Pizza Dough Recipe

The best pizzas always start with a good Pizza Dough recipe!

After trying many dough mixtures, this version is the one I will always suggest. It’s guaranteed to give you crusty, crunchy and chewy pizza that tastes good no matter what the toppings are.

With this recipe, you pizza will surely taste like a real Italian delight. Regardless of the pizza flavor you choose, I’m certainly it will be an instant family favorite!

Remember this pizza dough recipe because it’s going to be your go-to guide whenever you crave it. Once you try it, you will always choose to make you own pizza at home!

How to Make Pizza Dough

By learning how to make your own pizza dough, you can make any pizza flavor you want and any time you want! You’d be surprised to know that making pizza dough is easier than it seems.

Don’t worry, I’ll guide you every step of the way!

Ingredients

How many ingredients do you need to make pizza dough? Surprise, you only need five and here they are:

All-purpose flour

The main ingredient for almost any dough recipe is all-purpose flour. It helps you form the dough into whatever shape and size you want.

Aside from plain flour, Matthews Cotswold Flour suggests using bread flour or pastry flour as good alternatives. You can also try using gluten-free flour for your diet.

I always have flour in stock because I need it for Flat Chin Chin, Nigerian Coconut Egg Rolls, and Chicken Pie!

Dry yeast

One of the best leavening agents you can use for pizza is dry yeast. It will help you get a crusty, thick, and fluffy dough that will have an even better quality when baked.

Whenever you use yeast, make sure to check if it can leaven the dough. It is also easy to incorporate into the different recipes. The Kitchn suggests mixing it with water to activate it!

I’ve tried using this for Donuts, Air Fryer Bread, and Puff Puff and the results have been amazing!

Water

As I mentioned you need water to activate the dry yeast to allow the dough to rise and form properly. It affects elasticity, stickiness, fermentation, crusting, and crispiness.

However, it must be at the right temperature and measurement to become effective. Use just enough water to let the yeast react to it.

Seasonings

Make the pizza crust tastier by adding milk powder as a seasoning agent. It adds a mild sweet flavor to complement the toppings you choose.

The milk powder can also give the crust a beautiful browning effect that you will always loko for in your pizza recipe. You will also need sugar and salt to further improve the quality of the dough.

Olive oil

Did you know that the olive oil can improve the flavor and texture of your pizza dough? It will make the dough softer yet still crunchy and crisp when you cook it.

You will also need it to grease the bowl. The oil helps prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl for proper leavening.

Now that we have the ingredients sorted out, it’s time to move on to the fun part – making the pizza dough!

Directions

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can make Pizza Dough at home:

1. Mix the dry yeast, sugar, and water in a glass bowl.
2. Let the mixture bloom.
3. In another bowl, sieve all-purpose flour, sea salt, and milk powder.
4. Pour the yeast mixture into the dry mixture.
5. Drizzle the contents with a bit of olive oil.
6. Then, use the kneading attachment of the mixer to knead the dough.
7. Lightly grease the bowl with olive oil.
8. Place the pizza dough in the bowl.
9. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth.
10. Set it aside for 15 minutes before making the pizza!  

Congratulations, you are one step closer to becoming a pizza master! From there, you can flatten it out and add Pizza Sauce to go with it and your preferred toppings before popping it into the oven for a healthy, flavorful, and savory pizza!

Tips

How to Make Better Pizza Dough

• Buy the best flour to take your pizza dough to the next level.
• Bread flour is also commonly used for making pizza but has higher gluten content than all-purpose flour. 
• You may still use bread flour if you want a crunchy and chewy texture and use all-purpose flour if you prefer a softer crust.
• Furthermore, measure your ingredients properly for the right flavor and texture.
• Also, never forget to add your water to activate the yeast.
• Additionally, don’t over-knead the dough.
• If you’re using a stand mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough for up to 8 minutes and if you’re kneading it by hand, massage the dough for up to 25 minutes. 

Storing dry yeast

Another simple thing you can do to get better dough results is to store dry yeast properly. If the dry yeast is unopened, then it can last up to two years in the pantry. It’s also best stored in the fridge or the freezer. 

Store the opened dry yeast in a container and place it in the fridge for up to four months or freeze it for up to six months.

Pizza Dough Variations

For vegan pizza dough, you can omit powdered milk or use plant-based milk options. On the other hand, for gluten-free pizza dough, you can substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour instead, and you can omit powdered milk from the recipe too.

Additionally, for a baby-friendly pizza dough recipe, you can use dry yeast, bread flour, olive oil, and warm water for a healthier version. 

Recommended Tools

• Stand mixer: With the dough hook, use the mixer to form the dough.
• Strainer: Filter the ingredients before making the dough. 
• Whisk: Utilize the whisk to mix the wet and dry ingredients. 
• Spatula: Mix the wet ingredient using a spatula. 
• Cloth: Use a clean piece of cloth to cover the dough during its resting phase.
• Bowl: Use a  bowl to mix the ingredients and let the dough rise and rest.

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How to Use Pizza Dough

Of course, the pizza dough must be flattened, decorated, and baked before serving! 

1. Ensure your dough is at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. 
2. Then, flour or grease your surface.
3. Use a rolling pin or your hands to flatten and shape the pizza dough.
4. Next, press down from the center of the dough using your three middle fingers to form a circle.
5. Then, spread the pizza sauce on the dough using a spoon.
6. Top it off with your favorite pizza ingredients.
7. Bake it in a preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the crust is brown. 

After that, the pizza is ready to serve! 

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Don’t let the pizza dough sit out at room temperature for longer than two hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is basic pizza dough made of?

Basic pizza dough ingredients include flour, water, salt, olive oil, and yeast. There are other pizza dough recipes you can try. In fact, there are other pizza dough recipes that use garlic powder, cornmeal, and other ingredients.

What is the trick to pizza dough?

The trick to making pizza dough is to use dry yeast to get the right texture and rise. It will also make it easier to form and shape the dough like a pizza.

What are the two types of pizza dough?

There are two types of pizza dough, yeasted and flatbread dough. It is usually made with active dry yeast for the classic pizza quality. On the other hand, the flatbread dough is best for thinly-crusted pizza option.

How do you prepare homemade pizza dough?

Just follow the instructions in this recipe to prepare homemade pizza dough. Start with quality ingredients. Then, mix and knead them until the dough is ready to be shaped and molded.