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    See More:   Comfort Food Main Dishes Raising Foodie Kids Recipes for Beginners Vegetarian Weeknight Meals

    Last Modified: Feb 3, 2023 by Tara Ziegmont 8 Comments

    How to Make the Best Homemade Pizza Dough

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    How to make the best homemade pizza dough - This easy recipe uses yeast and all purpose flour to make a simple, fast, and healthy thick crust. You can use Instant Yeast or active dry yeast and this recipe has no baking powder. We use our KitchenAid mixer and the dough hook to form the dough. Includes instructions for how to cook the pizza.

    homemade pizza dough from scratch

    We have tried a lot of pizza dough recipes.

    For more than a year, we've eaten homemade pizza almost every week, usually on Sunday afternoon or evening. It's become our tradition. As we're lazing around, doing whatever it is we've decided to do, we make a ball of pizza dough and then we all decide what to put on it.

    At first, we used a bread machine pizza dough recipe that came from The Complete Tightwad Gazette book.

    Unfortunately, we were never completely happy with that recipe.

    Not long ago, I went searching for a new pizza crust recipe, and I found one on AllRecipes.com. I adjusted it, of course (because we never leave a recipe alone, ever), and what came out of it was the best pizza crust we'd ever eaten. It's on the thicker side: light and soft on the inside and crispy and crunchy on the outside. We discovered that we like it best when it's grilled outside, but it's also really good when baked in the oven.

    I've shared 24 different recipes for homemade pizza over in this post, so definitely check that out for all kinds of unique and interesting ways to cook and top your pizza. The possibilities are endless.

    Our favorite pizza flavor at the moment is White Spinach Pizza, but we also really like BBQ Chicken Pizza.

    What you'll need to make the best homemade pizza dough

    EQUIPMENT

    • Stand mixer - I use my dough hook of stand mixer to mix the dry and wet ingredients together and then to knead the dough.
    • Pizza stone or Baking sheet - I prefer my old fashioned Pampered Chef pizza stone if I'm not going to cook my pizza on the grill. There are a variety of different pizza pans available as well, although a plain old baking sheet works too. Oh, you can also use a big cast iron skillet. I've done that a few times, and the homemade pizza came out really well.
    • Parchment paper - You don't need parchment paper if you're using a pizza stone, but if you're using a metal pan, I recommend parchment so that the pizza doesn't stick to the pan.
    • Pizza board or pizza peel - This helps to get the pizza off of the hot stone or pan and gives you a surface on which to cut it.
    • Pizza Cutter - This makes it easier to cut the pizza, but you could use a sharp knife if you don't have one.

    INGREDIENTS

    homemade pizza dough ingredientsPin

    See printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and other information.

    • Active dry yeast - If you're able to find rapid rise yeast, you can add it directly to the dry ingredients in step two, omitting step one all together. In that case, make sure your water is very hot, between 120-130 degrees, or whatever temperature is suggested on the yeast package.
    • Warm water - You need this to activate the yeast. It should be warm to the touch but not too hot. If it's too hot to put your finger in, it's too hot and will kill the yeast.
    • White sugar - Some of this will get added to the yeast and water to feed the yeast. (That's what makes it get frothy!) The rest will be added to the flour and mixed into the dough.
    • Bread flour - Bread flour is the best flour for making homemade dough because it has more gluten than all purpose flour and bakes up crispier. If you only have all purpose flour, use that. Your pizza dough will still come out really well. I do not recommend gluten-free flour in this recipe.
    • Olive oil - You can really use any oil.
    • Salt - Don't leave this out. Salt helps the dough to rise properly.

    To make your homemade pizza, you'll also need pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and a variety of toppings which can include pepperoni, sausage (pre-cooked), bacon, onions, peppers, mushrooms, black olives, pineapple (with or without diced ham), ribbons of basil, and Parmesan cheese. I've also had really delicious pizzas made with cheddar or even provolone cheese.

    Do I have to pre-cook the pizza toppings?

    Anything you put on the pizza raw will still be raw when you eat the pizza because the pizza only cooks for 10 minutes. It's not enough time to cook anything; just to melt the cheese.

    You absolutely need to pre-cook bacon or sausage before adding it to a pizza. It's up to you whether you want to pre-cook veggies like peppers and onions. Never pre-cook herbs like basil as most lose their flavor when heated.

    How to make the best homemade pizza recipe

    1. In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast packet in warm water. Let yeast stand for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is frothy and has lots of air bubbles.
      add water and sugar to the yeastPin
    2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining sugar, flour, oil, and salt.
      mix flour, sugar, and saltPin
    3. After it's frothy, add the yeasty water to the flour mixture.
      add the yeast to the flour mixturePin
    4. Stir well, until the dough is thoroughly combined and beginning to stiffen. We use the dough hook and our big KitchenAid mixer for this step.
      work the mixture until it forms a dough ballPin
    5. Cover the bowl with a clean damp dish towel and let the pizza dough rise for 30 minutes.
      cover the dough ball with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrapPin
    6. Once the dough has doubled in size, you're ready to make a homemade pizza!
      the dough ball will rise and double in sizePin
    7. Preheat the oven to 425º.
    8. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
      remove the dough from the bowl and flatten itPin
    9. Stretch it into your preferred shape (rectangle or circle). Don't smash it with a rolling pin! Use your hands to stretch and shape the pizza.
      place the homemade pizza on a baking sheet lined with parchment paperPin
    10. Pre-bake the homemade pizza dough for 10 minutes at 425º. This step is necessary to ensure that the crust is crispy in the center. If you don't pre-bake, your crust will either be soggy and uncooked in the center or burned on the edges.
      bake the homemade pizza dough until it is goldenPin
    11. After the crust has pre-baked, cover it with sauce and toppings.
      top the homemade pizza dough with sauce and toppings such as pepperoni and onionsPin
    12. Sprinkle generously with cheese.
      top the homemade pizza with lots of shredded cheesePin
    13. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
      homemade pizza on a baking sheetPin

    Why isn't my yeast making air bubbles?

    Yeast is a live organism that needs to eat and breath. (That's what makes the bubbles, the respiration.)

    Always check the expiration date yeast before you open it. If it's too old, it is more than likely dead. When you put it in warm sugar water, nothing will happen.

    Yeast has to "bloom" (i.e. get frothy) in order to make the pizza dough rise. If there's no live yeast in the dough, you will have made fancy paste, and your pizza crust will be inedible.

    If your yeast doesn't bloom, it's because it was old and the yeast had died. You can't fix it. You have to throw the mixture away and start over.

    Can you make a thinner crust using this homemade pizza dough?

    Of course! The pizza crust will be as thin as you roll it out. We generally leave ours on the thicker side, but if you want a thinner crust, divide the dough in half and roll the half out to the size you want.

    Can you freeze homemade pizza dough?

    Yes! Homemade pizza dough freezes really well. After allowing the dough to rise, pop it into a plastic freezer bag or wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap followed by one layer of aluminum foil. It will be good for 2-3 months.

    To make a homemade pizza from frozen dough, allow the dough to defrost in the fridge overnight. Set it on the counter to warm up for 30-60 minutes before rolling it out.

    Try these other delicious pizza recipes while you're here:

    • How to Make a Heart Shaped Pizza for Valentine's Day
    • 2 Minute Microwave Pizza in a Mug Recipe
    • Easy Mini Breakfast Pizzas on English Muffins
    • Upside Down Pizza Casserole - The Best Popover Pizza Recipe
    • Chicken Crust Pizza - The Best Low Carb & Gluten-Free Pizza Recipe
    • Quick & Easy Pizza Dip Recipe
    • How to Make the Best Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
    • 24 Frugal & Healthy Homemade Pizza Recipes
    • How to Grill Pizza Dough
    a close up of homemade pizza

    How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough

    How to make the best homemade pizza dough - This easy recipe uses yeast and all purpose flour to make a simple, fast, and healthy thick crust. You can use Instant Yeast or active dry yeast and this recipe has no baking powder. We use our KitchenAid mixer and the dough hook to form the dough. Includes instructions for how to cook the pizza.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Rising time 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Main Course, Main Dish
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 240 kcal

    Equipment

    • Stand mixer
    • Pizza stone
    • Baking sheet
    • Parchment paper
    • Pizza board
    • Pizza Cutter

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 package active dry yeast* 0.25 ounce
    • 1 cups warm water
    • 2 teaspoon sugar divided
    • 2½ cups flour
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    • In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar and yeast packet in warm water. Let stand for 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is frothy.
    • In a large bowl, combine remaining sugar, flour, oil, salt, and yeast mixture. Stir well, until the dough is thoroughly combined and beginning to stiffen. We use the dough hook and our big KitchenAid mixer for this step.
    • Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and allow it to rise for 30 minutes, until it has doubled in volume.
    • Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
    • Dump the dough onto a well floured pizza stone or cookie sheet. Stretch it into your preferred shape (rectangle or circle). Don't smash it with a rolling pin! Use your hands to stretch and shape the pizza, and pre-bake it for 10 minutes at 425. This step is necessary to ensure that the crust is crispy in the center.
    • After the crust has pre-baked, cover it with sauce, toppings, and cheese, and bake it for another 10 minutes at 425ºF.

    Notes

    *If you're able to find rapid rise yeast, you can add it directly to the dry ingredients in step two, omitting step one all together. In that case, make sure your water is very hot, between 120-130 degrees, or whatever temperature is suggested on the yeast package.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2mg
    Keyword dough, pizza
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Follow @FeelsLikeHome or tag #FeelsLikeHomeBlog!

    This is my 1,000 post on Feels Like Home. Just thought I'd mention that since it's sort of a big deal. I started blogging on July 30, 2007, just eight weeks after Grace was born. I wrote a lot of things that aren't worth reading and a few things that might be. In February 2008, I rebranded the site, and the rest is... in the archives. I just thought I'd mention it, in case you haven't been here since the beginning.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Robyn says

      September 13, 2010 at 2:17 am

      Congrats on 1,000 posts! I've been here since the beginning, and I loved all the stuff you posted back then. All worth reading. 🙂

      Reply
    2. Lolli says

      September 13, 2010 at 11:54 pm

      Congratulations on 1000 posts! That's 1000 really great quality blog content. 🙂 Yum...pizza!

      Reply
    3. Anonymous says

      September 14, 2010 at 3:07 am

      I love making pizza dough! Congrats on making 1000 posts too!

      Reply
    4. Blessedwithgrace says

      September 14, 2010 at 3:49 pm

      Congrats on hitting 1000 posts! It IS is BIG deal. You have truly inspired me, in so many ways! I love that we share the bond of our Graces', being only weeks apart in age. I feel you are a kindred spirit and really do LOVE you!
      On a different note - this dough recipe sounds great! I really appreciate you following me over to the Well, this week and linking up. I am excited about this new collaboration. 🙂

      Reply
    5. Prairie Story says

      September 16, 2010 at 2:32 am

      Isn't funny the things we get "picky" about. I'm totally with you on trying to find the perfect pizza dough! I'm going to try this one for sure!!!

      Reply
    6. Gina says

      August 30, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      I used this recipe but added garlic powder and basil to the recipe, it smells amazing just waiting for the rise now.

      Reply
    7. Debbie Croft says

      March 09, 2023 at 12:04 pm

      can you mix this pizza dough in a food processor with a dough blade?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        March 10, 2023 at 11:51 am

        Definitely.

        Reply

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