Homemade Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough
Alexandra Grablewski / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Rise Time: 90 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 8 servings

When I am making homemade pizza, either on the grill or in the oven, I usually resort to store-bought dough, from a supermarket (it’s so readily available - either in the dairy case or sometimes in the bakery section), or if I am organized and happy to make an extra stop I’ll go to a pizzeria. They are always happy to sell you a ball or two.

But sometimes I have extra time and some active dry yeast, and maybe even a kid who’s looking for a kitchen project, and then homemade pizza dough is so much fun to make. You can make extra and freeze it for future pizzas, as well, just wrap it really well in plastic wrap, and place it in freezer-proof zipper-top plastic bags. It will keep for 4 months in the freezer. You can also refrigerate this dough, well wrapped, for up to three days and bring it to room temperature before using it. Refrigerate or freeze the dough after dividing it into 2 balls after the main rising.

Try your homemade dough out with a couple of these great pizza recipes, like Two Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Naan Pizza, Mushroom, Mozzarella, and Cherry Tomato Pizza, and Mexican Pizza with Avocado Crema.

Ingredients

  • 1 (0.25-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1 cup warm water

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or coarse salt

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra greasing bowl

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

Steps to Make It

  1. Place the yeast and sugar in a large bowl, add 1 cup of warm water, and let sit until small bubbles form, about 10 minutes. Mix in the salt and olive oil. Add the flour gradually, mixing until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it until smooth, about 4 minutes (you can also use a standing mixer with the dough hook attachment to do this). Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and cover it with a damp dishtowel or with plastic wrap.

  2. Let the dough sit undisturbed in a warm place until it is doubled in size, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours. 

  3. Punch down the dough, divide it into 2 balls, and let it sit for another 15 or so minutes, before starting to shape it into a circle on a lightly floured surface. Let it rest in a circle for another 10 or so minutes, then stretch out further, and keep going until it is as large and as thin as you like it.

Feeling a little creative? Try out some of these tempting non-pizza uses for homemade pizza dough!

10 Things to Make with Pizza Dough

Dough Beyond Pizza

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
205 Calories
4g Fat
37g Carbs
5g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 205
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 59mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)