How To Make the Best Basic Pizza Dough
Serves6
Makes2 (10-inch) pizza
This recipe for everyday pizza dough is one we’ve worked on together over the years, tweaking something here and adding something there, until finally coming to a consensus. That makes it sound like this recipe might be tricky — it’s not. In fact, keeping it simple was one of our biggest requirements.
This is the dough for your weeknight pizza, and it’s the one that went into The Kitchn Cookbook. It’s easy to make, either over a lazy afternoon at home or to stash in your fridge for later, and it’s super easy to roll out. Top it with sauce and cheese, bake until bubbly, and awesome homemade pizza is yours.
Tips For Making Pizza Dough
- Stick to the basics of making dough: water, yeast, flour and salt.
- Double or triple the ingredients if you’re feeding a larger crowd.
- Plan on at least 1 1/2 hours of rise time before shaping, topping, and baking.
- Get your oven as hot as it will go — at least 500°F.
- Keep the toppings basic.
Keep It Simple: Water, Yeast, Flour, Salt
We stuck to the true basics with this dough: just water, yeast, flour, and salt. We played with water-to-flour ratios, with adding some olive oil, with the type of flour — all of which were delicious experiments, I assure you — but when it came to just your basic, dependable, everyday dough, this was it. Our recipe here makes about one pound of dough (the same as most store-bought doughs), and this will make you one large pizza or two smaller 10-inch pizzas.
If you’re feeding a larger crowd or just want extra dough for future pizza dinners, you can double or triple the basic ingredients — the recipe scales up just fine.
For Your Information
- This dough yields about a pound of dough, enough for two (10-inch pizzas).
- Plan on at least 1 1/2 hours of rise time before shaping, topping, and baking.
How Long To Let Pizza Dough Rise
You have a few choices with this pizza dough.
- If you’re making pizza now: Let the dough rise for an hour to an hour and a half. Then proceed with making your pizzas right away.
- If you’re making pizza later: Cover the dough with cling wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days until you’re ready to use it. Then take it out and allow it to rise for an hour or longer before using it.
You can even freeze balls of dough for pizza emergencies. Defrost in refrigerator, then allow to rise before using.
Bake Your Pizza
When it comes time to actually bake your pizza, our advice is use a hot oven and keep the toppings basic. Get your oven as hot as it will go — at least 500°F, although preferably hotter if you can. This cooks the pizza quickly, giving it a beautiful golden crust that’s super crispy on the outside but still chewy in the middle.
Less is More
The more toppings you add, the more it slows the cooking down, making the pizza limp and soggy, so try to limit your pizza enthusiasm to just a few scattered toppings and some good cheese.
More Great Pizza Links
- How To Make Awesome Pizza at Home
- Chewy, Crispy Pizza: Our 12 Favorite Recipes
- 7 Important Things You Should Know About Pizza
- Homemade Thin-Crust Pizza
- Quick No-Rise Pizza Dough
- How To Make Frozen Pizzas
- How To Freeze Pizza Dough
- The Best Pizza Dough for Grilling
- How To Grill Pizza
- The Best Way to Reheat Pizza
How To Make the Best Basic Pizza Dough
Makes 2 (10-inch) pizza
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup
lukewarm water (not hot)
- 1 teaspoon
active-dry yeast
- 2 cups
all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
salt
Equipment
Stand mixer with dough hook attachment, or medium bowl and muscle power
Stiff spatula
Plastic wrap or other covering for the bowl
Instructions
Dissolve the yeast in the water. Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let stand until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the flour and salt to form a shaggy dough. Add the flour and salt. Stir with a stiff spatula until you’ve formed a floury, shaggy dough.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Using the dough hook on the stand mixer, or kneading by hand against the counter, knead the dough on medium speed until it forms a smooth, slightly tacky ball that springs back when you poke it, 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough sticks to the bowl or your hands like bubblegum, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with; avoid adding too much flour if possible.
Option 1 — Use the dough right away. If you're in a hurry, skip the rise and make the pizza right now. It will make a thin-crusted pizza with a cracker-like flavor.
Option 2 — Let the dough rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If you're planning to make pizza today, then give the dough a rise. Clean out the mixing bowl, coat it with a little oil, and transfer the dough back inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Option 3 — Store the dough in the fridge. If you're planning to make pizza in the next few days, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and refrigerate. If you have time, let it rise for about a half an hour before you refrigerate it to get things going, but it will also be fine if you need to store it right away.
Prepare the oven for baking. If your dough is refrigerated, take it out and let it warm on the counter while the oven heats or preferably 2 hours to come completely to room temperature. Arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place a baking stone or upside-down, heavy baking sheet on the rack. Heat the oven as hot as it will go, or at least 500°F.
Prepare the pizzas. Divide the dough in half, and pat or roll one of the pieces into a 10-inch round. Transfer the round of dough to a floured baking peel, the back of a sheet pan, or a piece of parchment paper. Top with about 1/4 cup of sauce, some cheese and any other toppings.
Bake the pizza for 5 to 10 minutes. Slide the pizza into the oven on top of the baking stone or baking sheet. Bake until the cheese is melted, the crust golden, and you see a some charred bits on the top and edges, 5 to 10 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the heat of your oven and how thick or thin you rolled your pizza.
Cool (briefly!) and eat. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Let the pizza cool just enough so it won't burn your mouth when you take a bite before cutting. Meanwhile, top the remaining round of dough and bake it.
Recipe Notes
Freezing pizza dough: The pizza dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours before you plan to bake it. Get the full instructions here: How To Freeze Pizza Dough.