The Best Pizza Dough Recipe
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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 1/4 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Hi!
Just want to say… This is the BEST pizza dough! I’ve made pizza maybe 6 times with this recipe!!! All those times it has turned out wonderful! For me, I just turned on my oven to the max heat it can go (like 550? F)
Thank you so much for this WONDERFUL recipe!!
Quinn, I am so happy that you enjoy the pizza dough! Thank you for your comment. Enjoy! 🙂
Honestly the best pizza base I’ve ever made.
Thank you 🙂
Linda, thank you! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! Thank you for your comment. 🙂
I used this recipe to the tee and the crust I came out with had great flavor but the texture was very undesirable. If I went to a nice pizza shop and this was served I would not return. The texture was chewy dense and with no crisp or crunch, it broke away (when you pull it apart) like a bread more than what a pizza crust does. Do you thing it’s due to temperature that you suggest baking it at?
Oh no, Jonathan! I am so sorry that the pizza dough was not a hit, I’ve never experienced that before. I don’t believe the temperature is the issue here. Two things came to mind… Are you sure that the oven was completely preheated to 425 degrees prior to baking it? Also, what type of flour did you use? 🙁
This is now my new pizza dough recipe. Loved it!
Thank you so much, Louise! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pizza dough recipe. Thanks for your comment. 🙂
I’ve had to eat gluten free for many many years now and pizza is one item I couldn’t do without. I’ve been making it with decent results but the outer edge crust was never the same as my memory of pizza. My dough was more like a thick batter that I spread out onto the pan, and despite having yeast in it, it never really rose. It also involved many utensils and equipment to make it. Well now that Bob’s Redmill has a gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour I thought I’d try it out using your recipe. Wow, absolutely delicious. I started with 1cup flour as instructed then added another cup. That’s all it needed, so easy and my kitchen isn’t all cluttered with various utensils, mixer and such. The crust is amazing and I loved being able to actually work the dough with my hands again. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Kymberly, thank you! I am so happy that you found the pizza dough recipe easy and delicious. I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂
Just made your pizza recipe. Didn’t pre bake and I used my Kitchenaid mixer with dough hook. It was delicious and easy to make. Yummy!!
Lynn, thank you! I am so glad that you enjoyed the pizza dough. 🙂
What if I don’t have instant yeast? … Can I use the other? Just have it sit and then do the other steps?
Hi! You can make the recipe as indicated, it will just need to rise for longer than written in the recipe (you will want to wait for it to double in size). I hope you love the pizza dough!
Hi Julie,
Is it okay to partially bake the crust , then add the sauce and toppings? I’m worried about the crust not baking thoroughly and getting soggy from the sauce. This recipe seems so easy and flavorful. I’m thinking of making it today, but using my bread machine for dough prep.
that would be fine!
Hi Lynn, a trick I found that works great for even-baking is to use parchment paper under the dough.
I never made pizza before, but talk about beginners luck! The recipe was so easy and tasted delicious! This is definitely my go to recipe from now on!!!!
Thank you, Rebecca! I am glad that you enjoyed the pizza dough. 🙂
I look at other pizza dough recipes but ALWAYS come back to yours! I’m a houseparent and I do all the cooking. I make homemade pizza for the students using your dough recipe. Once they asked if I got the pizza from our local pizza shop. Making it tonight for our girls. I love it because it’s such an easy recipe and delicious too!
Wow, what a compliment! I am so happy that you enjoy the pizza dough, Lilli! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
I just tried your recipe for my first time making pizza dough!! The only thing I changed was I used garlic infused olive oil. Talk about delicious!! I’ll definitely be using this as my go to recipe!! Thank you so much!!
Lori, Thank you! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pizza dough! Thanks for your comment. Enjoy! 🙂
Have you tried making this in advance and keeping it in the fridge or freezer for another day? It’s super easy to make. I did it in my food processor with the dough blade.
Hello, Lizzy! I have made it in advance and have kept it in the fridge, it usually does well. I am glad that you found the pizza dough recipe easy and hopefully enjoyable. 🙂
I tried this recipe as written, and it was so dry/crumbly that I couldn’t roll it out without it breaking. Even after adding more water, it was very dense and cracked after rising and baking. The dough looked about the right consistency after only a cup of flour. I do live at a higher altitude, so I’m not sure if maybe that is causing the problem. I really want this recipe to work for me, because people in the comments are raving about it! Have you heard of this happening to anyone else? Any tips for solving this?
Hello, Hannah! I am so sorry that it turned out that way! My best guess is the altitude. I recommend only adding as much flour as needed to the get consistency right, if that is only one cup of four for you, that should be fine. You will want the consistency to be slightly sticky but still manageable with your hands. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Super easy recipe , got my pizza in the oven right now , sure looks yummy!
I am so happy that you found the pizza dough recipe easy. I hope that you enjoy it, Jessica! 🙂
Will this work if I don’t have a pizza pan? Can you use a cookie sheet?
Hello, Julie! Yes, a cookie sheet will work just fine. I hope that you enjoy the pizza dough! 🙂