Homemade Pizza

Two slices of pizza with pepperoni and basil leaves on a blue plate, with a white marble background.

Did you know you can make pizza dough in 30 minutes? With this quick recipe, you can! Whip up a batch and make the best homemade pizza ever.

One recipe makes two 16-inch pizzas or four 8-inch pizzas. You can refrigerate or freeze extra dough for later.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Resting Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 468kcal

Ingredients

Pizza Dough Ingredients

2 ¾ cups bread flour
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup hot water plus more if needed
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
2-3 tablespoons 00 flour or cornmeal

Pizza Ingredients

½ recipe pizza dough
2-3 tablespoons of flour or cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
16 slices pepperoni
½ medium tomato sliced
16 leaves fresh basil
½ teaspoon pizza seasoning

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Homemade Pizza Dough

In a stand mixer or food processor, combine flour, yeast and salt until combined.
Add the oil and mix until the texture resembles sand.
Meanwhile, heat the water in the microwave — you don't want it boiling, just on the warmer side. Add the honey and stir until dissolved.
Add the water in a slow, steady stream. Mix for 2-3 minutes until it forms a ball and the dough is sticky but not sticking to your fingers. If dough is too dry, add another ¼ cup of warm water a little at a time. If it is too sticky, you can add a sprinkle of flour to make it easier to handle.
Roll out a piece of plastic wrap or use a cutting board. Place the dough on top and flatten it out into a rectangle. Use your fingers to make indentations like you are playing the piano. Fold one side over to the middle, like a letter. Repeat the indentations, then fold over the other third. Cover in plastic wrap or place in a zip-top bag. Set aside for 20 minutes to rise in a warm place.
Divide the dough into two pieces and roll them into a ball. Wrap in more plastic wrap or place in a zip-top bag. You can use it immediately. If you are saving it for later, you can refrigerate and use within 3 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge the night before you plan to use it.

Homemade Pizza

Let the dough come to room temperature on the counter for about 20 minutes before beginning.
Preheat the oven to 550°F (290°F) with a pizza stone inside. You can also use a baking sheet or pizza pan, but don't preheat it.
Sprinkle 00 flour over a big piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Stretch the dough out into a large circle with your hands. Flour your hands with 00 flour if the dough is too sticky. Place in the center of the parchment paper.
Add pizza sauce, cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.
Transfer the parchment, with the pizza on it, to your pizza stone or baking sheet. This makes it easy to handle from surface to surface. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Use the parchment to slide the pizza back onto the baking sheet. Let rest for a couple minutes, then slice into pieces and enjoy!

Notes

Tips for making the dough

Don't use boiling water because it can kill the yeast. The hottest water your tap makes should be fine.
I prefer the stand mixer with a dough hook to the food processor. The mixer seems better able to handle a big ball that will weight it down unevenly.
If your kitchen is cold, allow your dough to rest in the oven with just the oven light on. It creates a warmer environment that will help the dough rise perfectly.

Tips for making pizza

Use gravity to help you stretch the dough, slowly working your hands around the edges.
Don't stress about making a perfect circle — it's okay if it is uneven! This is homemade pizza, after all.
If a hole forms, pinch it back together.

Pizza toppings ideas: pizza sauce, pesto, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, peppers, other vegetables, tomatoes, ham, sausage, pineapple.

My go-to pizza: Add a drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of minced garlic and rub all over the dough, all the way to the edges. Add tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. (I use a little shredded and a few pieces of fresh). Top with pepperoni, tomatoes, fresh basil and pizza seasoning. I add more fresh basil, honey and hot sauce once it is cooked, too, but you do you!

How to store dough: Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Refrigerate and use within 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge the night before you plan to use it. Let the thawed dough come to room temperature on the counter for about 20 minutes before making pizza.

This recipe is adapted from Suzanne Lenzer's Quick Pizza Dough.

Nutrition

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