Description
This homemade pizza dough recipe is quick, easy, and perfect for creating a delicious pizza crust with a chewy, crispy texture. Made with simple ingredients, this dough gives you the same satisfying results you’d get from a pizzeria, right in your own kitchen!
Ingredients
- Yeast: 2 ¼ tsp instant/rapid rise yeast (or 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast)
- Bread Flour: 3 ½ cups (or all-purpose flour if bread flour isn’t available)
- Sugar: 1 tsp
- Salt: 1 ½ tsp
- Warm Water: 1 ¼ cups (about 110°F / 43°C)
- Olive Oil: 2 tbsp
Instructions
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Activate the Yeast:
- If using active dry yeast, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water (110°F / 43°C) and let it sit for about 5 minutes, or until it becomes foamy. If using instant/rapid rise yeast, no need to dissolve; just add it directly to the dry ingredients.
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Make the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and salt.
- Add the yeast mixture (or instant yeast if you used that) and olive oil into the flour mixture.
- Stir until the dough begins to come together, then knead by hand or with a stand mixer for about 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment.
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Let the Dough Rise:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, covering it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
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Shape the Dough:
- Punch down the risen dough to release any air bubbles.
- Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 portions if you’re making two smaller pizzas, or keep it as one large ball for a larger pizza.
- Roll out the dough into your desired shape, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
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Preheat Your Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with a pizza stone or baking sheet inside (if you’re using one). This ensures the pizza cooks quickly and crisply.
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Add Toppings and Bake:
- Add your desired pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings to the dough.
- Transfer the pizza to the preheated stone or baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
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Serve:
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Bread Flour vs. All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour has more protein, which helps create a chewy texture and airy holes in the crust. While all-purpose flour works fine, bread flour gives the best results for a traditional pizza crust.
- Instant/rapid rise yeast makes the process quicker as it doesn’t need to be dissolved in water, unlike active dry yeast. If you use active dry yeast, follow the instructions to dissolve it first.
- You can freeze this dough for later use. After the first rise, divide it into portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, defrost it in the fridge overnight and let it rise before shaping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (not including rising time)
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
- Category: Dough, Pizza
- Method: Kneading, Rising, BakingKneading, Rising, Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pizza dough, homemade pizza dough, easy pizza dough, chewy pizza dough, quick pizza dough, pizza crust recipe, pizza dough for beginners