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Homemade Pizza Dough: Cooking 101

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This is my go-to Homemade Pizza Dough recipe. It is simple to make, and so delicious! I even gave making pizza dough from scratch (without a bread machine) a try this week <insert applause>. I have had no real desire to make yeast dough from scratch, that is why I never have…before now. I was pleasantly surprised, it was nowhere near as hard as I had expected…..

Homemade Pizza Dough made super easy with a bread machine or stand mixer | cookingwithcurls.com

I have had several people ask how to make Homemade Pizza Dough from scratch, without a bread machine, so I have included directions to make Homemade Pizza Dough in a Stand Mixer as well. Now as is always the case when I plan to do something specific, everything goes haywire! I used the last drop of yeast, the house was very cold, and things did not go as planned. BUT….this is the perfect learning opportunity! I am going to show you how things went wrong, but still turned out okay. 🙂

How to make Homemade Pizza Dough with a Stand Mixer:

Place the warm water and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, stir, and allow to sit for 5 – 10 minutes to allow the yeast to foam (proof)…..

Water, yeast and honey in a large glass mixing bowl cookingwithcurls.com

Um well, it bubbled but it did not foam….but we’ll keep going.

Add the oil, flour and salt to the bowl…..

Add the oil, flour and salt to the yeast mixture cookingwithcurls.com

and mix for 4 – 5 minutes, until fully incorporated…..

Mix dough until it forms a smooth ball cookingwithcurls.com

Hmmm, I underestimated the dryness of the desert. I added an additional tablespoon of water, but that is still too dry.

Place dough in an oiled bowl and flip it over so the oil is on top…..

Place dough ball in an oiled bowl cookingwithcurls.com

Cover dough and allow to rise for 1 and a 1/2 hours, or until doubled in a draft free location……

Allow dough to rise until doubled cookingwithcurls.com

Okay, so the yeast is still active…just lazy! 😉

Punch down the dough and divide into 4-pieces for individual pizzas or into 2-pieces for medium pizzas.

Ideally the dough should be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow the gluten to relax…..

Italian Pizza Dough divide cookingwithcurls.com

but if you are in the hurry,  you can go ahead and use the dough immediately, like I did today…..

pizza dough spread out over parchment paper on a pizza peel

to take new pictures for a very old Chicken Enchilada Pizza post…..

It's time to spice up pizza night with this amazing and simple Chicken Enchilada Pizza! cookingwithcurls.com

Voilà

How to make Homemade Pizza Dough with a Bread Machine:

Pour the water, honey, and oil into bucket/pan of dough machine…..

Homemade Pizza Dough liquid cookingwithcurls.com

Add the salt and flour. Make an indentation in the center of the flour, and add the yeast….

Homemade Pizza Dough yeast cookingwithcurls.com

This image is from the day I made a Chicken Tostada Pizza…ignore the cornmeal. 😉

Place bucket/pan into dough machine and close lid. Turn on the machine, and select the “dough” setting.

When the machine beeps, look thru the window and see how high the dough has risen. Do Not Open the lid, that will allow all of the heat to escape!

If the dough is not more than halfway to the top, unplug the machine and allow dough to rise for an additional 30 – 60 minutes…..

Homemade Pizza Dough rise cookingwithcurls.com

Remove the dough from the machine and roll into a ball. This will release the air bubbles…..

Traditional Italian Pizza Dough made from scratch for the perfect light and airy pizza | cookingwithcurls.com

Cut the dough into 4-pieces for individual pizzas or into 2-pieces for medium pizzas…..

Italian Pizza Dough divide cookingwithcurls.com

Set dough on a floured surface and allow to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the dough to relax and roll out more easily. Roll dough to 1/4″ thickness in desired shapes…..

image of pizza dough ussed to make butternut squash pizza

Place dough onto a cornmeal or parchment paper covered pizza peel or flat baking sheet and top as desired…..

Homemade Pizza Dough peel cookingwithcurls.com

The cornmeal keeps the dough from sticking if you are using a baking stone.

Now you are ready to make lots of pizzas!!

Notes:

  • The salt is added last so it does not kill the yeast!
  • I use hot water because it is getting poured into a cold pan or bowl, which drops the temperature down quite a bit. You are looking for 110 – 115 degrees when you add the yeast.
  • Parchment paper is cleaner than using cornmeal, but it is a personal choice. You cannot use parchment paper if you plan to use a grill pizza oven, it will burn and stick!!

My favorite Pizza recipes:

I also have a recipe for an authentic Italian Pizza Dough using “00” flour that is made by hand, no machines necessary. 😉

Tools used to create this recipe: contains affiliate links

  • Bread Machine – the one used in this post died. 🙁 They no longer make it so I bought this one as a replacement
  • Stand Mixer – I love it!! I also bought the Glass Bowl so you could see what I was doing. 😉

So there you have it. My favorite Homemade Pizza Dough prepared two different ways. I still prefer making it in my bread machine, but at least now I know I have another option.

Enjoy!!

Homemade Pizza Dough made super easy with a bread machine or stand mixer | cookingwithcurls.com

Homemade Pizza Dough

Homemade Pizza Dough is easier to make than you think, and I have step-by-step directions to help make the perfect pizza crust!
5 from 4 votes
Print Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: recipe, pizza, dough, crust, homemade, machine, mixer, scratch
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 399kcal
Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water (110 to 115 degrees)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional - substitute 2 teaspoons sugar)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil (plus 1 Tablespoon for the bowl)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough in a Stand Mixer

  • Place the warm water and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, stir, and allow to sit for 5 – 10 minutes to allow the yeast to foam (proof).
  • Add the oil, flour and salt to the bowl and mix for 4 – 5 minutes, until fully incorporated.
  • Place dough in an oiled bowl and flip it over so the oil is on top. Cover dough and allow to rise for 1 and a 1/2 hours, or until doubled in a draft free location.
  • Punch down the dough and divide into 4-pieces for individual pizzas or into 2-pieces for medium pizzas.
  • Ideally the dough should be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow the gluten to relax, but if you are in the hurry, you can go ahead and use the dough immediately.

How to make Homemade Pizza Dough in a Bread Machine

  • Pour the water, honey, and oil into bucket/pan of dough machine.
  • Add the salt and flour. Make an indentation in the center of the flour, and add the yeast.
  • Place bucket/pan into dough machine and close lid. Turn on the machine, and select the “dough” setting.
  • When the machine beeps, look thru the window and see how high the dough has risen. Do Not Open the lid, that will allow all of the heat to escape! If the dough is not more than halfway to the top, unplug the machine and allow dough to rise for an additional 30 – 60 minutes.
  • Remove the dough from the machine and roll into a ball. This will release the air bubbles.
  • Cut the dough into 4-pieces for individual pizzas or into 2-pieces for medium pizzas.
  • Set dough on a floured surface and allow to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the dough to relax and roll out more easily. Roll dough to 1/4″ thickness in desired shapes.
  • Place dough onto a cornmeal or parchment paper covered pizza peel or flat baking sheet and top as desired.

Notes

  • The salt is added last so it does not kill the yeast!
  • I use hot water because it is getting poured into a cold pan or bowl, which drops the temperature down quite a bit. You are looking for 110 – 115 degrees when you add the yeast.
  • Parchment paper is cleaner than using cornmeal, but it is a personal choice. You cannot use parchment paper if you plan to use a grill pizza oven, it will burn and stick!!

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 589mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 4.5mg

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11 Comments

  1. We love homemade pizza – and making any kind of yeast dough can be intimidating the first time 🙂 Glad you broke it down for people without a bread machine!

  2. I totally need to do more homemade pizza. With my picky 5 year old, doing homemade pizza more often just makes so much more sense. A good crust is essential!! Thanks so much Lisa! ~Erin

  3. Wow Lisa…I had no idea it was that easy to make pizza dough! Thanks for sharing directions without the bread maker as well.

  4. G’day Lisa! Want to GUESS what am craving now? 🙂
    Thanks for sharing at the Foodie Friends Friday Best of 2013 Party!
    Cheers! Joanne

  5. Hi! Looks awesome! I was wondering, if you don’t use all the dough in one day, can you store it? How and for how long? Can it be frozen, unbaked?
    Thanks!
    Chris

  6. 5 stars
    Hey Girlfriend!
    I just wanted to let you know this is my go-to recipe for pizza dough. It’s the BEST recipe and method I’ve EVER used, and it’s the ONLY one I will ever use now. And believe me, I’ve tried probably 40 dough recipes/methods over the years. I’m making a Friday night pizza as we speak. 🙂
    xoxo
    Andi

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