The Best Homemade Pizza Dough - Sarah's Kitchen Chronicles

Homemade Pizza Dough

by Sarah Mitchell Updated Jan 5, 2026 · 47 Comments

My foolproof homemade Pizza Dough has been on the blog for years and is one of my most popular recipes! For my long-time readers, this is still the same pizza dough recipe you love. I've retested (but not changed) the recipe dozens of times since it was first published and have updated the post to better answer common questions and add some of my new favorite tips for baking the perfect pizza.

In our house, Sunday night is pizza night, and this easy pizza dough recipe is what I reach for every time. It's quick, foolproof, and ready in under 90 minutes, including the rise time! My boys love getting their hands in the dough and piling on their favorite pizza toppings, making it a fun, interactive way to end the week. I developed this recipe with busy nights in mind: you don't need any fancy equipment or ingredients or hours of waiting— just a few pantry staples and a little patience. The only "tricky" part is waiting for the dough to double in size before you shape it, but don't worry! I'll share my best tips so you'll know exactly what to look for.

Key Ingredients And Substitutions

You only need 6 ingredients to make this easy homemade pizza dough. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour — plain flour makes a great pizza dough, and it's honestly what I use almost every time. But if you want a slightly chewier crust, use the same amount of bread flour or 00 pizza flour. Avoid whole wheat flour, which is "thirstier" than white flours thanks to the bran from the wheat grain. (This means it can throw your dry-to-liquid ratio off, leading to a denser texture.)

Warm water — the operative word here is "warm," so don't use hot water! Ideally, it should be around 100-110°F (which feels comfortably warm to the touch, in case you don't have a thermometer) to create a cozy environment for the yeast. Much hotter than that and you risk killing it.

Active dry yeast — this type of yeast has to be bloomed in warm water first to activate. Make sure it turns nice and foamy on top before you mix your dough. And always check the expiration date! I have found that yeast close to or past the date will be slower to activate, or may not ever become active, and needs to be replaced.

Granulated sugar — you add a little bit at the beginning to feed the yeast and make it bubbly, then a bit more to coax out a beautifully golden brown crust.

Olive oil — a touch of oil helps keep pizza dough soft and easy to stretch, adds flavor, and gives the crust a nice golden finish.

Salt — a bit of seasoning prevents the crust from tasting bland. Note that high concentrations of salt can kill yeast, so it is hindered from reaching the bloomed yeast by adding it on top of the flour in the mixing bowl. You can also add dried herbs or other spices to flavor the dough along with the salt. I like adding Italian herb seasoning, dried basil, or garlic powder for some extra flavor.

How To Make Pizza Dough

Below, I've highlighted the step-by-step instructions for making the best pizza dough recipe. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Activate the Yeast
Start by mixing the warm water, yeast, and a little sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Give it about 5 to 7 minutes to get nice and frothy on top. That's how you know the yeast is awake and ready to go! The foam indicates your yeast is alive and active. If there's no foam, your water might have been too hot or the yeast is expired - start over with fresh ingredients.

Step 2: Mix the Dough
Once it's bubbly, add in the flour, olive oil, salt, and the rest of the sugar to the yeast mixture. With the dough hook on, start mixing on low for a minute or so, then bump it up to medium-low. After about 5 minutes, the dough should pull together into a smooth ball that springs back when you give it a gentle poke.

Step 3: First Rise
Turn the dough out, shape it into a ball, and pop it into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover it up with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in size, which usually takes 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. You'll know it's ready when the dough looks soft, airy, and noticeably bigger than when you first mixed it.

Step 4: Preheat Your Oven
When it's puffed and ready, preheat your oven to 450°F. A super-hot oven is your best friend for pizza night!

Step 5: Shape the Dough
Punch down the dough in the bowl, then turn it out onto your lightly floured work surface. Stretch it into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, leaving a thicker edge around the outside for that classic bubbly pizza crust. Move it to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or pizza pan, reshape if needed, and brush the rim with a little olive oil for added browning if you'd like.

Step 6: Add Toppings and Bake
Now the fun part: toppings! Top with pizza sauce, cheese, and whatever else you're craving. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is perfectly melted and bubbling. Enjoy your homemade masterpiece!

Pro Tips For Making The Best Pizza Dough

Double the recipe to make more pizzas! Simply double all the ingredients except the yeast, then divide the dough into two equal pieces. The dough will need a bit more time to rise at room temperature (about 90 minutes to 2 hours), but the slower rise actually helps build even more flavor.

Weigh your ingredients. Using a kitchen scale instead of measuring cups gives you the most accurate results and ensures the right dough consistency every time. Using too much flour will make the dough dry and hard to shape.

Don't rush the rise. Whether you let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge, give the yeast the time it needs to produce little air bubbles for a fluffy dough.

Let the dough rise overnight for more flavor. If you have extra time, letting it rise overnight in the fridge is a fantastic way to build more flavor and improve the texture. Just mix up the dough the day before, and it's ready to bake the next evening!

Skip the rolling pin. When you stretch the dough, try to relax your fingers or use the backs of your hands. This keeps the dough from tearing while helping it stretch more evenly. A rolling pin can press out all those lovely air bubbles, leaving you with a flatter, denser crust.

Pizza Dough Recipe

Craving a freshly baked pizza, but don't want to have to wait hours for it? My Homemade Pizza Dough is the perfect solution! It's made in just 90 minutes using only basic ingredients and a single rise.

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Rising Time

1 hour

Total Time

1 hr 30 min

Course

Main Course

Cuisine

Italian

Servings

1 12-inch pizza

Calories

1083kcal

Ingredients

¾ cup warm water (100-110°F) (180mL)
1 (.25-ounce/7g) packet active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
¾ teaspoon salt

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture stand until it is very frothy on top, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the flour, olive oil, salt and remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar to the bloomed yeast. Attach the dough hook and mix on low for about 1 minute. Increase to medium-low speed until the dough comes together in a ball, is smooth, and springs back when poked, about 5 minutes.

Shape the dough into a tight ball on the counter and place it in a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise until the dough has doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

When the dough has doubled, punch it down and shape it into a 12" circle on a lightly floured surface, making a thicker rim around the outside edge. Transfer the dough to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or pizza pan and reshape into a circle if needed. Brush the rim with olive oil if desired, and top with sauce and your choice of pizza toppings or as directed by your recipe.

Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Notes

No stand mixer? No problem. You can absolutely make this dough by hand. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until it comes together, then knead on a lightly floured surface for about 8-10 minutes. The dough is ready when it's smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed.
Use any of your favorite pizza toppings! For one pizza, I recommend using ½ cup of pizza sauce, 1 cup of cheese, and a few handfuls of other toppings like pepperoni, sliced veggies, or pickled peppers or olives.
Storing baked pizza: You can refrigerate the leftover pizza slices in an airtight container (or well-wrapped in plastic wrap) for 3 to 5 days, depending on your toppings. Or freeze them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. To reheat, place the slices in the oven at 375°F for 5 to 10 minutes or in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes.

Tips For Baking Your Pizza

These are a couple of tips I've picked up over the years that help my pizza bake up with a crisp bottom and chewy interior.

Preheat the oven well. A super-hot oven is your best friend for pizza night. You want the heat blasting so the crust puffs up quickly before it has a chance to dry out, giving you that perfect combo of a crisp exterior and fluffy, chewy inside. If you don't have an oven thermometer, wait a few minutes past when the oven says it has fully preheated to make sure it's nice and hot.

Use a pizza stone or baking steel if you have one. If you do, you'll get the closest thing to restaurant-style pizza at home! Pop it in the oven before you turn it on, then preheat it. Once the oven's at temp, give the stone another 30 minutes to really soak in the heat. Shape your dough on parchment on a pizza peel, rimless cookie sheet, or the back of a rimmed baking sheet, then slide the whole thing (parchment and all) right onto the stone. The result? A crust that's crisp on the bottom and bubbly on top.