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.
Phillip
I tried the pizza recipe with the bread flower and the all purpose flower and the bread flower wins. My kids loved it and said it’s better than what we usually purchase from Walmart. The pizza stone makes a big difference. It was a mess in the kitchen with the kids but I loved every second of it. Thanks for your help!
Wade
This is by far the easiest and tastiest pizza crust ive made yer. The mouth feel is also great. Thanks for posting so i could have the recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad it was a hit for you, Wade! 🥰
Deirdre
This was a really easy recipe to follow. It was my first time making homemade pizza crust and it was delicious!
Kim
Definitely the best crust I have made so far
Mona Pitts
OMG! Awesome! Great recipe! My pizza came out perfect!
Sherry A
This dough is great!!!! I used active yeast and bloomed it first. Also used bread flour but followed recipe as stated (included garlic powder and Italian seasoning).
Turned out wonderfully. Thank you for the Best Pizza Dough I’ve ever made
Stephanie
I made this tonight and it made the perfect pizza crust! Crispy & tasty! Printing this out to add to my recipe book 😊 a must have!
*I used bread flour and added the garlic powder*
Callie
Delicious and simple. This is my go-to pizza dough recipe!
C. Prov
Worked out great for me, with All-Purp flour and added garlic powder and red pepper flakes, then set to rise in a warmed-then-turned-off oven. Topped with sauce and veg, baked 10 mins, pulled out and added cheese for last 3-4 mins. Very nice – thanks.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed it 😊
Valerie
I made this tonight. I doubled the recipe, for a big sheet pan. Worked out great. But I need to put more salt in it, I just shook the shaker a couple of times. But I was very pleased, it was soft and thick crust around the edges, an d with all the stuff, I had on it, the crust was done. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you so much!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for letting us know how you liked it, Valerie! We appreciate you trying our recipe ❤️
Diana
I love this pizza crust! Thank you so much! Is is easy and delicious!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy to hear it, Diana! Thanks for the review ❤️
Andrea
I doubled this for enough dough for breadsticks, came out perfect on a blizzardy day on the northern plains. Husband is asking for more so I will be making more and freezing it for quick weeknight dinners, the 7 year old and 1.5 year olds are in love as well!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy to hear it, Andrea! Enjoy your dinner and stay warm ❤️
Nicole
I just made this and it’s delicious!! I was nervous because mine didn’t look like yours and I’ve never made any homemade dough before but your video was easy to follow for a novice baker and once it rose came together beautifully! I placed mine in my cast iron skillet with a little cornmeal on the bottom, no oil and it is flakey and amazing. Thank you for posting this recipe ❤️ Will definitely make again.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy the video was helpful for you, Nicole! Thanks for trusting our recipe ❤️
Monika
This dough is perfection. I made my with bread flour. And it came out perfect. Thank you thank you. 🥰🥰🙏
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for the review, Monika! We’re so happy you loved the dough 🥰
Rosa
First timer here, we used AP Flour & Instant Yeast. Ours turned out really dry & thick so we added a little extra water & olive oil. (It’s currently rising) but any clue why it didn’t get sticky as expected?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Rosa! How did you add your flour? We recommend adding just until the dough reaches the right consistency, which means you may not need the full amount listed. Hope that helps! 😊
Julie
Turned out delicious! I prebaked my crusts for a few minutes then baked pizzas at 475. Gave it a bit of a crispier crust. Great recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad you enjoyed, Julie! Thanks for trying our recipe ❤️