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.
Wendy
Can I save the dough
If it doesn’t seem to rise??
Thx
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Wendy! I am sorry to hear that you experienced issues with it rising. What kind of yeast did you use? Was your water really hot? Unfortunately, there is no way to save it. You will need to start over. 🙁
Wendy
I didn’t think it was hot. I did use a thermometer and it said 109. Would that have been too hot? The dough seems a bit bigger but not double in size? Could it be used ? Thx!
Sugar Spun Run
If your water reaches temperatures of 120°F or more, the yeast will begin to die off. You should have been fine. Did you use instant yeast? How long did it sit? It could be weather-related too and may just need more time to rise. I would say that its worth a shot to try as long as it rose some. Keep me posted.
Tim
Looking forward to trying this! Should you prime the yeast first?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Tim! Instant yeast does not need to be primed before making this recipe. If you are using active yeast, others have primed it first. I hope that you enjoy the pizza. 🙂
Tom
Can you refrigerate this dough & make the pizza later in the day?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Tom! Yes, you can! You want to make it and allow it to rise completely before storing it in the fridge for later. If you store it in the fridge, please do so using an airtight container or make sure that it is well wrapped. Enjoy! 🙂
Josh
Best pizza dough,
I used soy milk instead of water and it was amazing.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Josh! I am so glad that you enjoyed it and I am happy that the soy milk worked so well as a substitute. 🙂
Kyra
My picky Chicago native husband approved of this dough so you know it’s good. Very happy with this recipe, instructions are super easy to follow. This was my first time making home made pizza dough and it was a success. 10/10 recommend
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that everyone approved of the recipe, including your husband, Kyra. 😉 I am so glad that you enjoyed it and found the recipe easy to follow. Thanks for commenting. Enjoy! 🙂
Lauren
We made 2 batches of dough so we could have a cheese and a pepperoni pizza. It worked out beautifully making one, then the other, because as you are popping the first one in the oven the second is done rising!
We looove seasoned crusts, so I punched it up with 1/2 tsp each of garlic and onion powder and italian seasoning. If the kids are at the grandparent’s, I’ll throw in some crushed red pepper and maybe some extra parmesan for the grown ups! 😉
This recipe was quick and flavorful! We’re loving dough recipes that we can make and get our hands dirty!
Cheers to health, safety, and a full belly!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your family enjoyed the pizza, Lauren! Thanks for trying my recipe. Cheers to good health to you and your family. 🙂
Barbara
Excellent and perfect for a homeschooling home ec class today with my 9th grader daughter. She loved it!!
Thank you
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Barbara, and that it served as the perfect lesson for your daughter! 🙂
Michelle
Great recipe, made this today. Turned out so good !! I’m off to try more of their recipes.
I’ve owned my own pizza restaurant and used to make pizza dough with 20 kg of flour. So as you can imagine, I can’t do that at home. I’ve been searching for a recipe for a long time. I highly recommend!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for the 5-star review, Michelle. I am so happy that you have found a pizza recipe that you truly enjoyed and can do at home. I can’t wait to hear what recipe you try next. 🙂
Kim
I am a Chicago native and we love our deep dish. And suggestions or bake time alterations for making this dough as a deep dish pizza?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Kim! Chicago Style pizza is wonderful for sure. Others have baked this directly in a cake pan or baking sheet for a thick-style crust. I personally have not tried it as I like my crust thinner. I can not share any personal recommendations but hoping someone else will chime in. If you try, I’d love to know how it turns out for you. 🙂
Mary
I’m trying this recipe today. I noticed someone prebaked the crust? So should i put the dough in the oven for a few minutes before I add toppings?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mary! It is all on preference. I do not prebake my crust and have had great results. If you love a crispy crust and are using all-purpose flour then you most certainly can, but it is not needed. I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂
Mary
Hi Cyndi – I made this tonight and your recipe is perfect! I really loaded the pizza and pre-baked the crust for three minutes so it wouldn’t get soggy.
Thanks for sharing!
~ Mary
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks for trying my recipe! 🙂
Dalia
Hi there, how many pizza pans does this amount of ingredients make? And how big is the pan? Thanks willigg to try it tonight! Another question any recommendations for a nice pizza home made sauce?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Dalia! This recipe yields (1) 10″-12″ pizza. It is versatile in that it can be made to fit almost any pan size and rolled out to your desired thickness. I do not have a homemade pizza sauce yet. I hope that you enjoy your pizza night! 😉
Kaija P Reynolds
We used this recipe to make two large pizzas on a cookie sheet yesterday. We did three batches, and after letting them rise we cut one in half and added the halves to the other two batches to fit the size of pan we used. I also used 1 tablespoon of yeast and 1/2 tsp each of garlic and basil when mixing the dough. We then also made them stuffed crust with mozzarella cheese sticks and then sprinkled parmesan and garlic on the crust before letting it cook.
This is definitely our go to recipe for pizza crusts. Do you have a gluten free recipe? I’ve wanted to do gluten free but I dont have the one to one gluten free flour so I didn’t want to substitute it in and mess it up.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your pizza turned out great and your family enjoyed it, Kaija! I do not have a gluten-free version, however, others have used the gluten-free flour (1:1) and reported success. I hope that you do as well. 🙂
David
Really good recipe. Turns out perfect every time. I’ve followed celebrity chefs and their recipe didn’t come near this one.
I am wondering how to keep the dough if I’m not using it straight away though? Just wrapped in fridge?
Sugar Spun Run
What an amazing compliment to receive, David, THANK YOU! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! You can store the dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. 🙂
Ron
So easy to make!! Waiting to make pizzas, dough looks and smells delicious. I doubled the batch and added garlic and oregano. It rose nicely, will report back on the pepperoni pizza, then red roasted pepper, goat cheese, prosciutto and chicken? Please hold
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for trying my recipe, Ron! I am glad that it smells wonderful. I can’t wait to hear your final verdict on how it tastes. 😉 ENJOY! 🙂
Judy Dowell-Bundschuh
I made this and added pizza spice, available ar grocery stores. I also put string cheese in the edges then folded the dough over the cheese. I made a cheese stuffed pizza and it came out perfect! You rock!
Sugar Spun Run
I love the stuffed crust idea, Judy! I am so glad to hear that the pizza was a hit. Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Kim
If I am going to cook the pizza later, do I still deflate it & put it in a separate bowl? Then place in fridge until later? So excited to try this pizza dough tonight.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Kim! Yes, you want to allow your dough to rise completely at room temperature (double in size), deflate, and store it in an airtight container until you are ready to use it. I hope that you enjoy your pizza night! 🙂