Best Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
This is the best pizza dough recipe because it’s my pizzeria-style, overnight pizza dough. A few basic ingredients and a slow overnight rise give this dough its wonderful flavor and texture.
Pizza dough is the canvas upon which the masterpiece of pizza is created. Crafting your own pizza dough at home opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to tailor every aspect of your pizza to your liking. Homemade dough lets you choose the exact type of flour, whether it’s bread flour for a chewy texture or whole wheat flour for added nuttiness and fiber. You can control the amount of salt and sugar, ensuring a healthier option compared to store-bought alternatives. Moreover, homemade dough can be customized to suit dietary preferences, such as gluten-free or vegan diets, giving everyone a chance to enjoy a slice of pizza.
The process of making pizza dough from scratch can be a therapeutic and rewarding experience. Kneading the dough by hand or with a stand mixer allows you to connect with the ingredients and the art of baking. Watching the dough rise and develop its flavor over time builds anticipation for the final product. Additionally, making pizza dough at home can be a fun activity for the whole family to participate in, creating cherished memories and a sense of accomplishment when enjoying the delicious homemade pizza together.
Why make overnight pizza dough?
Making overnight pizza dough is a fantastic idea for several reasons.
- Firstly, allowing the dough to ferment slowly in the refrigerator overnight develops its flavor, resulting in a more complex and delicious crust. The extended fermentation time also improves the dough’s texture, making it easier to work with and yielding a chewier, more satisfying crust.
- Secondly, preparing the dough the night before saves time and makes pizza-making more convenient. With the dough ready to go, you can simply roll it out, add your favorite toppings, and bake for a quick and easy homemade pizza experience. This is especially useful for busy weeknights when you want a homemade meal without the hassle of a lengthy preparation process.
- Lastly, making overnight pizza dough allows for better planning and flexibility in your cooking schedule. You can prepare the dough in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, giving you the freedom to bake the pizza whenever it suits you. This makes it easier to coordinate meal times and ensures that you always have fresh, homemade pizza on hand when you need it.
Why is this the best pizza dough recipe?
- Convenience: The dough can be prepared the night before, allowing for easy pizza-making the next day without the need for lengthy preparation.
- Flavor development: Allowing the dough to ferment overnight in the refrigerator enhances its flavor, resulting in a more complex and delicious crust.
- Texture: The use of bread flour and the overnight fermentation process contribute to a chewy and crispy crust that many people enjoy.
- Customization: The recipe allows you to add your favorite toppings to create a pizza tailored to your taste.
- Versatility: The dough can be divided into portions to make multiple pizzas or used to make other baked goods, such as breadsticks or calzones.
- Consistency: Following this recipe and allowing the dough to rise overnight in the refrigerator can result in consistent and reliable pizza dough every time you make it.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Bread flour: Provides structure and chewiness to the dough due to its higher protein content compared to all-purpose flour. Substitute with all-purpose flour if needed, but the texture may be slightly different.
- Warm water: Activates the yeast and helps the dough rise. Can be substituted with lukewarm milk for a softer dough.
- Active dry yeast: A leavening agent that helps the dough rise. Instant yeast can be used as a substitute, but it doesn’t need to be proofed in warm water first. Baking with Yeast: A Beginner’s Guide.
- Sugar: Feeds the yeast, helping it to activate and ferment. Honey or maple syrup can be used as substitutes.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the dough and controls the fermentation rate of the yeast. Sea salt or kosher salt can be used as substitutes.
- Olive oil: Adds flavor and helps create a tender crust. Can be substituted with other oils like vegetable or canola oil.
- Pizza stone or baking sheet: Used to bake the pizza and create a crispy crust. A cast-iron skillet can be used as a substitute.
- Parchment paper: Helps transfer the pizza into the oven and prevents sticking. Can be substituted with a well-floured surface or a silicone baking mat.
- Toppings: Can vary widely but typically include tomato sauce, cheese, and various meats and vegetables. Use your favorite toppings or whatever you have on hand.
How to make overnight pizza dough
Pizza dough
- Yeast ingredients – In a large bowl or measuring cup, combine warm water (110°F), yeast, sugar, and oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Dry ingredients – Measure the flour and salt in a mixing bowl or stand mixer with the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and combine well.
Pro tip – If you do not like kneading, I highly recommend using a stand mixer with the hook attachment.
- Wet to dry – Add the flour to the yeast mixture and combine on medium-high until all the flour is incorporated. Knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes.
Pro tip – Avoid adding too much extra flour when kneading. We want a soft, elastic, slightly sticky dough.
- Bowl – When the dough is soft and shiny but still slightly sticky, shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Rise – Then, place into the refrigerator overnight, up to 24 hours.
Pro tip – If you can’t attend to it at that moment, punch it down, shape it into a ball, and leave it to rise again. - Divide – Transfer the dough to a well-dusted surface and gently shape it into a log. Divide the dough into three (for 3 x 12-inch thin-crust pizzas) or two equal pieces (for 2 x 12-inch thick-crust pizzas). Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet.
Pro tip – Let the dough rest for an additional 10 minutes (it will become easier to stretch).
Bake pizza
- Oven – Preheat the oven with a pizza stone to 500-550°F, or Gas mark 10 (260-290°C), for at least 20 minutes.
- Shape – Roll one piece of dough into a 12-inch circle. The dough is soft and elastic; you can stretch the dough with your hands or use a rolling pin. Transfer the pizza to the pizza peel or pizza pan (see video).
Pro tip – Place parchment paper on a pizza peel or use a pizza tray (parchment is less messy than cornmeal or flour).
- Rest – Let the pizza base rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Brush the edges of the pizza with olive oil.
Pro tip – Resting will proof the dough and make those edges puff when baked. Brushing with oil will give a nice golden crisp crust. - Sauce/topping – Spread the pizza sauce and add your toppings. Generously sprinkle with cheese – I like to use a mix of mozzarella, parmesan, and cheddar.
- Bake – Transfer the pizza to the oven from the pizza peel to the pizza stone (or baking tray). Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are crisp and golden, and the cheese is melted beautifully.
Tips for Success
- Use the right flour: Bread flour is ideal for pizza dough as it has a higher protein content, which helps create a chewy crust. You can also use all-purpose flour, but the texture may be slightly different.
- Don’t skimp on the salt: Salt not only adds flavor to the dough but also helps control the fermentation process. Be sure to use enough salt to enhance the taste of your pizza.
- Use warm water: Using warm water to activate the yeast helps kickstart the fermentation process. However, make sure the water is not too hot, as it can kill the yeast.
- Let the dough rise slowly: Allowing the dough to rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight helps develop its flavor and texture. Be patient and let the dough ferment for at least 8 hours.
- Bring the dough to room temperature: Before shaping and baking the dough, let it sit at room temperature for about an hour. This allows the gluten to relax, making it easier to stretch the dough without it springing back.
- Preheat your oven and pizza stone: For a crispy crust, preheat your oven and pizza stone (or baking sheet) for at least 30 minutes before baking the pizza.
- Use parchment paper: To easily transfer the pizza to the oven, place it on parchment paper before adding the toppings. The parchment paper will also prevent the pizza from sticking to the baking surface.
- Experiment with toppings: Homemade pizza dough is a blank canvas for your favorite toppings. Get creative and try different combinations to find your perfect pizza.
- 5 minutes Pizza sauce or Fresh Tomato sauce
- Mushroom Pizza – assorted mushrooms
- Easy White Pizza Recipe – béchamel sauce and cheese.
- Classic Margherita Pizza – classic tomato and cheese.
- Hawaiian pizza – pineapple and ham
- Red pesto pizza – roasted red pepper sauce
Frequently asked questions
How long does homemade pizza keep?
Pizza is always at its best when fresh out of the oven, but it also has a long shelf life and can be reheated and served again.
Can I freeze pizza dough?
You can freeze homemade pizza dough. Punch down the dough and remove as much of the air as possible. Then, place it in a freezer–approved zip lock bag and place it in the freezer for a month or more.
To thaw, just place the bag in the fridge for a couple of hours before you need to use it. Let it come to room temperature for an hour before you use it.
What is the difference between overnight and regular pizza dough?
The big difference between this overnight pizza dough and our classic pizza dough is that this one has less yeast. So, it relies on a slow rise that takes between 6 hours and overnight to double in volume.
However, the disadvantage of overnight dough is that you have to wait for hours. And yet, the benefit of a slow rise is that the dough develops extra flavor. So, if you can plan ahead of time, I highly recommend trying this dough. It’s very flavorful and delicious.
In addition, it makes a soft, chewy base with crusty edges. Since it is a lean dough, with basic ingredients of water, flour, and salt, it gives us a crispy crust. And, a little bit of olive oil helps keep the inside soft and supple.
Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
This is the best pizza dough recipe because it's my Pizzeria-style overnight pizza dough. A few basic ingredients and a slow overnight rise are what give this dough its wonderful flavor and texture.
Video
Ingredients
Makes 3 x 12-inch pizza
Pizza dough
- 360 ml (1½ cups) Warm water 110F / 38 F
- 15 g (1 tbsp) Sugar
- 15 g (1 tbsp) Olive oil
- 5 g (1 tsp) instant dry yeast
- 8 g (1 tsp) Salt
- 500 g (4 cups) Bread flour or 50% bread and 50% all-purpose flour
Toppings for 2 pizzas
- 1 cup Pizza sauce
- 1 cup Toppings mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives, basil,
- 90 g (1 cups) Parmesan cheese grated
- 200 g (2 cups) Mozzarella cheese grated
- 200 g (2 cups) White cheese Emmantel or cheddar grated, (optional)
Optional
- 1 tsp Dried oregano (optional for garnish)
Method
- In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.360 ml Warm water, 15 g Sugar, 5 g instant dry yeast
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt.8 g Salt, 500 g Bread flour
- Add the yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour mixture. Mix until a rough dough forms.15 g Olive oil
- Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment on low-medium speed.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to the highest temperature it will go, typically around 500-550°F (260-290°C), and place a pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
- Divide the dough into 2 or 3 portions, depending on the size of pizzas you want to make. Roll out each portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to your desired thickness.
- Transfer the rolled-out dough to a piece of parchment paper. Add your desired toppings.1 cup Pizza sauce, 1 cup Toppings, 90 g Parmesan cheese, 200 g Mozzarella cheese, 200 g White cheese
- Carefully slide the parchment paper with the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the toppings are cooked to your liking.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy your homemade pizza!
Notes
-
- Use the right flour: Bread flour is ideal for pizza dough as it has a higher protein content, which helps create a chewy crust. You can also use all-purpose flour, but the texture may be slightly different.
-
- Don’t skimp on the salt: Salt not only adds flavor to the dough but also helps control the fermentation process. Be sure to use enough salt to enhance the taste of your pizza.
-
- Use warm water: Using warm water to activate the yeast helps kickstart the fermentation process. However, make sure the water is not too hot, as it can kill the yeast.
-
- Let the dough rise slowly: Allowing the dough to rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight helps develop its flavor and texture. Be patient and let the dough ferment for at least 8 hours.
-
- Bring the dough to room temperature: Before shaping and baking the dough, let it sit at room temperature for about an hour. This allows the gluten to relax, making it easier to stretch the dough without it springing back.
-
- Preheat your oven and pizza stone: For a crispy crust, preheat your oven and pizza stone (or baking sheet) for at least 30 minutes before baking the pizza.
-
- Use parchment paper: To easily transfer the pizza to the oven, place it on parchment paper before adding the toppings. The parchment paper will also prevent the pizza from sticking to the baking surface.
- Experiment with toppings: Homemade pizza dough is a blank canvas for your favorite toppings. Get creative and try different combinations to find your perfect pizza.
- Bread machine – This dough can be easily made in a bread machine. Pour all ingredients into the pan, and set to dough or manual mode. Start and let the dough run its cycle for about 9 to 10 minutes – continue with the recipe as shown above.
- Freezing pizza dough – Excess dough can be frozen for up to a month. Prepare the dough and let it rise for an hour. Then, punch the dough down and place it in a freezer-safe storage bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results.
- Freezing baked pizza – leftover pizzas freeze beautifully. I like to slice them into wedges and freeze them on the tray. Once frozen, I place them in freezer-safe storage bags. These will keep for up to a month. Great snack for kids.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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i think there is a typo under point 6, divide: “punch it down into a long.” shouldn’t it be “a log”?
that aside, i made this pizza today. the dough is very easy to work with, elastic, stretches well without tearing.
very good recipe, thank you.
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback, Dot. yes, it is a log and I corrected the type error. THanks
egg and yeast mixture? I do not see egg in ingredients.
There is no egg in this pizza dough. Just add flour to the yeast mixtures. Thanks
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have made the best pizza I have ever had with that crust. I had an awesome breakfast pizza this morning. I cut it into four pieces. To make personal size pizza. I whipped up a small sausage gravy to act as the base, crumbled cooked sausage on top American cheese mixed with Gouda scrambled egg and a sunny side up egg in the middle. Thank you so very much. My search is now over. This will be my go-to always.
Thank you for the lovely feedback Kaci.
We’ve started a new tradition in our family — Friday Night Homemade Pizza. If this is going to be homemade we must have handmade pizza dough. Right? Ha!
Lo and behold! There you were!!
Thank you so very much, Veena, for this easy-peasy delicious recipe. Our Friday nights will never be the same again.
Cheers!
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Corinne. So happy to hear your family enjoyed this very much