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Homemade Pizza Dough

Byinaeatsin
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This homemade pizza dough is perfectly crisp on the outside and extra soft and chewy on the inside. After following this recipe, you’ll be amazed at your capabilities and will look forward to it every singe time!

I think homemade pizza dough is one of the easiest things that you can make as a family because you can get so creative with the toppings. It is incredibly easy to make different pizzas with different toppings to satisfy different taste preferences. Regardless of what you put on the pizza, the dough is the most important part and often the most intimidating.

This recipe goes in detail and breaks down each step of the process, I guarantee it will become your family favorite and you will be a pro in making homemade pizza dough in no time!

6 Ingredients are needed for this Homemade Pizza Dough

  • Flour
  • Yeast
  • Warm water
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Oil

Key Steps in Making Homemade Pizza Dough.

  1. Activating yeast. Use Luke warm water to activate the yeast mixed with sugar before adding yeast. Hot water will kill the yeast and cold water will not activate the yeast. The sugar in the water feeds the yeast to help it rise.
  2. Combining all ingredients. Whisk dry ingredients first. Add yeast and oil in the dry ingredients. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until dough is very soft but not sticky.
  3. Proof dough. See detailed proofing instructions below.
  4. Forming into desired shape. Start by deflating ball of dough by pressing in the center and stretching it with your hands. Do not use a rolling pin because it will make a tougher and more dense dough because you will get rid of a lot of air by rolling. Do not stretch dough too thin because toppings will weigh it down.
  5. Adding the toppings.
  6. Baking. Bake on a heated pizza stone at 475F for about 15 minutes. I like to leave pizza stone in preheated oven about 30 minutes before adding pizza. This will ensure an evenly baked pizza crust.

Proofing dough.

This is an important step in the homemade pizza dough making process. A dough that has had the time to rise will give you the best flavor and texture.

This can be done one of two ways: Proofing at room temperature for a quick rise or in the refrigerator for a slow rise. Some may argue that a slow rise at a colder temperature offers better flavor but believe me, if you use follow this recipe, a quick rise at room temperature will work just as well – if not better.

To proof the dough:

  1. Portion dough into desired sections prior to allowing it to rise. This will make it easier to stretch the dough when it is ready to be baked.
  2. Place each section of dough in it’s own space (bowl or section of a baking sheet. Brush with oil slightly to prevent form drying and cover. For a quick room temperature rise, cover with a clean kitchen towel. If proofing in the refrigerator overnight, cover completely with plastic wrap.
  3. The homemade pizza dough is ready once it has just about doubled in size. At room temperature that can take 45-90 minutes. In the refrigerator, allow 24 hours.
  4. After refrigerating, allow to come to room temperature before baking. This may take 1-2 hours, depending on your room temperature.

Do I have to refrigerate overnight?

No! This recipe is great even if you proof the dough at room temperature for about 45 mins to 1 hour.

Tips for Perfecting your Homemade Pizza Dough

  1. Use quality flour. My favorite flour for making pizza is most definitely 00 flour, all purpose flour, or bread flour.
  2. Let the dough proof. This is an essential part for giving your homemade pizza dough the best flavor and incredible texture.
  3. Stretch pizza dough instead of rolling it out with a pin. Rolling it out with a rolling pin with get rid of all air bubbles and result in a more dense texture rather than a soft, airy homemade pizza dough.
  4. Use a pizza stone. This is one of my favorite things that I own in my kitchen, hands down! A pizza store will bake the pizza evenly and give the homemade pizza crust a subtle but definitely there crisp around the edges. This will be the closest to making a brick oven pizza at home. To use a pizza stone, you will also need a pizza peel to make the process easier!
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Homemade Pizza Dough

A Homemade Pizza Dough recipe makes the best pizza, you'll never want another-This post includes instructions and best pizza dough secrets!
Course dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword homemade pizza dough
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rising Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅓ cups water Luke warm
  • 3 ⅓ cups 00 flour or all purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil

Instructions

  • Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  • In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment, whisk together flour and salt. If you don't have a stand mixer, add flour and salt in a large bowl and knead dough with your hands in the following step.
  • Add yeast mixture and oil to the flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes until it forms into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 5-6minutes. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft but not tacky*. Divide the dough into two round sections and form into two balls.
  • Lightly flour 2 medium bowls and place each ball of dough in its own bowl. Brush top of the dough with oil to prevent from drying out. Cover each bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature until it is double in size. This may take 45 minutes to 90 minutes depending on the room temperature an
  • Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 475°F. Allow pizza stone 20-25 minutes to heat up before placing pizzas on it.
  • When the dough is ready, transfer dough, one at a time, onto a floured pizza peel or you can dust it with cornmeal instead. Using lightly floured hands, press in the center of the dough then stretch and flatten the disc into a 8-10 inch disk, depending on the desired thickness. 
  • Add desired sauce and toppings to pizza. When ready, gently slide pizza onto a the hot pizza stone and bake for 12-15 minutes. Once the first pizza is ready, remove from pizza stone and make the second pizza, repeating the same steps.
  • Slice the pizza while still hot and serve immediately.

Notes

*To check if dough is kneaded enough, poke it with your finger. If it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to be set aside to rise. If not, keep kneading the dough.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it on Instagram.Make sure to tag #inaeatsin or mention @InaEatsIn

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