Description
This classic homemade pizza dough recipe provides a soft, chewy base perfect for your favorite toppings. With simple ingredients and easy steps, this dough yields two 12-inch pizzas with a crispy crust baked to golden perfection in your oven.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F)
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for greasing
Dry Ingredients
- 1 (1/4-oz.) envelope active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp.)
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, whisk together warm water, honey, and yeast until well combined. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes, to ensure the yeast is active.
- Mix Dough: Add flour, olive oil, and kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Stir together until a shaggy dough forms, combining all ingredients thoroughly.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent excessive tackiness, being careful not to over-flour which can dry out the dough. The dough is ready when it slowly contracts back after being poked.
- First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning to coat the surface. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dough: Preheat your oven to 500°F. Gently punch down the dough to release air and transfer it to a floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal parts. (Optional: Freeze one half if only making one pizza.)
- Shape Dough: Roll each portion into a 12-inch circle and lightly pinch the edges to form a crust lip. Transfer to a baking sheet or pizza pan and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Add Toppings and Bake: Add your favorite sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and toppings are cooked.
Notes
- Letting the dough rest before stretching helps prevent it from becoming tough or difficult to work with.
- Ensure the dough doubles in size during the rise phase for the best texture.
- Using a preheated pizza stone or baking sheet will help you achieve a crispier crust if available.
- Freeze unused dough tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 1 month.
