This recipe for the Best Pizza Dough is quick, easy, and delicious. This dough produces the most perfect canvas for amazing pizza!
There is a huge debate over who has the best pizza. New York? Chicago? Italy? Well, my friends, let me be the one to answer this puzzling question and say that it’s none of them! That’s right! With my Best Pizza Dough recipe, the world’s greatest pizza will come straight from your oven, and the best part is that it only requires 6 simple ingredients.
Combine water, honey, yeast, and salt in a stand mixer. Once these are all mixed begin to gradually add the flour. When the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl it only requires a quick knead for a few minutes. This gives it some love and helps keep the dough tender. Cover and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
Once the dough is ready, it’s time to get creative. Flatten out the dough to fit your baking pan and then go nuts with your sauce and toppings. PRO TIP: If it’s difficult to spread and flatten the dough into a pizza shape, let it rest for another 5 minutes or so. Your dough is ready when it is easy to work with.
We love having pizza nights at our house. It’s one of my favorite dinner activities to have with my family. Everyone gets to be their own chef and have whatever they want on their personal pizza. Pizza memories made in your very own kitchen is by far the best pizza in the world.
HOW MANY PIZZAS DOES THIS DOUGH MAKE?
This dough recipe creates 1 large pizza, OR 2 small pizzas, OR 4 personal size pizzas.
CAN I FREEZE THE DOUGH?
Yes! This dough freezes beautifully. Place it in a freezer-safe bag. Make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Freeze dough for up to two months. Let the dough thaw in the refrigerator for at least 10 to 12 hours, then let sit on the counter to bring it to room temperature before making a pizza. You want the dough to be soft, and workable.
CAN THIS BE MADE GLUTEN FREE?
Yes! Substitute gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
ENJOY THIS RECIPE? HERE ARE A FEW MORE TO GET THE FAMILY INVOLVED!
Mexican Pizza – Tortillas filled with ground beef, cheese, refried beans, and enchilada sauce.
Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs – Tender marinated pieces of chicken, pineapple, onions, and bell peppers.
Margherita Flatbread Pizza – Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, and garlic on flatbread.
Ham and Cheese Sliders – Tender ham, melty cheese, on a toasted slider bun.
The Best Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (100 degrees F.)
- 1 tablespoon honey (or granulated sugar)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, mix the warm water, honey, oil, yeast and salt.Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.The dough should be soft and smooth. You can add up to another 1/2 cup of flour, but no more than that.Knead the dough for 3 minutes in stand mixer.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes before shaping and flatten dough out onto a greased pizza pan or greased baking sheet.Top evenly with your favorite sauce and pizza toppings.
- Bake pizza at 450 degrees F. for 10 to 14 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly, and edges of crust are a nice golden-brown. Carefully remove from oven.Let pizza stand and cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
How does this recipe compare to the one you shared from the Pioneer Woman previously? I’m curious how it rates in comparison when it comes to easiness, taste.
I have tried several recipes and I never get a good result, especially if it’s a by-hand or mixer method. I don’t know why.
I was going to give the recipe you shared from Pioneer Woman a try soon, but now I am very curious with this new one your posted today.
What are your thoughts?
That is a great question!!! Honestly, Pioneer Woman’s pizza dough was one I used for awhile.. Until I found this one. The texture, flavor everything about this one is way better! I promise! Give it a try and please let me know what you think 🙂
I am giving this a try this weekend! I love that it’s so fast to make. Looks yummy!
You will LOVE it, Mand ♥
I’m so trying this! I never plan far enough ahead to let dough rise overnight, or even a couple of hours. And even if I did, I would still be eating dinner at 10pm.
Thanks for sharing.
Erika, that’s what I love about this dough! It comes together so quickly, and the flavor is SO good. Seriously, the best I’ve ever had.
I don’t have a stand mixer. Can this dough be made without it?
Yes it can! Just mix everything with a spatula, and then knead by hand an extra 5 minutes.
If you let it rise overnight there is no need to knead it. In Italy, time kneads the dough more than hands. Let time do the kneading. I make mine before bed and let it rise overnight. You can even let it rise in the fridge. Out of the fridge the dough may have a mild sourdough flavor to it which is delicious.
This looks so amazing, Holly! I love easy, basic recipes like this that you can switch up to suit your tastes. Love it!
Do you recommend a certain pizza pan or just a regular sheet pan?
Marie, that is a great question! I use a large 16-inch round pizza pan. I don’t know the name of the brand (it doesn’t say it on the pan either) but I bought it at Target. Hope this helps!
Thanks so much for this recipe! It was super easy and super tasty! I wonder if you could make the pizza up and freeze it before baking?
I make several crusts and parbake at450 for 6 minutes each, then freeze double wrapped. Just take a crust, top it and bake at 450 8-10 minutes or till cheese is bubbling and getting some color Wow, this is an old thread!
This looks delicious. Is the instant yeast the same as Rapid Rise?
Yes, Lee. Its a quick-rise yeast you can use in bread machines as well. No proofing needed that’s why I love it!
I have also used Pioneer Woman’s pizza crust too… but I am liking yours better. I just had a couple questions about it though. I use my stand mixer to do all of this, and when it’s done mixing, it’s SUPER sticky, like almost too hard to handle sticky. Is it suppose to be that way? Also, it’s a little tough… What am I doing wrong?
Bailie, Yes it should be a little sticky, but still easy to handle. When you say it’s tough, you might have over-floured it. It being too sticky might mean you under-floured it. Flour can be hard to measure sometimes.
HI Holly,
Can I ask a question about the pizza pan you are using. Does it have holes in the bottom of it or is it just a solid pan? Most of the ones I have found have had holes and I was curious what you use. Thanks!
Hi Tammie! The pan I use is just a solid pan, no holes. I believe I bought it at Target.
What speed do you mix the dough with? I’ve noticed that seems to make a difference.
I have a kitchen aid mixer, and it says when using the dough hook not to go above a level 2. so that’s the speed I use.
She’s not kidding. This really is the best. I’ve been searching far and wide for the best homemade pizza crust. For 5 years I’ve tried many “best” recipes. I am happy to report that this really is The Best. I am so excited! And so are my husband and 6 kiddos. I just don’t have enough thank you’s :)!
I was procrastinating on what to make for dinner tonight. Been busy with hubby who hurt his knee and can’t hardly walk, a cockapoo, Mitzie, whom we just found out has congestive heart failure and my 80 yo MIL who lives with us, recovering from pneumonia. Thus, it’s chicken noodle soup and “Dear, will you make me some tea , and hunny, can you bring me the ice pack?, and will you make me (fill in blank) Sigh. Sooooo I wanted pizza, delivered, and once I looked at the toppings and how I wanted it, the price was ridiculous, knowing I had all ingredients here, but just hadn’t thrown it in the bread machine to make the dough. So I went on my app of saved recipes and first up is yours. KNOWING how much we LOVE your corn dogs, I am headed to the kitchen now to make it! Lol. Will post an update. And thank you for saving my sanity!
You aren’t joking! I’ve also tried a zillion recipes, and while I’ve had a few favorites, this tops them all. I think making it with your margherita recipe is really beyond words though 🙂
This dough is the best, I’ve done it a million times, my family loves it
The best recipe i found , and it’s easy to make . Thank You !
Gave it a go tonight — three minutes of kneading and a fifteen minute rest (prepping my other ingredients!) made for a pretty great crust. I added red enchilada sauce, seasoned steak, sautéed bell peppers and onions, and a blend of mozzarella, queso blanco, and Colby for a delicious enchilada pizza! I baked the pizza in a round cast iron skillet…perfect. My dear one said the crust was very good and had a nice chew. He prefers pan/hand-tossed style crusts, so this dough made him a happy camper. Thank you for sharing!
Woudl this work for grilled pizza?
Yes I have done it before with great results!
Thank you for this recipe! This pizza dough is truly the best, and SO easy! I have tried many different dough recipes and have finally found a keeper! Now, I’m in search of the best pizza sauce!:)
I just made this pizza, wowww this is the best pizza dough ever!!I tried 4 different recipes beforeand this one is the keeper,thank you! ! 🙂
Made this tonight and it is perfection! The crust has just the right amount of chewiness and the flavor is authentic pizzeria quality! I used 1 pouch of yeast which is just shy of a tablespoon and it still came perfect. I also cooked it on a pizza stone in case others are wondering if it works – it does! I’m Italian and this will be my new go-to crust, replacing a family recipe . Thanks for sharing!
I want to make the pizza dough for dinner, but only have active dry yeast. Can I still do it or do I need to let it rise longer?
Yes, you can use regular active dry yeast. I would just add that yeast and water to the bowl first and let it proof. (Foam up) then continue to follow the directions as normal. 🙂
Question… I am not allowed honey. Can I substitute it with something else or will that change what makes it great?
You could replace the honey with the same amount of granulated sugar. 🙂
This is an amazing pizza dough! I’ve tried and failed many times but this one was so easy and the taste is fantastic! Thanks Holly
I am SO happy you love it!! Isn’t this dough just the best? We can’t get enough 🙂
Hi there! I’ve made this once before and seriously the best ever! But I am having a pizza dinner in 2 days and wanted to know if I can freeze it after the 10 minute rise? I really want to use this recipe!!
Could this pizza dough recipe be used foe Stromboli and calzones? Do you have a suggested baking time and/or other instructions or tips?
I made pizza for my family for New Years Eve using this recipe. This is hands-down THE BEST dough I have ever tasted!!!!! My husband said it’s better than the pizzeria!
Omg!!! This recipe is absolutely amazing!!! I’ve tried so many pizza crust recipes and they always turn out too doughy or too hard, this one is perfect. I made it hoping for the best, let it sit in the oven for about 25 mins and the crust came out a perfect golden brown, crisp on the outside soft on the inside. I used granulated sugar instead of honey and don’t have vegetable oil just olive and used that instead and it turned out perfect. I’m so happy about how it turned out I made another batch of dough as soon as my boyfriend and I finished the pizza, just in case I want to use it later in the week lol. Thank you so much for this recipe, its sooooo simple and easy! Also I don’t have a bread mixing machine so I was just kneading the dough for about 5 mins and it turned out amazing. Thank you once again!
I can’t to try this. Can you make ahead and freeze the dough?
Can i freeze this dough and used it some other day
Yes, you can definitely freeze this dough. Just thaw in fridge before using 🙂
So not really a compliant because it did work out, but I think I must’ve messed something up. My dough turned out fine, but stayed really sticky and was hard to work with. (Note I did kneed by hand.) Can you think of what might have gone wrong?
If it was really sticky I would’ve just added little bit more flour. Try that next time! It’s really a great pizza dough. Our favorite!
Great pizza crust recipe. Very easy to make. Thanks for sharing.
This pizza dough was very easy to make and work with. I love that it takes so little time and turns out so well! Thanks for a great recipe!
I find that the dough does not seem to get cooked in the middle. Does anybody else have this problem? Otherwise I love making the dough and it is a beautiful dough and lovely to the taste. Just can’t seem to get it cooked through.
Hmmm. not sure why it wouldnt cook in the middle. You could try turning the oven temp down a bit and cooking it for a longer period. We love this crust and I make it all the time!
I made this yesterday and it is divine! I had a go-to crust that was a little unpredictable and definitely better if you let it rise for like an hour. This was spot on and only took 15 minutes. Thank you!
So glad it was a hit for you, Stacy!
This seriously an amazing pizza crust!! None of your recipes disappoint! My favorite blog! <3 thanks!!
Thank you so much, Alyssa!
Beautiful crust!! Very easy and so perfect. We like allot of toppings so I always pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes and then top it and bake it for another 10 min. to done…this pizza was wonderful!! Thank you for the amazing recipe!!
Im thinking of trying to convert this to a sweet dough by adding sugar and reducing flour, most of the sweet dough recipes Ive seen have milk added.. Loved this recipe for pizza though, so simple.
I made this last night and it was excellent! I used my food processor to make the dough using the blades….it worked fine using Pulse. Love that it’s so fast to make. Only tweak I would make is a little more salt, but that’s just me, not a criticism of the recipe 😉
I baked mine in my Cast Iron Pan which I find works really well as they get super hot and are probably very similar to Pizza Stones. I made a tomato sauce base, used what I had at hand which was Italian salami, Muenster Cheese, a drizzle of olive oil on top, then lots of fresh basil once out of the oven. It was delicious….thanks for sharing this Holly 🙂 I also put the other half of the dough in the freezer.
I am going to try this recipe s for me the crust is the tastiest part. I was taken by the bowl in your dough picture. I have that since 1963 and it is a casserole dish with a lid and it has sure served me well over all these years.
I have been making this same recipe for years.
Does anybody have a really good pizza dough recipe for Gluten Free flours?
Hi, this sounds great!
Could I make it with whole wheat flour instead?
Thanks!
Hi Michelle,
I’ve never tried it with wheat flour but I’m sure it would be great!
At what stage can I freeze the dough?
Can you bake this on a pizza stone?
Yes Kelsey! definitely
OMG,this is the best pizza dough. It was so easy by stand mixer. I did use a bread machine to make the dough… Love this receipe. I will not use any other recipe. Thank you.
Thanks Tracy!
Made this MAny times, it is our favorite and FOOLProof
i have made this dough twice and for the life of me, cannot get it to cook all the way through. i end up having to bake it longer than the instructions. also i have discovered that it’s best to pre-bake first before making a pizza with it. i discovered that the hard way.
Kelly, I have honestly never had that issue. I am so sorry it’s been happening to you. All ovens are calibrated differently so it’s hard to say exactly what the problem is. I never pre-bake mine. But if that’s what has worked for you I am so happy. Again, I am so sorry about the problem you have had with this dough.
Can I use bread flour instead? Why do you use honey? I am planning on making pizza for dinner over this up-coming weekend but haven’t found a great dough and this one looks like it would be perfect. Thanks for posting it.
Yes I believe you can use bread flour. And the honey gives the dough a very light sweetness to it. It’s delicious!
Im planning to MAKE this tonight. Tgere are several comments about freezing the dough, but havent seen any about refridgeratinG it fOr a couple hours before baking. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
Yes, you can refrigerate it for at least 24 to 48 hours before using. Just make sure it is tightly wrapped to prevent from drying out. 🙂
Dough was super easy & quick to make! I think the cooking temp might be off, I thought that 475 was high so i put ours in for 450 and at the 7 minute mark the bottom is so scorched and the top is raw? 🙁
Pizza is typically cooked at a really high temperature. 475 degrees is what I have always used. I am so sorry it burnt the bottom of yours. Is your pizza pan dark? That could be a reason why. And all ovens heat differently so maybe if you want to give it a try again, cook it at 400 to 425 for just a longer amount of time to see if that helps. Again, I am so sorry it burnt your bottom crust.
DONT you have to raise the dough first ?
No, not with pizza dough
I can’t even tell you how many times we’ve made this dough… we love it! We’ve used it for normal pizza, calzones, and dessert pizza, all with great results. thanks so much!!!
I’m so happy you love it too! I love the idea of dessert pizza with this dough. I need to try that! 🙂
I made the pizza dough tonight, it’s really the best I have ever made/tasted. Thank you so much for sharing.
First time doing pizza and it turn out so good. Than you!!!
Can I adapt this recipe to a bread machine on a “Dough only” setting?
I made the Dough today and it was amazing. I used reguLar dry yeast so I I let it rest about 30-40 minutes. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
hi Holly,
im priming myself to get ready to make my first dough ever:). so hard to choose on pinterest!
2 questions, only have active dry yeast on hand and bought a huge bag of bread flour. can i use that or should I use all purpose for this one ? thanks 🙂
Hi Sue! Yes you can use the active dry yeast and I have never used bread flour with this dough, only all-purpose, but I’m sure the bread flour would work just fine. 🙂 Let me know if you try it!
hi Holly. me again, Shoot, im making this now, and am using the active yeast but you didnt mention adding sugar?. this is my second crack at the yeast foaming and its not happening. hmm. I just bought it and already made bread and foamed great? any tips ?
should i add apinch of sugar with the warm water and yeast tnx so much
hi Holly. me again, Shoot, im making this now, and am using the active yeast but you didnt mention adding sugar?. this is my second crack at the yeast foaming and its not happening. hmm. I just bought it and already made bread and foamed great? any tips ?
should i add apinch of sugar with the warm water and yeast tnx so much
THIS is Truely the BEST PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE! I HAVE MADE IT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. ITS SIMPLE AND MY FAMILY REALLY LIKES IT! THANK YOU!!
Thank you, Amy! So great to hear you loved it!
Can i use EVoo instead of veg oil?
Yes you can, Jo!
Can you double the recipe?
Yes, definitely! 🙂
Best dough recipe yet!!! I won’t be buying it anymore at whole foods! I found i needed a little more flour and it was perfect!!! My pizza came out so light and crispy… excellent recipe!!!
Diane, I am SO happy it was such a success for you too! I am actually going to make it tonight for some homemade calzones for us 🙂
I WANT TO KNOW IF I CAN BAKE THIS ON A SHEET PAN ? I DON’T HAVE A PIZZA PAN.
Yes, JC. You can bake this dough on a sheet pan!
Tried this last week and loved it! Wondering if I can double it though or if I need to make two SEPARATE batches?
I chOse this recipe because Of how easy it seemed and i had all the basic ingredients. I Truly cannot believe how good it turned out. Let me tell you what i had to work with thO and it still came out delish: I used my new convection oven that ACCOMMODATES a med pizza tray. However it only bakes up to 450 degrees. So i just baked for 2 minutes longer each time it was in there. I am by no means a Pizza making expert but this was too easy and tasTy. The crust was more Like a deep dish which is fine by me not really intO thIn crust and it had that wonderful Quality of crunchiness When you bite into it but then like soft warm bread throughout. It was so fast to Prepare and i will be making more pIzza from now On. Stroke Of genius with the hOney! Love it and thank you so much!
I Have neVer made pizza before today. This recipe is so good And was eaSy to make. My pizza turned out great and Is delicious. Thank you for your recipe. I am going to try more of your dishes.
Can this be used to make a thin crust pizza?
Definitely! You will just need to roll the dough out thinner.
i found ur recipe and switched from my yogurt recipe. i abosolutely love it. but my question is why the change u made to prebake the crust? i believe i did this the first time i made it but have not done it since. i have made thin crust, thick crust, bread knots and they all have turned out great even with alot of toppings on them. i do bake my pizza on a pizza stone so not sure that it may make a difference also.
It’s just a personal preference to pre-bake the crust. You can always top it with the toppings and then bake it as I originally had the recipe posted.
Then best pizza recipe i ever know
My go to recipe from this day forward! Although, I do let the the yeast bloom with an addition of honey to the water and yeast for about 10 min. To the Four I add about a teaspoon of dried basil and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Also, I split the salt to 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt. I love the simplicity of this recipe, the great texture, and how well it holds up to any types of toppings. I love it!!!
What else can you make with this dough. Seems very easy and im making itntonight, will let you know how it turned out. Thank you
Amazing recipe!! Definitely a keeper!!
Every time i make this my outer crust gets so dark. Should i cover it with foIl? It gets way too brown after the first 10-minute prebake, so by the time i bake it with the ingredients it almost looks burned. How do you get it golden Brown cooking it at that high temp?
HI Jill! Sorry that is happening. I would just reduce the first prebake time by 5 minutes. Just prebake for 5 minutes then continue as normal. You can also reduce the temperature to 425 degrees F. A lot of ovens heat differently so this problem can be common.
The best For sure love this my daughter made this and we can’t get enough soo definitely will do this again❤
Is there a DIFFERENCE between instant yeast & active dry yeast( as this what I have in my cupBoard) thanks
Yes there’s a difference. You do not need to proof instant yeast (where you let the yeast and water soak together until it bubbles.) active dry yeast you do need to proof first. Hope this helps! 🙂
Do Let it proof with the yeast & water alone or do I also add the honey? & how long do I let it proof for? Thanks again
Proof just the yeast and water together. Let them stand together until bubbly and foamy, then it’s proofed. It should only take about 10 minutes or less. (If it doesn’t bubble/foam then the yeast is bad and won’t work.)
Then continue with the rest of the recipe as normal. 🙂
Ive never made pizza DOugh before, or used the dough hook on my stand mixer. Is it posSible to double the recipe, or will it be too much for the mixer? Excited to try this recipe!
Yes Krista, you can double this recipe in a standard mixer. Hope you enjoy it!
THis was great! I dont have a bread hook on my mixer so I just did it on low adding ingredients slow. And I kneaded by hand 3 mins. Followed the other instructions. About as close as you can get to take out. Loved it!
This is a fabulous crust. Very easy to make and in minimal time. Love it!!
This is my go to. I also stuff the crust and use bread flour for the chew.
Made this pizza recipe tonight and it was delicious!
Made tonight, a real keeper easy easy real good.
Best pizza recipe ever! I’ve been using it for 3 years and I get perfect pizzas everytime!
ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL pizza dough recipe Holly. Never to return to any other recipe again!! I did need to add a biT more flour but the end resut is amazing.
I made Pizza MargHetria and it was FABULOUS.
Thanks for an amazing recipe, you rock!!
Please excuse the random capital letters in my post, your site keeps everything In upper case and then switches to all sorts of unusal things once posted. Very strange. Still floored by an amazing recipe. Thanks.
Holly, do you need to bake the dough before adding toppings, then bake again.
No. Make the dough as instructed then add the toppings then bake 🙂
Ive tried many dough recipes. Yours is THE best, easiest, no fail recipe I tried. I threw out all my other dough recipes!!!
Such a beautiful dough! Easy to make and bakes up amazing. Made barbecue chicken pizza and it was awesome! This will go in my pizza dough rotation for sure.
I didn’t pay attention to how fast it would be ready! Can i stick it in tbe fridge for an hour?
Yes! It will still rise in the fridge, but yes, you can store it in there for a few hours before using it. 🙂
By far the best pizza dough Ever! We use all the time in our ooni pizza oven. I always get compliments on the dough. Thanks for a great recipe!
Turned out PERFECT! Nice and fluffy! My family gave it a 10 out of 10
wow, I never leave reviews on recipes, however this pizza crust is fantastic!!
Fabulous pizza dough! Quick, easy and delicious.
Thank you for sharing. Will share with my friends and teach my grandson.
He is gonna love this one.
Its a great crust!!
I was leary to try…it sounded too easy. But wow, it was AMAZING! I made 2 batches. One for Pizza, one for garlic breadsticks. Both were a hit!
I was very worried there was no par baking and the dough would not be fully cooked under all our toppings,but it was the most delicious pizza crust I’ve ever had! Never buying pre-made dough again!
Can this dough be left overnight. Have to make a bunch and dont want to get up so early to make them. Rather make them at night for the next day.
Yes you can absolutely make this one day in advance. I do it all the time. The dough will rise and expand in the fridge as it sits, so be sure to store it in a large bowl, loosely covered, to allow it to expand. And make sure all the dough is covered too, so it doesn’t dry out or exposed to too much air.
When you’re ready to make the pizzas, I would let the dough sit out at room temperature for a bit so it’s easy to work with and shape. 🙂