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
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 1/3 cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour¹ divided (250-295g)
- 1 packet instant yeast² (2 1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and/or dried basil leaves optional
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil + additional
- 3/4 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 1/3 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.
Sue from Indiana says
I made this pizza dough tonight and I have to say it’s the best recipe I’ve ever tried. It turned out perfectly! I doubt I’ll ever use another recipe! Thanks for sharing! Love pizza!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sue! 🙂
Shelby says
I’ve made a lot of pizza dough recipes over the years… I think this is at the top of my list for quick and easy crust. Made two pizzas out of this recipe. One on an 8″ pizza stone and the other (rolled thinner) on a parchment lined baking sheet. Both turned out beautiful! Crunchy exterior and soft inside. Definitely saving this one to my phone for weeknight pizza.
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Shelby! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Ryan says
I made this last week and it was really good. I have been experimenting with different recipes and this has been my favorite. Thanks so much!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizza dough, Ryan! 🙂
Princess says
Can’t wait to try your recipe but I was just wondering if I need a pizza pan or can I use a normal baking tray
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Princess! A regular baking pan will be fine. I hope that you enjoy the pizza dough. 🙂
LAURIE says
Thanks for the recipe. I typically use Bobby Flay’s recipe but this actually looks better
Can I use my kitchen aid to mix or stick to the wooden spoon?
Thanks again!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Lauren! I hope that you enjoy my pizza dough recipe. Others have used the kitchen aid mixer with the dough hook attachment, however, I personally don’t think it is needed. Let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂
Margarita says
How would the temperature and cooking time change when using a pizza stone for this? TIA!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Margarita! I have found that no changes are needed when using a pizza stone, however, I recommend still keeping an eye on it. I hope that you enjoy the pizza dough. 🙂
Alex says
Sugar? Why?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Alex! Sugar helps the dough rise faster, and increases browning. I hope that you enjoy the pizza dough. 🙂
Mads says
Its just what i wanted! For a teenager, it is indeed pretty hard to get the right mix of ingredients,when in the kitchen. But this recipe helped a looot, actually. I used Virgin Olive Oil `cause that`s what I had in the house but I had the same result and I`m grateful!
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Mads! I am so glad that the pizza dough was such a hit! 🙂
jen says
So easy – no egg, no milk, no beaters, just flour, yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil – don’t even need a roller!
Works well at high heat like 500F for 10-15 min with convection bake oven.
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed the pizza dough, Jen, and that it worked so well in a convection bake oven. Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
ccsmchy says
I’ve been using this recipe for my weekly pizza day.
Easy and delicious.
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoy the pizza dough! Thank you so much for using my recipe for your weekly pizza day. 🙂
Angie says
PERFECT EVEN FOR A NOVICE!!!
I decided for my New Year’s resolution that at least 1/month I would be making something entirely from scratch. I gotta tell you I’ve never really baked before & this came out perfectly. Holds up to toppings well in hand but the crust has a good crunch/crisp to it 👍👍👍
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that you enjoyed the pizza dough, Angie! I can’t wait to see what you bake from scratch next. I have plenty of ideas! 🙂
Sara says
Hi! This recipe looks great and I’m excited to try it! I am hoping to make the dough a day ahead of baking though, would you recommend doing the 30 minute rise and then refrigerating overnight or just refrigerating without the rise? Also I only have active dry yeast and I know you said that takes a longer rise. Thanks in advance!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Sara! I have others make the dough the day beforehand. If you plan to do so, I recommend that you allow your dough to rise completely (double in size) before placing it in the refrigerator. I hope that you enjoy the pizza dough. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Cindy Hoopes says
We just love making our own pizza now that I’ve found your recipe for pizza dough, everyone gets what they want and Nanny is very happy! Thank you
Sam says
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad the dough has been such a hit, Cindy! 🙂
Caitlin says
Can I use organic came sugar instead of plain sugar?
Sam says
Hi Caitlin, that should be fine 🙂 Enjoy!
Heather says
Just wanted to say I recently found your site via Pinterest and have tried a couple of your recipes, and they’ve all been PHENOMENAL so far! Yesterday I tried the pumpkin muffins (skipped the drizzle – didn’t have confectioner’s sugar) and they were a huge hit. Thanks for sharing some great recipes!
I’m excited to try your pizza dough, too. Wanted to ask – do you make your own pizza sauce, or use store-bought? Do you have a preferred brand of sauce and/or a certain cheese blend you like to use? I feel like the cheese is so key when it comes to homemade pizza, and would love to hear your suggestions! Thanks!
Sam says
Hi Heather! I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins so much! I typically use a Bertolli sauce, and I love Tillamook cheese. I hope you love this one just as much. 🙂
Megan. says
Heya! Love this recipe but I’m wondering if this can be premade and used a few days later?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Megan! I typically use it the same day, however, others have made it in advance with success. I recommend letting the dough rise completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. I hope that you enjoy the pizza dough. 🙂
Donna says
This is our “go to” recipe for pizza dough. We really like the way it comes out. And it’s easy to make!! 👍👍
Sam says
I’m so glad to hear it’s become your go-to, Donna! Thank you so much for commenting, I appreciate it 🙂