should homemade pizza dough rise?

It depends. If you prefer a thin, crispy crust, we recommend skipping the rise. If you prefer a thicker, more classic-style pizza, take the time to allow the dough to rise. It will yield the fluffiest, chewy pizza crust and makes a huge difference in the end result (see the above photos!)

what flour do i need for pizza dough?

The most commonly used flour for making pizza dough is 00 bread flour. Bread flour is higher in gluten and protein content compared to regular all-purpose flour and is known for giving Italian pizza the elastic, chewy texture we know and love. In order to make this pizza dough recipe as accessible to every home cook as possible, we opted to develop a recipe using all-purpose flour. If you happen to have bread flour on hand, feel free to swap it in!

is pizza dough better with yeast or baking powder?

For a traditional-tasting pizza dough, definitely yeast! Using yeast will give you a superior texture, flavor and a significantly better rise on your pizza dough. If you're out of instant yeast or active dry yeast, we recommend making our Easy Homemade Pita Bread instead and doing pizza night with "naan pizzas"!

can i make homemade pizza without a pizza stone?

If you're worried you can only make homemade pizza with a baking stone or pizza pan, don't be! We've tested this easy pizza dough recipe extensively and it works just as well on a standard baking sheet. As long as you've got the oven preheated to 500 degrees F, you're homemade pizza night is going to be a success!

The Best Homemade Pizza Dough (4-Ingredients!)

Description

The hands down Best Homemade Pizza Dough recipe! Use it to make a thin, crispier crust, a thick-fluffy crust, or an easy dough for homemade calzones. It requires just a handful of fresh and wholesome ingredients and is practically fool proof!

Ingredients

1 cup warm water (around 105°F/38°C)
1 tablespoon organic sugar
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl and brushing
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt

Toppings of choice, we used:

Vegan BBQ sauce
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Smoky tofu
Field Roast vegan chipotle sausages
Frozen corn
Nutritional yeast

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Pour the water into a medium bowl and mix in the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over, stir lightly and allow it to sit until the yeast has activated, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, stir together the flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture along with the olive oil and mix with a stiff spatula or the standing mixer until a solid ball of dough begins to form.
Knead the dough using the dough hook on the stand mixer or by hand for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, If the dough sticks to the bowl or your hands like bubblegum, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with.
You have three options for the next step! Option 1: Use the dough right away and skip the rise time for a thin-crusted pizza. Be sure to split it into two as it is enough for 2 pizzas. Option 2: Form the dough into a ball and place it into a large oiled bowl. Toss the dough so it is coated, and then cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Place it in a warm area to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size. Option 3: Store the dough for use the next day. Place it into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place into the refrigerator. Remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the countertop for about 2 hours (or until it reaches room temperature) before using.
Preheat the oven to 500°F and arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven.
You can either divide the dough in half here or opt to make 1 large fluffy pizza (examples below)! Pat or roll the dough into a 12-inch round, creating thicker edges for a crust as desired. Grease a baking sheet or line it with a silicone mat, and transfer the dough onto it. Top the dough with about 1/4-1/3 cup of sauce, and your toppings of choice. We like to use BBQ sauce, corn, peppers, onions, and vegan sausage or smoky tofu.
Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Baking time will vary depending on the heat of your oven and how thick or thin you rolled your pizza. Repeat with the second pizza dough.
Cool until easy to handle, slice and dig in!

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: pizza, entree, lunch, dinner, kids, on the go, easy
Cuisine: Vegan, Italian