Quick & Easy 4-Step Homemade Pizza Dough
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This homemade pizza dough recipe creates a light, chewy crust that works perfectly for thin crust pizzas baked in the oven or cooked on the grill. Made with simple pantry ingredients like flour, yeast, olive oil, and salt, the dough comes together quickly and rises in about an hour before being rolled out and topped with your favorite ingredients. The result is a versatile pizza dough that’s easy enough for weeknight cooking but delicious enough for homemade pizza nights. If you’re planning a pizza spread, try using this dough to make my squash blossom ricotta pizza or this seasonal grilled green spring veggie pizza.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple pantry ingredients – This homemade pizza dough uses basic staples like flour, yeast, olive oil, and salt.
- Quick rise time – The dough only needs about an hour to rise, making it faster than many traditional pizza dough recipes.
- Versatile for toppings – This dough works well for classic cheese pizza or creative toppings depending on what you have on hand.
More About This Easy Pizza Dough Recipe
This easy recipe is for a simple dough with a short rise time. Because it doesn’t have a long fermentation time it will have bready crust. It’s ideal for thin crust pizza paired with my 5 minute homemade pizza sauce.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- All-purpose flour — Forms the structure of the dough and creates a soft but chewy pizza crust.
- Active dry yeast — Helps the dough rise and creates air bubbles that give the crust its texture.
- Olive oil — Adds flavor and helps create a tender dough.
- Granulated sugar — Feeds the yeast and helps activate the fermentation process.
- Kosher salt — Enhances the flavor of the dough and balances the yeast activity.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
If the dough springs back while rolling it out, let it rest for about 10 minutes before continuing to stretch it. Resting relaxes the gluten, making the dough easier to shape into a thin pizza crust.
Swaps and Substitutions
- All-purpose flour: Bread flour can be used for a slightly chewier pizza crust.
- Active dry yeast: Instant yeast can be substituted and mixed directly into the flour without blooming first.
- Olive oil: Neutral oils like avocado oil or vegetable oil can be used if olive oil isn’t available.
- Sugar: Honey or maple syrup can replace sugar to help activate the yeast.
How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough (Step-by-Step)
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water and let stand for about 10 minutes. Make sure that the water is lukewarm, not hot so that it does not kill the yeast.
In a large bowl, mix flour, olive oil, salt, sugar, and yeast mixture. Stir until combined then knead dough on a clean and lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
When ready to make the pizzas, punch down the dough. Top with desired pizza toppings or as directed below.
How to Make Homemade Cheese Pizza (Step-by-Step)
- Heat oven or grill and divide the dough. If you are making the pizza on the grill or in the oven you will get the best results using a pizza stone. Preheat the grill or oven to 500°F (260ºC) with the pizza stone in the oven or on the grill. Divide the pizza dough into 2 even pieces. Turn one of the thirds out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a pizza crust shape. Dust cornmeal on a pizza peel* then carefully move the pizza crust onto the peel.
- Top pizza. Spread about ¼ cup of crushed tomatoes evenly on the dough. If you like your pizza with extra sauce, feel free to add a little more. Tear up ¼ cup of basil leaves and sprinkle over the dough.
- Add cheese. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over dough. Brush the exposed crust with olive oil, then use the pizza peel to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone.
- Cook the pizza. Cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining dough.
How to Serve Homemade Pizza Dough
- For classic pizza night: Use the homemade pizza dough to make a simple margherita pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil.
- For grilling: Grill the pizza dough briefly on one side before flipping and adding toppings for a smoky grilled pizza.
- For appetizers: Divide the dough into smaller portions to make personal pizzas or flatbreads.
- For creative toppings: Use leftover vegetables, cheeses, or meats to create custom pizzas. (See more inspiration on pizza flavors and toppings below!).
How to Store Homemade Pizza Dough
- Refrigerator: Store homemade pizza dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Freezer: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Let frozen dough thaw overnight in the refrigerator before bringing it to room temperature.
- Make ahead: Prepare the dough earlier in the day and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator for extra flavor.
Pizza Topping Combinations You’ll Love
- Spinach Artichoke = white pizza + Spinach leaves + artichoke + Parmesan + crushed red pepper
- Hawaiian = ham + diced pineapple + sliced jalapenos + cheddar cheese
- Buffalo chicken = chicken thighs tossed in buffalo sauce, chopped + blue cheese + diced celery
- BBQ = barbecue pulled pork + crispy onions + chopped cilantro + sliced Fresno peppers
- BBQ chicken = shredded chicken + barbecue sauce + red onions + cilantro
- Breakfast pizza = breakfast sausage + mushrooms + cheddar cheese + egg on top
- Lamb pizza = slow roasted lamb shank + feta cheese + mozzarella + thyme + balsamic glaze
- Pesto pizza = basil pesto + mozzarella + Parmesan + sausage
- Prosciutto = Prosciutto + basil + mozzarella
Read More About Styles of Pizza
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade pizza dough is typically made with flour, yeast, water, olive oil, sugar, and salt, which combine to form a soft dough that rises before being shaped into pizza crust.
Homemade pizza dough may not rise if the yeast is expired or if the water used to activate the yeast is too hot and kills the yeast.
Yes. Homemade pizza dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or frozen for longer storage.
Yes. Homemade pizza dough works well for grilled pizza because the high heat creates a crisp crust with slightly smoky flavor.
Homemade pizza dough can be too sticky if too much water is added or if the flour hasn’t been fully incorporated. Gradually add a little more flour while kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Homemade pizza dough may become tough if it is over-kneaded or rolled too thin. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten before shaping for a softer, more tender crust.
Other Pizza Recipes to Try
If you loved making this easy homemade pizza dough, take a look at the following recipes for inspiration:
- Spinach Artichoke Pizza
- Spicy Sausage Pizza with Calabrian Chili and Honey
- California Salad Pizza with Avocado and Crispy Prosciutto
- Loaded Baked Potato Pizza
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Quick & Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
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Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and shaping the dough
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for oiling the bowl
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
For the cheese pizza:
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ¾ cup homemadepizza sauce
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Plus any other desired pizza toppings
Instructions:
For the dough:
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water and let stand for about 10 minutes. Make sure that the water is lukewarm, not hot so that it does not kill the yeast.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, olive oil, salt, sugar, and yeast mixture. Stir until combined then knead dough on a clean and lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
- When ready to make the pizzas, punch down the dough. Top with desired pizza toppings or as directed below.
For the cheese pizza:
- If you are making the pizza on the grill or in the oven you will get the best results using a pizza stone. Preheat the grill or oven to 500°F with the pizza stone in the oven or on the grill.
- Divide the pizza dough into 2 even pieces. Turn one of the thirds out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a pizza crust shape. Dust cornmeal on a pizza peel* then carefully move the pizza crust onto the peel.
- Spread about ¼ cup of crushed tomatoes evenly on the dough. If you like your pizza with extra sauce, feel free to add a little more. Tear up ¼ cup of basil leaves and sprinkle over the dough.
- Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over dough. Brush the exposed crust with olive oil, then use the pizza peel to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone.
- Cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining dough.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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Hi! I had to add a lot more flour but then the cacio e pepe turned out to be the best pizza I’ve ever had! 🙂
So happy to hear you enjoyed! Thank you for the note on the flour, I always add more as I roll out the dough!
15/10 recommend this recipe! It’s really easy whether you knead by hand or use a stand mixer. The dough comes out just as expected and the instructions are super clear! Definitely adding this to my go to recipes
If you haven’t made your own pizza dough, try this recipe. It is definitely worth the effort!
I swear by this recipe. It’s SO easy. I’m trying to get more into bread making but I’m a horrible baker and hate following instructions. This is foolproof!
so happy to hear this recipe is a winner!! Thanks for sharing!