This Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe is so easy, and I consider it to be no-fail! It results in a traditional crust that is both chewy and crisp. You will make it again and again!
Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe
Friday nights are pizza night at our home. And it is for many other families too! We often make homemade pizza because we can customize our options, it’s easier than many would think, and it’s a bit more healthy than take-out or delivery.
I have used this easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe so very many times over the years. Go ahead and use this recipe to make your favorite homemade pizza. We use this pizza crust along with our Easy Pizza Sauce to make the classics like pepperoni, supreme, veggie, and Pizza Margarete.
The Pizza Dough Recipe is so incredibly easy and results in a crust that is sturdy, chewy, and crispy. Since it only requires a handful of ingredients that you most likely have on hand, you can whip it up for dinner tonight.
How to Knead Pizza Dough
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough using two hands, push outward away from you and then turn it slightly and continue kneading. You will want to knead for about 5 minutes or so. Add additional flour to the surface of the dough feels a bit too tacky after the first few presses. But, be cautious as to much flour will result in a tough crust.
How long to let Pizza Dough Rise?
Letting this pizza dough recipe rise for about 30 minutes will result in the best homemade pizza crust. I will sometimes let mine go for an hour if I have time.
Can you make Homemade Pizza Dough ahead of time?
Yes, I do it often! Place the dough in a zippered bag and place it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days before using it to make homemade pizza.
Can you Freeze Homemade Pizza Dough?
Yes, you can! Place the dough in a zippered bag. Frozen pizza dough balls will last for up to 6 months when frozen. When ready to use, thaw and knead slightly before stretching.
Ingredients to Make Easy Pizza Dough
- All-Purpose Flour
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- Warm Water
- Oil
How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough
First, add the flour to a large mixing bowl. Make a small well in the center. Then, add the yeast, salt, and sugar.
Note: I used the yeast I had on hand, which was Fast-Rise. Any active yeast will work (about 2.5 teaspoons).
Now, add the warm water. Do not use boiling hot water. Tap warm works best. Mix with hands or spatula until combined.
Next, place the dough on a floured surface. Then, knead the dough using the tips that I have mentioned above.
Place a small amount of oil in the bowl and use a paper towel to wipe it up the sides to coat. Place the kneaded dough ball into the prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel—place in a warm place. Let rise for at least 30 minutes. See my tip for rising pizza dough above.
After you have let the pizza dough rise, put back on to the floured surface, and punch out the air. Knead it lightly and separate it into two pieces.
Then, stretch the dough. I like to work around the edges and slightly pull. You can also roll the dough with a rolling pin. Place on a 12-inch pizza pan. Brush with a small amount of olive oil. Add the toppings and bake for about 15 minutes. Note The more toppings that are on the pizza, the longer it will take to cook.
Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 3 cup Flour
- 1 packet Fast Rise Yeast any yeast should work
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Warm Water
Instructions
- Put flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
- Add yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil and water. Stir until combined.
- Lightly oil a bowl. Set aside.
- Lightly flour work surface.
- Turn out dough and knead for 10 minutes or until a smooth ball forms.
- Place dough ball into prepared bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap or clean cloth.
- Set in a warm place for 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in volume.
- Turn dough out on a floured surface and punch the dough to remove excess air, knead lightly.
- Divide dough into 2.
- Makes enough dough for 2 12" thin pizzas.
- When ready to make pizza, stretch dough onto 12" pizza pan, being careful not to tear crust.
- Preheat oven to 450.
- Brush crust with a little olive oil.
- Cover with pizza sauce, cheese and toppings.
- Bake about 15 minutes, until crust is browned an cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Nutrition
I’m newer to using yeast, but followed this recipe to a “T”. Neither dough would rise. Upon reading other recipes, it seems imperative to mix the yeast with water and sugar to activate, then add other ingredients. I’m disappointed this recipe didn’t include those additional instructions depending on what kind of yeast is being used.
Love this!! Making it for the second night in a row…. 😆 don’t judge! Pizza is life 🙌 this recipe is so easy to follow. Only thing I changed this second time around is oiling the dish my dough rose in, I opted out and had a nicer dough to work with.
I followed the recipe and let the dough rise for an hour. I couldn’t get it to spread very well. It kept shrinking back up. In no way did I have enough dough for 2 pizzas. I barely got one. I can’t understand what I did wrong.
Had to let it rise for 45 min, but this recipe was absolutely perfect! We have four teen boys so we doubled the recipe to make two extra large pizzas, we also rolled cheese sticks into the crust to make it stuffed. Our boys actually liked this much better than delivery!
I was looking for an easy flavorful pizza crust other than store bought about 2 months ago. I was impressed how easy and great tasting this was! My husband said he likes our homemade pizzas more than ordered pizzas now! I added some Italian seasonings to my crust for an extra boost and they love it! Thanks for sharing! Using the recipe again tonight!
Made this in my stand mixer. It mixed up sooooo easy & feels really nice & soft. I can’t wait for it to rise so I can get the toppings on it & get it in the oven. Your pics look divine!!!! the rater isn’t working but if it was it would be 5 stars.
I made this dough using gluten free baking flour. Followed directions but added more oil (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) and added more water (1 1/4 cup). It came out great.
My go to recipe! I knead it and rise it in the same bowl, so easy! It’s a little chewy and soft which my kids prefer, and when done on a preheated pizza stone it gets nice and crisp.
Great recipe!!! Very easy to make! We’re a family of five but my kids eat like football players so I doubled the recipe and made four pizzas!
My dough seemed tough and lumpy not nice and smooth like the picture. Did I do something wrong? I followed the instructions exactly. Any pointers?
Yes. Had the same problem. It wouldn’t rise either.
Same:/
Ours either…I also notice no one responded as to why this might be. I can only assume it’s because we didn’t “activate” the yeast.
If yeast is old it won’t rise. Also, for a quick rise yeast water temperature should be between 120 to 130 degrees.
I was disappointed as well. I think the method of not letting the yeast bloom separately caused the yeast to not fully dissolve. If I make this again I will fully dissolve the yeast separately and then mix it into the flour.
Making this dough now I hope it works! I can’t find my old recipe.
I can’t wait till try this. I would like to freeze half. Would I do this after it rests? Thanks
I thought you had to add yeast to warm water in order for it to bloom.? I see it you don’t do that. Thanks for input.
Not always do you need to do that. Depends on the yeast you’re using.
I love your recipes this pizza one hits the spot for my family, easy and homemade.
This looks absolutely delicious. Thank you for providing the recipe and some great commentary about how you make pizza.
Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I’m featuring you this week!
The recipe looks good！btw, how many grams in 1packet of yeast?thanks..
7 grams
Thanks a lot!
Can I put this in my bread machine and let it do the work? (Take it out after rising and spread it in the pan?)
Diane, I use pizza dough recipe in a bread machine, using dough cycle, all the time. Hope this helps.
THANK YOU!!!!!!
Great Recipe!!!