at home.
- Way better than the store-bought Pillsbury pizza dough.
- The pizza crust comes out like restaurant quality.
- This is a dough you can prepare without eggs and without dairy!
- You can do so much with this dough besides making a pizza! Try calzones, strombolis, and even garlic knots.
- Check out this Puff Pastry Dough and this Fried Dough for another homemade dough recipe!
Ingredients & Substitutions
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for this homemade pizza dough recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Active dry yeast will give your dough more of a light and airy texture once baked in the oven. Make sure the yeast is not expired. Do not substitute or omit.
Sugar provides a slight touch of sweetness without being overpowering.
All-purpose flour provides a great base for your pizza dough. I have not tried this recipe using gluten-free flour or bread flour.
Salt enhances the overall taste.
Olive oil adds flavor and makes your dough easier to work with. Feel free to use avocado oil if needed.
Warm water binds everything together to create the perfect texture. Do not use hot water.
Taste & Texture
This pizza dough recipe creates a crisp and chewy pizza crust!
Each bite is savory, slightly salty, and flavorful. It makes the perfect crust for pizza sauce, cheese, and your desired toppings.
After many trials, this pizza crust recipe came out perfect!
How to Make
Step 1
First, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
Step 3
Stir the ingredients together with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 4
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Add more flour if the dough if needed.
Step 5
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel.
Step 6
Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1 to 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
Step 7
Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into the desired number of portions, depending on the size of the pizzas you want to make.
Step 8
Take one portion of the dough and shape it into a round ball. Using a rolling pin or your hands, flatten and stretch into your desired pizza shape.
Step 9
Place the shaped dough onto a pizza stone or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 10
At this point, add your favorite sauce and pizza toppings.
Step 11
Preheat your oven to the highest temperature setting (usually around 475°F or 245°C) and place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven while it preheats.
Step 12
Once the oven is preheated, carefully transfer the topped pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet.
Step 13
Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 14
Finally, remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips & Tricks for Success
Check out a few tips that will help you make the most delicious pizza dough recipe ever!
Really take the time to knead your dough to get it nice and smooth. You do not want to have a lumpy crust because that takes away from the overall taste and texture. Spend several minutes kneading with your hands. Take a break if you need to, and get right back to it!
Allow your dough to rise for a minimum of one hour. Do not rush this process! It needs to double in size.
I usually put mine in the oven with the light turned on. The oven is off, but the heat from the light allows the dough to rise.
I personally love preparing this pizza dough recipe on a pizza stone. I love the way it bakes to perfection and truly brings out the flavor of this dough, so I recommend investing in a pizza stone if possible. If not, you can still use a baking sheet and get great results.
Flavor Variations & Add-Ins
There are several different ways to switch up the flavors of this pizza dough recipe.
Prepare a white pizza using a blend of unsalted butter, milk, fresh garlic, and parmesan cheese as the sauce. Sprinkle plenty of mozzarella cheese on top.
Add your favorite hearty marinara sauce on top of the pizza dough before sprinkling shredded cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and bacon on top for a meaty pizza.
Use barbeque sauce as the pizza sauce, with shredded sharp cheddar and chopped grilled chicken on top for a delicious BBQ chicken pizza.
To create a Margherita pizza, add fresh sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.
How to Serve & Store
Serve this pizza dough recipe once fully cooked. The crust will be golden brown and chewy.
Serve with a side Italian salad, potato salad, or by itself.
Store homemade pizza dough in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Before storing the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it sealed in an airtight container to preserve its freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Believe it or not, the secret to preparing the perfect pizza dough is water. Yes, water! You need to make sure you are using water at the ideal temperature (about 110°F or 43°C). It keeps the pizza dough moist and delicious while preventing it from becoming dry and flavorless.
All-purpose flour works just fine. If you want to make a healthier alternative to this pizza dough, you can use wheat flour.
Pizza dough needs a minimum of one hour to rise, but I would suggest giving your dough at least two hours to sit and rise before you start working with it.
Although you can use either option, this is a dairy-free dough recipe that calls for olive oil, which adds an exceptional flavor to this pizza dough.
Yes! Get creative by adding different herbs and spices into your dough mixture to prepare the flavored pizza dough.
Allow your dough to reach room temperature, and then place it on a flat surface while rolling it out with your rolling pin to stretch it.
Prepare this homemade pizza dough and add about a tablespoon or two of sauce and your favorite toppings. It’s really that simple.
Equipment Needed
USA Pan 3 Piece Cookie Sheet Set: If you do not have a pizza stone, this baking pan works well.
Pre-Cut Parchment Paper Sheets: These parchment paper sheets make clean up a breeze.
Pyrex 3 Glass Mixing Bowls: These mixing bowls are great for holding the dough.
Pyrex Glass Measuring Cups: Use these measuring cups to measure out the ingredients for this pizza dough recipe.
Pizza Stone: This is the pizza stone I use and love! It truly makes such a difference in the texture of this pizza dough recipe.
You May Also Enjoy
- Fruit Pizza
- No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
- Italian Bread
- Cookies and Creme Dessert Pizza
- Grilled Mushroom Pizza
If you enjoy this homemade pizza dough recipe, please leave a rating and review! You can find more great recipes on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Check out these Lunch and Dinner Recipes for more recipes!
Print
Pizza Dough Recipe
- Prep Time: 20
- Rising Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 2 hours, 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 pizzas 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This homemade pizza dough recipe is so simple and straightforward! It yields a soft crust with a perfect texture and flavor. Add your favorite toppings and you can have restaurant quality pizza at home!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (around 110°F or 43°C)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
- Stir the ingredients together with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1 to 2 hours or until it doubles in size. You can place this in the oven with the light turned on (oven turned off).
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into the desired number of portions, depending on the size of the pizzas you want to make. This recipe yields enough for 2 medium-sized pizzas.
- Take one portion of the dough and shape it into a round ball. Using a rolling pin or your hands, flatten and stretch the dough into your desired pizza shape. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
- Place the shaped dough onto a pizza stone or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- At this point, you can add your favorite pizza toppings: tomato sauce, cheese, vegetables, meats, herbs, etc.
- Preheat your oven to the highest temperature setting (usually around 475°F or 245°C) and place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven while it preheats.
- Once the oven is preheated, carefully transfer the topped pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet.
- Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use warm water, but not hot water. You do not want to kill the yeast.
- Allow the dough to rise long enough until it doubles in size.
- I like to place the covered dough in the oven with the light on. The oven is off, but the slight heat from the light helps the rising process.
- This recipe makes 2 medium-sized pizzas. Feel free to make 1 large one or 4 smaller ones.
- Store leftover pizza in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The nutrition facts are for half of this recipe, or 1 medium-sized crust.
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I recently made this recipe for my family and friends, and they all raved about it. It’s easy to make, and the results are always delicious. The dough is soft and chewy, with a crispy crust. They couldn’t believe that I had made the dough myself.
This was a great replacement for my back to school pizza party I have with my nieces I usually order out but this was super easy to make the the instructions were good to follow along. The crust was perfect for dipping into extra marinara sauce, so crispy!
It’s crazy how expensive delivery pizza has gotten, especially given how much pizza my family can eat! I decided to learn how to make my own pizza and found this recipe to be surprisingly easy. Depending on the temperature in the house, sometimes it takes a little more or a little less time to rise, but it turns out great every time.
My pizza crust turned out soft yet crispy, it was perfect and I’ll be using this recipe again.
This pizza dough was so easy! I made it for a party, and everyone enjoyed it, especially the birthday boy! I’ll sure sure make it again soon.
My family has a traditional pizza making contest every New Years Eve and we always buy store bought dough. In effort to make the pizzas more authentic, we’re testing homemade pizza dough recipes. WOW! This one is DEFINITELY in the next challenge. It’s so easy to follow and turned out perfectly.