Homemade Pizza Dough
This easy Homemade Pizza Dough recipe is the perfect base to favorite pizza toppings or calzones.
Servings 2 pizza crusts (10-12" each)
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast equal to 1 packet* ; I've used Saf-Instant yeast per the directions with success
- 1 ¾ cup water 110˚ degrees; *see below regarding a traditional Neapolitan pizza dough
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 ½ - ¾ cup bread flour divided, can substitute all-purpose flour*
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
Stand Mixer Instructions
- Fill a glass measuring cup with 110˚ water using a reliable thermometer to check the water's temperature.
- Add the sugar to the water and sprinkle the yeast in. Gently stir the yeast.
- Allow the yeast to rise for 10 minutes until foamy and happy.
- Starting with 3 ½ cups of flour, combine the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Reserve the additional flour on the side.
- Add yeast mixture along with the olive oil to the bowl and using the mixing paddle, mix on low until incorporated and the dough starts to come together. Add an additional ¼ cup of flour if the dough is too wet until the dough comes together to make a shaggy ball. Don't be worried - it won't be perfectly smooth.
- Remove the paddle attachment and add the dough hook. Mix the dough on medium for two minutes until the dough is smooth. If it's still not coming together, add the remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the hook from the mixer and place the dough into a bowl drizzled with olive oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set the bowl in a warm dry place to rise for 1 hour.
Hand Mixing Instructions
- Follow Steps 1-4 above.
- Flour a clean wooden board or counter (you can use the remaining flour if you haven't used it yet). Turn the dough out onto a board and knead by pushing the dough away with the palm of your hand and turning it clockwise a quarter of a turn each time.
- Continue kneading until the dough is soft and smooth for about two minutes. Play or sing your favorite song while you knead.
- Place the dough in a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set the bowl in a warm dry place to rise for 1 hour.
Shaping the Pizza
- Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces**
- On a floured board, using either a rolling pin or your hands, press the dough into a circle, rotating the disk as you work your way from the middle out. When it's about 6-8" in diameter, pick up the dough and rest it on your knuckles and slowly stretch the dough working your way in a circle. Here is an easy tutorial on how to stretch pizza dough.
- Once the pizza is in your desired shape, place on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel and top with your favorite sauce recipe and toppings
- To cook the pizza using a stone: preheat a baking stone to 500° for 20 minutes. Slide the dough onto the stone and bake for 10 minutes.
- Check out our Cast Iron Skillet Pizza recipe for another awesome way to make pizza.
Notes
* Don't use fast-rising yeast. Also, use the additional flour as needed. The dough is on the wet side but feel free to add the extra if the weather is affecting your dough and you feel you need it.
*For a more authentic Neapolitan pizza dough: use 1 ⅓ cup water (315 grams) and 3 ¾ cup of flour (450 grams) with the rest of the ingredients the same per the recipe card.
**Freezing Instructions
- If only making one pizza, save the other for another time by spraying a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and wrapping it up. Place in a labeled ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Defrost frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the fridge to come to room temperature on the counter for at least an hour before rolling to make a pizza
- Only have a baking sheet? Then pre-bake the pizza crust. Pre-baking for about 5 minutes allows the crust to crisp up on the bottom and prevents undercooking from too many heavy toppings.
- Dough keep springing back? Let it rest for another 20 minutes or so at room temperature. It should have relaxed enough to be able to be spread out to the size you want.