This homemade easy pizza dough will make every night pizza night. Just a few simple ingredients and about 35 minutes until you have the perfect dough to make pizza night amazing.
Homemade pizza dough (or any recipes using yeast) can be a little intimidating to start with. But with some simple tips you can absolutely master this recipe in one go and it can be pizza night every night. Because that's really what we all want isn't it?!
Easy Pizza Dough
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Ingredients needed
- strong flour
- fast-acting yeast
- honey- the sugar helps to activate the yeast
- salt- every bread recipe needs salt
- olive oil- helps to smooth and soften the dough giving it a really elastic-like quality when you knead it
Step by step directions
Step 1 & 2
- Weigh out the flour and add in the yeast and salt. Mix it all together. Whisk warm water, honey and olive oil together and pour into the centre of the flour. Using your hand or a wooden spoon mix until a soft and shaggy dough forms. You may need to add a splash more water. Add it in a tablespoon at a time.
Step 3 & 4
- Once you have a ball of dough, lay it on a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a very smooth dough. When we knead bread dough, we're building up and working the gluten. This is what gives bread and pizza dough it's chewiness.
- When the dough is ready it should spring back when you poke the dough with a finger gently.
Step 5 & 6
- Lightly oil a medium mixing bowl and place the dough in to rise. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- The dough should be double in size. And possibly have an air bubble or two on the top.
Step 7 & 8
- Gently knock the air out of the dough. When you knock the air out, you'll be able to see the gluten strands on the bottom of the dough.
- Cut the dough in half and either make 2 pizzas or place one half of the dough in the freezer for another pizza night!
Storage
To store the dough, wrap tightly in cling film and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, leave overnight in the fridge. When defrosting in the fridge, the yeast in the dough will reactivate and will cause the dough to rise again. Simply knockback again and roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue with your recipe as normal.
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Tools used
Quick & Easy Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g (1 ¾ cups) strong flour
- 7 g (2 tablespoon) active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 225 ml (1 cup) warm water
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- Weigh out 400 g of strong flour and place it in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sachet of yeast and 1 teaspoon of sea salt to the flour. Mix well to combine.
Prepare Wet Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 225 ml of warm water, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well blended.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients.
- Using your hand or a wooden spoon, mix until a soft and shaggy dough forms. If the dough feels too dry, add a splash more water, one tablespoon at a time.
Knead the Dough:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
- Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough is ready when it springs back when gently poked with a finger.
First Rise:
- Lightly oil a medium mixing bowl and place the dough inside.
- Cover with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it doubles in size and forms a few air bubbles on the surface.
Prepare for Baking:
- Gently knock the air out of the dough. This helps to develop the gluten structure further.
- Cut the dough in half. Use immediately to make 2 pizzas, or freeze one half for another pizza night.
Notes
- Flour: For the best results, use strong flour (also known as bread flour). It has a higher protein content, which helps develop a chewier texture.
- Kneading: Proper kneading is essential for developing gluten, which gives the dough its characteristic chewiness.
- Rising: To rise effectively, the dough must be kept warm. A slightly warmed oven (turned off) can work well as a makeshift proofing box.
- Freezing Dough: If you plan to freeze the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Nutrition
THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING AND COOKING ALONG WITH ME! IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE A QUESTION, I’D LOVE IT IF YOU LEFT A COMMENT AND A RATING. YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO SEE WHAT WE’RE EATING, PINNING AND A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES TOO!
Jaz
Just wanted to mention that this recipe is the BEST pizza base recipe we have tried, and paired with the pizza sauce, it's phenomenal! We use the two recipes together regularly (at least once a month) as a family and it's so easy and always superb! Honestly much better than getting a takeaway pizza!
Deborah Rainford
Thank you so much, Jaz! So happy that this recipe is so trusted in your kitchen! 🙂
Vicky Hall
Can the pizza bases be part-baked before freezing? If so, how long would they need?
Deborah Thompson
Hi Vicky. To part bake these pizza bases they need a low oven (140-150ºc) for about 20 minutes. What you're looking for is the dough to spring up like they would normally do, but without getting a crust or any colour on them. Hence the low oven. The dough will set without colouring. Let them cool completely and then freeze in freezer bags for up to 4 months. When you're ready for pizza night, you can bake from frozen or defrost them. They should only need about an hour at room temperature to defrost completely.
Ali
Beats takeaway pizza any day. Great easy recipe.