Go Back
–+ servings
pizza dough rising in stainless steel bowl with tea towel partially covering on upper right corner

The Perfect Pizza Dough Recipe and Tips

Learn my recipe and technique for making perfect pizza dough every time. Whether you're wanting thick or thin crust pizza, this recipe is the best! This consistently amazing pizza dough works for calzones, pizza, and breadsticks!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Cooking Basics
Cuisine Italian
Servings 1 serving

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cups warm water
  • 1 teaspoon yeast
  • 1 pinch sugar (optional to help activate the yeast)
  • 2 ¾ cups flour
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt (option for more to your taste)
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic granules
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil (alternatives: almond, avocado)

Instructions
 

  • Combine the yeast with warm water (stick your finger in to cuticle depth and it shouldn't be hot at all, just warm). Let sit until it begins to activate (about 5-8 minutes). Adding a small pinch of sugar is optional at this point but not necessary (can help activate yeast quicker). If you're using instant yeast you can add yeast and water directly into flour mixture.
  • Combine flour, sea salt, basil, oregano, and garlic granules in a large mixing bowl.
  • Once yeast is activated add it to the flour mixture alog with olive oil and combine with a fork and your hands.
  • Begin to knead the dough. If you're kneading for at least a minute and your dough is feeling too wet add 1 teaspoon of flour at a time. Continue to knead for about 8 minutes. Cover with lid or cheese cloth and let sit on the counter until doubled in size (about 1 hour). It's fine if the dough is a little sticky at this point, you can add flour after the rise.
  • Thick Crust: Use all dough for 1 pizza.
    Thin Crust: Split dough in half for 2 pizzas.
    Lightly sprinkle flour onto work surface and dump out risen dough. Use your preferred method for stretching out pizza dough to a shape of your choosing. Round is great, oval and wonky shapes are also wonderful.
  • Lightly sprinkle flour or similar ingredient onto your baking surface, then lay out the stretched dough. Option to lightly spray dough with olive oil, the spread out thin layer of pizza sauce. Sprinkle cheese, then thinly sliced toppings.
  • Bake pizza at 500℉ for a typical pizza. Adjust temperature for calzones.
    Thick Crust: Bake for 15 minutes.
    Thin Crust: Bake 11-13 minutes.
Keyword homemade pizza dough
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!