Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

At long last and after many requests, I am sharing our basic pizza dough recipe. This dough comes together in minutes and after an hour rising you can be rolling, topping, and shoving your beautiful homemade pizzas in the oven. Or, you can make this a day or two before and stash it in the fridge. If you follow along on Instagram, you know we have made this countless times - especially on PIZZA FRIDAY!

As the title suggests, this is our basic pizza dough recipe - it was Jason's recipe and over the years it evolved until we landed on our perfect pizza. For more pizza crust options check out my no yeast sourdough pizza crust and my sourdough discard pizza crust.

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

The best thing about homemade pizza? You can top it with whatever you want. And you have total control over the freshness and quality of your toppings. Add as much or as little as you like. White sauce, red sauce? both? Make it large or personal size. Heck, turn it into a calzone or stromboli if you're feeling frisky. We have done it all with this dough. You're the boss. And when you start with this basic pizza dough recipe, I guarantee you will never be tempted to order take-out or delivery again. I am so underwhelmed by restaurant pizza - It just can't compete with the freshness and fun of homemade pizza.

A few tips on this basic pizza dough recipe

This really is an easy recipe. Just a few tips on how we make it - I always use King Arthur Flour - Unbleached All Purpose. I'm not saying you have to use that flour, I just like to be transparent because I do think flour makes a difference.

I use a stand mixer for this and have never made it by hand. You absolutely could, just mix it all in a bowl with a wooden spoon or a dough whisk if you have one. Transfer to a floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes until you have a nice, soft but firm (not sticky) dough ball. Proceed with rising and baking as the recipe states.

Topping your basic pizza dough

You already know what my favorite toppings are: mushrooms! and plenty of cheese. But we have a lot of fun mixing up toppings. Our teen boys really like buffalo chicken pizza, Jason likes meaty toppings and something spicy - sometimes bacon, fresh pineapple, and pickled jalapeños. I'm more of a traditionalist and of course I love lots of mushrooms.

The best one I've made lately is this mushroom with white sauce and blue cheese. I topped it with arugula and the tiniest drizzle of truffle oil. It was so good. SO GOOD!

And of course, pepperoni and sausage are never a bad idea. I love to do a mixture of a white sauce and red sauce. I put a thin layer of the white sauce and then blob around the red sauce - I don't spread it. Then top with cheese and toppings. A sprinkle of dried oregano is always good and reminds me of my dad; He used to jazz up frozen pizza with a few shakes of a parmesan/romano blend and plenty of dried oregano before baking. I'll always have a soft spot for that.

My biggest tip: Just have fun! My only real caution is to not over do it with toppings. Especially veggies. They will create a lot of moisture as they bake and you'll get a soggy crust.

Join us for pizza Friday!

As I said above, we have pizza Fridays at our house. Pizza is Jason's favorite food, hands down. So he needs his weekly fix and it has become such a beloved and fun tradition. Such a nice way to end the week and begin the weekend. Some music, some wine, flour everywhere - perfect Friday night.

I would love if you'd make this recipe and join us! Post your photos on Instagram or Facebook and tag me so I can see! I'm @wild.thistle.kitchen on Instagram.

If you make this I'd also be so grateful if you could rate and review the recipe below. It means so much to me and it helps others find my recipes!

Happy Pizza making! xo - Anita

basic pizza dough recipe

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This basic pizza dough recipe comes together in minutes and can be made same day or stashed in the fridge for 24-48 hours! Pizza Friday, here we come!

• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 large or 4 small pizzas

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups warm water 100-110 degrees F
• 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4.5 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

1. Add warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. add yeast and sugar or honey. Stir to combine and let sit until foamy - about 5 minutes.
2. Add flour, olive oil, and salt and mix on low speed until dough begins to come together.
3. Turn up to medium speed and allow mixer to run for 7 minutes. Adding extra flour one tablespoon at a time if needed until it pulls away from the sides and is no longer sticky.
4. After 7 minutes, remove dough hook and allow dough to rise in a warm place for one hour.
5. At this point you can proceed with pizza making, or transfer dough to ziploc bags and stash in the freezer for 24-48 hours.

To prepare pizzas:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees for at least one hour with a baking steel or pizza stone inside.
2. Divide risen dough in half for 2 large pizzas, or up to 4 for smaller pizzas.
3. on a floured surface, flatten into circles. 12 inches in diameter for large, and about 6 inches in diameter for smaller, personal size. We prefer doing this on parchment that will then be transferred straight onto the baking steel, but if you are a pro with a pizza peel, feel free to proceed as you normally would without the parchment.
4. Top pizzas with your favorite toppings - don't go too heavy with the wet ingredients but other than that have fun!
5. Slide pizza onto preheated baking steel - either with a pizza peel or a thin baking tray.
6. Bake for 6-7 minutes until crust is golden and bubbly and toppings/cheese are cooked and melty.
7. Remove from oven and transfer to cutting board. Slice and enjoy!

• Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
• Prep Time: 20 minutes plus one hour rising
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Category: main course
• Method: baking