The only homemade pizza dough recipe you’ll ever need!

Basic homemade pizza dough is so easy to make yourself!

Friday night is pizza night at our house, and this is the pizza crust recipe I’ve made from scratch almost every Friday for many, many years.

I’m updating this post today not because I’ve made any changes— it’s always the same, week after week— but because I love it sooo much. And I want you to fall in love with it too. It’s light and crispy on the outside while staying chewy on the inside. A wonderful base for whatever ingredients you like. 

Basic homemade pizza dough is so easy to make yourself!

My recipe is basic— with flour, water, olive oil, yeast and salt. But I also like to add a few special ingredients to take the flavor of our pizzas to the next level. Herbs, garlic, and honey are my secret weapons and I swear by them. Pizza crust isn’t just a vehicle for yummy toppings, but it should have great flavor all on its own!

You can use fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, or thyme (or a combo!) or you can use dried herbs. You can use minced fresh garlic or you can garlic powder. And you can even use granulated sugar if you don’t have honey on hand.

Basic homemade pizza dough is so easy to make yourself!

If making pizza at home from scratch intimidates you, I’m here to tell you: you got this. Read the recipe through a few times, take a deep breath, and then give it a go. After a few pizza nights you’ll be baking like a pro, promise.

Of all the recipes on my site, this is definitely the one that gets the most use. Pizza night is our favorite night of the week!

Basic pizza dough

baking tip:Rising and Proofing Yeast Breads

Letting kneaded dough rest so that the yeast can do its job will improve the volume, flavor, and texture of the bread. A second rising (or proofing) after being shaped will increase volume, give the bread a finer texture, and improve the flavor further. You can test if your dough has risen enough by pressing the dough with your finger. If the indentation remains, your dough is ready. If not, give it more time.

Let the dough rest in a warm place, covered with a towel or plastic wrap to retain moisture. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Oven: Heat your oven to its lowest setting for a few minutes, then turn it off. Place the covered dough on the center rack and close the door.
  • Microwave: Heat 1 cup of water in your microwave for 2 minutes. Place the covered dough in the microwave and close the door.
  • Other: I’ve also risen bread on top of a warm oven, running dryer machine, and even on a chair set over a heater vent.

Basic homemade pizza dough is so easy to make yourself!

Basic pizza dough
3.82 from 11 reviews

Basic Pizza Dough

Servings: 2 10-inch round pizzas
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
The only homemade pizza dough recipe you'll ever need!

Ingredients
 

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (500 grams)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon active-dry yeast (1 package, 7 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh herbs ,finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried herbs (optional)
  • 1 clove of garlic , minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
  • 1 cup water (237 ml)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (80 ml)
  • 1 tablespoons honey

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or in a large bowl if mixing and kneading by hand), combine 2 cups of the flour, yeast, salt, herbs, and garlic.
  • Heat the water, olive oil, and honey in a small saucepan until steaming. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, or until temperature is between 120-130 degrees F. Slowly add the water and oil to the dry ingredients, while mixing on low speed. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl as needed.
  • With the mixer on medium low, add the remaining flour a 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until incorporated between each addition. Continue adding flour until the dough clears the bowl and is sticky to the touch without coming off in your hands. You may not need all 4 cups of flour, or you may need a bit more.
  • Once all of the flour has been added, continue to knead with a dough hook or by hand for a few more minutes until smooth and elastic.
  • Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in a warm place and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Gently push down on the center of the dough to release the gases and knead by hand on a clean surface a few times. Let dough sit for a few minutes, then divide in half and roll each out and shape into a rough 10 inch circle. Transfer to a greased pan for baking. Alternatively, you can roll the dough into one large rectangle and press into a greased regular sheet pan.
  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  • Top dough with desired toppings and bake until crust is golden, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

NOTES:
  • I like to use fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme. If I use dried herbs I use Italian seasoning.
  • You can substitute 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for the honey if desired. Add with the dry ingredients.
  • Storing pizza dough: You can let the pizza dough rise in the fridge slowly if you'd like to prepare it ahead of time. Dough it best if used within 24 hours. You can also freeze the dough, tightly wrapped for up to 1-2 months. Let thaw to room temperature and double in size before using.
Calories: 1307kcal, Carbohydrates: 206g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 1183mg, Potassium: 396mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 168IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 12mg
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.

This recipe was originally published May 2013.