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
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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.
Amy Aranas
I made pizza for the first time and I used this recipe. I doubled it to make 2 pizzas. I think if you intend to make a real thin crust pizza, the double recipe can make 3 of a 12 inch thin crust pizza! This is a very easy recipe to make but gives a very tasty, soft in the inside, crusty in the outside pizza! Great recipe!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Amy! 🙂
Jean
This dough is so easy and is so good. My family loves it. No more ordering takeout pizza.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Jean! 🙂
Julio
Just made it and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you so much.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Julio! 🙂
Elizabeth Spirito
Overall very good recipe. Just not enough liquid… 3/4 cup water was not enough for 2 1/3 cups of flour to me. It was just too dry until I added a little bit more water.
Niko
I agree! Mine was super dry, nothing like in the video. Corrected it with more water. The best is yet to come, will bake it tomorrow, still looks good while resting in the fridge.
Jean
I used the suggested 2 cups of flour and it was perfect. Only add extra 1/3 cup if needed.
Indigo
I made several pizzas and they were okey to good. But, I tried this recipe and the pizza was amazing. I’m a Chicago girl so it’s all about the crust. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m in Asia and now I have a taste of home!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Natalie
Did you use bread flour or all-purpose flour when you made it?
Tara
This recipe was so so delicious! I doubled this recipe, and rolled the doughs out thin to make flatbread pizza. Was a huge hit in my family! Would definitely use this recipe again.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Tara! 🙂
David P.
Tried it tonight and it turned out very well despite tripling the recipe (I’ve got a hungry family!). The crust came out fluffy the way I like it, but the middle of the pizza was a little doughy for two of the pizzas. I think maybe baking on a pizza stone may help. Also, I had to add the full amount of flour described to get it to the right texture/stickiness. Overall, the recipe was super-easy and tasty. Next time I think I will try adding parmesean cheese. And since I was out of parchment paper, adding a little bit of olive oil to my pizza pan worked out very well. Thanks for the recipe!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, David! You can always bake it for another minute or two so the crust becomes a little crispier. 🙂
Leanda
Turned out great! Felt really nice to work with. Used all purpose flour but will try using Bread flour once it is available again. Thanks for a great recipe.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Leanda! 🙂
Angel
This recipe is amazing! I’ve used it several times over the last couple months, and it works perfectly. I usually add some onion powder, minced garlic, and Italian herbs to it, and it’s delicious! Even my partner will eat all of the crust (which is a rare feat).
Sam
I am so glad you have enjoyed it so much, Angel! 🙂
Jacky
Love this pizza dough recipe! I was wondering if this would be enough to make 2 personal pizzas or should I adjust the recipe for that?
Sam
Hi Jacky! You could definitely divide the dough in half and make 2 individual pizzas. 🙂
Liz
OK this was good – I baked it on the parchment paper but that prevented the crust from getting crispy – do you really need to use that?
Sam
Hi Liz! You can bake it directly on the pan if you want. It may have needed just another minute or two to make it crispy. 🙂
Lilly
I’ve made this recipe at least 25 times and even when I messed up the first few times (I didn’t read correctly and put all the flour in at once—rookie mistake), it still turned out to be delicious! This recipe is fool proof! Super fun and easy to make for friends and family.
Sam
I am so glad you have enjoyed it so much, Lilly! 🙂
Jillian
If I double this recipe, do I need to double the yeast as well? Sorry I’m still learning the rules of yeast.
Sam
Hi Jillian! You will need to double the yeast here as well. 🙂
Azaylia Briones
Can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil?
Sam
Hi Azaylia! That should work fine here. 🙂
Kristen
My dough is currently rising…so do I need to precook the dough before adding toppings then cook again after the toppings have been added? I’ve done that on other pizzas due to soggy bottoms.
Sam
Hi Kristen! No need, I’ve never pre-baked and never had a problem 🙂
Kristen
Thank you so much! Excited for dinner!!