Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
Easy homemade pizza dough with active dry yeast: ready in about 90 minutes, or better after a night in the fridge. Makes two 12-inch pizzas.
17% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 24 min
- Resting
- 1 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 8
- Calories
- 230
- Protein
- 7 g
- Per serving
- $0.23
Why this recipe works
Good pizza dough is four pantry ingredients and a bit of patience. This one is made by hand or in a stand mixer, rises in about an hour, and gets even better with a day or two in the fridge, so you can make it on the weekend for a weeknight pizza.
- Bread flour's extra protein gives a crust that stretches thin without tearing and bakes up chewy, like a pizzeria crust.
- A little olive oil in the dough keeps it tender and helps the rim brown in a home oven, which runs far cooler than a pizza oven.
- Resting the dough balls for 15 minutes before stretching relaxes the gluten, so the dough stays where you put it instead of shrinking back.
Ingredients
You will need
- Large mixing bowl or stand mixer with dough hook
- Pizza stone, steel, or heavy baking sheet
- Instant-read thermometer (for the water)
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Wake up the yeast
Stir the warm water, yeast and sugar together in a large bowl and leave for 5 minutes, until foamy on top. If nothing happens, the yeast is dead or the water was too hot; start again.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Mix and knead
Add the flour, salt and oil and stir until a rough dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes (or 6 minutes in a stand mixer on medium-low) until smooth and elastic, and it springs back slowly when poked.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Let it rise
Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it to coat, cover, and leave in a warm spot until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes. For better flavor, refrigerate it instead for 24 to 72 hours.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Divide and rest
Punch the dough down, cut it in half and roll each piece into a tight ball. Cover with a towel and rest for 15 minutes (1 hour if it came from the fridge). Meanwhile heat the oven as hot as it goes, 500 to 550°F, with the stone, steel or baking sheet inside.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Stretch, top and bake
On a floured counter, press one ball into a disk, then stretch it to 12 inches with your knuckles, leaving the edge thicker. Move it to a floured peel or upside-down baking sheet, top lightly, and slide onto the hot stone. Bake until the crust is browned and the cheese bubbles, 10 to 12 minutes. Repeat with the second ball.
AI-generated illustration of this step.
Cook's notes
- Check the water with a thermometer: above 120°F kills yeast, and cold water makes the rise take twice as long.
- Go light on sauce and toppings. A home oven can't cook through a heavily loaded pizza before the bottom burns, and wet toppings make the center soggy.
- If the dough keeps shrinking back as you stretch it, stop, cover it and wait 5 minutes. The gluten just needs to relax.
Nutrition per serving
230 calories
$0.23 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 12% of calories | 7 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 72% of calories | 41 g |
| Fat | 16% of calories | 4 g |
| Fiber | 2 g | |
| Sodium | 290 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Can I freeze pizza dough?
Yes. After the first rise, wrap each oiled ball in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then rest at room temperature for 1 hour before stretching.
What's the difference between active dry and instant yeast in pizza dough?
Active dry yeast is usually proofed in warm water first, as here. Instant yeast can be stirred straight into the flour and rises a little faster; you can use the same amount of either.
Why is my pizza dough so hard to stretch?
It is either too cold or hasn't rested long enough. Let refrigerated dough sit out for a full hour, and rest the balls for 15 minutes before stretching.
