There’s something magical about the smell of pizza dough proofing on a Friday night—the yeast doing its work, the warm flour, the promise of melted cheese and crisp crust. This pizza dough recipe has been tested till perfect so you get that ideal balance of chew and crisp. It’s the kind of dough that makes homemade pizza feel like a treat, whether you’re letting everyone top their own or going all in with gourmet toppings.
What sets this dough apart is how it manages both texture and flavor. Thanks to good flour, warm water, just the right amount of yeast, and a rest period, the crust develops structure and taste without being tough. It stretches well, bakes up golden with a crisp bottom, and holds up under toppings without getting soggy. If you follow the steps, you’ll get crispy edges, a chewy center, and the satisfaction of making great pizza at home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy outside, chewy inside — ideal texture for most pizza styles
- Uses bread flour for structure, but flexible if you only have all‑purpose flour
- Fast to make: you get a short rise, lots of flavor, and people will think you ordered in
- Great for parties — you can divide into multiple dough balls so everyone can customize their own pie
- Bakes well even in regular home ovens and with simple tools
Ingredients
(Yields 18‑20 slices; enough for about 2‑3 medium pizzas depending on size)
- 1½ cups warm water (≈ 110°F / ~43°C)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 3½ to 4 cups bread flour (about 455g to 520g) — if you only have all‑purpose flour, it works, but crust will be less chewy. Simply Recipes+2Prepa Pizza+2
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Surface
Place a pizza stone (or baking steel, if you have one) in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (or as hot as your oven will safely go, 475°F if that’s the max). Getting the surface very hot helps the crust crisp underneath.
2. Activate Yeast & Combine Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. If using active dry yeast, let it proof for about 5 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast, you can skip the waiting — it mixes right in.
3. Mix Dough
Add the flour (start with 3½ cups, add more only if needed), olive oil, and salt. Stir together with a wooden spoon or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until the mixture forms a rough dough.
4. Knead Until Smooth & Elastic
Knead the dough—about 5 minutes in a stand mixer, or 6‑7 minutes by hand—until it’s smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky, but manageable. You want gluten to develop for chew and structure.
5. First Rise
Lightly oil a clean bowl, form the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth. Let it rise for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on room temperature, until it has doubled in size.
6. Divide & Shape
Punch down the dough gently. Divide into 2 or 3 dough balls (or more if making personal pizzas). Let the dough rest briefly (5‑10 minutes) so it relaxes, which makes stretching or rolling easier.
7. Stretch / Roll & Add Toppings
Roll or stretch each dough ball out to about ¼″ thickness (or thinner if you like thin crust). Add your sauce, mozzarella, and your favorite toppings.
8. Bake
Transfer to the preheated pizza stone or baking surface. Bake for 5‑10 minutes until the crust is golden brown, cheese is melted and bubbly, and edges have nice crispness.
9. Cool Slightly & Serve
Let pizza rest a minute or two so toppings set, then cut and serve.
Tips for Success
- Using bread flour gives better chew and structure. All purpose is okay but absorbs less water and yields a softer crust. Prepa Pizza+2Simply Recipes+2
- Yeast proofing matters: if using active dry yeast, proof until bubbly. If instant, you can add directly.
- Water temperature should be warm, not hot — too hot kills yeast, too cold slows rise.
- Let dough rise long enough. A rise of 1‑2 hours (room temp) is good; cold fermentation (overnight in fridge) gives even more flavor. Abigail Abesamis Demarest+2Romano’s Pizza+2
- Preheat your oven and pizza stone so crust hits heat quickly, which helps with crisp bottom.
- Don’t overload toppings—too many and the crust won’t bake through or crisp.
Final Thoughts
This is my go‑to pizza dough. It gives you crispy, chewy, flavorful crust every single time if you follow the timings and let things rest properly. It’s forgiving, reliable, and works with whatever toppings you love. Plus, experimenting is fun — you’ll discover what bake times and toppings combos you like best.
Pizza nights are always special: making the dough fresh, getting that oven hot, letting friends or family load their pizza just how they want — it becomes more than dinner, it’s an event. And this pizza dough sets the stage perfectly. Once you have great base, everything else shines.
Share Your Creations
Made this BEST Pizza Dough?
Drop a comment and tell me how your crust turned out—was it thin and crispy or thick and chewy? Did you stretch it by hand or roll it? What toppings did you choose? I’d love to see your versions!
Best Homemade Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1½ cups warm water ≈ 110°F / ~43°C
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast 1 standard packet
- 3½ to 4 cups bread flour about 455g to 520g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Surface
- Place a pizza stone (or baking steel, if you have one) in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (or as hot as your oven will safely go, 475°F if that’s the max). Getting the surface very hot helps the crust crisp underneath.
- Activate Yeast & Combine Wet Ingredients
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. If using active dry yeast, let it proof for about 5 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast, you can skip the waiting — it mixes right in.
Mix Dough
- Add the flour (start with 3½ cups, add more only if needed), olive oil, and salt. Stir together with a wooden spoon or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until the mixture forms a rough dough.
Knead Until Smooth & Elastic
- Knead the dough—about 5 minutes in a stand mixer, or 6–7 minutes by hand—until it’s smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky, but manageable. You want gluten to develop for chew and structure.
First Rise
- Lightly oil a clean bowl, form the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth. Let it rise for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on room temperature, until it has doubled in size.
Divide & Shape
- Punch down the dough gently. Divide into 2 or 3 dough balls (or more if making personal pizzas). Let the dough rest briefly (5–10 minutes) so it relaxes, which makes stretching or rolling easier.
Stretch / Roll & Add Toppings
- Roll or stretch each dough ball out to about ¼″ thickness (or thinner if you like thin crust). Add your sauce, mozzarella, and your favorite toppings.
Bake
- Transfer to the preheated pizza stone or baking surface. Bake for 5–10 minutes until the crust is golden brown, cheese is melted and bubbly, and edges have nice crispness.
Cool Slightly & Serve
- Let pizza rest a minute or two so toppings set, then cut and serve.
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