The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

This pizza dough recipe is incredibly simple and the best one out there. You only need 6 ingredients, and there’s no need for special flours. The crust comes together in just one bowl, requires a quick 3-second knead, and takes only 30 minutes to rise.

What is the best flour for making homemade pizza dough?

Many pizza-making-pros will likely argue that bread flour is best for making homemade pizza. However, I rarely keep any flours in my pantry that are more exotic than all-purpose flour, so when I was working on this recipe I first and foremost made sure that it worked perfectly with regular old all-purpose flour.

The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

How to make the BEST Pizza Dough Recipe

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15minutes minutes

Rising Time: 30minutes minutes

Total Time: 1hour hour

Servings: 12 servings (makes one 10-12″ pizza)

Calories: 113kcal

Author: klara

Ingredients

  • ▢2-2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour¹ divided (250-295g)
  • ▢1 packet instant yeast² (2 ¼ teaspoon)
  • ▢1 ½ teaspoons sugar
  • ▢¾ teaspoon salt
  • ▢⅛-¼ teaspoon garlic powder and/or dried basil leaves optional
  • ▢2 Tablespoons olive oil + additional
  • ▢¾ cup warm water³ (175ml)

Instructions

  • Combine 1 cup (125g) of flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. If preferred, incorporate garlic powder and dried basil at this stage.
  • Pour in olive oil and warm water, stirring well with a wooden spoon.
  • Gradually introduce another 1 cup (125g) of flour. Add any extra flour as necessary (sometimes up to an additional ⅓ cup), stirring until the dough forms a cohesive, elastic ball, and begins to pull away from the bowl’s sides (refer to the video above the recipe for a visual guide). The dough will remain slightly sticky but manageable with your hands.
  • Generously drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl with olive oil and use a pastry brush to coat the bowl’s sides.
  • Lightly dust your hands with flour, shape the pizza dough into a round ball, and transfer it to the olive oil-brushed bowl. Roll the pizza dough along the bowl’s interior with your hands until it is coated in olive oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm location.
  • Let the dough rise for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size. If you plan to bake it into a pizza, preheat your oven to 425°F (215°C) now, ensuring it reaches the temperature by the time your pizza is ready to bake.
  • After the dough has risen, gently deflate it with your hands and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times).
  • Use your hands or a rolling pin to shape the dough into a 12″ circle.
  • Place the dough on a pizza pan lined with parchment paper, pinching or folding the edges to form a crust.
  • Drizzle about a tablespoon of additional olive oil over the pizza, using a pastry brush to coat the entire surface, including the crust.
  • Use a fork to poke holes all over the pizza’s center to prevent the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
  • Add your desired toppings (refer to the notes for a link to my favorite 5-minute pizza sauce recipe) and bake in a preheated 425°F (215°C) oven for 13-15 minutes or until the toppings are golden brown. Slice and serve.