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Home » Recipes » How To Make

Homemade Pizza Dough (How To Make)

Dated: July 20, 2016 Last Modified: May 15, 2024 This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Homemade pizza dough with wooden rolling pin.

Learn How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough at home! This step by step guide will teach you how to make a dough recipe that works every time.

Follow this step-by-step guide and learn How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough that's perfect to use with all of your favorite toppings!

Homemade pizza dough with wooden rolling pin.

Homemade pizza dough is definitely one of those recipes that you want in your kitchen repertoire. It can seem kind of daunting, but in reality is very do-able!

Once you go start making your own pizza dough, you'll never go back to the pre-made stuff again. Pizza is so versatile - The amount and combination of pizza toppings is virtually endless.

Jump to:
  • How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough
  • Mix The Pizza Dough
  • Allow The Dough To Rest
  • How Long Should Pizza Dough Rest?
  • How To Roll Out Pizza Dough
  • Homemade Pizza Dough (How To Make)
Yeast and water in small glass bowl.

How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough

Start with the yeast. Yeast is essential for the dough to rise and gives it the distinctive flavor that we all know and love.

  1. Combine 1 cup of warm water - It's really important that the water is warm and not hot - And  2 ¼ tsp. of jarred active dry yeast. This is equivalent to 1 packet of active dry yeast. Active dry yeast can be found in any grocery store in those little packages. I buy bulk yeast from a food coop and store it in the refrigerator but both of these will work equally well.
  2. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of sugar into the water and yeast mixture and let sit for at least 15 minutes. The mixture will get kind of 'bubbly' and form a little 'film' on top of the water.
Flour and wet ingredients in Kitchen Aid stand mixer.

Mix The Pizza Dough

After your yeast has proofed, you can add the rest of the ingredients. I like to use a Kitchen Aid mixer when making pizza dough because it makes the process much easier. You can kind of set it and forget it.

You can absolutely make pizza dough by hand, though! You will just need your hands to do the work that would otherwise be done with the machine. Kneading the crap out of pizza dough is a really good way to get your aggression out.

  1. Combine 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp. kosher salt, and the water/yeast mixture in a large bowl.
  2. Begin mixing these ingredients using the hook attachment.
  3. As it begins to mix, slowly add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the bowl. This will keep the dough from sticking to the side.
Wet pizza dough on Kitchen Aid stand mixer hook.

Let the mixer run on low for 6-8 minutes until all the ingredients have combined and the dough is kind of sticky, stiff, and elastic. It shouldn't be dry and clumpy at all.

If you prepare the dough manually, just work it with your hands until it reaches this consistency.

Wet pizza dough in metal bowl.

Allow The Dough To Rest

Scrape the dough off the hook and let it sit in a large bowl. You can rub a little more olive oil on the sides of the bowl to prevent it from sticking.

The mixture is kind of a dense lump at this point.

Metal bowl covered with white cloth.

How Long Should Pizza Dough Rest?

Now all you have to do is place a wet towel on top of the bowl and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Let it sit longer if you can.

The flavors will develop more the longer it sits. And place it in the warmest room in your house. This will help it rise faster.

I like to start my pizza dough a few hours beforehand so that it can rise nicely and develop some awesome flavor.

Pizza dough risen in metal bowl.

Voila. After you've waited for awhile, remove the towel and your pizza dough should have risen. It will at least double in size. Now your dough is ready to become pizza!

Homemade pizza dough with wooden rolling pin.

How To Roll Out Pizza Dough

Remove it from the bowl and cut it in half. This recipe makes two pizza crusts.

I find that it works well to prepare the dough on a smooth surface that has been sprinkled with flour.

Use your hands to smash the dough ball into a disc shape and then roll it out with a rolling pin. You can toss it into the air like you see in the movies, roll it out, smash it. Use whatever means necessary to get the shape you want.

Just remember that it doesn't need to look perfect!

Rolled out pizza dough on metal pizza pan.

Place the dough onto your favorite pizza pan and add your favorite toppings. You can sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal onto the pan before adding the dough to prevent it from sticking after it has baked, but this is optional.

After the pizza toppings are added, I bake it at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. I discovered this recipe a few years ago and haven't looked back. Now you can make all kinds of tasty pizza recipes!

If you like to make homemade pizza crust, check out How To Make Homemade Pie Crust and How To Make Gluten Free Pie Crust!

Check out this recipe if you're looking for a Homemade Gluten Free Pizza Crust!

Love pizza? Check out these recipes!

  • BBQ Chicken Pizza
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  • Mediterranean Veggie Naan Pizza
  • Sheet Pan Pizza
  • Pizza Stuffed Peppers
  • Chicken Pesto Flatbread Pizza

Looking For Pizza Recipes? Don't Miss These!

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Homemade pizza dough with wooden rolling pin.

Homemade Pizza Dough (How To Make)

Christine Rooney
Learn How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough at home! This step by step guide will teach you how to make a dough recipe that works every time.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Rising Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 16
Calories 89 kcal

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer optional

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 ¼ tsp. active dry yeast or 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 ½ cups AP flour
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. cornmeal optional

Instructions
 

  • Place 1 cup of warm (not hot) water and 2 ¼ tsp. jarred active dry yeast or 1 packet active dry yeast in small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. of sugar to the bowl.
  • Let sit for 15 minutes. The mixture will get bubbly and form a film on top of the water.
  • In the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer (or a large bowl), add the water/yeast mixture to 2 ½ cups of AP flour and ¼ tsp. of kosher salt.
  • Using the hook attachment, begin to mix the ingredients (or stir all of the ingredients with a wooden spoon).
  • Slowly drizzle 1 Tbsp. olive oil into the bowl.
  • Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes using the mixer or your hands.
  • Scrape the dough off the hook, cover with a wet towel, and let sit for an hour in a warm room.
  • Remove dough from bowl and divide in half.
  • Flatten dough using hands and/or rolling pin.
  • Sprinkle pizza pan with cornmeal (optional).
  • Place flattened dough on pan and add favorite toppings.
  • Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes.

Notes

Dough must sit for at least 30 minutes. Let it sit longer if possible.
Check out this recipe if you prefer a Homemade Gluten Free Pizza Crust.
Nutritional information does not include pizza toppings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 89kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 31mgPotassium: 31mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 0.002mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
Keyword pizza dough from scratch, how to make pizza dough, easy pizza dough
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Christine

My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brenda

    April 13, 2019 at 4:12 pm

    This recipe is awesome, made it for the first time and was perfect.

    Reply
    • Christine

      April 14, 2019 at 8:44 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the feedback! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kelly Asche

    June 26, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    5 stars
    Chewy and delicious!

    Reply
  3. Amanda

    August 06, 2019 at 7:24 am

    Can it be made ahead and frozen?

    Reply
    • Christine

      August 06, 2019 at 3:20 pm

      Hi Amanda - I've never frozen this pizza dough but it should be totally fine! To freeze: Prepare the dough as written and then portion it out. Lightly spray each portion with olive oil, place the oiled dough in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze up to 3 months. When ready to use, place it in the fridge overnight to thaw and prepare as you normally would.

      Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Lorie Bash

        May 26, 2022 at 8:48 am

        5 stars
        I have frozen this and it does well. This is my favorite recipe for pizza dough!!!

        Reply
        • Christine

          May 26, 2022 at 4:11 pm

          Hi Lorie - I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂

          Reply
  4. Barb Jackson

    August 08, 2019 at 8:27 am

    Somone please tell me the trick to rolling dough to shape! My dough shrinks back as soon as I remove rolling pin. no mattert what I do! What am I doing wrong? .

    Reply
    • Christine

      August 08, 2019 at 3:36 pm

      Hi Barb - You're not doing anything wrong! This is totally normal for pizza dough. You can be really rough with pizza dough - It needs to be rolled out a number of times before it thins out and holds its shape. Just keep rolling and feel free to use your hands to press it down as needed. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Amanda

    September 11, 2019 at 3:16 pm

    To make four 10 inch pizzas, would doubling the recipe be enough?

    Reply
    • Christine

      September 11, 2019 at 3:21 pm

      Hi Amanda - That should work great! The recipe as written makes 2 12 inch pizzas so doubling it would be perfect for 4 10 inch pizzas. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Aura

    September 17, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    Can you substitute wheat flour for all purpose flour
    And if so how much?

    Reply
    • Christine

      September 17, 2019 at 6:11 pm

      Hi Aura - I have to honest - I've never made this pizza recipe with whole wheat flour but I know that it can be a bit tougher in texture. It might work to substitute half of the AP with whole wheat flour giving you a blend of both. You could try adding a little more water if necessary if it's too dry as well. Here is a great resource I found explaining how to properly substitute whole wheat flour: https://www.wikihow.com/Substitute-Whole-Wheat-Flour-for-White-Flour
      I hope this helps and let me know how it goes! 🙂

      Reply
  7. MEgan Haislip

    January 21, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    Some recipes want you to prebake the crust a little bit before adding toppings? Is this necessary for this recipe or does it work out fine? Some people were saying so the dough isn't soggy? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 21, 2020 at 3:57 pm

      Hi Megan - I have never pre-baked this pizza dough and found that it always turned out great. I think if you add ingredients that have a lot of moisture or add too many toppings pizza crust can get soggy and pre-baking it might help with that. If you don't overload it with toppings it should be totally fine. Let me know if you give it a try! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Aggie ruster

    March 19, 2020 at 10:13 am

    When you say let dough sit at least 30 min. At what point do I do that. After I roll it out or before I roll it out. Sorry, but I am confused.

    Reply
    • Christine

      March 19, 2020 at 6:25 pm

      Hi Aggie - No problem! Mix all of the ingredients until the dough forms a ball. Cover and let the ball of dough rest for at least 30 minutes. The dough will rise a bit as it rests. Once it has risen then roll it out, top, and bake. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Jamie

    April 07, 2020 at 9:13 pm

    This was fantastic! Even only resting for 30 min. I made a ounce batch - Can you store the leftover dough in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Christine

      April 07, 2020 at 9:26 pm

      Hi Jamie - So glad you enjoyed it! I've never tried storing leftover dough in the fridge but it looks like it's totally possible! It should be fine for a day or two stored in an airtight container. Maybe brush the insides of the container with oil before placing it in there so the dough doesn't stick to the sides. Then, let it sit for a bit at room temperature before rolling out. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Linda

    April 14, 2020 at 10:59 pm

    How would I freeze the dough when I make extra batches?

    Reply
    • Christine

      April 14, 2020 at 11:21 pm

      Hi Linda - Prepare the pizza dough as directed, allowing it to rise. Once it rises split it into two portions and form into two separate balls of dough. Lightly coat the outside of the pizza dough with olive oil and place each one into individual heavy-duty freezer bags (making sure to press any air out of the bags. They should be good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Here is a great article with photos on freezing pizza dough: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-freeze-pizza-dough-178431 Hope this helps! 🙂

      Reply
  11. April

    January 18, 2021 at 6:04 pm

    Absolutely loved this recipe, thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 18, 2021 at 6:07 pm

      Hi April - So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the feedback! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Nick

    December 11, 2022 at 8:51 am

    If I double the batch and still split in 2 would that make 2 14 or 16 inch pizzas?

    Reply
    • Christine

      December 12, 2022 at 4:20 am

      Hi Nick - The recipe as written yields 2 14 inch pizzas. If doubling the recipe, it should yield 4 14 inch pizzas.

      Reply
5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Thanks for stopping by! My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

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