This is the easiest, best pizza dough recipe. With just 6 ingredients and no fancy flours required (I’ve included instructions for using all-purpose or bread flour), this pizza crust requires just one bowl (no stand mixer, though you can use one if you’d like), about 3 seconds of kneading, and just 30 minutes to rise.
If you’re uncomfortable working with yeast or making your own pizza dough at home, I’ll walk you through every step of the process in my video just below the recipe. You’ve got this!
It’s a little silly how excited I am to share this recipe with you today. It’s pizza dough, not exactly glamorous or sexy and it was honestly pretty boring to photograph (how do you make a ball of dough look fun and appealing in pictures, please tell me!).
But as someone who has struggled with baking even the most simple recipes with yeast, perfecting this pizza dough was definitely a triumph for me and I’m really happy to announce that there’s nothing to be afraid of! Yeast baking isn’t all that scary or hard, and you too can make your own super simple pizza crust at home in a matter of minutes, no fancy ingredients required.
I kept this pizza dough recipe as simple and approachable as possible. It’s made with all-purpose flour (and notes on how to substitute that flour, in case you want to get fancy 😉), no stand mixer needed, and only the most minimal amount of kneading required.
Below I’ve tried to ask some of the most frequently asked questions about making your own pizza dough. Let’s get to it.
What is the best flour for making homemade pizza dough?
Many pizza-making-pros will likely argue that bread flour is best for making homemade pizza. However, I rarely keep any flours in my pantry that are more exotic than all-purpose flour, so when I was working on this recipe I first and foremost made sure that it worked perfectly with regular old all-purpose flour.
I did make a point to test this recipe (repeatedly, we ate a lot of pizza last week) with bread flour and it works very well when made that way, too. I find that the biggest difference is that using bread flour gives my pizza dough a crispier crust, while the all purpose flour yields a softer one.
Can I flavor my Pizza Dough?
Pizza dough on its own is obviously important as a base for your favorite pizza, but it’s also kind of… bland. Shockingly, something made primarily of flour and water isn’t super exciting to the taste buds, and most of the flavor will come from whatever toppings you add.
I do usually try to spice up my crust just a bit, though, by adding a dash of garlic powder (usually around a ¼ teaspoon) and sometimes dried basil leaves (dried oregano could also work for you but I absolutely loathe oregano) into the dough before you add your oil and water.
How do you stretch out pizza dough?
You can use a rolling pin or you can use your hands. If you’re especially skilled, you can toss it up in the air and spin your dough like an Italian pizza artist, but I definitely lack the ability to tell you how to do that one.
I prefer to use a rolling pin and roll the dough out into a circle (or more like an amoeba-shape, since I can’t roll a perfect circle to save my life). Alternatively you can use your hands to flatten and stretch the dough until it reaches the desired width.
Then use your hands to pinch the edges to make a crust or fold over the edges (I always fold mine over because it gives me a thicker crust, which I love), brush the entire surface of the pizza generously with olive oil, and then use a fork to poke holes over the center of the dough to prevent any bubbles from forming while it bakes.
How do you make Homemade Pizza?
You can use this pizza dough recipe to make your own homemade pizza using any toppings you’d like (I love making Margherita pizza and have even made a BBQ chicken version using my BBQ pulled chicken).
I included instructions in the recipe, but once you’ve prepared your pizza dough, just add your favorite toppings and bake in a 425F oven for about 15 minutes (you may need longer if you add a lot of toppings). Do make sure you let your oven preheat properly and use an oven thermometer as possible, my oven takes a while to reach that temperature and usually “tells” me it’s ready when it’s not even close.
OK, are you guys sick of hearing about my beloved pizza dough recipe yet? In case you just can’t get enough, I also made a video just below that you can watch so you can see exactly how your dough should look in every step.
How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough
If you enjoy watching these videos, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be notified every time I publish a video!
The Best Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour¹ divided (250-295g)
- 1 packet instant yeast² (2 ¼ teaspoon)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon garlic powder and/or dried basil leaves optional
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil + additional
- ¾ cup warm water³ (175ml)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup (125g) of flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. If desired, add garlic powder and dried basil at this point as well.
- Add olive oil and warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir well very well.
- Gradually add another 1 cup (125g) of flour. Add any additional flour as needed (I've found that sometimes I need as much as an additional ⅓ cup), stirring until the dough is forming into a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl (see video above recipe for visual cue). The dough will still be slightly sticky but still should be manageable with your hands.
- Drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl generously with olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush up the sides of the bowl.
- Lightly dust your hands with flour and form your pizza dough into a round ball and transfer to your olive oil-brushed bowl. Use your hands to roll the pizza dough along the inside of the bowl until it is coated in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place.
- Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. If you intend to bake this dough into a pizza, I also recommend preheating your oven to 425F (215C) at this point so that it will have reached temperature once your pizza is ready to bake.
- Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times).
- Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into 12" circle.
- Transfer dough to a parchment paper lined pizza pan and either pinch the edges or fold them over to form a crust.
- Drizzle additional olive oil (about a Tablespoon) over the top of the pizza and use your pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza (including the crust) with olive oil.
- Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
- Add desired toppings (see the notes for a link to my favorite, 5-minute pizza sauce recipe!) and bake in a 425F (215C) preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown. Slice and serve.
Notes
Making in Advance:
To make in advance, let the dough rise covered at room temperature as indicated in the recipe, then deflate it, wrap it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store in the refrigerator for up to several days or it will freeze for up to a month. Top your pizza off with my favorite, easy, homemade pizza sauce!Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Paula
Oh my gosh I tried this today it is the most amazing crust thanks for sharing
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Paula! 🙂
Chloe✨
nice pizza instructions the pizza I made was delicious
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Chloe! 🙂
Linda G Johnson
Just made this for the first time and I’ll always go back to it! It doesn’t take long and rises so nicely. I probably let it rise longer than 30 minutes in my warm oven. I rolled out four plate size pieces and let me say, it rolled out easier than any dough I’ve done. I made four calzones and my husband loved the crust! Next time I’ll try adding the garlic just to change it up. My son-in-law has an over-night recipe that I like but I’ll be using this one form now on!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Linda! 🙂
Lori Brooks
Great recipe!
Could I double this recipe to make 2 doughs
Sam
Definitely! Enjoy! 🙂
Deepa Mathew
It was my first time baking a pizza and I’m so glad that I came across your recipe!!!! Turned out perfectly well. Thank you so much!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Deepa! 🙂
Kimberly Craig
Literally the BEST pizza dough I have ever tasted! Thank you, with love from Guyana, South America!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Kimberly! 🙂
Wendy
Is there a way to make this dough using active yeast, not instant? Flour and yeast have been hard to find.
Sam
Hi Wendy! Others have had success using active dry yeast. Some have proofed it before using, others have just stirred it in the same way. Your rise time will just be a little bit longer. 🙂
Valerie Gordon
We made a double batch tonight with active dry yeast. I put the water in the microwave and tested the temperature (it was between 110 and 114 degrees), then added the sugar, stirred to dissolve, then added active dry yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Use a big measuring cup because it doubles in size. Then put it with the other ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer, stirred with a wooden spoon to combine, then kneaded it with the dough hook and adjusted flour until it just barely sticks to the bottom of the bowl. It took right at 4 cups flour, maybe a tad more. We used bread flour. This recipe is a keeper. Hubby loved it!
Wevenia
Hi thanks it’s a great pizza dough
My grandson love it
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Wangeci
I have tried for my family my friends and shared the recipe with so many. No more take out.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Devorah
I use spelt flour only in all my baking and was looking for a new pizza dough recipe. This one is a winner!! I doubled the recipe and used half whole spelt flour and half white spelt flour. This is a soft dough, easy to work with, rises and rolls beautifully, bakes evenly and deliciously. I added chunks of sauteed onion on the cheese then a bit more cheese on that. Thank you!!
Sam
I am glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Diana Jones
I have made this recipe twice. Each time it was great! I used it to wrap hotdogs (like giant pigs in a blanket) with cheese. The 2bd time it made the BEST pizza. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sam
You’re very welcome, Diana! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed. Thank you so much for commenting, I really appreciate it! 🙂
M J
Hi! the recipe says one packet of instant yeast (2 1/4 tsp) but my yeast packet definitely is less than that amount. Should i use one yeast packet or measure out the teaspoons?
Sam
Hi M J! I would measure out the teaspoons. Enjoy! 🙂
M J
Thank you!
Jess
This is the pizza dough recipe I’ve been searching for!!! It’s fast (30 min rise), easy (one bowl dough, anyone?), and delicious (seriously, this is the best homemade pizza dough I’ve had). Note that I do add the basil, garlic salt, and oregano and it’s just a super soft, tasty dough. Definitely recommend!! I’ve made it twice since discovering it this week!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this!! Thank you for letting me know how you enjoyed, Jess! I appreciate it 🙂
Helen
Easy pizza dough to make. Turned out really good. I put mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the dough and then added my Pizza sauce and then more cheese on top of the sauce. This keeps the crust from getting soggy from the sauce. Will definitely make this recipe on a regular basis!
Sam
So glad you enjoyed, Helen! Thank you for commenting! 🙂
Neil
I just want to say this recipe is amazing Sam!! I have made your pizza base recipe on several occasions now and the family love it 🙂 they say it beats any takeaway pizza hands down and that is something coming from my son who adores Domino’s and Papa John’s. I highly recommend you give it a go, as you will never order takeaway pizza ever again. 5 Stars Perfection.
Sam
I am so happy to hear this!!! Thank you so much for commenting, Neil, I really appreciate it! 🙂