Easy Pizza Dough

Skip the pizza delivery. Make this easy pizza dough and enjoy homemade pizza anytime! Whip up a double batch of dough and store extra in the freezer for later use. 

Yeasted doughs can be intimidating. If you’re a little hesitant to work with yeast, start by reading this beginners guide to baking with yeast.

Using yeast is a lot easier than you think! Equipped with the right tools, baking with yeast is a breeze. (Hint: all you need is a kitchen thermometer!)

If you’re still not ready to make pizza dough from scratch, try this two-ingredient pizza dough! It’s a simple mixture of self-rising flour and Greek yogurt.

However, if you’re feeling adventurous and ready to tackle homemade pizza dough… read on!

Who doesn’t love pizza? It’s safe to say that pizza is a universally loved food.

Pizza is easy to customize and adapt to anyone’s tastes and preferences. From gluten-free pizza to vegan pizza to meat lovers pizza, there is a pizza for everyone!

Homemade Pizza Dough for Beginners

Easy pizza dough only requires a handful of ingredients:

Flour

This recipe works with either all-purpose flour or bread flour. A mixture of the two flours produces the best results.

• All-Purpose Flour has slightly less protein compared to bread flour. AP flour will create a dough that is easy to stretch and out roll. However, because of its lower gluten content, the dough is easier to tear.
• Bread Flour has more protein and a higher amount of gluten. The gluten makes the resulting pizza dough more stretchy (the dough will spring back as you roll out the dough. The baked dough will rise slightly higher and have a fluffier interior compared to AP Flour. Overall, you will have a chewier crust.

Water

Use tap water or filtered water. The water temperature is a very most important factor. Yeast thrives in a warm water, anywhere from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (37°C to 48°C).

Olive Oil

Use good quality cooking olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil. Stay away from finishing or drizzling olive oils. Those will burn during baking and produce an unpleasant flavor.

Sugar and Salt

The small amount of sugar does not sweetened the dough. The yeast eats the sugar and converts it into carbon dioxide gas. This jumpstarts and activates the yeast.

Kosher salt gives the dough flavor. Without salt, the cooked dough will taste rather bland.

Yeast

Yeast is the magic that leavens the dough. Use your choice of instant yeast or active dry yeast.

• To use instant yeast, simply mix the yeast with the dry ingredients. The instant yeast does not need to be dissolved or activated in water ahead of time.
• To use active dry yeast, dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 tsp of granulated sugar for 5 to 7 minutes until foamy and fragrant.

How to measure water temperature?

Use a digital kitchen thermometer! I personally use this Thermoworks Thermapen. (I intentionally purchased the pink one to make it easier to find in the kitchen drawer.)

A digital thermometer will provide the most accurate readings. This will ensure the water is the right temperature to wake up the yeast.

Candy thermometer, meat thermometer, or infrared thermometer also works.

If you make breads often, over time you will be able to gauge water temperature using your fingers. But until then, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen thermometer.

How to check if yeast is still good?

To check if dry active yeast or instant yeast is still suitable for use, rehydrate 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast in 1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F) with 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir to combine. Wait 7 minutes.

If the mixture does not bubble, foam, or smell like beer, it’s old. Throw it out and buy new yeast.

Dough Hook Attachment

There are two main types of dough hook attachments for stand mixers. The most common one is shaped like a corkscrew (like the one photographed above). The other version looks more like a fishing hook.

This dough hook attachment mimics the motions of kneading. The hook turns and folds the dough similar to kneading the dough by hand.

As the name suggests, dough hooks are primarily used for mixing together dough such bread rolls, sticky buns, and pretzels.

How to mix pizza dough in stand mixer

1. Whisk together active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and warm water in stand mixer bowl. Let sit for 5 to 7 minutes until mixture is cloudy and foamy. Add in remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, flour, salt, and olive oil.
2. Attach dough hook to stand mixer. Mix on slow speed until shaggy mess forms.
3. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes.
4. Dough will be tacky! Don’t be tempted to add more flour. Grease your hands with oil or use an oiled bench scraper to transfer dough to a large greased bowl.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap or kitchen towel. Place in a warm area, such as garage or near the fridge. Rest dough for about an hour until doubled in volume.

Grease hand with oil. Punch down risen dough. The dough will still be a bit sticky and tacky.

Place dough on an oil surface (like an oiled cutting board) and divide into two equal parts.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes before use.

Store Pizza Dough In The Freezer

Double the recipe and make 4 portions of pizza dough!

Individually cover dough portions in plastic wrap. Label and date the dough. Place dough on a flat surface in the freezer (or on a baking sheet tray in the freezer) for about an hour until solid.

Transfer frozen dough to a large airtight zip-top bag.

Frozen pizza dough will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

How to use frozen pizza dough

1. Do not unwrap frozen dough! Defrost frozen pizza dough portion in the fridge overnight.
2. Remove thawed dough from fridge. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
3. Unwrap dough. Stretch and roll out dough to fit 12-inch skillet.

Use this easy pizza dough to make these pizza recipes!

• Cast Iron Skillet Pepperoni Pizza
• Fig Prosciutto Pizza
• Mushroom Kale Pesto Pizza 
• French Onion Pizza