Description
This easy pizza dough recipe is enough for 2 pizzas and it’s so easy to make. You can also use half and freeze half for later. You’ll love this easy recipe.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (between 100 – 110 degrees F)
- 1 standard packet of yeast (I used Red Star Platinum Instant Yeast)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, (spoon & leveled) or bread flour*
- Cornmeal, optional
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 120 degrees and turn it off.
- Proof the yeast: Add the warm water, yeast, and sugar to a large warm mixing bowl. Allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes, or until you see bubbles and foam forming in the mixture. Mix in the salt.
- Mix all ingredients: Add the flour, and using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix until all of the flour is moistened, and the dough comes together in a shaggy looking ball, about 1 minute.
- Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, knead the dough for about 4 minutes, until it’s smooth and springs back when poked with your finger. It should form a smooth ball. If it doesn’t spring back, it’s not ready yet. Keep kneading for an additional minute and poke it again. Once it springs back it’s ready to start rising.
- Lightly grease a large clean bowl with the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning it over one time, so that both sides are coated with oil. Place a thin kitchen towel over the bowl.
- The rise: Place the bowl in the turned off oven, and shut the oven door. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes. If you don’t want to use your oven for this step, make sure to place the bowl in a warm spot, free of drafts in your kitchen. If you want to make your pizza the next day, omit this step. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Proceed with step 7 the following day.
- Preheat an oven to 475 degrees. Allow the oven to heat while you shape the dough and add your toppings. If you’re using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while the oven preheats.
- Deflate the dough: Once the dough has risen, (either in the oven or refrigerator), punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. If it’s been refrigerated overnight, I let it set for about 30 minutes at room temp before using it. Divide the dough in half. If you’re only making one pizza, freeze the other half. See freezing instructions in notes below.**
- Shaping the dough: On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a flat disc. Then use your hands to gently stretch the dough out into a 12-inch circle. If the dough tends to bounce back, allow it to rest for about 10 minutes then try it again. Keep stretching the dough gently until you have a 12-inch circle. Using your fingers, poke the dough on top to remove any air bubbles. Pinch the edges of the dough together and upward to form a rim around the edge.
- Add toppings & bake: Lightly brush the dough with olive oil. Add your favorite pizza toppings.
- Bake the pizza for about 15 to 20 minutes until the edges of the dough are golden brown.
Notes
- Prep time includes rising time.
- *If you want a chewier texture you can use bread flour.
- **Freezing instructions: To freeze the dough, lightly coat it all over with olive oil. Place the dough in a freezer bag and seal tightly. Try to remove all the air from the bag. I seal the bag, leaving one small opening at one corner. Then I use a straw to suck the air out of the bag. I know…but it works. Later, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator. Transfer the dough to a counter and leave it to rest for one hour. Continue with step #7.
- This dough recipe is enough to make two 12-inch pizzas with a thin crust.
- If you’re using a pizza stone, sprinkle a small amount of cornmeal over it. This keeps the pizza from sticking to the pizza stone.
Keywords: pizza, pizza dough, easy pizza dough,