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.
Sherry
Excellent! The 2nd day found the crust perfect also and the crust was still edible. (as we know 2nd day crust is not always the best) Another great one Sam.
Thank you.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a hit for you, Sherry! Thanks for the review ❤️
Jami
I added fresh herbs from my garden to the crust. Wow was it tasty! Our whole family enjoyed the flavor.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That sounds wonderful, Jami! We are so happy you enjoyed it 😊
Katrina
So easy and so crisp! I did mine on a pizza stone. Yay! No more sponge-y pizza!
Nicole
Oh Sugar Spun Run, you are becoming my go-to for great recipes! 😁 after falling in love with your biscuit recipes, I came here to look for pizza dough too. Good choice, bc…
This pizza dough is awesome! I’ve made it three times, doesn’t disappoint. In fact, my husband told me it was the best pizza I’ve ever made last time… and I used leftover pork as a topping (which he normally hates as a pizza topping). That means it was alllll the crust and my homemade sauce! Haha.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you found another winner, Nicole! Thanks for coming back to let us know how it went for you ❤️
MDee
I have tried hundreds of pizza dough recipes using fancy flours and techniques. This one uses regular AP flour and the basics which makes the best pizza ever! So simple, so basic!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a winner for you! Thanks for giving our recipe a try 🥰
Liz
This recipe was so easy to follow and tastes delicious! First time making homemade pizza and it was a hit!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you chose our recipe, Liz! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. Enjoy your pizza 🥰
Lynette
I doubled the recipe, not realizing that each one was supposed to only make one crust… I managed to get four, two of which I froze for later use. They were smaller, closer to 10″, but it worked! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed it, Lynette! Thanks for the review ❤️
Raga Zaman
I use this dough every single time now. Seriously the best fast dough to make.
Denise
Nice, thin crust with a good chew
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re happy you enjoyed it, Denise! 😌
Isabela
I have made this recipe more times than I can count. I make this crust just about every other week! It’s a hit with the whole family and staple in our home. I double it with no issues. Thank you for sharing!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy to hear this, Isabela! Thanks so much for the review ❤️
Donna Valdez
I have used this recipe countless times! I’ve tried others out of curiosity & this is my favorite. I make pizza at least once a week for dinner. Also makes a great dessert pizza just omit the garlic powder. I pre-make the dough & freeze. It makes it very convenient to have the dough ready on those busy nights (kids have games, lessons, etc). Thank you for such an amazing recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We love reviews like this, Donna! So happy to hear that our recipe has become a staple in your kitchen ❤️
Shelly
hi, I would like to try this, if I wanted a 16″ instead, would you recommend a cup more flour?
Thanks a mil, can’t wait to try it!
Sam
Hi Shelly! I would probably recommend increasing the recipe by 50% to make sure you have enough for a 16″ pizza. If you just add more flour the dough will be too dry. I hope that helps! 🙂
Daniel Dupree
the dough taste fresh and delicious
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you like it, Daniel 😊
Lynn
my dough becomes very dry when I add the second cup of flour. one dough did not rise at all. I’m making a second one with less flour. any advice am I doing something wrong
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Lynn! Next time try gradually adding the second cup of flour until the dough reaches the right consistency, then stop. You may not need the full second cup. Also, make sure your yeast is still good, as that would be the reason for the dough not rising. We hope you give it another try! ❤️
Orlando Estrada
Easy to follow directions and the video also helps.
Alejandra
hello thanks for this amaizing receipe..
I did it very fast for my 3 year old and we love it!!!! easy to make for anymore!!!
thanks ones again!!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a hit, Alejandra! 🥰
Ashley
BEST and most straight forward pizza dough ever. Love that it uses instant yeast as I am impatient. By the time you get your toppings prepped, the dough will have already risen! Especially delicious if you add the garlic powder and Italian style seasoning to the dough. Thank you!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for the review, Ashley! We’re so happy you love the recipe 🥰