Pizza Dough Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Making this homemade pizza dough recipe is easier than you think, and it beats store-bought every time! It's perfectly crispy, chewy, and full of flavor!

This recipe is for oven-baked pizza dough, which cooks slower for a chewy texture, unlike the crispier, charred crust of wood-fired pizza.

Prep Time20

Cook Time12

Rising Time3

Total Time3 32

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pizza dough, pizza dough recipe

Servings: 12-inch pizzas

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $2.86

Equipment

3 pizza pans 12-inch

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1-1/3 cup water warm (110℉)
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups flour plus more as needed, see note 1
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup olive oil plus more for greasing bowl
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons cornmeal

Pizza Toppings

1/3 cup pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese thinly sliced, see note 2
Toppings as desired see note 3

US - Metric

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes creamy or foamy. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast might be dead, or the water could be too hot. Start again if needed.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and garlic powder. Make a well in the center, then pour in the activated yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir until a thick dough forms.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour on a work surface. Pour out the dough and knead for 5–6 minutes until smooth. Shape into a ball.
Drizzle olive oil in the bowl used to mix the dough, and brush it evenly inside. Place the dough ball in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1–2 hours.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour on your work surface. Turn the dough out and roll into a cylinder. Cut into three equal parts (I like to use a food scale!). Shape each piece into a ball and place them on a lined sheet pan, well spaced apart. Lightly dust the tops with flour and cover with a damp towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Move the oven rack to the top third of the oven. Preheat to 550°F.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour on your work surface. Working with one dough ball at a time (keep the others covered), gently press and stretch it into a circle using your fingers. If needed, use a rolling pin as a last resort.
Grease a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray and sprinkle evenly with cornmeal. Add the dough to the pan and press to fill it evenly.
Spread a very thin layer of pizza sauce on the dough, followed by mozzarella, sprinkle of Parmesan, and your chosen toppings (see note 3).
Bake only 1 pizza at a time for 9–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the bottom is fully baked (gently lift with a metal spatula to check).
Right out of the oven, I like to add a light drizzle of olive oil (optional). Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls to make 2 more pizzas, baking 1 pizza at a time.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Use a food scale to measure 590g of flour (most accurate). All-purpose flour works well, but for extra chew, go with bread flour.

Note 2: Slice high-quality mozzarella as thinly as possible and place in a single, even layer on the pizza sauce. Grate Parmesan lightly on top using a fine grater. I just eyeball both of these measurements!

Note 3: Topping Ideas:

Classic Margherita: Mozzarella, tomato slices, basil.
Pepperoni: Mozzarella, pepperoni slices.
BBQ Chicken: Shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, red onions, cilantro.
Veggie Lover: Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, olives.
Meat Lover: Pepperoni, sausage, bacon, ham.
Hawaiian: Ham, fresh pineapple.
Buffalo Chicken: Chicken, buffalo sauce, blue cheese, mozzarella.
Four Cheese: Mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan, provolone.
Mediterranean: Feta, olives, spinach, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes.

Toppings Note: Don’t overload the pizza dough. Too many toppings or wet ingredients can make the pizza soggy. Less is more!

Storage: You can make pizza dough ahead of time by letting it rise once, then covering it tightly and storing it in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to use it, form the dough into 3 balls and let them rise again. Since the dough will be cold, allow 3–4 hours to rise fully. For reheating, you have a few options: On the stovetop, heat slices in a skillet to get a crispy base. In the oven, reheat at 350°F for about 7 minutes. The microwave is a faster option, but the crust won’t be as crisp.

Nutrition