Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe—a beginner’s way! Soft homemade pizza crust makes a wonderfully soft pizza dough! Skip the pizza delivery because you only need 6 basic ingredients to begin! Every great pizza begins with a great pizza crust. Some like it thin and crispy, others like it thick and soft. This homemade pizza crust has it all; soft & chewy texture with a delicious crisp and AWESOME flavor. It’s my go-to pizza dough recipe and just a glance at the hundreds of reviews in the comments section tells me that it’s a favorite for many others too!

Easy Dough for Bread Beginners:

This is a no-fuss dough recipe for beginners. You need just 6 basic ingredients, plus a little cornmeal for preparing the pan. (Feel free to skip this part.) It’s mostly hands-off as the dough rises. You may be thinking, why take the time when I can just go to the store and buy some frozen pizza dough? Frozen pizza dough is definitely a shortcut, but from-scratch crust has unbeatable flavor and texture that only comes from fresh dough. And you can make cheese breadsticks with the dough too!

Here’s a detailed recipe for making homemade pizza dough:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (500g): If you prefer bread with a slightly chewy crust, use bread flour.
• 1½ cups warm water (360 ml) at about 110°F or 45°C: The water should be warm but not really hot, as this helps the yeast activate.
• 2¼ teaspoons or 1 packet active dry yeast: Instant yeast will also work, but this is how it’s been done for hundreds of years.
• 2 teaspoons sugar: This feeds the yeast and helps it activate.
• 2 teaspoons salt: Enhances flavor.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil: Adds flavor and helps with the dough’s texture.

Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast:

   • In a small bowl, mix together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently until the yeast dissolves.
   • Let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes. It should be a little foamy and bubbly; the yeast is alive. If it doesn’t froth, it may be too old to be active, and you will have to begin again using fresh yeast.

2. Mixing Dough:

   • Add the flour and salt to the mixer bowl.
   • Combine the yeast with the lukewarm water, then create a well in the flour and pour the yeast mix and olive oil into the center of the well.
   • Then, stir it in with a wooden spoon until it forms a rough dough.

3. Knead the Dough:

   • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured worktop. You can start kneading by using your heel hand to push the dough away from you, then fold it back over.
   • Continue kneading for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture becomes smooth and elastic. It should be slightly tacky but not sticky. Add more flour if required, but be careful as the addition of excess flour would make the dough tough.

4. First Rise:

   • Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, rolling the dough to coat all of the sides with oil.
   • Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
   • Allow dough to rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1-2 hours, or until double in bulk.

5. Punch Down and Shape:

   • When the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Turn it out on a lightly floured surface and cut it into two equal pieces, more if you desire a smaller pizza.
   • Shape into a ball, dust with flour, and cover with a towel to rest for 15-20 minutes. This will make the dough easier to stretch out.

6. Baking:

   • Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). If you are using a pizza stone, put that in the oven right now to heat up. Otherwise, if you are using a baking sheet, you may preheat that also.
   • On a floured work surface, stretch and flatten the dough to the desired size. You can do this with your hands, letting gravity help pull out the dough into shape, or you can use a rolling pin.
   • Transfer the stretched dough to a piece of parchment paper or pizza peel that has been liberally sprinkled with flour or cornmeal (if using a pizza stone).

7. Dress and Bake:

   • Spread top with your favorite sauce, cheese, and other toppings as desired.
   • Slide that pizza (parchment paper and all) onto a pizza stone or carefully transfer the dough to a baking sheet.
   • Bake 10–15 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly brown on top.

8. To Serve:

   • Remove pizza from the oven and give it a moment or so to rest before cutting.
   • Slice, serve, and enjoy!

This recipe makes two medium pizzas. The dough can also be frozen after the first rise; just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. When ready to use, take out of the fridge overnight to thaw before bringing up to room temperature for shaping.

Also Read this: Easy BBQ Chicken Pizza with a Tangy Twist