Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe From Scratch

Why This is The Best Pizza Dough Recipe for Beginners

• Fool-proof. Make homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch with yeast on your very first try with this recipe.
• Use either active yeast or instant yeast. There are directions for both ingredients.
• Its a complete guide. The step by step pizza dough making video walks you through each detail (scroll to bottom of the post to see it)
• Its light, but chewy, and a bit crispy. This pizza crust recipe hits all the notes!
• Includes a pizza recipe! Learn to parbake the crust so it becomes super light and fluffy.

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe from Scratch

Ingredients of homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch

Pizza dough

Heres what you need to make homemade pizza.

• All purpose flour (or bread flour)
• Instant dry yeast (or active dry yeast)
• Sugar
• Warm water (around 100°F / 38°C)
• Olive oil (divided)
• Salt

Sheet pan pizza crust ingredients

Once you make it, Ill show you how to use it!

Included in this pizza dough guide for beginners is a step by step video on how to make sheet pan pizza crust using fresh dough. Here are ingredients used in the demonstration. You can always swap them out for pizza toppings of your choice.

For the crust:

• 1 ball pizza dough (the fresh pizza dough recipe will make about 2 balls of dough)
• Flour
• Olive oil
• Salt

Toppings:

• Pizza sauce (Ill show you how to season it with Italian herbs and pepper)
• Mozzarella cheese (or any Italian cheese blend you like)
• 1 tomato (or ½ cup pizza toppings of your choice)
• Fresh basil to garnish

Want pizza topping ideas? Try this pulled pork pizza or chicken spinach pizza.

How to make pizza dough by hand

Dont miss the video below with the printable pizza dough recipe for complete visuals on kneading pizza dough so its light and fluffy.

Overview of steps for homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch

1. Proof the yeast - activate the yeast so it is ready to make dough
2. Mix the homemade pizza crust ingredients
3. Knead the dough
4. Let it rise
5. Make pizza with freshly made dough

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe from Scratch

Details pizza dough making steps

Step 1. Sift flour. This is optional, but I find it makes a really smooth pizza dough.Use a large sieve into a large bowl and set aside.

Step 2. Activate yeast for pizza dough. To proof the yeast, add yeast, 2 tbsp warm water (⅛ cup), and sugar to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. If using instant yeast to make pizza crust, there is no activation time, so move on to the next step without waiting.

For active yeast pizza dough - If using active dry yeast, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside (by a warm sunny window is ideal) for 15 minutes or until small bubbles appear.

Step 3. (Option 1 for mixing crust) Mix together pizza dough ingredients by hand. Add yeast mixture, warm water (1 cup), 2 tbsp olive oil, and salt to the large bowl of flour.

Use a large spatula or spoon to loosely combine the ingredients. The dough will be a bit shaggy and not a perfect dough at this time. See the Sip Bite Go video tutorial for visuals. If pizza dough is too wet, then add additional flour, ½ tbsp at a time.

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe from Scratch

How the dough comes together can vary based on time of year and the humidity and heat in your kitchen. It can be a bit of an experiment!

Step 4. (Option 2 for mixing dough) Mix together pizza dough with a stand mixer or food processor. Use a KitchenAid stand mixer with dough attachment or a food processor with a plastic blade.

Adding the wet ingredients to the bowl and gradually pouring in the wet ingredients (yeast mixture and water). Mix with the machine for 1-2 minutes until ingredients combine into a loose ball. Add additional flour if needed, as mentioned in the step above.

Step 5. Gently knead pizza dough by hand so it rises properly. Add 2 tbsp flour to a large cutting board or work surface, divided in placement, with 1 tbsp in the corner to use as needed, and the other lightly spread out on the work surface.

How do you knead pizza dough by hand? Add the unkneaded pizza dough to the center of the dusted surface and knead it by pushing it together in a ball. Then, alternate for 2-3 minutes between pushing the heel of your hand into the center of the dough, and folding in each corner of the dough one by one.

Go back and forth, turning the dough as you push the heel of your hand and fold it over. As needed, add a little flour from the reserved pile to your hands if the dough sticks to your hands. To be sure its done kneading, poke the dough with a finger and if it bounces back, its done.

Step 6. Allow homemade pizza dough to rise. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to a clean large bowl and spread it around so the bottom is covered in oil. Add the dough ball of kneaded pizza dough to the oil bowl. Turn it once to completely cover in oil.

Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel on top to insulate it. Place the covered bowl in a sunny window (if available). Alternatively, leave the dough on the counter to rise.

This pizza dough is rising in a sunny windowsill. The step of adding just a slight amount of warmth to the dough rising process is optional, but highly suggested for a perfectly light but chewy pizza crust.

Want to refrigerate pizza dough for the next day? If youre not going to use the pizza dough immediately, refrigerate it overnight. It will continue rising as it chills in the fridge.

Want to use pizza dough right after making it? See below for a quick and easy pizza recipe using homemade dough.  Check out all the delicious pizza recipes on Sip Bite Go for more creative pizza topping ideas.

Homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch

You can make stone crust pizza on a baking stone or bake pizza directly on the rack, but today Im going to show you homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch and how to par bake pizza crust using a sheet pan. Its foolproof - Ive made this recipe hundreds of times! Then youll see how to top it and bake it until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Step 1. Prep for baking the pizza. Preheat oven to 450°F. Set out a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 2. Stretch the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Spread half the flour on a large flat work surface or butcher block. Add the rest of the flour to the corner of your work space. (See the full Sip Bite Go guide on how to stretch pizza dough)

Add the raw homemade pizza dough to the center of the floured surface. Add a pinch of reserved flour to lightly coat the pizza dough. Stretch homemade pizza dough by pinching the outside 1 in a circular motion to create a thin crust.

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe from Scratch

Then, alternate between pinching the center of the dough with your fingers, pressing it out on the work surface, and using the back of your knuckles to stretch the dough out from underneath. Youll find your rhythm as you alternate between techniques.

Pick up a little extra flour here and there as the dough stretches. This will help it retain the growing size as it stretches out. Stretch until you get a loose circle shaped pizza crust about ½ to ¾ thick and about 14 in diameter.

Step 3. Par bake pizza dough. Brush half the olive oil on the parchment paper/pizza stone. Add stretched homemade dough on top. Brush the remaining olive oil around 1 of crust. Sprinkle the crust with half the salt. Bake the pizza dough without toppings and bake for 7 minutes at 450°F.

Step 4. Prep for baking homemade pizza dough in the oven. Once the dough par-bakes, remove it from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 500°F.

Step 5. Add pizza toppings to homemade pizza crust. Add the sauce, dried Italian herbs, remaining salt and pepper. Then add mozzarella cheese and any other toppings as desired.

Step 6. Bake fresh pizza dough with toppings. Add the assembled pizza to the oven to bake at 500°F for 7-10 minutes, until the cheese has completely melted.

Step 7. Sprinkle oven baked pizza with fresh basil and serve.

What’s the difference between pizza dough flours?

The type of flour that you choose will affect the texture of your pizza dough because of the amount of gluten in the flour. Here are the most common types of flour for pizza dough…

Bread flour for pizza dough

If you want a pizza crust that is fluffy, chewy, and soft, use bread flour to make your pizza dough. Bread flour has a high amount of gluten. But if you dont have bread flour, all purpose is a great substitute.

All purpose flour for homemade pizza dough

This type of flour is often used for a thin crust pizza dough recipe. Because all-purpose flour does not have as much gluten, the crust will not rise as much as dough with bread flour.

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe from Scratch

Using almond flour to make gluten free pizza dough

Almond flour is one of the best choices for someone that cannot eat gluten. Almond flour is easy to use for beginners and you can use it for a quick pizza dough recipe.

The only thing to note is that you cant equally swap almond flour for all purpose because it requires a binding agent (like an egg) so you need a specific almond flour pizza dough recipe to make it.

If youre into keto friendly meals, check out this spinach lasagna with almond flour noodles.

Conclusion

The homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch is a versatile and delicious recipe that allows you to create delicious homemade pizzas with ease. By using yeast and a few simple ingredients, you can make a chewy and crispy pizza crust that is perfect for any topping combination. With the ability to customize the thickness and flavor of your pizza crust, this recipe from The Blue Stove is perfect for those who want to experiment with different types of flour or add their own unique twist to the dough. By following the recipe and storing the dough properly, you can make homemade pizza dough in advance and use it for a variety of other dough-based dishes. So why not try making the Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe from Scratch and take your homemade pizzas to the next level?

Tips for homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch perfectly

Making Homemade Pizza Dough from Scratch can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it also requires some attention to detail to ensure that the dough turns out perfectly. Here are some tips for making Homemade Pizza Dough from Scratch perfectly:

Use High-Quality Ingredients: The quality of your ingredients can greatly impact the taste and texture of your pizza dough. Use high-quality flour, yeast, salt, and water for the best results.

Measure Accurately: Measuring your ingredients accurately is important for ensuring that your pizza dough turns out perfectly. Use a kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons to ensure that you are adding the right amount of each ingredient.

Knead the Dough Properly: Kneading the dough is an important step in developing the gluten and creating a chewy texture. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Let the Dough Rest: Letting the dough rest is important for allowing the gluten to relax and the dough to rise. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for at least an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat Your Oven: Preheat your oven to the correct temperature before baking the pizza dough. This ensures that the crust becomes crispy and golden brown.

Use a Pizza Stone: Using a pizza stone is a great way to ensure that the crust becomes crispy and evenly cooked. Preheat the pizza stone in the oven for at least 30 minutes before baking the pizza dough.

Can I store homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch?

We can store homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch to use later. Once you have made the pizza dough, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To store it in the refrigerator, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. When you are ready to use it, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before shaping it into a pizza crust.

To freeze the pizza dough, divide the dough into individual portions and wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer. When you are ready to use the dough, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once it has thawed, let it come to room temperature before shaping it into a pizza crust.

FAQs of Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe from Scratch

Can different types of flour be used to make homemade pizza dough recipe from scratch?
Yes, different types of flour can be used to make homemade pizza dough from scratch. While all-purpose flour is commonly used, other types of flour such as bread flour, whole wheat flour, or gluten-free flour can also be used to create different textures and flavors.

The photo above is from a pizza and wings happy hour on my back patio with fresh herbs from my Aerogarden setup. See these tasty recipes for air fryer chicken wings, sous vide chicken wings, and oven baked chicken wings to make them yourself.