The Best Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (Perfect for Beginners)

This homemade pizza dough recipe will give you the lightest, fluffy, and most delicious pizza crust you've ever had, even if you're a beginner! It'll truly elevate any toppings you add to it because a great pizza truly starts with a great crust and that's what you'll get by trying this recipe at home!

Making your homemade pizza dough at home is a great way to enjoy a delicious, homemade pizza without having to go out and buy it. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic kitchen tools, you can easily make your own pizza dough in no time.

Not only will it taste better than store-bought dough, but you'll also be able to customize the flavor and texture of your pizza effortlessly!

And what's best is that you can make a few batches of this dough and freeze it to use later! This way, you can have homemade pizza in under 30 minutes by just adding the toppings to the crust and popping it into the oven. It's truly a lifesaver for all the busy moms out there.

Want to learn how to make this delicious homemade pizza dough recipe? Then keep on reading!

Table of Contents

• What is Homemade Pizza Dough?
• Why Consider Making Your Own Homemade Pizza Dough?
• What Makes This Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe Special?
• What You Need to Make Homemade Pizza Dough at Home
• How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough (Step-by-Step)
• How Do I Use Homemade Pizza Dough?
• Tips for Making the Best Homemade Pizza Dough Ever
• How to Store Leftover Homemade Pizza Dough
• Recipes You Can Use Pizza Dough
• Recipe Card
• The Best Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (Perfect for Beginners)
• Comments

What is Homemade Pizza Dough?

Homemade Pizza Dough is a type of dough made from scratch with simple ingredients such as flour, yeast, salt, and water.

It is used to make pizza crusts that are light, fluffy, and chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. The dough can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.

Homemade pizza dough is a great way to customize your pizza with different toppings and flavors. A great pizza truly always starts with a great crust and your pizza dough can make an incredibly big difference to the way your pizza tastes once it's done.

Homemade dough always tastes better and you can also customize it by adding dried herbs on top or increasing or decreasing the amount of salt in it. There are just so many things you can do with it too! I'm sure you're going to love making this homemade pizza dough recipe and won't ever want the store-bought version again!

Why Consider Making Your Own Homemade Pizza Dough?

I've been making Homemade Pizza Dough for many years. I personally prefer homemade dough for homemade pizzas over restaurant-bought pizza or store-bought dough. Because, firstly, preparing food from scratch at home is the essence of a true taste of the home experience.

Secondly, I am at peace knowing that it has been prepared cleanly and with the freshest ingredients possible for that unbeatable delicious taste.

Also, it's always a handy thing to have some pizza dough already made for those busy days you can't possibly fit in much prep time. Or for those days when your energy is spent, or you don't feel like spending too much time making a more complex dinner recipe.

When anticipating a time-strapped day in advance, all you would have to do is take the dough out of the freezer the night before to thaw and you can make quite a few different things with it.

Trust me it's absolutely worth it!

What Makes This Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe Special?

What makes this easy pizza dough recipe special is its versatility. Not only can you make two 13" pizzas with it, but you can also freeze the remaining dough for later use. This means that you can have a delicious pizza ready to go in no time at all!

The recipe also uses simple ingredients, so you don't need to worry about finding hard-to-find ingredients. Plus, it's easy to make and doesn't require any special equipment.

The dough is also very easy to work with. It's not too sticky or too dry, so it's easy to roll out and shape into the desired size and shape. Plus, it rises nicely in the oven, giving you a light and fluffy crust that is perfect for any type of pizza.

Finally, this homemade pizza dough recipe is incredibly delicious! The combination of the simple ingredients creates a flavor that is unbeatable. It's truly the best pizza dough recipe out there!

What You Need to Make Homemade Pizza Dough at Home

All you need are some simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious homemade pizza dough. Here's everything you'll need:

• Flour: First of all, we'll need some flour! We'll be using basic all-purpose flour to make the best homemade pizza dough ever! That's right, you don't need bread flour for this recipe at all. 
• Yeast: Next, we'll need some yeast. We'll be using one tablespoon of active dry yeast for this recipe to get the fluffiest and most delicious dough ever. The advantage of baking with active-dry yeast is that it can be guaranteed to be alive by blooming it in water. There's no way to tell if instant yeast is still active if you mix it with flour and salt.
• Sugar: We'll also be using some basic white sugar to activate the yeast and make the process faster as the yeast will have something to eat. It also helps to make the bread softer as some of the water will be absorbed by it and it slows down the formation of gluten strands.
• Salt: You'll also need some salt to flavor the bread to just the right level so that the flavors of all the toppings can come out beautifully. 
• Butter: We'll also be using some salted butter in this recipe which will help make the bread softer and also give it a delicious flavor that you won't be able to forget. 
• Milk: For our liquids, we'll be using two different ones. The first is whole milk as it will add richness to our dough and give it a beautiful texture.
• Water: The next liquid we'll be using is warm water to balance everything out and give the pizza dough the perfect consistency.

How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough (Step-by-Step)

Making this delicious homemade pizza dough is incredibly easy. Here's everything you need to do to make it at home:

Start by placing all the ingredients into a bread machine pan, namely flour, sugar, salt, dry active yeast, and room-temperature butter.

Next, add lukewarm water mixed with milk, and set the bread machine to dough cycle. Place the bread machine pan into the bread machine maker.

You can refer to the Amazon Shop page about what kind of bread maker machine I have and have been using for over 10 years if you need one simply click on the bread maker picture to order one for yourself.

It takes about 30 minutes for the dough cycle to mix the dough. For the rest of the dough cycle, the pizza dough will be rising for about one hour.

You can alternatively mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon in a large bowl or use a hand-held or stand mixer with a dough hook. 

Mix the water, milk, yeast, and sugar in a bowl and let the yeast activate, then mix the rest of the ingredients into the yeast mixture and knead the dough together by hand or using a dough hook attachment in a stand mixer. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow it to proof for about an hour.

After the dough rises, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Personally, I use a large cutting board.

Knead the dough and form it into a ball shape.

Split the dough ball into half. One-half of the dough is plenty for one 13” pizza. I make two pizzas at a time, which means I use both halves at the same time. 

 Your perfect homemade pizza dough is ready to be used! 

How Do I Use Homemade Pizza Dough?

Once you have your homemade pizza dough ready, it's time to get creative with the toppings! Use a rolling pin to roll out your dough and then add your favorite toppings! You can use any combination of vegetables, meats, sauces, and cheese to create a unique flavor.

For a classic pizza, start by spreading some pizza sauce over the dough. Then top with mozzarella cheese and your favorite toppings.

Transfer it to a pizza pan, pizza stone, or simply a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 425° F for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Once your pizza is ready to go in the oven, you can brush the crust with a little olive oil for extra flavor. You can also sprinkle some dried herbs such as oregano and basil,  or garlic powder over the top of the pizza before baking. This will give your homemade pizza an extra boost of flavor.

Finally, don't forget to let your homemade pizza cool for at least five minutes before slicing and serving. This will help ensure that all the flavors have had time to meld together and create a delicious pizza.

Tips for Making the Best Homemade Pizza Dough Ever

Making the best homemade pizza dough ever requires a few simple tips. First, make sure to use high-quality ingredients. Organic flour, grass-fed butter, and organic sugar will give your dough a richer flavor and texture.

Second, be sure to knead the dough by using a bread machine as mentioned, or to knead for at least five minutes by hand before forming it into a ball shape. This will help create an elastic texture that will hold up to the toppings and baking process.

Finally, let the dough rise for at least one hour before forming it into a pizza shape. This will help create a light and fluffy crust that is perfect for any type of pizza. 

NOTE: If you do not have a bread machine, you can also make this pizza dough recipe in a stand mixer that comes with a dough hook attachment like a KitchenAid mixer by following the same recipe instructions.

How to Store Leftover Homemade Pizza Dough

This recipe is perfect to make in bulk and then store away for later. Here's how you can store it:

How to Store Homemade Pizza Dough in Fridge

Leftover homemade pizza dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. To store, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Make sure to label the container with the date so you know when it was made.

When you're ready to use your leftover pizza dough, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out. This will help make the dough easier to work with.

How to Freeze Homemade Pizza Dough

If this portion is too much for the size of your family, you can freeze the second half of the dough. Just coat it with olive oil, and place it into a freezing bag. You can freeze the dough for a couple of months.

How to Thaw Frozen Pizza Dough

When you're ready to use your pizza dough, you'll need to thaw it first. Place the frozen pizza dough in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to make pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes on the counter.

Recipes You Can Use Pizza Dough

• Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
• Bacon Egg and Ham Breakfast Pizza
• Garlic Bacon Chicken Alfredo Pizza
• Easiest Homemade French Bread Recipe

Try using my homemade pizza sauce or homemade Alfredo sauce for your next pizza night!

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This recipe was originally posted on January 27, 2016 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.