Are you ready for the best pizza dough recipe? This proven pizza dough recipe only requires 5 ingredients, does not require fancy or specialty flours, and is easy to prepare, bake, and store in the fridge or freezer.
Grab your all-purpose flour, and let's make some dough!
Contents
🍕 Why This Pizza Dough Works
It's made with minimal ingredients, my instructions are easy and clear, and you'll create a light, airy, and fluffy pizza crust that is perfect.
The secret to making tasty pizza comes from the quality of ingredients, and the kneading process helps the dough stretch, resulting in a chewier crust.
Good pizza dough is the foundation of every great pizza, and regardless if you like your pizza thin & crispy or thick & chewy like a deep pan, this pizza dough recipe is the perfect ALL-PURPOSE pizza dough recipe.
This dough is not your average pizza dough that requires proofing for 2+ hours or even overnight to achieve great flavorful results. However, if you have time, it gets better as it sits in the fridge. On day 3, you'll have the best authentic, rustic, and tasting pizzas ever, if you can wait that long.
Regardless, this pizza dough recipe works if you're patient or in a hurry and your family is hangry for pizza.
Follow this recipe, and you'll have an irresistibly soft crust in JUST TWO HOURS with only 15 minutes of prep time required. And if your in a real hurry, you can skip the second rise.
🔪 How to Make
Homemade pizza dough is a million times better than store-bought frozen pizza dough. And the fact this only requires a few ingredients you likely have on hand, you can make this all purpose pizza dough anytime.
Follow my easy step-by-step instructions with detailed process shots and cooking tips, or just go straight to my recipe video for even more detail.
Instructions
Step 1
Weigh out 50 grams of yeast (about 1 tablespoon) and add ½ cup of warm water (110 degrees Fahrenheit) to a bowl.
Step 2
You'll notice the temperature drop a touch when adding warm water to a cold bowl. Aim for 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the yeast.
Step 3
Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and combine with a fork or whisk. Then let it sit for 5 minutes. Why sugar? Sugar activates the dormant yeast. Honey also works!
Step 4
After 5 minutes, your yeast will look like this! You'll notice bubbles, foam, and you'll see the yeast is alive and ready to work. If this is not the case, try again!
Step 5
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, salt, olive oil, and herbs. Mix until thoroughly combined!
Step 6
Add your yeast mixture plus 1 cup of warm water to the dry ingredients. Keep mixing until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Wet or Sticky dough, add more flour.
- Dry dough, add more water.
Step 7
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
Step 8
Knead the pizza dough for 2-3 minutes, just enough to form a nice dough ball, and ensure the gluten is activated.
Step 9
Drizzle some olive oil in a bowl, and roll the dough around.
Step 10
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth, and put it in a warm place. (Note 4)
Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about an hour or so. Punch it down once the dough has risen and let it rise again for another 45 minutes.
Step 11
Split the dough in half and roll it out on a floured surface into a circular shape or to the size of your baking sheet. For more detailed instructions, read how to stretch the dough for more information.
Step 12
Rolling the pizza dough.
Step 13
Place the dough on a cookie sheet, pizza pan, or stone. For easy clean-up and to avoid sticking, consider covering your pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. You can even brush the surface with olive oil to guarantee the pizza won't stick.
Step 14
Spread the pizza sauce on top, followed by your favorite pizza ingredients, and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) until the edges turn golden brown and the center is piping hot. (Note
Step 15
Transfer your homemade pizza to a chopping board and cut it into slices.
💭 Cooking Tips
Thin Crust vs. Thick Crust pizza. I love my 30-minute foolproof no-yeast pizza dough for a nice thin crust, and it's fantastic if you have kids. If you're hoping for a thin crust for this recipe, opt for 00 flour rather than all-purpose.
Your flour influences the pizza dough!
- bread flour gives the pizza a chewier and crispier crust
- all-purpose flour gives a softer and fluffier crust
- 00-flour, pizza flour, gives this pizza a thinner crust
- whole wheat flour is not recommended
Yeast is vital for soft, fluffy, and airy pizza. And while there are 4 different types of yeast, I use active dry yeast, which is the most common. Yeast tips for beginners:
- active dry yeast requires proofing, warm water, and a pinch of sugar
- instant or rapid yeast doesn't need to be proofed and is added directly to the dough. Use 25% less yeast!
- fresh yeast is relatively uncommon as it only lasts 1-2 weeks, although it produces the best pizza dough if you can find it. Double the amount!
Flavoring the dough can give it a nice touch. Last night I added about 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning to my dough. You could easily add fresh or dried herbs like parsley, rosemary, basil, oregano, or thyme into the dough mixture.
Finding a nice warm place. For the dough to properly rise, it needs a nice warm place to rest. My secret, pop it into a warm oven.
- Turn your oven and let it warm up for about 3 minutes
- Check the temperature. It should be warm but not hot.
- Turn OFF the oven!
- Place the bowl, dough, and even towel into the center of the oven.
- Close the oven door.
You now have a perfectly warmed space for all types of dough to rise.
Stop air pockets from forming in the dough during baking by pricking it with a fork before placing the sauce. This allows gas to escape without creating air pockets.
Pizza pans come in all shapes and sizes. Use the best option you have on hand. If you have a pizza stone, ensure you preheat it for 10-15 minutes before sliding the pizza onto the stone.
Transferring the pizza can be difficult. Once you have stretched out the dough, transfer it to parchment paper and set it on a large upside-down baking sheet. Then continue adding sauce and ingredients. This makes it easy to slide the pizza to your preheated stone or cook it directly on the baking sheet.
📖 Pizza Dough Variations
These homemade pizza dough variations are delicious and easily made using this recipe.
Cheesy Crust
Upgrade your pizza crust by adding some shredded cheese to the flour mixture. Adding a cup of cheddar or mozzarella cheese helps create a chewier crust and tastes so delicious.
Homemade pizza dough with honey
Using honey instead of sugar creates a crispier crust and distinct flavor. It also helps the pizza dough hold more moisture during baking, making it softer. You can use a 1:1 ratio.
🥗 What to Serve With
Homemade pizza is great for sharing, and these easy side dishes are the perfect company to pair with it.
Garlic bread
One of my favorite things to make with pizza is garlic bread. It's cheesy and heavy on the garlic, just the way I like it, and is also great for sharing.
Salad
Keep it light with a green salad or go Mediterranean with a flavorsome potato salad. This potato salad pairs beautifully with pizza. It's creamy and rich without being too heavy on the stomach and takes 30 minutes to prepare.
Bruschetta
Pizza served with bruschetta on the side is a match made in heaven. Pair my bruschetta with mozzarella recipe with your homemade pizza.
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this dough the night before?
Yes, you can make this dough in advance by placing it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel and storing it in the fridge. In fact, it is the best on day three.
Can you use a stand mixer for kneading pizza dough?
Yes, using a stand mixer instead of your hands is easier but not as fun. Pour the pizza dough ingredients into your stand mixer with a dough hook and switch it on for 10 minutes. It will knead the dough for you.
🧊 Storing Pizza Dough
Homemade pizza dough is great for making in batches and storing in the fridge or freezer for use at a later date.
In the Fridge
Store unused pizza balls in separate ziplocked bags for up to 3 days. When you're ready to make pizza, just roll the balls out on a floured surface and top with sauce and toppings before baking.
In the Freezer
Lightly coat each dough ball with olive oil and place it on a parchment paper plate. Freeze the balls for an hour and then transfer them to an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
👪 Serving Size
This homemade pizza dough will give you two large-sized pizzas, which equals 20 servings. You can easily double or triple the recipe amount to cater to more guests or freeze the extra dough balls for another day.
🎥 Recipe Video
Making your own pizza dough is cheaper, more convenient, and way more delicious than any store-bought dough you can buy. Try my failproof method for the best pizza crust around, and let me know what you think.
📋 Recipe
Easy Best "Pizza Dough" with All-Purpose Flour
Equipment
Ingredients
- 50 grams fresh yeast - or 2 packages instant
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ cup warm water
- herbs - dried or fresh
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in ½ cup of the warm water, mix well. (The temperature should be between 100 and 110 °F ( 37°C- 43° C ). In about 5 minutes the yeast should activate and start foaming.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, salt, olive oil, and herbs. Mix until thoroughly combined!
- Add your yeast mixture plus 1 cup of warm water to the dry ingredients. Keep mixing until all the liquid is absorbed. Wet or Sticky dough, add more flour. Dry dough, add more water.
- Place the dough on a floured surface, and begin to knead it for about 2-3 minutes, or until it develops a smooth and silky texture. If the dough is very sticky, add some more flour.
- Drizzle some olive oil in a bowl, and roll the dough around. Cover the bowl with a cloth, and put it in a draft-free, warm place. (Note)
- Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about an hour. Punch it down and let it rise again for about 45 minutes.
- Take half the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into the shape you want
- Place the dough on parchment paper and transfer to a cookie sheet.
- Top the dough with desired ingredients, then bake in a hot oven (400 F, 200 C) until dough has browned and cheese is browning and bubbly. Approximately 15-0 minutes.
Video
Notes
- bread flour gives the pizza a chewier and crispier crust
- all-purpose flour gives a softer and fluffier crust
- 00-flour, pizza flour, gives this pizza a thinner crust
- whole wheat flour is not recommended
- active dry yeast requires proofing, warm water, and a pinch of sugar
- instant or rapid yeast doesn't need to be proofed and is added directly to the dough. Use 25% less yeast!
- fresh yeast is relatively uncommon as it only lasts 1-2 weeks, although it produces the best pizza dough if you can find it. Use 100% more yeast!
- Turn your oven and let it warm up for about 3 minutes
- Check the temperature. It should be warm but not hot.
- Turn OFF the oven!
- Place the bowl, dough, and even towel into the center of the oven.
- Close the oven door.
Nutrition
Try this recipe out and if you love it (or not), please let me know in the comments section.
Marie Muchen
I made this pizza dough last night. I followed the exact recipe and it came out perfectly soft and yum. I double the recipe and put in the freezer for another pizza night. Tips were very helpful!! thanks.
Rose Martine
I enjoy trying new dishes to serve my family. This looks absolutely delicious.