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.
Natalia
Thank you for sharing this amazingly simple recipe. We are in isolation, having moved countries just before everything shut down. We don’t have kitchen aid or even rolling pin. No car to pick up groceries at will and most shops are closed anyway or the shelves are bare. But last night we had the best meal in isolation So far as the pizza, dough mixed by hand and rolled with a water bottle, worked out brilliantly! So happy! Wish I could post a photo here, looked and tasted divine!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the pizza, Natalia! I am glad that this recipe could bring you joy during this difficult time. 🙂
Mansi
YUM! I found this recipe through Colleen’s channel, and it was absolutely delicious! I did have to bake at 425 for around 30 minutes, despite preheating for around 10. The bottom part of the pizza wasn’t as crunchy as I would have liked, however, do you have any suggestions? Should I bake it for longer at a lower heat next time?
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for trying my recipe, Mansi! If you prefer a crisper crust, I would recommend substituting the all-purpose flour with bread flour if you haven’t already done so. You can also preheat crust before putting toppings on. I hope that helps. 🙂
Fatma aleeli
Amazing recipe. Tried it twice and in both times my family loved it. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Fatma! I am so glad that your family has enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
ChrisE
OK, definitely not BEST. Very easy to make, but dough did not have much flavor, even with added garlic powder and dried basil.
Sugar Spun Run
I am sorry that this recipe left you disappointed, Chris. The versatility of this recipe allows you to add in as many spices as you wish. If you want more flavor, I recommend adding more in. You can even brush the dough lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. The flavor is up to you.
Damini Gairola
Hey! Can I use the normal wheat flour I use for baking cakes?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Damini! I have personally never tried this recipe using wheat flour, however, others have with success. I hope that it works for you as well. 🙂
Katelyn
Does it make it better to put an upside down tray in the oven while its heating and then transfer the pizza to that? Maybe on parchment paper?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Katelyn! Interesting. I have not tried it, however, you are welcome to. It should work fine. Enjoy! 🙂
Patricia Harris
Pizza came out GREAT!! Added garlic and oregano to the crust. Just had to drop the temp to 390
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the pizza, Patricia! Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Patricia Harris
Your welcome. I sent it to my kids!
Deborooti
I have this recipe bookmarked on my phone. I make it at least once a week for my 6 year old. Thank you so much for sharing!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you have enjoyed the recipe and happy you saved it to make again, Deborooti! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Lorraine
Thank you for this great recipe made it tonight’s family loved it .
Will double next time 👏👍
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Lorraine! I am happy that it was a hit! 🙂
Kendra
The flour was way too much! I tried to add more flour but I don’t think it helped! It’s a mess! The dough is dry! I put the olive oil in the bowl and it is on the stove. I think it’s going to be dry! Mine did Not turn out like yours!
Sugar Spun Run
I am sorry that you are experiencing issues with this recipe, Kendra. It sounds like the flour was over measured. This is a common mistake in baking so I have created a guide on how to measure flour properly that can be used a reference for next time. The dough will be dry to the touch, but not crumbly. Did your dough rise? How did it turn out?
Angela
I had the same issue. I just added a bit of water and it turned out great. It rose nicely. We split it into two and cooked them in our new outdoor pizza oven. It was great!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Angela! I am glad that it turned out well. 🙂
sandra
how long can store it? Freezer or fridge?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sandra! You can store the dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. 🙂
Jewel
I made this a few weeks ago, and we loved it! I am out of the instant yeast, however and wonder if I can use active yeast instead. If so, any recommendations on other changes to be made? Like rising time, proofing, etc.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Jewel! Another user who used active dry yeast proofed the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water + 1 tsp sugar before putting it in the flour mixture. Then added the rest of the wet ingredients and flour. After about 45 mins it should double in size! I hope that you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Laura
Can this be made with whole wheat flour?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Laura! I have never tried it personally, however, others have used it and reported success. I hope that it turns out perfect for you as well. 🙂
Sarah
Hi. I want to make this tonight but I only have packets of active dry yeast. What should I do differently? Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sarah! One packet of active dry yeast is enough for this recipe. Another user who used active dry yeast proofed the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water + 1 tsp sugar before putting it in the flour mixture. Then added the rest of the wet ingredients and flour. After about 45 mins it should double in size! I hope that you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Letitia
I made these for dinner this evening. I baked the base for 3 minutes before adding the toppings. It was absolutely yummy! The family loved it. Will defs be making this again and again. Thank you a great recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
That is wonderful, Letitia! I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for commenting. 🙂