The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

There’s something so satisfying about making a pizza from scratch from start to finish. This homemade crust made from a simple pizza dough is a game changer! It’s been my go-to recipe for years.

It calls for the most basic staple ingredients yet it makes the base to one of the best foods ever!

And really the electric mixer does most of the work. But if you don’t own you can definitely go the old fashioned route and knead by hand.

A world of possibilities with this pizza dough. What would you top it with? You can check out some ideas at the end of this post (definitely try the Spinach Artichoke Pizza, so incredibly good!).

Pizza Dough Recipe Ingredients

White flour: Unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour both work great for this recipe.

Yeast: Active dry yeast or instant yeast can be used here. The mixing methods just vary slightly as active dry yeast needs to be proofed first and instant yeast doesn’t.

Salt: I use table salt but kosher salt or sea salt work great too, you’ll just want to up the amount by about a heaping 1/4 tsp since the granules are larger therefor volume is different.

Sugar: You only need a small amount here. It assists the yeast and also adds a faint background flavor.

Olive oil: Just use standard refined olive oil for this recipe, nothing fancy needed here.

Scroll down for full recipe with ingredient amounts and full directions.

All-Purpose Flour vs. Bread Flour

Wondering which type of flour of the two to use? I’ve used both and they both offer great results.

• All-purpose flour makes for a slightly softer crust.
• Bread flour offers a slightly crisper crust and a slightly higher rise since it has more protein.

Why use unbleached flour? It has better flavor than bleached (plus it may be a healthier option than bleached).

How to Make Pizza Dough

Here’s a breakdown of the steps to make the homemade pizza dough:

1. Proof yeast with 1/3 of the water and the sugar.
2. Mix in remaining water, olive oil, salt and most of the flour.
3. Add more flour and knead.
4. Continue to knead to a soft and supple dough that’s not overly sticky.
5. Let rise until doubled in volume in an oiled, covered bowl.
6. Press dough down, divide into two portions.
7. Shape into pizza crust, top and bake!

How to Stretch Pizza Dough

Method 1:

1. Divide dough into two portions, form into balls.
2. On a floured surface flatten into a circle while making an indentation near edge of crust and creating a slightly thicker rim.
3. Lift dough, make fists and drape dough over knuckles.
4. Stretch and rotate dough to desired width (for this recipe you can shape to about 11 to 14-inches depending on how thick you like the crust).

 Here is a good video tutorial showing two methods of how to shape pizza dough.

Method 2:

Alternately you can just stretch and shape the pizza dough on a floured piece over parchment paper or on well floured pizza peel (used for transferring).

How to Cook Pizza in the Oven

1. Place a pizza stone in 475 – 500 degree oven and preheat for 30 – 45 minutes.
2. Stretch and shape pizza dough. Place on parchment paper, trim away edges (or remove parchment paper about 5 minutes of baking so it doesn’t scorch).
3. Top pizza with sauce and desired toppings.
4. Transfer pizza on parchment to preheated pizza stone and bake in preheated oven for 11 – 14 minutes until crust is golden brown and cooked through.

What If I Don’t Own a Pizza Stone?

• Pizza crust can also be baked on a heavy duty aluminum pizza pan or aluminum baking sheet (one that can withstand high temperatures without warping).
• Those do not need to be preheated, but keep in mind with this cooking vessel the crust doesn’t come out with much of a crisp bottom.
• Another option is to use a pizza steel or cast iron pizza pan. Those you would need to preheat in oven the same as a stone (avoid using parchment paper with those).

How to Cook Pizza Dough on the Grill

I love love love grilled pizza! You can use this pizza dough to make grilled pizza:

1. You can either cook on a pizza stone on the grill (and begin with toppings on the pizza). Like this.
2. Or make individual pizzas – cook dough halfway right on grill grates, rotate and add toppings (off the grill, then return), then continue to cook through. Here’s the how to.

Can you freeze pizza dough?

Yes. Here’s are the steps to freezing:

• Pizza dough should be frozen after the first rise.
• Wrap each portion in parchment paper transfer to a resealable freezer bag (I like to label bag with current date).
• Freeze up to 3 months.
• Defrost (thaw) in the refrigerator overnight.
• Bring to room temperature on the countertop and bake as directed.

Can I Use Gluten-Free Flour?

Unfortunately this recipe won’t work with a gluten-free flour blend. Ratios and methods will be different, something like this, or this one without the egg.

Tips to Make It the Best

• Allow plenty of time for dough to knead to promote gluten formation which helps make a chewy crust.
• Don’t skip rise times. They are crucial to the overall texture and flavor of the crust.
• If time allows go for the overnight rise in the fridge, crust will develop more flavor and taste the best this way.
• To reduce bubbles you can press fingertips along top of shaped crust or pierce randomly over top with a fork.
• Brush shaped dough with oil for flavor and to create a slight barrier to help reduce sauce soaking in.
• For additional flavor you can season the crust with things like garlic powder, Italian seasoning and a little salt (though if you use a good sauce and toppings it shouldn’t be necessary).
• Use parchment paper for easy transferring, but keep an eye on it and remove from the oven if it’s starting to brown. Transferring a large pizza with lots of toppings with a pizza peel can be challenging, the parchment paper makes it so much easier.

Other Ways to Use Pizza Dough Recipe

Of course the number one use for this recipe is for a pizza crust, but this recipes makes enough for 2 pizzas so you can make 1 pizza and reserve the second portion to make one of these:

• Calzones
• Breadsticks (regular or cinnamon sugar)
• Garlic knots
• Cheese sticks
• Stromboli
• Pizza rolls