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This homemade pizza dough recipe is way easier than you think. Mix the flour together and watch the dough rise. Now, any night can be pizza night.

Pizza dough on a floured surface with toppings

I consider this pizza dough recipe as one of my superpowers as a mom. When my boys were younger, we would make pizza night a family activity and everyone could customize their own pizzas exactly how they wanted to. We had some serious competitions to see whose pizza tasted the best!

This dough is also one of my go-to’s when hosting families with kids. Most kids love pizza, but not everyone likes the same toppings. So, I’d let my guests pick their own toppings. It was dinner and an engaging activity all-in-one! I may have actually won the prize for being the favorite host for tons of my friends’ kids!

all the ingredients for the pizza dough

How To Make Pizza Dough

Pizza dough is surprisingly really easy. Skip the store-bought dough for your next pizza night and make this instead. It’ll be cheaper and tastier, I promise! Keep in mind, this recipe makes four pizzas and the dough does need a couple hours to rise, so plan accordingly!

  • Combine the ingredients: In a large bowl or stand up mixer, mix together the yeast, salt, sugar, extra virgin olive oil, and lukewarm water.
  • Add in the flour: Add the flour to the yeast mixture. There’s no need to knead the dough — simply mix all the flour in.
  • Cover the bowl: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for about two hours.
  • Divide the dough: Once the dough has risen, divide it into four pieces. Use the dough immediately or store for later use (see storing guidelines below).
liquid with oil and liquid in a mixing bowl
yeast with liquid in a bowl with yeast
Dough in a mixing bowl
pizza dough in a mixing bowl

Pizza Topping Ideas

Once you’re ready to bake the pizza, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to your desired thickness. Add your favorite toppings and bake at 450°F for about 15 minutes or until it is golden brown. Here are our favorites sauces and toppings to get your ideas flowing!

  • Sauces: We love marinara, Alfredo sauce, or BBQ sauce as a pizza sauce base. Plus, each one takes only five minutes to make!
  • Proteins: Chicken, bacon, pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, ground beef, and breakfast sausage are our usual protein options.
  • Veggies: You can’t go wrong with adding veggies to your pizza. Mushrooms, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, olives, and any greens are great.
  • Fruits: Pineapple is the most popular fruit pizza topping, but if you want to be adventurous, try another kind and let us know in the comments below!
  • Seasoning: For a bit of extra flavor, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes are great options!

Hot tip: If you don’t have a pizza stone or special pizza pan, don’t fret! Bake the pizza on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper instead.

Using the Pizza Dough

Obviously pizza dough is great to use in pizza – but why stop there? Use it in these ways, too!

  • Costco Chicken Bake: If you’ve had the Costco chicken bake, you know how delicious it is. This version of the Costco bake is packed with mozzarella, ranch dressing, bacon bits and chicken — YUM!
  • Easy Garlic Knots: These garlicky bread twists are the perfect companion to a Caesar salad or a big bowl of Russian borscht!
  • Pizza Rolls: Kids love frozen Totino’s Pizza Rolls — and they are delicious. But, homemade are even better!
  • Flatbread Pizza: These individual pizzas are perfect to satisfy everyone’s pizza preference!
  • Nutella Pizza: For those with a sweet tooth, this decadent and chocolatey pizza is the perfect sweet ending to pizza night!
Pizza dough before baking with toppings.

Tips From The Kitchen

On my mission to make the best pizza dough recipe, I came up with a few tips that consistently made the tastiest and best-textured dough. With these tricks, I’m confident this is the best homemade pizza dough you’ll ever make!

  • Use bread flour: Most pizza chefs tend to use bread flour for pizzas. Why? Bread flour has a higher gluten content, meaning it is more springy and easier to work with. It also gives the pizza a nice, crispy crust. If you’re out of bread flour, all purpose flour will also work! Or, feel free to mix the two types together!
  • Mix with a stand mixer: I think every kitchen needs one of these! Mix this dough with a stand mixer and the dough hook attachment to make life so much easier!
  • Adjust the rising time: Heat and humidity really affect the rising of the dough! If it’s a hot and humid environment, the dough rises faster. If you want a slower rise, opt for a cold place or refrigerate the dough.
  • Use active dry yeast: For a great rise, I’ve had the best success with active dry yeast.
  • Ensure the water is lukewarm: Make sure the water is lukewarm when mixing it with the yeast. Very warm/hot water kills the yeast, which affects the rising of the dough. Lukewarm temperature is between 105°F-115°F. If you were to run the water on the inner part of your wrist, it should be comfortable.
  • Allow the dough return to room temperature: If the dough has been in the fridge or freezer, let it warm to room temperature before rolling out and baking. This results in a lighter and tastier crust.

Storing the Pizza Dough

This easy pizza dough recipe is an amazing alternative to frozen and packaged pizza. It’s cheaper and you’ll know each ingredient in the dough. Depending on your meal prepping plans, refrigerate the raw dough or freeze it for later use. Then, when you’re ready to use the dough, let it come to room temperature for about an hour before baking.

  • Refrigerate: To store for up to a week, wrap your dough tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
  • Freeze: To store the dough for up to two months, allow the dough to rise completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze. When ready to use, let it thaw completely in the fridge, then come to room temperature before baking.

More Dough-y Recipes

Recipe

Pizza dough with red sauce and tomatoes

Pizza Dough Recipe

Print Pin
Servings
4 pieces
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
This homemade pizza dough recipe is way easier than you think. Mix the flour together and watch the dough rise! Any night can be pizza night now!

Ingredients

US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil, and water in a large 6 quart bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon or use a stand mixer.
    yeast with liquid in a bowl with yeast
  • Add in the flour. There is no need to knead the dough, just be sure that all the flour is mixed in well.
    pizza dough in a mixing bowl
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about two hours before using or storing.
    Pizza dough in a mixing bowl
  • After the dough rises, divide it into four pieces. Use the dough immediately or wrap in plastic to store for later use.
    Pizza Dough wrapped in plastic wrap and placed into ziploc bags
Nutrition Facts
Pizza Dough Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 875 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Sodium 1757mg73%
Potassium 232mg7%
Carbohydrates 159g53%
Fiber 6g24%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin C 0.01mg0%
Calcium 37mg4%
Iron 10mg56%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Updated July 29, 2024

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.