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a ball of pizza dough on a table with flour and a rolling pin.
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5 from 4 votes

Easy Pizza Dough

This easy pizza dough is all you need for the best homemade pizzas! I’ll show you how to make pizza dough from scratch, with just 5 simple ingredients (and only 15 minutes of hands-on prep work). Full of flavour with a crisp, chewy crust, you’ll never want to use store-bought bases again!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Resting Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 2 pizzas
Calories: 279kcal

Ingredients

  • 450 grams pizza flour (3 cups) '00' flour for pizza and pasta is recommended. Otherwise, plain flour is fine.
  • 10 grams dried, instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt table salt
  • 1 cup warm water 250 ml. Make sure it is warm, around 36-38 C. Not too hot!
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin

Plus

  • extra flour for dusting/kneading

Instructions

  • Place the flour, yeast and sugar into a large mixing bowl (or a stand mixer bowl) and stir or whisk to combine. Add the salt and stir.
  • Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the warm water and the olive oil (make sure the water isn't too hot or it will kill the yeast and the dough won’t rise). Using a wooden spoon, mix until a rough dough forms.
  • Place the dough on a floured work surface and use your hands to knead the dough for 5 minutes (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium-low speed for 3 minutes) or until the dough is smooth, soft and bounces back when gently pressed. Shape the dough into a ball.
  • Lightly grease the mixing bowl with a little olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean, damp tea towel and place in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours (or until the dough doubles in size).
  • Once the dough has risen, it can be used right away or kept well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (See notes).
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a surface that has been lightly dusted with flour. Gently punch the dough down to remove any air bubbles.
  • When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 220°C/428 F and coat 2 pizza trays with a little oil spray.
  • Divide the dough in half, making two evenly sized balls. Using floured hands, gently shape the balls into two discs. Use a rolling pin to flatten the discs to fit your pizza trays.
  • Place the dough onto the pizza trays. Cover and rest while you prepare your pizza toppings.
  • Prepare your pizzas by spreading the bases with pizza sauce. Add shredded cheese and your favourite toppings. Bake for around 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden the cheese is bubbly and golden and the dough is cooked through. Remove from the oven, slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Measure the flour by weight, for best results. Flour can be easily compressed, which means using a measuring cup alone can be inaccurate. Kitchen scales are the most accurate way of measuring flour. Using a kitchen scale means that even if your flour is compacted, you will still use the correct amount. If you don’t have scales, you can sift the flour into a measuring cup and level it with a knife.
  2. Flavour the dough by adding your favourite dried herbs before kneading.
  3. Be sure to use warm water with a temperature of 36-38 C (97-100 F). If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and the dough won't rise.
  4. This recipe can be multiplied if you’d like to store some for later or make some pizza scrolls.
  5. For a crunchy base, sprinkle some polenta or semolina onto the tin before adding the dough.
  6. Got time to make it ahead? Storing the dough in the refrigerator after forming it will improve its flavour. The dough has more time to develop and tastes even better after 1-3 days in the refrigerator. So, if you have time, make it ahead and keep it tightly covered in the fridge. When you are ready to use it, take it out of the fridge and allow it to come back to room temperature before stretching and baking.
  7. Use a good quality pizza stone or tray for best results. Pizza stones hold lots of heat, giving a crisper crust and more spring. If using a peel or pizza stone, sprinkle polenta over the base before adding the dough, to prevent sticking.
  8. Stuff the crust – place a little parmesan cheese or mozzarella around the edge of the pizza bases, fold over and seal before baking.
  9. When measured accurately, you shouldn’t need to add any additional flour or water. However, if your dough is too dry, add a little more water, a few drops at a time, until it comes together. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle more flour and knead until smooth.
  10. Storage; Pizza dough can be used immediately after proofing, or the dough can be kneaded and left to rise in the fridge for up to 3 days before use. Prepare the dough and place it into a bowl lightly greased with olive oil. Cover and let it rise in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to use, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to return to room temperature before punching it down and shaping.
  11. Freezing; unbaked pizza dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the dough to fully rise before freezing and then divide it into balls portioned for individual pizzas. Lightly oil the surface of the balls, wrap them in freezer-safe bags, push out any air and seal. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bring back to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before punching down and shaping as desired.
  12. The nutrition information is based on the recipe being made into 2 pizzas, with one pizza being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the pizza dough.
  13. This recipe is made using Australian metric cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary. 

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg