Before you call for pizza delivery, try making your own pizzas, starting with this delicious homemade pizza dough! It is so easy to prepare and, unlike some dough recipes I have tried, this one tastes delicious! We use this recipe all the time for pizza night with the kids. They like to roll out their own dough and add their favorite toppings for their own individual pizzas. This is hands down the best pizza dough recipe out there! This pizza dough recipe makes enough dough for two large pizzas. You can make two pizzas, or make one and freeze one, or use the second to make breadsticks instead. The dough keeps great in the freezer too!, just be sure to bring the dough to room temperature again before rolling out.
Ingredients for Homemade Pizza Dough
Made with easy pizza dough ingredients, this is one of the easiest and best homemade pizza recipes you’ll ever try. Here’s what you need:
Warm water – about one and a half cups. Make sure it’s hot to the touch but not so hot that it kills the yeast.Sugar – a couple of tablespoons mixed with the water helps activate the yeast quickly.Active dry yeast – one ¼ oz. packetAll purpose flour– just under four cups. Keep a little extra to create a lightly floured surface for rolling out the dough.Kosher salt – one tablespoon. You can use regular table salt if that’s what you have on hand.Extra virgin olive oil – three tablespoons
How to Make the Perfect Pizza Crust
The trick to the perfect pizza starts with the crust. Here are some tips for getting pizza crust that tastes delicious!
Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl and let it sit undisturbed for five minutes. Meanwhile, in the large bowl of a standing mixer, mix the flour and salt together with a wooden spoon.Next, use the dough hook on the mixer to combine the yeast mixture and olive oil. Then add the flour mixture slowly, a little at a time until it’s fully combined.Knead on low speed for about 10 minutes, or mix by hand for the same amount of time. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.After the dough rises, punch it down and divide into two balls. Brush with olive oil then cover in plastic wrap. Let it rise another 45 minutes.Now’s the fun part! On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a circle. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased pizza pan dusted with cornmeal. Pat it out from the center to the edge, leaving the outer edge a bit thick. Top with favorite toppings. Bake at 450 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until edges are golden brown.
Pizza Sauce Ideas
Once you have the perfect pizza crust, the sky’s the limit when it comes to sauces and toppings. Try any of these combinations for endless delicious options!
Traditional Red SauceAlfredo SauceBBQ SaucePesto SauceOil and GarlicRanch DressingTeriyaki SaucePeanut SauceThai Chili SauceGarlic AioliSun Dried Tomato SauceCreamy Red Pepper SauceHummus
Pizza Topping Ideas
PepperoniMushroomsOnionsSausageBaconMozzarella CheeseBlack OlivesGreen PeppersRed PeppersPineappleSpinachBasilChickenGround BeefSalamiSteakTomatoesGorgonzolaFetaArtichokesHamCanadian Bacon
Neapolitan-Style Pizza Dough
The recipe below is for an American-style pizza dough. If you are wanting a more authentic Italian pizza dough for Neapolitan pizzas or Margherita pizzas, we have the perfect Neapolitan pizza dough recipe! Top it with fresh buffalo mozzarella, thin tomato slices, and some fresh basil for the perfect Neapolitan pizza.
Frequently Asked Questions about Homemade Pizza Dough
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Favorite Pizza Recipes
This pizza dough recipe is a great base for all of our favorite pizza recipes. Think outside the cheese and pepperoni box. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Turkey Bacon Avocado Pizza
Antipasto Vegetarian Pizza
Chicken Pizza with Lemon
Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza
Lemon Chicken Pizza – If you haven’t tried thin slices of lemon on pizza, you are missing something great! It is so refreshing and flavorful.Turkey Bacon Avocado Pizza – This pizza is topped with turkey, crisp bacon, and fresh avocado with lots of cheese. It’s all the flavors of a club sandwich on a delicious pizza crust.Antipasto Pizza – A garlic cream sauce replaces the traditional red pizza sauce on this pizza. Spinach, artichoke hearts, pepperoncinis, cherry tomatoes, and olives make this a delicious, vegetarian pizza option.Thai Peanut Chicken Pizza – Our version of the California Pizza Kitchen’s Thai Chicken Pizza tastes just like the original. The Thai flavors on this pizza are mouth-watering good!BBQ Chicken Pizza – BBQ Chicken Pizza is always a favorite! It features barbecue chicken, pineapple, cilantro and plenty of cheese.Garlic Ranch Pizza – Who doesn’t love garlic and ranch in their pizza sauce? When you add bacon, chicken, tomatoes, and mozzarella, it creates a pizza that will have everyone begging for more.
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