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.
Sara H.
I do t know what I did wrong…I’ve made a hundred different pizza crust recipes and this one ended up terribly! The dough was so tough to roll (we made heart shaped pizzas)…trying to roll them out was impossible and they kept springing back. We poked holes, but one had a huge air bubble that inflated the entire pizza. And the bake time! I took them out after 11 minutes and two of the four were completely charred on the bottom. It was a sad night here.
Sam
I’m so sorry this happened, Sara! Usually when the dough is springing back like that there is too much flour in the dough. It sounds like you may have made the pizzas much smaller. This would shorten the bake time. If 2 of them burned and 2 didn’t, is your oven heating evenly and accurately? I hope you’ll give it another shot. Lots and lots of people love it. 🙂
Danielle
This was fantastic pizza crust. My 4 year old and I made it together for dinner. Other than having to wait for it to rise and cook it did not disappoint. He doesn’t really like pizza and he said it was the best he’d ever had!
I didn’t have white sugar so I just used brown and you’d never know. Incorporating the garlic and basil really took it to the next level. I didn’t see the part about kneading or brushing with oil (someone was very anxious at this point), so the dough turned out so soft and fluffy in the middle crisp on the outside. I loved it but will try it the way you said and will definitely be making bulk to store in the freezer in advance. Is defrosting overnight enough? Do you recommend kneading after thawing? Thanks for a great recipe!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Danielle! I think overnight should be enough to thaw the dough. I would just roll it out after it’s defrosted. 🙂
Diane
I like a thin crust,,any advice?
Sam
Hi Diane! You can roll this to whatever thickness you prefer. Of course it may need to bake for less time if it’s really thin. 🙂
CGK
I made this pizza with my six-year old daughter…it was our first time making homemade pizza dough. She wanted to write a review and let you know that it was one of the best pizzas she has ever tasted!
Sam
That is so awesome! I’m so glad she enjoyed it so much! I really appreciate the feedback. 🙂
Bry
Hey Sam! Can you tell me how many pounds of dough this makes? I am trying to use the dough to make another recipe and I need 1.5lbs of pizza dough. Would that be double of this recipe?
Thanks!!
Sam
Hmmm that’s an interesting question. I haven’t weighed it before but just by going off of the weights of the ingredients you should probably be pretty close to a pound of dough. 🙂
Kristen
Just tried this and my family loved it! We look forward to making homemade pizza again soon! So much better than other dough we have tried! Thank you Sam!!
Sam
You are very welcome, Kristen! I am so glad everyone enjoys it so much! 🙂
Can you double or triple the recipe for the dough?carol
Can you double or triple the recipe for the dough?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
Gretchen
Best dough! Excellent taste and texture it’s now the only recipe I use for pizza!
Sam
Thank you so much, Gretchen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Sherri
This crust was great. I was wondering it you think it would come out a little crispier if I precooked it a little before putting on the toppings. The endless were perfect, but my husband likes a crispier pizza
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sherri! Yes you can make it a little more crisp by pre-baking it or by cooking it on a higher temperature for a few minutes. 🙂
Cindy
Calling this the “Best Pizza Dough” recipe is really misleading! You should call it “Best Pizza and Focaccia Dough Ever”!!!!! My family requests more homemade pizza since I tried this recipe, and now I use it for fast bread when I’m in a hurry. THANK YOU! 😀 I actually laminated this recipe and hung it on the fridge. 😀 😀 😀
Sam
That is so awesome! I’m honored to have a place on your fridge! I’m glad everyone enjoys it so much. 🙂
Johnalynne
LOVE THIS RECIPE! Thank you so much for sharing this! My whole family loved the pizza. Such a perfect time to make homemade pizza on international pizza day! I will be using your recipe for future homemade pizza. So yummy!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Patricia Clark
This is exactly how my mom used to do her pizza dough. Thank you
Lee
One added thing that I like to do, when making pizza, is spray or brush olive oil or butter around the crust. Then sprinkle it with garlic powder and Italian seasonings. That way you’re getting a blast of flavor from the first bite to the last..! 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for sharing, Lee. Sounds delicious. 🙂
Dale
How about adding my sourdough starter to this recipe?
Sam
Sounds like a fun experiment! Let me know how it turns out for you. 🙂
Kelsey
I’m very new to baking; what’s the purpose of brushing the crust with olive oil?
I’m going to try and copy a pizza from my favorite pizza place, which has truffle oil on it. Would I be able to use truffle oil to brush onto the crust instead of olive oil?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Kelsey! You brush oil on the edge of the dough to give it a crispier crust. I haven’t tried using truffle oil, but it should be fine. I hope that you love the pizza! 🙂
Ryan
Question Sam,
Does the bread flour yield a cake like dough?
I’m looking for a basic thin crust…not overly thin, but thin like NY, or Philadelphia style.
Would your back down on the yeast say half to achieve this thin crust?
Thanks
Sugar Spun Run
If you are looking for a thin, crisp crust you will want to use bread flour and roll dough to the desired thickness. 🙂
Salma
Tried it it was like eating at pizza hut it really tested yummy
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Salma
Hi sam did you used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheese
Sam
Sometimes I do. 🙂