It's easier than you think to make homemade pizza dough at home. This is my favorite Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe that makes the chewiest, most tender and crispy crust.
Make my top-rated pizza sauce recipe to go on top of the pizza!
Whenever I'm in a pinch, which is at least more than once a week, instead of reaching for the take-out menu, I throw together this super easy pizza dough recipe and make homemade pizzas with various toppings, sausage stromboli's, calzones etc. It's such a better option than ordering out because not only are you saving money, but you can tailor it exactly how you want it and there's nothing more satisfying than making a pizza from scratch! Ready made pizza dough that you can buy at the store is great in a pinch but nothing beats homemade!
This dough is ready to go in just under an hour with little prep time. I've made this dough over and over and over again so it is absolutely fail-proof!
Craving more Italian-inspired recipes? Try my Italian Meatballs with sauce recipe!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Amazing texture and flavor. The texture is chewy but crispy at the same time and the flavor has a slight hint of garlic. So yummy!
- It's easy to make: This pizza dough recipe is relatively simple and is made with pretty basic ingredients. Store bought pizza dough is a thing of the past once you learn how easy it is to make at home! Just like my homemade soft pretzel dough.
Ingredients Needed to Make The Best Pizza Dough
I kept this pizza dough as simple as possible while creating the best texture and delicious taste!
- Water: Make sure the water is about 105°-115°F to best activate the yeast.
- Active dry yeast: It helps the dough to rise while baking. Have more yeast to use? Try a sweet treat like my soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls.
- Sugar: A small amount of granulated sugar is used in this recipe to sweeten the dough slightly. It also helps to brown the crust.
- Olive oil: I like the taste of olive oil in my dough recipe but have substituted with vegetable oil in a pinch. Any oil will work.
- Salt: Helps give the dough some flavor.
- Garlic powder: This gives it such a yummy subtle flavor! It gives it that "something" it would otherwise be missing.
- All-purpose flour: After testing this recipe, the best flour for pizza is all-purpose flour.
- Prepared pizza sauce: I have an amazing pizza sauce recipe that you guys absolutely have loved!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions.
How to Make No-Fail Pizza Dough
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add warm water and sprinkle yeast and sugar on top. Mix on low to combine and let it sit to proof for 5-10 minutes until the top looks frothy.
- Once the yeast is proofed, add olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Mix to combine. Add 2 cups of flour and turn mixer on low speed to combine. While mixer is running, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together and is no longer sticky. You want it to be tacky but not sticking to your hands. The dough will stick to the bottom of the bowl and this is OK - too much flour will result in dry, dense dough. Once your dough is the right texture, leave mixer running on low speed for 7 minutes to knead the dough.
- Grab a large bowl and grease it with olive oil. Place dough into greased bowl and roll it around to lightly coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a wet towel and allow it to sit in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down to get the air out. If you are making pizza, this dough is enough to make two pizza crusts so you will cut the dough in half at this point. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface or you can try stretching pizza dough by hand. At this point you can add sauce, toppings to make pizzas, stromboli, calzones or whatever you desire!
- Bake at 500°F until golden and crispy. For pizza, dough does not need to be pre-baked before adding toppings.
Jessica's Recipe Tips
- Dough rising tip: I like to turn my oven to 170 degrees, turn it off and then place my dough in there because it creates the perfect warm environment.
Before & after rising:
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely not! While using a stand mixer makes the whole process much easier with very little effort, it isn't needed. Many people have told me how they have made this same day pizza dough by hand, it just takes a little more elbow grease!
Yep! To freeze: Prepare the dough and allow it to rise. Punch it down and divide it into two balls because this recipe makes two pizzas. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw: Place in refrigerator overnight. Allow dough to warm up on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before trying to stretch it out and add toppings, it will be much easier to stretch!
This is likely from adding too much flour. When mixing the dough, you WANT your dough to be tacky/slightly sticky. This will ensure that there is enough moisture in the dough to create a chewy and crispy crust while baking.
In the first step, if your yeast doesn't get "frothy," this unfortunately means it is dead and the dough will not rise. You will need to toss it and start over.
To make a gluten free pizza crust, use 1:1 Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour.
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @sprinkle_some_sugar on Instagram!
📋 Recipe
Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, 1 standard packet
- 1 tbs granulated sugar
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ½-3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½-1 cup homemade pizza sauce, or store-bought
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add warm water and sprinkle yeast and sugar on top. Turn mixer on low and mix to combine and let it sit to proof for 5-10 minutes until the top looks frothy.
- Once the yeast is proofed, add olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Mix to combine. Add 2 cups of flour and turn mixer on low speed to combine. While mixer is running, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together and is no longer sticky. You want it to be tacky but not sticking to your hands. The dough will stick to the bottom of the bowl and this is OK - too much flour will result in dry, dense dough. Once your dough is the right texture, leave mixer running on low speed for 7 minutes to knead the dough.
- Grab a large bowl and grease it with olive oil very well. Once dough is kneaded, pull the dough out and knead in your hands slightly to create a round ball. Place dough into greased bowl and roll it around to lightly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet towel and allow it to sit in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until it is doubled in size. I like to turn my oven to 170 degrees, turn it off and then place my dough in there because it creates the perfect warm environment.
- Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down to get the air out. If you are making pizza, this dough is enough to make two pizza crusts so you will cut the dough in half at this point.
- Roll it out on a lightly floured surface. At this point you can add sauce, toppings to make pizzas, stromboli, calzones or whatever you desire!
- Bake at 500°F until golden and crispy. For pizza, dough does not need to be pre-baked before adding toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Nada says
This is a fantastic recipe, thank you for sharing. I make it on a Sunday and after the first proof, I divide the dough into pieces and refrigerate for baking fresh for school lunch every morning. Can't thank you enough 😀
Jessica says
I love this idea!
Amber says
Can this be used with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose?
Jessica says
I have not tried it myself but I don't see why not! It just may be a bit more on the dry side and I would probably add a little less than the recipe requires. Maybe try half all purpose and half whole wheat?
Dave says
Just finished fermenting the dough for 3 days in the fridge. It smelled like pizza already as I punched it down and divided it! The long ferment allows the yeast to make alcohols and deconstruct the gluten mesh a bit for a great texture and depth of flavor. I prefer thin crust. I understand that in Italy, it's all about the dough/crust and sauce and not so much the toppings.
I measure everything in grams, not cups but it's not difficult because almost all flours weigh between 130-140 grams per cup (it's a carry-over habit from 10 years of gluten free baking). Weighing "tare" on the scale adding ingredients into the mixer bowl saves on cleanup.
Going on the hunt for your sauce recipe now and grab some pointers from you. Take care.
Jessica says
So interesting! The dough definitely does play such a HUGE part in the flavor! I hope you love my recipes for both the dough and sauce! 🙂