Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe for Beginners
This easy and delicious pizza dough recipe makes the perfect pizza every single time. Perfect for beginners and no special equipment needed.
Servings 2 pizza doughs
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cup warm water (water should be warm to touch, not hot and not room temp)
- 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (divided, not used all at once)
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 3.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 100 degrees F
- In a large bowl, add the water, yeast and sugar. Whisk together lightly
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes. During this time, yeast should bubble and start to create a brownish film on top of the water
- Remove plastic wrap and add 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and flour to bowl
- Using a wooden spoon, gently stir together until a dough and sticky and mostly combined (a little bit of loose flour is ok but try to incorporate most into dough)
- Sprinkle a bit of flour onto a workstation and add dough
- Set a timer for 5 minutes and gently knead dough for full 5 minutes. Dough should become less sticky and surface should smooth out once completed.
- Troubleshooting - if dough remains too sticky, slowly add 1 tbsp of flour at time and incorporate. Be careful of adding too much flour as this will dry out dough.
- Once dough is smooth and formed into one ball, it's ready to rise. Gently use remaining olive oil to lightly grease the same large bowl you mixed the dough in.
- Add dough to bowl and turn it gently a few times to coat all sides.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and place in preheated oven, immediately turn oven off and close the door
- Allow bread to rise for 60-70 minutes, until doubled in size
- Once doubled in size, remove from oven. Remove plastic wrap and gently punch dough to release any air.
- Gently divide dough in half to form two equal size pizza doughs.
- Your dough is now ready to use to create a pizza or you can freeze for later. To freeze, simple form dough into a ball and lightly coat inside of plastic bag with olive oil. Place dough inside, seal tightly and place in freezer. Once ready to use, simply defrost dough in fridge overnight before use.
- To use dough immediately, use rolling pin to roll out Into standard round pizza shape. Sprinkle baking sheet with cornmeal and place dough on top. Top with desired toppings and bake in oven at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes.