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.
Sharon
This recipe was very easy and made a nice soft yet crispy crust. I feel with most recipes I’ve tried, the dough tears easily, this one was perfect, I was able to pick up and transfer the dough with no issues.
I didn’t have instant yeast so I used active yeast and it worked just as well.
I cut the dough into 4 pieces before shaping and made 4 good sized personal pizzas. 😋
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Sharon, and happy that it worked so well for you. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Emma
Hi! I am planning on making some pizza later this week and was wondering if you think doubling the recipe will be ok? I want to make 2 pizzas so not sure if I should double everything or make it twice? Would doubling affect the rising time?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Emma! This recipe doubles easily. I hope that you enjoy it. 🙂
Gayani
Made this for dinner today. Came out absolutely perfect!!! Thank you for such a simple but simply awesome recipe!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your family enjoyed it, Gayani! Thank you so much for trying my recipe. 🙂
Tammy
Wonderful and easy recipe. I used the dough to make garlic knots. Just cut the dough in strips, tied knots and baked. While baking, I minced fresh garlic and let it simmer in a pot of butter. Immediately put the baked knots in a bowl and doused them with the warm butter and garlic. Absolutely delicious!
Sugar Spun Run
Garlic knots are one my favorite ways to use this recipe too, Tammy! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Georgina Daly
Just made this pizza crust and topped with pizza sauce, shredded ham and mozzarella cheese. Added some WS golden boy herbs and spices to the crust. Cooked on a pizza stone on the bbq and it is amazing. Thank you so much.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Georgina! I am so happy that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Christian
We made this last night for dinner. Delicious! The entire family loved it. It will be our go to recipe for pizza making every time! I used all-purpose flour because that’s what we had on hand. Next time I’d like to try the bread flour to see/taste the difference. Thank you for this recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your family enjoyed it, Christian! Thank you so much for using my recipe. 🙂
Andre
At what stage can you freeze the bases?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Andre! If you wish to freeze the pizza dough, I reccomend that you make it, let it rise completely, then store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Enjoy! 🙂
Mel
Hi what yeast did you use? Ty
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mel! I usually use Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast. 🙂
Stacey
Love this! Have been using the recipe for a while and just shared it with friends! I’ve tried different flours with this but it really is the best with bread flour, although all purpose flour works well too! Thank you so much!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you love this recipe, Stacey! Thank you so much for trying it and for commenting. 🙂
Rebecca
Making this tonight! It looks amazing
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you are enjoying it, Rebecca! Thanks for trying it. 🙂
Richard
Prep Time- 15
Cook Time-15
Rise Time -30
Total Time…60? Right? or is my elementary School math failing me?
Sugar Spun Run
Good catch, Richard, thank you for the heads up. I have a plug-in that automatically calculates things for me and it looks like this one was missed. I appreciate you letting me know. This has now been fixed. The total time is 1 hour. 🙂
Richard
Dough is rising as we type! I’ll let ya know. 🙂
Bonnie Hamilton
I would like to try your recipe but could only find Fleischmann’s “Bread Machine” Instant Yeast (says it’s ideal for all RapidRise recipes). Do you think this would work, and should I modify the recipe at all? I don’t think I will be able to find any other yeast out there right now. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Bonnie! I have used Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast but not certain the difference in the “bread machine” packet. Having said that, I am not certain how it will do. From what I have read online, I think that you should be fine. I would follow the directions/steps listed on my recipe instructions. Please keep me posted on how it turns out! Fingers crossed that it works perfectly for you!
Kimberly
So I made this with my kids and I have to say. Very fun recipe. The dough came out great!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that it was a big hit with your kids. I am glad that they enjoyed it and hope that you had a blast in the process. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
diane lozano
Looks easy
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks, Diane! I hope that you enjoy it. 🙂
Ash
I have frozen yeast. How should I use that?
Sam
Hi Ash! You can use it straight from the freezer 🙂