How to Make the Best Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

Name: Best Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 16 slices
Ingredients: 370 ml Warm water; 1 tbsp Sugar; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 1 tbsp Instant dry yeast; 1 tsp Salt; 500 grams Bread flour; 1 cup Tomato sauce (you can find my basic tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes recipe here); 1/2 cup Toppings of your choice (mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives, basil, or nothing at all.); 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese (per pizza) (really adds so much flavor); 100 grams Mozzarella cheese (per pizza) (grated (but you can use as much as you want))

Homemade pizza can be a fun experience when you plan it well. This step by step tutorial on how to make homemade pizza dough will show you just how simple, easy and effortless it can be. For a fun experience make it a kids project and get let the kids have some fun with adult supervision.

An image optimized for social sharing for this homemade pizza dough recipe with step by step tutorial and progress pictures so you can make the best homemade pizza every single time.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

I started making homemade pizza way back in college, mostly because I’ve always fascinated with bread making. We loved pizzas but I will be honest, thought my pizzas tasted good they didn’t look so much as pretty as the ones you buy at the pizza parlor. Then something changes.

My Italian neighbor

Years later, when I was living in Singapore. We had an Italian neighbor (probably around 40) who was very, well we use to call him ‘rude’ because he didn’t care much for us young girls who were full of life and bouncing around in the same building. Anyway, as luck would have it one day he reluctantly came to borrow some sugar. Of course, we were happy to offer him sugar and he noticed the smell of bread coming from my kitchen. Which got into a conversation and he turned out to be a bread baker too.

I told him how I loved the pizza I made but it didn’t look so pretty. He spoke is a strong Italian accent which I loved.

If you can imagine an Italian man talking – try this. You, young people, don’t know what is important these days. A good pizza does not look pretty – it’s ok. Pizza got to be tasty. The dough should be soft and melt in the mouth, the tomato just enough to give it flavor and the cheese just right not too much. Nowadays, you get pizza the dough is thick, the tomato sauce is too much and the pizza is dripping. That is no pizza.

Yes, he invited us

Anyway, he invited us to his home and made pizza from scratch – and I love how imperfect yet perfect that pizza was. It was perhaps the best pizza I ever ate. Since then I have never complained about how pretty or not so pretty my pizza is. But I must say I have learned to manage my pizza dough a lot more with confidence now then I did back then. Sometimes, it’s best to let things go the imperfect route.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

So, well, I think I you will love my pizza dough recipe. It’s simple and super easy and it’s my full proof recipe and I have been making these for years. It’s a soft dough which is what you want when you make bread and pizza. So a big word of advice I give to anyone who wants to make homemade bread – work toward soft, smooth, supple dough. These are harder to work with but they give you the best bread.

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

Flour – Use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour – you will find that your dough will be more soft and elastic. If you cannot find bread flour all-purpose will do as well.
Yeast – I’m not a slave to any particular brand but I do use instant dry yeast as compared to fresh or instant yeast. You can add the yeast directly to your flour without testing it but I’m old school, I like to use the safe and stress-free method. Which is why I still do let my yeast activate first.
Water – the temperature of the water you use for yeast has to be warm – not hot, nor cold. Almost the temperature of the liquid you give a baby. Approximately 105 to 115 F
Sugar – the sugar her is not for sweetness but to food for the yeast. This will help the yeast grow and nurture the bread. So don’t omit and no it will not make your dough sweet. If you don’t fancy sugar, try honey or agave syrup.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

Best Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (Save/Pin)

Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough

Warm water – 370 ml (1 1/2 cups)
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Instant dry yeast – 1 tbsp or 20 grams fresh yeast or 2 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Bread flour – approx 500 grams

For the Pizza Toppings

Tomato sauce – 1 cup (you can find my basic tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes recipe here)
Toppings of your choice – mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives, basil, or nothing at all
Parmesan cheese – 1 tbsp for each pizza really adds so much flavor
Mozzarella cheese – I grate approx 100 grams for each pizza but you can use as much as you want

Method

Activate yeast

In a bowl combine warm water, yeast, sugar, and oil – mix well.

Step by step tutorial on how to make the best homemade pizza crust. This pizza dough is everything you need to make delicious homemade pizza every single time.

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Set aside for 5 minutes until it appears foamy.

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Use an electric mixer with a dough hook or a bowl with a wooden spoon

In an electric bowl – add approximately 2/3 of the flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture.

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Gently combine the flour and yeast until you have a sticky mess.

Step by step tutorial on how to make the best homemade pizza dough. This pizza dough is everything you need to make delicious homemade pizza every single time.

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Knead gently for about 3 minutes before you start adding the remaining flour.
Add flour only as much as you need to make a soft smooth elastic dough.

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You want the dough to be elastic, slightly sticky too but very soft and supple. When you stick a finger in the dough should spring back.

how to make homemade pizza dough recipe, best homemade pizza crust recipe

Place the dough in an oiled bowl with a damp kitchen towel for about an hour until double in volume.

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After an hour

Lightly punch the dough to remove some of the gasses.
Divide the dough into two and keep covered with a warm kitchen cloth for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

Preheat the oven

Place your pizza stone in the oven on the bottom and preheat at 210 C / 420 F for about 30 minutes.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

Let’s make a Pizza!

Roll the pizza on a floured surface – you can do this by hand or a rolling pin it does not affect the taste of the pizza.

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Transfer to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal or a baking tray dusted with flour.

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Spread some tomato sauce and evening distribute the toppings you want.

how to make homemade pizza dough recipe, best homemade pizza crust recipe

Bake the Pizza

For a crisp crust par-bake the pizza for 8 minutes.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

before you grate the cheeses and bake it for a further 5 to 6 minutes.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

Alternatively, grate cheeses over the unbaked. Place in the hot oven for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

Cool on a cooling rack before you cut into slices.

Want to learn more about baking pizza at home?

Don’t forget to read my post on – 10 Tips for making Better Homemade Pizza

10 Tips For Making Better Homemade Pizza – Veena Azmanov

These 10 tips for making better homemade pizza and a good pizza dough recipe is all you need to make the best homemade pizzas. Wheather you are a novice or

veenaazmanov.com

Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe, Easy Pizza Recipe

Best Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: homemade, pizza

Adjust Servings Here: 16 slices

Calories: 169kcal

Author: Veena Azmanov

Prep Time: 2 hrs

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins