Last updated on November 14th, 2018 at 08:47 pm
Making Pizza Dough at home couldn’t get any easier than with my simple pizza dough recipe. You’ll never want to buy or order pizza again.
Years ago, hubs and I started making our own pizza dough. I remember in the beginning we thought it was really difficult but once we tried we realized we’ve been missing out on real good homemade pizza and spent a lot of money when we could have been saving lots. Trust me when I tell you that I’ve bought pizza dough from the store many times and always found it difficult to work with, or I’d put it in the freezer and forget about it for months.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a skilled baker to make pizza dough, all you need are a handful of ingredients and you’re in business.
HOW TO MAKE PIZZA DOUGH
Pizza dough is super easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients. I always use all purpose flour, however if you like a chewier crumb use a high protein bread flour.
Many times I’ve made the dough and had not even let it rise, so I’ll tell you now that it’s really not that important to let it rise as it will rise in the oven, plus I always prefer more of a thin crust, however as shown in the video I have let it rise, the result is really the same.
CAN YOU FREEZE PIZZA DOUGH
Absolutely! The beauty of this recipe is that it makes lots of dough, enough for 4 smaller pizzas or 2 large ones. Usually we’ll use half the dough and freeze the rest.
To use up frozen dough, I usually just let it thaw on the counter for a few hours until it’s malleable enough so that I can roll it out.
Because you don’t really need to let this dough rise, this pizza dough is ideal for when you’re in a rush and let me tell you this is really quick to make and you’ll probably be spending more time chopping up your toppings.
WHAT TO TOP YOUR PIZZA WITH
The sky is the limit. This is why it’s always best to make your pizza at home, you can put whatever you like on it, or whatever you have in the fridge, like we’ve done many times. Hubs and I like our pizzas completely different, which is great because I can load mine up with prosciutto and lots of veggies and he can load his up with tuna and anchovies. Don’t ask.
When you’re done loading up your pizza the way you like to, all you really have to do is bake it. I like to bake mine at the highest temperature my oven goes, which is 550F for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Perfect every single time!
CHECK OUT THESE PIZZAS
- Artichoke, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese Pizza
- Lamb Souvlaki Pizza with Tzatziki Sauce
- Deli Pizza
Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup water warm
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk the water, sugar and yeast together. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. If the yeast is good, it will start to froth up.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the flour and salt, olive oil and yeast mixture. Mix everything together using the dough hook for about 5 minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic. When it's done it will come clean from the side of the bowl.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, rubbing oil on the dough as well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If you're not using the dough right away, you can also freeze the dough.
Watch How To Make It
Notes
- Yeast Information: Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn't expired. All your yeast products whether it’s in a jar or a package should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast, who knows it could have been on the shelf past its expiry date.
- To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard. However, you can also store your yeast in the fridge or freezer. If you do store it in the freezer and need to use yeast for your baking, make sure you take out the amount you need and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour before using.
- Once your yeast package or jar has been opened, you must refrigerate the yeast or freeze it in an airtight container.
- One thing to remember about your yeast, is that it is a living organism and over time it will lose activity, even if you’ve never opened the jar or package. So if you don’t bake often, buy the smaller yeast packages rather than a big jar of yeast.
- Make sure your water is not too hot or it could kill the yeast which will cause your dough not to rise at all. The ideal temperature for the water should be between 105 F degrees and 110 F for proofing. While 95 F degrees is the best temperature for yeast to multiply, that's not warm enough for proofing active dry yeast.
- Can I use instant yeast: Yes, if using instant yeast, you do not need to wait for it to froth up, you can just add all the ingredients to your bowl and mix.
- Can I freeze the dough: Yes, for sure. Just place the dough in a large freezer plastic bag, let out as much of the air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How do I bake the pizza: Preheat your oven to its highest temperature, mine goes to 550 F. You can use a pizza stone or a baking sheet just make sure you spray some cooking spray over the baking sheet. If using a pizza stone, heat it up first. Once you top your pizza, bake it for 8 to 10 minutes or until the crust is golden to dark brown.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is just based on pizza dough. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Eva says
June 5, 2019 at 2:41 pmHey, I made the dough according to the recipe, it looks perfect, nice texture. Definitely appears to be more malleable than the other recipes I’ve tried over the years. Question, I don’t like to cook on aluminum and I don’t have a pizza stone. I do all my baking in glass baking dishes and glass pie dishes. Can I make the pizza in a glass baking dish and should I put olive oil in the pan so it won’t stick, or flour?
Joanna Cismaru says
June 5, 2019 at 2:57 pmYou can but you just have to be careful the glass dish can withstand the high heat you need to bake a pizza.
Rod R. says
June 2, 2019 at 11:06 pmI’ve tried several pizza dough recipes over the years, but none ever seemed quite right. Though they all use pretty much the same ingredients, proportionally this one is our favorite, hands down! Dough needs to be slightly sticky, so these proportions are perfect for our altitude and climate and when baked on a stone….oh baby! Plus, you can change it up pretty easily for a little variation, too. We’ve made it with parmesan cheese baked in, rosemary too, and other things to liven it up even more. We’ve made pizza, calzone, cheesy breadsticks – you name it. Super easy, and Jo’s right! You’ll spend more time shipping toppings than whipping up this dough!! Finally, after all the recipes I’ve been through, this one’s a keeper!
Megan says
June 2, 2019 at 2:56 pmSO GOOD. Perfectly light, crisp, and is just as good after being frozen! Makes any pizza so much better.
Sue says
April 29, 2019 at 3:57 pmLoved it! Just like she said, “easy” and followed the directions to put it in my stand mixer and ‘viola’! It was perfect and I split the recipe to create two 14 inch pizza pies (thin crust).
Thank you, Joanna for making this so easy! <3
Joanna Cismaru says
April 29, 2019 at 4:04 pmMy pleasure, Sue! So glad you liked it!
Robyn says
April 16, 2019 at 12:28 amEveryone in my house knows I love making pizza and I’m kinda good at it. But I’m always trying different recipes and I never seem to get the crust to rise or get the bottom thin and crusty. This is THE recipe! It doesn’t stick to the tray at all, and the crust can rize pretty well if u leave it on about 100 degrees Fahrenheit or just on warm before putting the oven on bake ir came out perfect and my family loved it! Never been more proud of my dinner!
Samantha says
April 13, 2019 at 11:06 amThis is an awesome and easy pizza dough recipe. I like it even better than Alton Brown’s recipe. Are usually add Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese to the crust before baking. It’s definitely a winner!!
Nicole Beaulieu says
April 15, 2019 at 10:16 amWow, what an awesome compliment! Look out, Alton 😉 We’ll have to try that out! Sounds so amazing.
Iana says
February 23, 2019 at 7:32 pmBest homemade pizza. THANK YOU
Lisa J says
February 22, 2019 at 6:46 pmThis was our first attempt at pizza at home and we were pleased with t g e results. The dough raised beautifully in the fridge….I froze one portion for future use. The crust crisped up nicely and I made a dipping sauce from butter and garlic powder.
Gloria J Schriever says
February 21, 2019 at 8:55 amI used this recipe and my pizza came out perfect. The dough was so light and delicious!
Rbert Long says
February 9, 2019 at 6:43 amI just tried this recipe. I had never had a successful pizza crust. This one a must try and it is a keeper.
Mary Edwards says
February 3, 2019 at 4:56 pmGreat pizza dough! Use this recipe every time!
Cecily says
January 30, 2019 at 10:38 amGreat fool proof recipe! Tried and true! We use this all the time! It is so easy and cheap!
Joanna Cismaru says
January 30, 2019 at 10:43 amThanks, Cecily! Glad you enjoyed it!
Porter Lacey says
January 13, 2019 at 4:54 pmEasy and very tasty.
Nikki says
January 13, 2019 at 1:41 pmGreat pizza dough! I sub 2 cups of bread flour into the ap flour- it makes the dough a bit crunchier, the way we like it! Super simple and our pizzas come out perfectly!!
Rbert Long says
February 9, 2019 at 6:52 amap flour-it ?
AMP says
May 18, 2019 at 11:52 pmAp = all purpose