Yield: 18-20 slices

The BEST Pizza Dough Recipe

An image of balls of homemade pizza dough on parchment paper.

This really is the BEST Pizza Dough recipe that we use all the time when making pizzas for our Friday night dinner and movies at home with the kids or casual pizza parties with friends where everybody gets to top their own. It's easy to make homemade pizza dough that is crispy and chewy with great flavor, and it makes the perfect base for all your favorite pizza topping combinations! Be sure to watch the video below the recipe instructions to see how I make it!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast or instant yeast
  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

  1. Place a pizza stone in the oven if you have one. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (or 475 if that's as high as your oven will go) while preparing the pizza dough so it can be completely hot when you are ready to bake the pizzas.
  2. Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. If using active dry yeast, let it proof for 5 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast, there is no need to wait for the yeast to proof.
  3. Add flour, olive oil, and salt and stir well with a wooden spoon or mix in a stand mixer with a dough hook until combined.
  4. Knead for 5 minutes using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment or 6-7 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic. The dough will be tacky and slightly sticky, but should still be manageable to work with.
  5. Drizzle a clean bowl with a little olive oil, then place the ball of dough in the bowl and turn it to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rise for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 1/2 hours) until doubled in size.
  6. Divide the dough into 2 or 3 balls (or more if you want to make personal-size pizzas).
  7. Roll, pat, or stretch the dough out until it is roughly 1/4" thick, then top with 1/4-1/2 cup of pizza sauce, freshly grated mozzarella cheese, and other toppings.
  8. Bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and crispy around the edges.
  9. Cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Notes

  • After rising, the dough can be divided into smaller balls, then frozen for up to 3 months. Rub each ball with a little olive oil first, then place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag before freezing. To thaw, set the dough in the fridge overnight for at least 12 hours, then let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
  • This pizza dough recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just transfer it to the fridge before letting it rise. Remove from the fridge and let it rise for 1-2 hours before using.
  • See post for pizza topping ideas.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

18

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 402Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 238mgCarbohydrates: 78gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 13g