Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough

This pizza dough makes the best pizza with a crispy chewy crust. Mix it up in the morning and by the time you get home you’ll be ready to add your favorite toppings and pop a few of the most delicious pizzas you’ve ever made, into the oven.

There are some tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years by experimenting. The amount of time it takes for the dough to raise varies. It’ll depend on the freshness of the yeast you use-fresher will raise faster. It also depends on the environment in your house, if it’s cold it’ll take longer. I love the proof setting in my oven, using this I can get the dough to rise in about 2 hours with fresh yeast.

The other thing to consider when cooking in your oven is the temperature. Hotter is better to get that similar slightly charred crust you’d see in a real pizza oven. That being said, I’ve burned out my oven twice trying to cook pizza at 500 degrees and had to replace the oven recently. Since that’s happened I always bake the pizzas in my oven at 450 and they turn out great. If you don’t want a soggy bottom crust, don’t overload the pizza with toppings. When you think the pizza is ready, carefully lift an edge and tap on the crust-you should hear a hollow tapping sound, if not put it back in for a few more minutes.

Homemade pizza dough
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Pizza Dough

Servings 4 medium pizzas

Ingredients

  • 3 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 4.5 tsp yeast 2 packages
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 7 cups flour

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl mix lukewarm water, sugar, salt, yeast and olive oil. Add flour to the bowl and stir to combine either by hand or with a mixer dough hook attachment).
  2. Cover loosely and let the pizza dough rest at room temperature for 2-6 hours until it’s doubled in size.
  3. If you’re in a rush warm the oven for few minutes, then turn the heat off and set the bowl in the oven and close the door. You can also make it in the morning and leave it out on the counter. By the time you get home it’ll be ready for dinner.
  4. This recipe makes enough pizza dough for 4 medium pizzas. The dough can be stored in a lightly greased container in the fridge for a week.

  5. Add your favorite toppings to your pizza dough and bake as hot as your oven will allow typically at 450-475 degrees for 12-15 minutes on a pizza stone. Let rest for 5 minutes or YOU WILL burn your mouth, trust me, happens every time.

Why Use a Pizza Stone and Peel?

If you’re serious about pizza (and who isn’t?), investing in a pizza stone and pizza peel is a game-changer. A pizza stone helps create that crispy, golden crust by evenly distributing heat and absorbing moisture from the dough, giving you the perfect bite every time. It mimics the effects of a professional pizza oven, so your homemade pies will taste just like they came from a pizzeria. And a pizza peel? It’s basically a giant spatula that lets you easily slide your pizza onto the hot stone and remove it without a hassle. No more awkwardly balancing a tray or dealing with floppy dough!

If you’re new to these tools, trust me, they’ll level up your pizza game big time! Try some of our favorite pizza combinations with this Blackberry Fennel Pizza or our Lemon Pesto Artichoke Pizza. Let us know some of your favorite toppings for pizza in the comments below, we’re always on the look out for fun unique combinations.