Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

Yes! All-purpose flour works fine, but bread flour has more protein, which gives the dough extra chewiness. If you prefer a softer crust, go with all-purpose.

How long should I let the dough rise?

Typically 1–2 hours at room temperature until doubled in size. For more flavor, you can let it rise in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Do I need to pre-bake the crust before adding toppings?

Not usually, unless your toppings are very wet (like fresh tomatoes). If you want an extra-crisp bottom, you can par-bake the dough for 5–7 minutes before topping.

My dough didn’t rise—what went wrong?

Most often it’s inactive yeast or water that was too hot or too cold . Make sure your yeast is fresh and the water is around 110°F.

Can I freeze pizza dough?

Yes! After rising, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap - portion if you doubled the recipe. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.

How do I get a crispy crust?

Bake on a preheated pizza stone or steel at high heat (450–475°F). Brushing the crust with olive oil also helps it crisp and brown beautifully.

Homemade Pizza Dough

Pizza dough on a marble surface and a bowl of flour.

Print Recipe

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Easy, homemade pizza dough. Comes together using only 5 ingredients and minimal equipment!

Author: Lyndsey Hiltner
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rise Time: 90 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 1 12-inch Pizza 1x
Category: How To

Ingredients

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1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 packet active dry yeast

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Bloom: Begin by blooming your yeast. Add the granulated sugar and active dry yeast directly to the measuring cup with the warm water. Stir well and cover. Set aside to bloom for about 5 minutes or until mixture begins to puff up.
Mix: Add the bread flour, olive oil and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Form a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in the yeast mixture. Stir together, continually scraping down the sides of the bowl, until a wet dough comes together. The dough should begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl as you stir.
Knead: Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Sprinkle more flour on top of the dough and dust your hands with it. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. (If you’re new to kneading be sure to check out this post on How to Knead Dough). If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in more flour. Do not add more than 1 tablespoon at a time. Your dough is ready when you can poke it with your finger and it slowly bounces back.
Rise: Lightly grease a mixing bowl with olive oil. Place your dough in the bowl, turning it several times to coat all sides in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place in your kitchen for about 90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Shape: Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly-floured surface. Using your hands or a rolling pin, gently shape the dough into a 10-12 inch circle. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. Lift the edge of the dough to create a 1 inch lip for the crust.
Bake: If you are following another recipe, bake your pizza according to those recipe’s instructions. If you are free-styling, preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C) and lightly grease a baking sheet with olive or avocado oil. Transfer the prepared dough to the pan and dress with all of your favorite toppings. Lightly brush the crust with more oil. Bake pizza in preheated oven for 14-16 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Equipment

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Notes

*Get Ahead: You can prepare this pizza dough the night before! After kneading, place the dough in a well-oiled bowl as instructed in the recipe. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for 8-12 hours. Do not chill for longer than this as dough will over-proof!

*Rest: If your dough keeps shrinking as you are rolling it out, cover it and allow it to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before continuing.

*Extra: This recipe is easily doubled if you'd like to make 2 pizzas or freeze half the dough for later!

Find it online: https://censoredbaker.com/homemade-pizza-dough/