What is the secret to making great homemade pizza dough?

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.

What flour do I need for pizza dough?

All-purpose flour works just fine. If you want to make a healthier alternative to this pizza dough, you can use wheat flour.

How long should pizza dough rise before using?

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.

Do you put oil or butter in pizza dough?

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.

Can you make flavored pizza dough?

Yes! Get creative by adding different herbs and spices into your dough mixture to prepare the flavored pizza dough.

How do you stretch out 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.

How do you make homemade pizza?

Prepare this homemade pizza dough and add about a tablespoon or two of sauce and your favorite toppings. It’s really that simple.

pizza dough recipe

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

Scale

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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.