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)
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.
Leda
I love this pizza dough! So light and fluffy And delicious when you “doctor” it up with dried basil. Absolutely delicious!! Must try
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Leda! 🙂
teresa maultsby
It was easy and my pizza came out yummy! I used veg oil and brushed the cruat with garlic butter and sprinkled on parm/romano!! Will make again!!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Teresa! 🙂
Scott S.
Very soft dough & carried flavor well.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Scott! 🙂
Jimmy
Hi Sam, you use one pack of yeast in 2 cup flour for same day. Can I use one pack of yeast for 4 cups of flour for overnight next day?
Does it make difference if I use active vs instant?
Sam
Hi Jimmy! If you are going to double the recipe I would still recommend doubling the yeast. I have had many commenters report storing the dough overnight in the refrigerator for use the next day. You will want to let the dough rise, deflate it and wrap the bowl tightly to store in the refrigerator for later use. You can use either instant or active dry yeast here. 🙂
Sp
Hi, if we want to prebake, what temperature and how long do you recommend it?
Sam
You would pre-bake it on the same temperature and the length really depends on the texture of the crust you are going for, if you want it really crispy you’ll bake it longer if you just want to start the cooking process so you can add lots and lots of toppings it will take a little less time in the oven. 🙂
Rose
The instant yeast you are using…is it instant rapid rise? Or no?
Sam
Hi Rose! It is a rapid rise instant yeast. 🙂
Karen G.
Best recipe I have found yet. Doubled it and added a little extra flour to make two 16 inch pizzas. It rolled out easily. Will be my “go to” recipe from now on. Thanks.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Karen! 🙂
lorena gomez
Can whole wheat flour be substituted in this recipe?
Sam
Hi Lorena! I have substituted a little bit of wheat flour for the all purpose flour, but if you use all whole wheat flour your dough will be pretty dry.
Pam
Hi can i use regular cooking oil instead of olive oil as my mom is allergic to olive oil
Sam
Hi Pam! I’m not exactly sure what you mean by regular cooking oil, but vegetable or canola oil should work here. 🙂
Nathan
Thanks for the recipe! If I make it in the afternoon then stick in in the fridge for two hours before using it, how long before using it should I take it out of the fridge? Thanks again!
Sam
Hi Nathan! You shouldn’t have any issues pulling it out of the refrigerator and rolling it out to use. 🙂
Karen
GREAT and EASY recipe!! Made 2 pizzas…one with AP flour and one with bread flour so I could see the texture difference. Rolling pin was a good suggestion as it sure helped me shape my dough easier! Don’t be afraid to make your own pizza dough! This recipe will give you SUCCESS!👍
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Karen! 🙂
Katie
Can you grill this pizza dough?
Sam
Hi Katie! I haven’t tried grilling it. Honestly I am not even sure what that would look like, but if you typically grill pizza dough you shouldn’t have any issue doing so. 🙂
Lauren
Have you ever used the recipe for grilled pizza? Trying to work out my 4th of July menu. Thank you!
Sam
Hi Lauren! I have not tried grilling it, but if you do I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Tyler Armstrong
I grill all of my pizzas, and use a dough recipe very similar to this. Should work just fine. I like extra oil in my dough for the grill; helps it stay softer and less likely to stick. I usually chill the dough before using.
Remember to cook it fast on the grill so it doesn’t dry out, this requires fast work so you don’t let all the heat out of the oven when opening it.
I use cornmeal on my dough on the board, slide the un-topped dough right onto the grate of a very hot oven (600-800f), shut it, then flip after 30-40 seconds, throw toppings on quickly and shut. Cook until toppings are warm/melted, hopefully about 5 min. The longer it cooks the more water leaves the dough and the crunchier it becomes.
Enjoy! Thank you Sam for your great recipe 🙂 try the grill method some time!
Sam
Thank you for the advice, Tyler! I will definitely give it a shot one day. 🙂
Ak
This recipe is so good. We have made it a few times already, bit this is the first time I tasted it. Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Mandi
This recipe is excellent for making bread sticks and garlic knots as well, especially if you use all purpose flour for that slightly softer texture. I also recommend it for fried dough! So many great ways to enjoy this recipe, thank you for posting it 😀
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy it so much, Mandi! 🙂
Tyler Armstrong
Yum!! I’ve also used pizza dough like this to make pita bread. Just a different cooking technique, but a dough like this is so versatile it’s amazing!