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.
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.
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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.