Making pizza dough at home is really easy and there’s none of the exact proofing time and perfect kneading technique required by some finicky bread recipes. Pizza night here we come! By the by, you can TOTALLY double the recipe for two pizzas while still using one packet of yeast. Never say no to pizza two days in a row!
What You’ll Need for This Recipe
Flour: All purpose works well but for a thicker crust use bread flour. AP flour gives a slightly chewier, thinner crust.
Olive oil: You can definitely use vegetable oil if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Make Pizza Dough
1. I like to make pizza dough in my stand mixer since it does almost all the work for me but you can TOTALLY make this by hand. In either case you’ll start off by warming either a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer. Add warm water and swish it around a few times then dump it out.
Now add your warm, roughly 100F, water, the yeast and half the sugar. Give them a mix and set aside for about 7 minutes. When you see the mixture is bubbling as above then you’ll know it’s ready.
2. Mix the four, salt, and remaining then dump into the water mixture and attach the dough hook.
3. Run the mixer on a medium speed until the dough comes together. If you’re using a mixer then it will do almost all of the kneading for you. In the photo above you can see this dough is looking pretty smooth and firm already.
If you’re dong this by hand then you can use a wooden spoon or your hands to bring the dough together.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it has a smooth texture and bounces back when pressed. Use olive oil to coat the dough then transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, place in a warm draft-free place to rise for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Preheat oven to 450F. After the dough has doubled, press down to deflate.
6. Gently roll out onto a lightly floured surface then stretch into a disk. Transfer to your baking sheet pizza paddle, brush with olive oil then top with sauce, cheese and your choice of toppings. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
Pro Tips for this Recipe
- Add ANY dried herbs you like to the dough for an extra depth of flavor. I like a teaspoon of thyme or rosemary but there are many great options to try.
- You can double this recipe but still use just one packet of yeast if you’d like to make two pizzas or have some extra dough to save for later.
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- I often just bake my pizzas on sheet pans but if you’re using a pizza stone make sure to spread some cornmeal on the pizza paddle so things don’t get stuck!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best flour to use?
The best flour to use for pizza dough depends on what type of crust you like. Bread flour will give you that fluffier thick crust, while all-purpose flour will make a thinner crust.
Why is my crust chewy?
Using bread flour, which has more protein than AP flour will give you a crisper, thicker crust. All-purpose flour makes a great thin crust pizza but can be chewier.
How can I store it?
In the refrigerator: Cover the dough lightly in oil and store in a plastic bag for 1-2 days. When you’re ready to use the dough let it come to room temperature then press it down, and shape as needed.
In the freezer: Lightly oil the surface of your dough then wrap in plastic and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator then punch down and shape.
From: The Preppy Kitchen