This pizza dough recipe makes a traditional crust is sturdy enough to hold your favorite toppings! It’s delicious with a slight chew, just the way a pizza crust should be!
Ingredients
WATER The water should be warm but not hot. If you have a thermometer, you want the water to be about 110°F. YEAST This recipe uses active dry yeast. You can use instant yeast (or rapid rise) in this recipe as well, skip letting it sit in the water in this recipe if using instant yeast. (1 packet of yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons) SUGAR A pinch of sugar is needed to feed the yeast and help it bloom. FLOUR I use all-purpose flour in this recipe as it’s what we most often have on hand. Add flour a bit at a time just until the dough is no longer sticky. If you add too much, the dough will be tough. OLIVE OIL & SALT Are added for flavor.
How to Make Pizza Dough
The best pizza dough uses just a handful of ingredients you likely have in your pantry! Be sure to check the expiration dates on your yeast and make sure it’s still fresh before you use it. Fresh yeast means a good rise and a perfectly chewy crust. Now that you have your dough, it’s time to knead!
How to Knead Pizza Dough
Kneading pizza dough takes a little bit of muscle but is so worth it in the end!
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead the dough until it is smooth, adding more flour to keep it from sticking to your hands or work surface. Knead the dough using two hands, pushing the dough away from you and then turning it 45° to the left, knead it some more, and then turn it another 45° until a full circle has been completed. It should only take about 6 minutes. Roll and form the dough to fit the greased pizza pans or stones. Let the dough rise.
After the dough has risen, poke holes all over the surface with a fork (this is called ‘docking’ and prevents the dough from bubbling up), then add sauce, cheese, toppings and then top with cheese before baking. Super simple and super fun!
Make-Ahead
Pizza dough can be made hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Rest on the counter for about 20 minutes and then roll to fit pans. You can make a batch of the shortcut pizza sauce in the recipe below or use canned or another homemade pizza sauce.
To Freeze Pizza Dough
Freezing pizza dough is so easy and is a great way to always have pizza dough on hand!
To freeze, place dough ball into a zippered freezer bag. Frozen pizza dough balls can last up to 6 months in the freezer. To thaw, let them come to room temp, place them on a floured surface and dust with flour. Knead a few minutes, then shape over a pizza stone or pan.
The best thing about frozen pizza dough is that there is no need to overly knead them since they will require a little kneading once they are thawed again!
Delicious Pizza Recipes
Cheeseburger Pizza – loaded with all the toppings Margherita Pizza – classic pizza recipe! Pizza Rolls – perfect individual servings Cheesy Breakfast Pizza – a delicious start to your day Pizza Bombs – homemade pizza pockets! Easy Homemade Calzone – great portable meal Buffalo Chicken Pizza – with blue cheese dressing
Use it to make a classic Margherita pizza or load it up with toppings like supreme pizza or cheeseburger pizza. Either way, it is sure to be delicious! How did you use this Homemade Pizza Dough? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! Adapted from The Food Nanny © SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
