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.
Bridget
Just made this recipe to the T, and it came out perfectly!!! 10/10 will recommend
Sam
Thank you so muchm Bridget! I am so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Tessa Graves
Loved this recipe. Was so easy and delicious. Your video was awesome. So greatly appreciate this recipe! Thank you!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizza dough, Tessa! Thank you for the comment. 🙂
Laura Feldman
Came out perfect! I love the way you teach.
Thank you.
Laura
Sam
Thank you so much, Laura! I am so glad you enjoyed the pizza dough. 🙂
Sue
Beautiful dough!!! Love your recipe!
Sam
Thank you so much, Sue! I’m glad you enjoy it. 🙂
Robbie
Made it last night, it was great!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Robbie! 🙂
Steve
My family absolutely loved this pizza crust recipe. I accidentally put 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. That just added to the flavor all the more. The texture is awesome. Plan on using it again and again.
Sam
I’m so glad to hear everyone enjoyed the pizza, Steve! Thank you for commenting!
Marina
This pizza was amazing
Sam
So glad you enjoyed, Marina!
Tammy L Merritt
I have a hard time getting a good yeast bread from scratch. Usually, I use a bread machine, even for my pizza dough. But, no bread machine right now. So, I found your recipe online. It worked perfectly! THANKS. I did not have instant yeast so substituted my regular yeast by using 1 1/4 teaspoons of it. I divided the dough into 12 portions and made mini calzones. All in the family liked them and I was so happy with how much rise I got from the dough. Thanks for sharing.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was such a hit for you! Thank you so much for commenting, Tammy! 🙂
Ravathy
Best pizza dough ever. Simple and easy.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizza dough! 🙂
Jade
Are you supposed to knead the dough before it rises
Sam
Hi Jade! There are no extra steps necessary other than the steps provided. You should mix everything together really well and then let it rise. 🙂
Ross
Would this recipe work for a Cast Iron pan pizza as well? I don’t own a pizza pan and have made some great cast iron pizza before, but that was with pre-made dough. Would love to do the whole thing from scratch!
Sam
Hi Ross! I don’t see any problems with using cast iron here. 🙂
Victoria Greenleaf
I’ve made this several times, and I love it because it’s consistently good EVERY TIME.
I’ve settled on a blend of bread and AP flour and use garlic powder, basil and just a tiny sprinkle of onion powder.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy it so much, Victoria! 🙂
Bobbie Wilson
I loved this recipe…turned out perfect!!! Adding extra garlic, pepper and Italian seasoning made all the difference.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizza crust, Bobbie! 🙂
Chelsea
Hi, how much active dry yeast would I use in this recipe?
Helen
Great crust recipe and a keeper for me. I precooked the crust 8 minutes first and then put toppings and cooked another 10 minutes. Mine turned out crunchy, light and really delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizza crust, Helen! 🙂
Alex
Do you think that I could use semolina flour as a half/half mix or just semolina?
Sam
Hi Alex! I have not tried it. I am not very familiar with semolina flour. I believe it would make your crust have a more coarse texture, but it may still work. Let me know if you try it. 🙂
Terry C
THE BEST pizza dough I have ever had and THE ONLY pizza crust I will ever make again!
Super simple and easy – and I can barely heat water…
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, I am sending you a big, extra long bear hug
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Sam))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
I slid my pizza off the pan half way through and my crust was thin and cracker-y, just how I love it!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizza dough so much, Terry! 🙂