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    Home » Recipes » Breads (Yeast & Quick Breads)

    The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

    Published: May 23, 2018 by Sam Merritt · 9,217 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe
    The Easiest Pizza Dough Recipe

    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! 

    Pizza Dough Recipe with dough after it's risen

    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.

    Folding over pizza dough to form a crust

    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.

    Pizza dough formed into a ball before rising

    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.

    Pizza dough on pizza pan

    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.

    Cheese pizza made with my pizza dough recipe

    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

    YouTube video

    If you enjoy watching these videos, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be notified every time I publish a video!

    Pizza dough in glass bowl, after rising

    The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

    How to make the BEST Pizza Dough Recipe
    5 from 2419 votes
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Rising Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 12 servings (makes one 10-12" pizza)
    Calories: 113kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    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

    ¹I've found that all-purpose flour yields a softer crust while bread flour gives a slightly crispier exterior. Please see the post for more information on all-purpose vs. bread flour in pizza dough.
    ²Many commenters have reported using active dry yeast (use the same amount, 2 ¼ teaspoon) with success. Some people have proofed the yeast first with the ¾ cup warm water, which is what I would recommend, while others have just mixed it into the dough as instructed. Both have had success! 
    ³Ideally your water should be between 105-115F (40-46C). I usually just use warm tap water but do make sure that your water isn't too hot or it will kill your yeast!

    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

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Robin

      August 30, 2024 at 11:16 pm

      I made this tonight and my crust turned out really crunchy like a cracker. I’m sure I messed something up though, I struggle with dough.

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 03, 2024 at 10:23 am

        Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear this happened, Robin! Was it possible it was just baked a little too long, or there was maybe a touch too much flour in the dough? The video right above the recipe may help. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Ian Dowsett

      August 30, 2024 at 8:45 am

      5 stars
      Works great every time and is versatile

      Reply
    3. Jo Anne

      August 28, 2024 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent dough recipe!

      Reply
    4. Jeffrey

      August 27, 2024 at 11:32 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and great taste!

      Reply
    5. Soli

      August 26, 2024 at 7:34 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and it was super quick and easy. I will definitely be keeping this recipe at the ready. I’ve made pizza dough before but this version was so much easier/faster overall.

      Reply
    6. Candice Briese

      August 26, 2024 at 2:18 pm

      hi I purchased the ninja woodfire pizza oven for my mom for her birthday this week. I am planning to make this so we can try it out but would like to make it into 5 individual pizzas that everyone can top how they’d like. Is doubling the recipe enough?

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 26, 2024 at 4:30 pm

        5 pizzas would be rather small, but it could work. 🙂

        Reply
        • Candice Briese

          August 26, 2024 at 4:37 pm

          thank you! I made 3 of the full recipe and figured I will just halve them and have an extra. I’m excited to try it on Wednesday! I am making your sauce as well 😋

    7. Grace

      August 23, 2024 at 5:33 am

      If storing to bake on another day, does the dough need to come to room temp and rise again before making the pizza?

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 23, 2024 at 9:40 am

        Hi Grace! You will just want to pull it from the refrigerator, deflate and roll it out. 🙂

        Reply
        • Susan

          August 26, 2024 at 11:18 am

          I need to make 12 pizzas. If I start early in the day could I just roll them out and keep at room temp until I bake that night?

        • Sam

          August 26, 2024 at 1:00 pm

          Hi Susan! They will likely continue to rise if you leave them at room temperature. I would probably try to get them into a refrigerator to prevent over-proofing.

    8. Allison

      August 22, 2024 at 10:36 am

      I did this with my nine year old son and we had a blast. 🙂
      I think if I wasn’t so distracted with keeping him on track and trying to do two doughs at the same time it would’ve turned our a little better. Ours was pretty thick and had a very strong olive oil flavor. I’ve noticed this with other breads I’ve tried to make. Any suggestions or reason why the flavor was so strong? I used only what the recipe called for.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 22, 2024 at 11:52 am

        Hi Allison! I’m so glad it was so much fun! The particular olive oil you are using may be causing the flavor.

        Reply
      • Ken D.

        August 27, 2024 at 6:05 pm

        5 stars
        Allison,
        Hi there! You don’t have to use olive oil,straight vegetable oil or a combination of olive oil & another oil won’t change the recipe.Definitely taste the oils that you’re using beforehand.Some olive oils are fruity,some almost tannic so tasting them will give you a good idea of how mild or strong the final cooked flavor will be.Also warming up the oil & tasting/smelling will give you an idea of what flavor changes you can expect for the final product.I’m a sous chef as my profession so I’ve had a chance to taste/use alot of different olive/vegetable oils & what I’ve found is cold pressed olive oil vs.blended olive oils is cold pressed EVOO has a lower smoking point & loses it’s original flavor notes when used at high heat,although not in a bad way.Blended oil tends to become acrid & bitter from high direct dry heat.Anyway,I digress,lol! I hope this will help you in your future culinary endeavors!

        Reply
    9. Abby

      August 19, 2024 at 12:17 pm

      Do you think I could trade out for measure for measure GF flour??

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 19, 2024 at 12:29 pm

        Hi Abby! Unfortunately I have never personally tried it, but I have had others report success doing so. Let me know how it goes if you do try it! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Rosie

      August 18, 2024 at 8:22 pm

      5 stars
      By far my favorite recipe I have used. The instructions are well written & the ingredients are simple and effective. The tips at the bottom of the recipe are also greatly appreciated!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        August 19, 2024 at 11:51 am

        Thanks so much, Rosie! We’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe 🥰

        Reply
    11. Faith

      August 18, 2024 at 11:34 am

      5 stars
      Was amazing! Made 2 pizzas for me and my boyfriend! And he loved it! Will be making more pizza more often!

      Reply
    12. Deb

      August 15, 2024 at 3:07 pm

      5 stars
      Easy to make and delicious!

      Reply
      • Susan

        August 25, 2024 at 1:53 pm

        5 stars
        Tried this recipe last minute after ruining a box set dough mix – this is so fantastically easy and so tasty and so fast, I’ll never use another box mix again. Thank you! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Danielle

      August 15, 2024 at 12:25 am

      5 stars
      this pizza dough is soooooooooo good and so easy to make. thank you!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        August 15, 2024 at 9:50 am

        Thanks for giving it a try, Danielle! 🩷

        Reply
    14. Sabrina

      August 11, 2024 at 5:32 pm

      4 stars
      I made this the first time. The dough was super easy to work with and the whole process saves a lot of time as compared to other dough recipes. However, I did not pierce the dough (as I havent seen it done often with other recipes) and I made the pizza in a 700 degree pizza oven (with a pizza stone and all.) Cooked for 3 minutes. It came out with HUGE air bubbles lol. The dough also looked ‘airy’ with many layers like a flaky buttermilk biscuit. I will try again making sure to pierce it. I think that will help. Fingers crossed. Not sure if I need to change the recipe anyhow else fundamentally…

      Reply
    15. Jamie M

      August 09, 2024 at 5:52 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe! I also really, really, really, really appreciate the “cook mode” button.
      Thank you for sharing 😀

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        August 12, 2024 at 10:14 am

        We’re so happy you like it, Jamie! Enjoy ☺️

        Reply
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