Make the best homemade pizza dough recipe - All you need is 5 simple ingredients to make authentic Italian pizza at home!
This super easy homemade pizza dough recipe follows the traditional Neapolitan pizza recipe, and believe me, it is absolutely incredible.
My Italian dad was a pizzaiolo for more than 30 years, so I grew up eating lots of pizza. Over the years, I managed to learn all his secrets for the perfect pizza and enjoy every single bite of it.
I've made it endless times, and I can assure you this is the best homemade pizza dough recipe you'll ever need!
You can make both a thin crust or thick crust pizza with this recipe, and it makes about 3-4 regular pizzas or 6 slightly smaller ones.
It's also a great base for a calzone, breadsticks, or pizza bread rolls.
And, as an added bonus, this dough recipe is naturally vegan and dairy-free.
Jump to:
DOUGH INGREDIENTS & TIPS
The traditional pizza recipe calls for just 5 basic ingredients:
- Water
- Flour
- Salt
- Yeast
- Extra virgin olive oil
COLD WATER OR WARM WATER?
Use any kind of plain water, but make sure is at the right temperature.
Both fresh yeast and active dry yeast should always be hydrated with lukewarm water (around 25 ℃, 77 ℉).
Using cold water is highly discouraged, and can cause the glutathione (gluten in the yeast) to leak out.
WHAT IS THE BEST PIZZA FLOUR?
I've tried this recipe using both all-purpose flour and bread flour before, and it works either way with slightly different results.
One of the best pizza flour on the market is the Neapolitan Caputo Italian 00 flour, both the blue (pizzeria flour) and the red (chef's flour) labels give amazing results.
King Arthur bread flour is also a great option.
If you can't find these specific brands, go for medium-strong flour, which is basically bread flour. Opt for stone-ground organic flour whenever possible.
Choose a flour with a value preferably between W280 and W320 (usually sold in supermarkets simply as bread flour).
Strong flour contains more gluten than all-purpose flour, so it gives the dough more elasticity and allows it to rise with a good structure.
SHOULD YOU ADD EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL?
Traditionally, pizza made in a wood-fired oven doesn't necessarily call for olive oil as one of the dough ingredients.
But, extra-virgin olive oil is a superhero ingredient when baking it at home.
Adding a bit of extra-virgin olive oil into the dough helps facilitate the binding of proteins, allowing the formation of a more homogeneous elastic dough.
It will also give you a more fragrant crust, similar to the one you'll get in a typical Italian pizzeria.
FRESH YEAST OR DRY YEAST?
You can use either fresh active yeast or dry active yeast.
Fresh active yeast (or brewer's yeast) is usually sold in small cubes and it's easy to find in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets.
However, it doesn't keep well for long, and it lasts in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
So, I find it more convenient to stock up on active dry yeast, and buy fresh yeast only when I'm making pizza in the following days.
When using fresh yeast instead of dry yeast and vice-versa, the rule of thumb is dividing or multiplying by 3 (or to be more exact 3.29):
- From fresh yeast to dry: divide the amount by 3.29, eg. instead of 5 grams of fresh yeast use 1.5 grams of dry yeast.
- From dry yeast to fresh: multiply by 3, meaning 1.5 grams of dry yeast becomes 5 grams of fresh yeast.
Note that, depending on the brand, some active dry yeast doesn't need to be dissolved in water before use, in this case simply add it directly to the flour.
KITCHEN TOOLS
You can totally do the whole process by hand, however, there are a few kitchen tools that I recommend:
- Standard mixer: does a better job than me at kneading the dough and saves me a TON of energy.
- Dough scraper: helpful for cutting the dough into smaller pieces, but a sharp knife will do the trick too.
- Large baking tray: both for letting the small pizza balls rise and then baking them.
- Pizza stone: is not necessary by any means, but it helps distribute the heat better, and this means crispy pizza crust every single time.
- Pizza peel: this is basically a shovel-like tool used for transferring the pizza to and from the oven.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH
This easy pizza dough recipe is perfect to make round Italian pizza crust at home.
The dough comes together in less than 10 minutes, then it's all a matter of resting time.
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.
STEP 1. Proof the yeast.
Place lukewarm water in the stand mixer bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar on top, mix and let it rest until the mixture is nice and bubbly.
STEP 2. Mix the dough ingredients.
Add olive oil and slowly incorporate the flour.
The dough is ready when it's smooth, and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl anymore.
STEP 3. Knead the dough.
Work the ball of dough with your hands on a clean flour-dusted surface until smooth and even.
STEP 4. Rest the dough.
Transfer the ball to a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with cling film or a damp kitchen towel.
Allow it to rest in a warm place for about 2-3 hours until it has doubled in size.
STEP 5. Form small balls and let them rest.
After it has rested, divide the dough into 2-3 smaller pieces and form smooth and even balls, and let them rest and raise for an extra 3-4 hours.
STEP 6. Form your pizza base.
Use a rolling pin, or spread each ball of dough with your hands to form a large circle.
For a classic pizza Margherita, spread just enough marinara sauce (aka pizza sauce) on top, leaving a border, then proceed to bake it.
HOW TO BAKE YOUR PIZZA BASE
Once your dough is ready, it's time to bake your base.
- Preheat your oven to 250C-280C / 480F-530F.
- If you have the fan option, place the baking tray (or pizza stone) onto the middle rack, otherwise, place the baking tray on the lowest rack.
- Place it in the oven and cook it for about 3 minutes, then add sliced mozzarella (make sure to pat the slices dry with kitchen paper) and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, scatter a few basil leaves on top and serve.
TIPS FOR THE BEST PIZZA DOUGH
After many years of making it at home, I can safely share all the tips you need to make the best pizza dough:
- Pay particular attention to the type of flour you use and to the water temperature.
- Sift the flour to avoid lumps, and allow good oxygenation of the dough.
- Mix the salt with a little bit of the water you'll be incorporating into the dough.
- Stop kneading when the dough is compact and elastic, moist but not sticky.
- If you lightly dip your finger into the dough and the hole bounces back slowly, then the dough is ready.
- If you're using a mixer, stop mixing when the dough comes off completely from the bowl.
- Let the mixture rest until at least doubled in size.
- Do not knead your dough too much.
- If you're using it, preheat the pizza stone for 30 minutes.
- In Italy, we "open the pizza" by hand, which means rolling out the dough into a flat disk by hand, stretching and widening the dough until forming a flat disk.
- Sprinkle the working surface with a little semolina
- Semolina is kind of grainy, and it will add a lovely crunchy texture to the base.
- Open or roll the pizza crust directly on a sheet of parchment paper, or even better, on a pizza peel.
RECIPE FAQs
Absolutely yes, you can make the dough in advance. I often opt for overnight pizza dough and works like a charm.
Let it rise overnight and use it the next day.
Prepare the dough and transfer it into a lightly oiled bowl, and gently rub a little extra oil onto the surface of the dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise overnight in the fridge.
The next day, remove the bowl from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes.
Divide the dough into 2-3 pizza balls, and let them rest on a lightly oiled tray covered with a damp kitchen towel.
Let the dough balls rest for 30 minutes, then stretch each ball into the pizza base, top with your favourite ingredients, and bake.
Yes, you can safely freeze the prepared dough.
I recommend that you freeze the dough before the last resting time. So, right after you form the small balls.
I freeze the dough balls individually. You can put them on a tray and freeze them for 10 minutes, then transfer each ball to a zip-lock bag and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Whenever you need, simply take the dough out of the freezer, and allow to defrost at room temperature, then proceed to make your pizza.
Yes, absolutely! I've been making pizza in the air fryer for quite sometimes and it turns just like out of a pizzeria oven! Check out my recipe for air fryer pizza for all the tips and tricks.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook!
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Recipe
Homemade Pizza Dough - Italian Recipe
Ingredients
For The Dough:
- 500 ml lukewarm water
- ½ teaspoon dry active yeast (or fresh yeast 0.17 oz/ 5 gr), (1.5 gr)
- a pinch of sugar
- 3 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 900 g medium-strong flour , ( choose btw bread flour/ flour 00/pizza flour)
For Pizza Margherita:
- 400 g marinara sauce or pizza sauce
- 300 g fresh mozzarella balls, sliced and pat dry with kitchen paper
- handful of basil leaves
Instructions
- Place 450 ml of lukewarm (do not use hot water!) water in a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar on top, mix and let it rest for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is nice and bubbly.
- In a separate small bowl mix the remaining 50 ml of water with the sea salt and set it aside.
- Pour the water + yeast mixture into the mixer, add the olive oil, and using your dough hook attachment, start mixing on a low speed, and slowly incorporate the sifted flour.
- Mix together all ingredients for about 5 minutes, adding the water+ salt mixture towards the end, and continue to mix until the dough is smooth and stops sticking to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is still too sticky sprinkle in a little more flour, if it's too dry add a little more water.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface sprinkled with flour and work it with your hands until smooth and even.
- Transfer the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm place (about 24-27°C) and rest the dough for about 2-3 hours, until it has doubled in size. To check if the dough is ready, lightly dip your finger into the dough, if the hole bounces back slowly, then the dough is ready.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6-7oz (180-200gr) pieces with the help of a dough scraper or a sharp knife.
- Work each dough piece with your hands until forming a smooth and even ball, then transfer into a lightly oiled tray and cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel.
- Allow the dough balls to rise for an extra 3 hours, and use within 6 hours.
How to bake the pizza base:
- Preheat your oven to 250°C-280°C. If you have the fan option, place the baking tray (or pizza stone) on the middle rack, otherwise, place the baking tray on the lowest rack.
- Carefully slide the pizza onto the baking tray or pizza stone and place it in the oven. Bake the pizza for about 3 minutes. Add sliced mozzarella and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the oven, scatter a few basil leaves on top and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
MORE ITALIAN RECIPES TO TRY
And if you're hungry for more, check out these creative recipes for pizza dough!
Tatyana says
How long does it take to defrost the pizza dough?
Joseph cennamo says
What are the ingredients in Oz and cups .
marie says
hi can you make the dough in the bread machine
Sharon says
Amazing, delicious. It's a keeper.
Shaun says
I made this dough last night and I have to say that the taste was amazing. I did run into a problem with each of my dough balls when it came time to “open” the dough. Maybe you could shed some light on what I did wrong…
1.) It did not seem like it has very much elasticity and was “tough” to stretch. At least that is how I felt. Did I over work the dough when I was forming the smooth balls for the second rising period?
2.) Also the tops of the balls seem to have formed a small amount of “crust” on them or the sides after the second rising period. Was my towel not damp enough?
The dough however had an excellent taste. Looking forward to your response and your constructive criticism!
Andrea says
Hi Shaun, so happy to hear you loved the dough! Here's some helpful advices:
1) When the dough is too stretchy it could be for one of these reasons: dough didn't have enough resting time, the dough is too dry, or too cold.
2) My guess is that the towel was not wet enough, resulting in dry dough balls, this could also be the reason why the dough was over stretchy afterward.
Adam says
Can you clarify if this is for a deep crust or a more thin stone baked crust? Thaks
Andrea says
Hi Adama, this recipe works for a more thin-crust pizza.
Katrina Maas says
Hi there, I have frozen some remaining dough balls from a previous batch and want to make pizza tonight but have no idea how far in advance to pull them out of the freezer! Do they need a few hours to defrost? Thank you!
Andrea says
Hi Katrina, the frozen pizza dough is preferably defrosted by passing it from the freezer to the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. If you don't have much time, the dough can be thawed at room temperature covered by a cloth, for about two or three hours, turning it every hour so that it defrosts evenly.
Jenn says
This is my question as well...cannot get it foamy.
Leada says
Thank you for the recipe- can’t wait to make it. I was wondering how this recipe can be adjusted to use whole wheat flour. Is that possible?
Sandra Bylsma says
Can this be made with one to one GF flour?
Andrea says
Hi Sandra! I haven't tried this dough recipe with GF flour so I can't say, but if you give it a try please let me know how it turns out!
Marianne says
Hi, thank you for the recipe. I’ve made the dough today and will be making the pizzas shorty. I used about 40% of all the ingredients before I read your comments about it being best to make the full amount. I’ll do the full 900g next time and freeze the remainder. I wondered why the frozen dough balls don’t need the second proving time (after they are defrosted) like the fresh ones do?
Abby says
Should you sift the flour BEFORE measuring or AFTER it has been measured to 900 grams?
Andrea says
Hi Abby, first measure the flour then sift it 🙂
Shunji Asari says
I have just watched the Stanley Tucci show on Napoli and am inspired by your recipe. Especially appreciated are your detailed instructions and the reasons given for each step. If I may, 2 questions:
1) If I let the dough rise overnight in the frig and then divide it into pieces, is it correct that after it comes back up to room temperature, it is ready to be opened out and baked, or does it need an additional 3-4 hour rise?
2) The recipe says at the top that it makes 5 to 6 pizzas. I have a pizza steel that is 14 1/2 inches square. Into how many pieces should I divide the dough and when do I do the dividing? Thank you very, very much.
Andrea says
Hi! Thank you for the nice words 🙂
- Once you take the pizza balls out of the fridge let them rest at room temperature for 2-3 hours before opening the pizza and bake it.
- You should be able to get about 5-6 balls of 200 g each.
I really hope you like the result, I can't wait to hear your feedback!
Lilly says
Hi I wanted to ask an additional question for the overnight dough. After I made the dough I let it rise for about an hour and then put it in the fridge. When I take the dough out of the fridge do I have to let it come to room temp first and then shape into pizza balls. And when I shape the dough balls do I have to let them rise as well?
Katie says
I will be using 00 pizza flour instead of bread flour, should I still use the same amount?
Andrea says
Yes, you can definitely use the same amount of flour 00!
Kirin Siton says
Hi! I have Caputo semolina flour at home, and I'm wondering if that would be a good alternative? Thanks!
Andrea says
Hi Kirin, I love Caputo semolina flour, and you can certainly add it to homemade pizza dough. You cannot replace 100% of the regular flour with semolina, but you can definitely replace 20% of it, I wouldn't use more than that. Also, I personally like to sprinkle a little semolina over the counter, and "open" the pizza (roll the dough into the pizza base) over it - gives a nice crunchy texture to the pizza base. Hope this helps!
Jalee says
Thanku for the pizza recipe ?
Jacey Goode says
Hi, just want some clarity on this question. So if instant yeast is used, the dough does not need to rise or does it still need to?
Andrea says
Hi Jacey, I don't usually recommend it. However, if you want to make this Italian pizza dough with instant yeast, you can use the dough straight away.
Den says
Very helpful! Thanks for sharing!
Alexia says
Loved this pizza recipe ! Super good ❤️
Anna-Maria says
Thank you for such a quick response. Unfortunately finding normal active yeast has proven difficult under current circumstances as has finding any kind of flour. I will attempt it with the yeast I have and see what happens! I’m sure it will taste as good as your recipe suggests. I’ve tried a few different recipes and although fine, never quite that authentic Italian taste. Interesting also that you put the dough with the tomato base in first for a few minutes before adding other ingredients. Looking forward to see the result of the final product compared to other recipes. Thanks for taking the time to write such detail in your recipe. Hugely helpful.
Do you have a pizza dough recipe using sourdough starter ?
Anna-Maria says
Looking forward to trying your Pizza recipe today. I have fast acting yeast (instant yeast) which means no dilution in water and rising time may be quicker. Therefore, I was wondering which stages of your recipe I may have to do differently i.e if I should use different quantity; adjust adjust times etc ?
Thanks
Andrea says
Hi Anna-Maria, if you want to make this pizza dough recipe with instant yeast, mix it with the flour instead of diluting in water, and after you form your dough, it's technically ready to use. I'll have to warn you that the result will surely be a great pizza, but it is far my original dough recipe, because, the long resting times (together with of course quality ingredients) is what makes this homemade pizza the best.
Rachel says
Just 1/2 teaspoon of yeast?? That doesn’t seem like much.
Andrea says
Yes, Rachel, it's just 1/2 tsp of yeast. The less yeast you use and the more you let the dough rest, the better your pizza will be 🙂
Sarah LaGinge says
Hi! Can I just clarify..... you state put the water in the bowl and incorporate the flour into the mixer slowly..... but then say that you should put the salt into the last of the water you are incorporating into the flour (suggesting the opposite!). Which one is it please? 🙂
Ps. This is FAR my favourite pizza dough recipe and I've tried a few, thank you. I whack my fan oven up to 300 witha goo stone and they come out perfect. I measure 300g each for four decent pizzas and a slightly smaller 260g garlic bread.
Andrea says
Hi Sarah, you're right, I should have been more clear! I've edited the instructions to make it clear 🙂 Thank you so much!
Ethyl Destura says
Hi Andrea! Thank you for this recipe! I am going to try tonight for my family. I just have one question about the yeast. I am going to use fresh yeast, should it be 7 grams or 13.5 grams for this recipe?
Thanks x
Ethyl
Andrea says
Hi Ethyl, thank yuo so much for this question. I just realized I messed up the yeast conversion *not a math genius clearly :D*. It's all fixed now, so for 1.5 gr dry yeast, you'll need 5 gr fresh yeast. Let me know how the pizza turns out!
Sonia art says
Amazing pizza dough ! Better than authentic pizza restarants .
Andrea says
Thank you so much Sonia! So happy to hear that you liked it :)))
Stacy says
I made a half batch of this yesterday using fresh yeast and it was fantastic. I kneaded it by hand and did a double proofing before woodfiring it and I have to say it was the best pizza base I think I've ever had. Definitely the best I've made myself anyway (and I worked as a pizza chef in a restaurant for 1.5 years!). So glad I found this recipe, it's definitely a keeper.
Thanks!
Pete van Rhyn says
Tried it just now... Thanks so much Andrea! I was looking for an authentic recipe from an actual Italian and you delivered! Best thing I’ve put in my mouth! (I also used a good quality pizza stone as you recommended) thanks again 🙂
Kelly khan says
Made this yesterday omg the best , I made my own pizza sauce ( olive oil tomato purée smoked paprika and lazy garlic) the pizza was amazing defiantly try this at home the bread base was so soft will be making this every week kids loved it xx
David Kettle says
Since lockdown I have made 4 batches of this pizza dough, and despite using instant yeast my kids have decided "daddy's pizzas are the best", which has knocked the local pizzeria to 2nd, Pizza Express to 3rd and Dominos 4th! So a big thank you for the recipe!!
Managed to get some dry yeast, and have made a batch and the dough has really risen! I am sure these will be even better.
For the 2nd rise (i.e. when in small balls, should it be in a warm place or is the kitchen side under a damp teatowel ok?
Andrea says
Hi David, I'm SO happy to hear that you and the kids love my (should say my dad's) pizza :)) Since it's summer and quite warm anyway, I'd do the 2nd rise in the kitchen with a damp teatowel on top. If you share any of your amazing pizzas on Instagram, please tag me @thepetitecook, I'd love to see them!
Nicolas Berg says
Hi, I’m making the pizza later on today. I’m planning on making just one pizza, so I was wondering if the rest of the dough could be used for some type of bread/rolls? Focaccia type or something?
Andrea says
Hi Nicolas! If you're planning to make just one pizza, my first suggestion would be to freeze the remaining dough balls for later use (freeze them after the first rise of the dough). However, I've seen my dad making small bread chunks out of the remaining pizza dough (he was a pizzaiolo for over 30 years), so that's definitely something you can try!
Georgie says
Turned out so good! I used Gas mark 9 for 5 minutes before and then 5 mins with toppings. Made them very thing and it created soft dough with a light crunch on the edges. Cant wait to make again! (Made half recipe for 4 single pizzas)
Karen says
I want to make personal size (8”) pizzas how big would you suggest I make the balls?
Andrea says
Hi Karen, 180gr-200gr balls should be ok for 8'' pizza 🙂
thompson says
Can you half everything in the recipe to make half the amout? - or is there any measurement that needs to remain the same?
Andrea says
Hi! I wouldn't recommend it. It's best to follow the recipe and freeze half the dough after the first resting time 🙂
Alice says
This is a wonderful recipe, I will never buy dough again! Tasty, crispy, easy what’s not to love?!
I froze half the batch, it took slightly more persuading to rise (popped it on top of the radiator) but was just as tasty and crispy.
I will definitely be making this again and sharing with my friends 🙂 thank you!
Love,
Alice
lucas says
Hi, I am making the dough tonight, as we are having a pizza party tomorrow night. I can't do it during the day tomorrow as I have work. Should I go to the effort of freezing them tonight or will the dough keep till tomorrow evening in the fridge?
Andrea says
Hi Lucas, since it would be about 24 h between the pizza dough making and the actual baking time, I would really recommend to freeze the dough tonight, and take it out tomorrow late afternoon! Hope you have an amazing pizza party!
Vjera says
Hi Andrea (2nd attempt to post, so apologies if repeating),
I've got several questions
1. I have easy yeast - any difference to your recipe?
2. Don't have a food processor, so have to knead by hand - recommendation for length?
2. I'll need to postpone the second proof (as evening now) - so what do I do when I defrost tomorrow?
3. My oven goes to 300 degrees C. What do you recommend for cooking?
many thanks
Vjera
Andrea says
Hi Vjera! To answer your question,I'm not sure what you mean by easy yeast, I used dry active yeast, and I recommend using the same to make the best out of the recipe 🙂 No worries if you don't have a mixer, you can totally knead by hand, I'd say you'll need about 20 minutes. Regarding oven temperatures, bring your oven to 250C, it should be enough, and bake the pizza for 3-4 minutes. Happy pizza making!
Jay says
Brilliant recipe, used it so many times recently. I use whey from making yogurt as half of the liquid which gives a lovely texture.
I’ve found rolling it and freezing it on trays to be used later in the week makes a successful and quick midweek dinner - frozen base straight onto the hot pizza stone.
Karen Upchurch says
I have made the pizza dough including 2nd prove however too late in the day to use it can I roll it out and freeze it to use in 2 days ? Amazing recipe love it x
Andrea says
Hi Karen! For best results, I suggest freezing the dough before the second proofing. However, since you are already past that, it's best if you put the pizza balls in a large baking tray (dust the tray lightly with flour), cover the balls with a slightly damp kitchen cloth and place them in the fridge until later today. Use the balls within 6 hours! Hope you love the pizza :)!
Michelle says
Sorry if I missed this part but how many pizzas does a batch make? I usually like 10-12 inch pizzas when I have to make lots. I’m having 15 guests over for a pizza party and I plan to make the dough that day or possibly night before. When it’s frozen, how long does it normally take to thaw and reach room temp? I can’t wait to try!
Andrea says
Hi Michelle! Each batch makes between 3 and 5 pizza, depending how thin and large you like your pizza 🙂 Hope your pizza party goes amazing!
Andrea says
Hi Mark! So, heat your oven at the max temperature (around 220/230C), then place the pizza on the lowest shelf of your oven and cook for about 3-4 minute, then add mozzarella onto the pizza and place it back in the oven on the highest shelf, and cook for a further minute. This is how I make it 🙂
Mark harper says
Hi have made your recipe how long do you cool the pizza for making 10-12 inch ones think crust
Andrea says
Thank you so much Ray for your lovely comment, it made my day! I’m so so so happy you got to enjoy some great time with your son and your pizza turned out delicious! Thank you again 🙂
Ray says
Having recently returned from our first visit to Italy I was desperate to try and recreate the wonderful, authentic pizza's that I fell in love with. This recipe was great and my first attempt at a pizza dough turned out amazing! My 8 year old son loved the idea of us making them from scratch which got us some quality Father/son time in the Kitchen. We also made a rustic style tomato sauce to go with it. Overall the recipe was super easy and I'd recommend it to anyone who is toying with the idea of making a homemade pizza dough.
Derek Norrie says
Made this today, very tasty pizza base. I did use fast acting yeast.
Emily Hibbert says
Hi do you have to freeze the dough if your going to use it the same day. Thank you
Andrea says
Hi Emily, you don't need to freeze the dough if you're using it on the same day. Please read the post for full instructions 🙂
Brian says
La pizza migliore si ottiene con una lunga lievitazione. You're right when you say "pizza dough balls to rest and raise for an extra 3-4 hours. "Molto bene, continua così!
Michael says
Hi 🙂 Could you add more yeast to decrease the resting time of the dough like other recipes, or will this compromise it somehow?
Andrea says
Hi Michael, thank you so much for this very helpful question!
For those not familiar with pizza making, the simplest solution to obtain optimal rising process in a short time might seem to be to add more yeast to the dough: but this would get exactly the opposite result, as the dough would quickly increase in volume before having "matured", which is what makes the pizza more digestible. Basically, we would find ourselves with a raised dough but not matured: the slow rising process serves to give time to the dough to break down into its simplest components (making it more digestible). Paradoxically, for optimal pizza dough, less yeast must be added, in order to slow the rising process down, for all the reasons described above. I hope this helps!
Sarah says
Hi if freezings for another time do you do this before or after the second rise. Plus how long is it good for once frozen?
Andrea says
Hi Sarah! Prep the dough, proceed with the first dough rise, then after you shape the dough into the smaller pizza dough balls, freeze them individually for later use. It's best to keep it in the freezer for no longer than 1 month. Hope this helps 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Andrea,
I'm making this dough for dinner guests tomorrow night around 7PM. I work during the day but was thinking of pre-making the dough tonight and letting it rest and rise until tomorrow evening. But would the dough suffer to leave it rise that long? Should I freeze it overnight tonight?
Andrea says
Hi Olivia, first of all, I'm so happy to hear you'll be making this for your guests! So, what I would do, is making the dough tonight, proceed with the first dough rise, then after you shape the dough into the smaller pizza dough balls, freeze them individually until tomorrow. When you come back from work, take the balls out from the freezer allow them to defrost and proceed to make the pizzas. Fingers crossed they will be super tasty! Please tag me on Instagram if you share your result, I can't wait to hear your feedback 🙂
Kris Gilmartin says
Hi Andrea, made the dough a few a weeks ago and came out perfectly. Tried halving the measurements to make a smaller batch and it was a complete disaster. Ending up having to add way more flour and even then it didn't come out anywhere near as good as last time - very sticky. I'm a complete novice so can you tell me where I went wrong? Thanks
Andrea says
Hi Kris, I'm so glad to hear your first batch came out perfectly! It's hard to tell what went wrong with the second batch, maybe you added too little yeast? From my experience, it's always best to avoid halving dough recipes, what you can do next time, is stick to the original amount, then freeze the leftover dough for next time 🙂
Lauren O'Sullivan says
Hi Andrea. I just made your pizza dough and it's proving now, I was just wondering, if I'm using a baking tray with parchment paper to bake the pizza will the bottom of it cook and brown as i don't have a pizza stone, thank you 😊
Andrea says
Hi Jill, I would recommend putting the dough in the freezer rather than the fridge, if you check the post up, you will find all the useful info regarding freezing the dough, then you can take it out from the freezer the next day and complete the process 🙂
Jill says
Can you refrigerate the dough to complete the night before?
Steve Bakewell says
I spent the Early part of this summer building a stone fired pizza oven in my back garden which I've now finished and it locks great... I had my first pizza party today using this dough recipe. I made 12 12 inch pizzas all with various toppings and everyone was amazing. Will definitely be using this dough recipe again and building the pizza oven was the best idea I've ever had. ?.
Rosemary O'Kane says
Just about to make this pizza dough. Is it really only half a teaspoon of dried yeast for 900 grams of flour? Other recipes use a lot more yeast. Also how maby pizzas does 900 grams make?
Andrea says
Hi Rosemary, yes, the longer the dough rests the less yeast you need. Hope your pizza turned out great!
Viana says
Looks great and can't wait to try it! But my question is this: Now do I have to learn how to throw the dough up in the air or can I just roll it out? 🙂
Nafi says
Hi, great recipe! What temperature would be best to cook the pizza and for approx how long?
Andrea says
Thank you Nafi! Ideally, you should warm your oven (and pizza stone if using) between 250°C/ 300°C, then cook the pizza for about 4-5 minutes.
Dena Lobue says
Hi. Can i freeze the dough? Thx
Andrea says
Hi Dena, absolutely! I freeze individual portions rolled into small balls and stored in a ziplock bag. Then I put them out of the freezer overnight and use the morning after. Can't wait to see your pizza - please share it on IG if you like and tag me so I can reshare it :))
Emma says
This is hands down the best pizza recipe I've found. I've made so many I was not happy with but this was perfect! Thanks for sharing...or maybe not, because I think I'm gonna eat a lot of pizza now ?
Andrea says
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Emma, I'm so glad to hear you like it!
Randy says
2 different rises at 3 hours each? Is that correct? Seems excessive to me...please explain!
Andrea says
Hi Randy, yes, the time is correct, you need at least 2h rising time), as explained in the post, the more your dough rises, the better and more digestible your pizza will be! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Andrea says
You're right Ken, thanks for spotting the typo, will correct straight away 🙂
Brown Sugar says
This looks easy enough. Can you use this for grilling too? PINNED!
Andrea says
It's totally easy I promise 🙂 I've tried it for grilling (?), would love to hear more!
Heather says
I had no idea it was so easy to make homemade pizza dough .. I love that you show it's much easier than expected and I cant wait to try!!
Jessica Knott (swanky recipes) says
I've been searching for the perfect appetizer to bring to a party next weekend with the girls and I bet they'd love this with a glass of wine. Of course, they'd appreciate a homemade Margherita pizza with fresh dough over a store-bought one any day!
Eileen xo says
With these excellent instructions, guaranteed to make an amazing pizza crust. Love your pizza crust tutorial, explains how to make the perfect pizza dough!
annelawton says
I love homemade pizza dough! Thanks for your helpful tips too.
Tina says
We make a lot of pizzas at home, so this recipe, and your tips are very handy. Thanks for sharing!
Julie says
With dough this easy (only 5 ingredients!!!) there's really no need to ever reach for a tube of the premade stuff.
Kitty says
I'm obsessed with homemade pizza dough! We took at class at Sur la Table on grilling pizza and it seriously changed our lives!!! We even bought this fancy pizza grill. One question I have is can you freeze this dough?
Jenni says
Homemade pizza crust is the best ever! Thanks for the great recipe and tutorial on how to make it best!
Lynn miller says
I was wondering if anyone else had trouble telling if yeast was activated in that much water? I am use to one cup water to a package or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar and it is easy to see that it is foamy. With basically 2 cups of water and only 1/2 teaspoon yeast my water just turns cloudy. Is this okay? I tested my yeast the other way and it seems to have proof fine.