Quick Pizza Dough Recipe
Take your pizza parties to a whole new level with this Quick Pizza Dough Recipe. Way better than store-bought plus it comes together in no time. With just six simple ingredients, this easy homemade dough bakes up beautifully and is guaranteed to impress your family and friends!
Try some of our Best Pizza Toppings too!
Chewy Pizza Dough Recipe
Mike and I were recently talking about our fav meals (cuz that’s what you do when you’ve been married forever and have an empty nest), and agreed that pizza is top of the list. Like tip top!
We still like to go out for pizza, as well as order in. But making it homemade is about as good as it gets. Sometimes we make it on our BGE (Big Green Egg), which is pretty fun as a family event. But we also love it in our cast iron skillets during colder months of the year.
Let’s get this pizza party started! 😀
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple ingredients – just 6 pantry staples you likely already have on hand
- Made with bread flour – gives the crust that perfect chewy, bakery-style texture
- Olive oil adds flavor – a little goes a long way for a rich, delicious crust
- Customizable – use it for pizza, calzones, flatbreads, and more
- Better than store-bought – fresh homemade dough makes all the difference
Ingredients needed for Quick Pizza Dough:
- Yeast – I use Red Star Active Dry Yeast.
- Sugar – Just a pinch helps to activate the yeast.
- Water – Water temp is important. Make sure it is warm, but not hot.
- Salt – Kosher salt for the win.
- Oil – Olive Oil is the perfect healthy fat for this dough.
- Flour – I highly recommend bread flour for a perfectly chewy texture.
Note: You can definitely make this recipe by hand instead of using a mixer. It will take a little bit more time and some arm strength, but it can be done.
How to make homemade pizza dough:
I highly recommend using a digital scale to measure your ingredients — it’s a game changer! I’ve tested this dough both ways, and measuring by weight gives you the most consistent, reliable results every single time.
Step 1
Activate the yeast. Using a large standing mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water (between 105-110 degrees F). Take a spatula, and stir it around a couple of times. Then let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so that the yeast activates. You should see a bubbly mixture when it’s ready.
Step 2
Add olive oil. Then add the olive oil to the mixer and stir again.
Step 3
Add flour to desired consistency. Start by adding about three cups of bread flour and the kosher salt to the mixer. Let the mixer run, and occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Gradually add more flour until you get a nice dough consistency. It should be slightly sticky, but easy to handle.
Step 4
Let the dough rise. Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Remove the dough from the mixer, and form it into a ball. Then place it in the bowl smooth side up, and cover it with a clean dishtowel. Place the bowl in a warm corner of your kitchen and let rise until approximately doubled in size. The rise may be different each time, and will vary depending on where you live.
Want to make this dough ahead of time? No problem! Simply drizzle a little oil over the top, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and pop it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. When the time comes, just let it come to room temperature before rolling it out – easy as that!
Step 5
Use dough for pizza crusts. Once the dough rises, it’s time to form it into desired shapes. This recipe should make about three medium-sized pizzas.
Step 6
Prepare for baking. Add the dough to your prepared pans or pizza stones by stretching it out with your hands or rolling it out with a rolling pin. Add desired pizza toppings to the dough.
NOTE: I typically add my toppings before baking, but if you love an extra crispy crust, try par-baking it first. Just bake the dough for a few minutes before adding your toppings and finishing it off in the oven.
Step 7
Bake. Bake pizza(s) in a preheated 500-degree oven (or a grill) until done (time varies according to the method). The bottoms should be slightly browned, and the tops a nice golden brown.
Favorite Pizza Toppings:
Here are some of our favorite pizza toppings!
- White Sauce Pizza Recipe – The sauce is smooth and velvety and I hope you try it!
- BBQ Chicken Bacon Pizza – So many delicious flavors together.
- Skillet Pesto Tomato Pizza – Our favorite meatless pizza. The pesto is KEY!
- Taco Pizza Recipe – The pizza we ate when we were dating eons ago. So good!
- Homemade French Bread Pizza – Making your own French bread is key, and it freezes well.
- Supreme Pizza Recipe – Fully loaded and customizable.
- Three Cheese Pizza – You can never have too much cheese. Right?
Homemade Pizza Sauce Ideas:
While you can use store-bought sauces, we like making our own. Here are a few of our favorites!
- Homemade Pizza Sauce – A quick 15 minute pizza sauce is definitely worth it. You can store it in the refrigerator for a week or two and it freezes well too. You choose if you want to add it to your pizzas chunky-style or smooth!
- Homemade Basil Pesto Sauce – We’re lucky to have several basil plants in pots throughout our long Texas summers, so I make big batches of pesto regularly and freeze it in small containers. It works beautifully and means we always have homemade pesto on hand whenever the pizza craving strikes.
- White Sauce Pizza Recipe – This white sauce can be made in minutes and is absolutely delicious for pizza.
Recipe FAQs:
Bread flour is the top choice for homemade pizza dough because the higher protein content gives you a chewier, more structured crust. All-purpose flour works in a pinch, but bread flour is worth it.
This is important – the water should be warm but not hot, around 100-110°F. Too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and the yeast won’t activate. If it feels comfortable on your wrist, you’re in good shape.
After combining the yeast, sugar, and warm water, let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. It should become foamy and bubbly – that’s how you know it’s active and ready to go. If nothing happens, your yeast may be old and it’s time to grab a fresh packet.
Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 30-60 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. If your kitchen is cool, try placing it in a slightly warm oven with just the light on.
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for several hours or up to a day. Just bring it to room temperature before rolling it out.
Yes! This dough is incredibly versatile – use it for calzones, stromboli, or even homemade breadsticks.
Why Climate and Temperatures Matter:
- Warm Kitchen. A warm environment is ideal for rising dough. Yeast thrives in warmth, so your dough will rise faster and more actively. The sweet spot is around 75-80°F. In the summer or in a warm kitchen, your dough could be ready in as little as 30 minutes.
- Cold Kitchen. A cool kitchen slows the yeast down, which means a longer rise time. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – a slow, cold rise actually develops more flavor in the dough! If your kitchen is cool, just give it more time or find a warmer spot.
- Humidity. High humidity can make your dough stickier and may require a little extra flour. Dry climates can have the opposite effect, making the dough a bit stiffer. This is why recipes often say “add flour as needed” – because no two kitchens are exactly alike.
Happy pizza making! 🙂
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
- Bosch Universal Mixer– The mixer I’ve used for years, and perfect for bread making.
- Glass Mixing Bowl – Used to let the dough rise.
- Cast Iron Skillet – I use a variety of sizes for pizza. This one is pretty large.
I also use Red Star Active Dry Yeast. (This is a very large amount. I keep a bunch in the freezer, and it lasts a long time.) We have perfect bread-making weather here in Texas, and my bread always rises pretty quickly. You may need a Quick Rise Yeast, depending on where you live.
xoxo ~Sue
Quick Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon yeast (9 grams) – I use Red Star
- 2 teaspoons sugar (8 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (354 grams) – warmed to between 105-110 degrees F
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (7 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (28 grams)
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour (455 grams)
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. Using a large standing mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water (between 105-110 degrees F). Take a spatula, and stir it around a couple of times. Then let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so that the yeast activates. You should see a bubbly mixture when it’s ready.1 Tablespoon yeast (9 grams), 2 teaspoons sugar (8 grams), 1 1/2 cups warm water (354 grams)
- Add olive oil. Then add the olive oil to the mixer and stir again.2 Tablespoons olive oil (28 grams)
- Add flour to desired consistency. Start by adding about three cups of bread flour and the kosher salt to the mixer. Let the mixer run, and occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Gradually add more flour until you get a nice dough consistency. It should be slightly sticky, but easy to handle.3 1/2 cups bread flour (455 grams), 1 teaspoon kosher salt (7 grams)
- Let the dough rise. Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Remove the dough from the mixer, and form it into a ball. Then place it in the bowl smooth side up, and cover it with a clean dishtowel. Place the bowl in a warm corner of your kitchen and let rise until approximately doubled in size. The rise may be different each time, and will vary depending on where you live.
- Use dough for pizza crusts. Once the dough rises, it’s time to form it into desired shapes. This recipe should make about three medium-sized pizzas.
- Prepare for baking. Add the dough to your prepared pans or pizza stones by stretching it out with your hands or rolling it out with a rolling pin. Add desired pizza toppings to the dough.
- Bake. Bake pizza(s) in a preheated 500-degree oven (or a grill) until done (time varies according to the method). The bottoms should be slightly browned, and the tops a nice golden brown.
Video
Notes
- I highly recommend using a digital scale to measure your ingredients — it’s a game changer! I’ve tested this dough both ways, and measuring by weight gives you the most consistent, reliable results every single time.
- Want to make this dough ahead of time? No problem! Simply drizzle a little oil over the top, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and pop it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. When the time comes, just let it come to room temperature before rolling it out – easy as that!
- I typically add my toppings before baking, but if you love an extra crispy crust, try par-baking it first. Just bake the dough for a few minutes before adding your toppings and finishing it off in the oven.
Sounds like a great recipe but as a single person, I don’t need that much dough, for 3 pizzas, or I need more friends! How can I cut down on the amount of dough the recipe makes?
You can make 1/3 of the recipe to make one pizza.
Can I use 00 flour
Yes, you can use 00 flour.
This is sooo good! Thanks so much for this recipe. I make pizza about once a week and this was a new crust for us to use. My whole family commented on how they loved the texture and it was simple to make with your directions.
So glad to hear, Lisa!
Hello! Does anyone know if you can freeze the pizza dough balls before baking them?
I have frozen pizza dough with luck, Jessa. However, I think it turns out better if you make the dough a day or so in advance and just store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. It will need a little time to come to room temp after removing from the fridge. Good luck!
If I want to divide & freeze, do I do so after mixing, before proofing or after? Then what do I have to do after thawing overnight in the refrigerator?
Divide the dough after mixing (before proofing). Then freeze. Thaw dough and then let rise. You can also refrigerate dough for a day as well.
Just submitted a comment and realized I forgot about the cast iron skillet. Great surface for baking homemade pizza!
Yes indeed!
Anxious to make this! Should I use Active Dry yeast, or Rapid Rise instant?
Yes, just skip the part where you let the yeast activate. Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Great chewy texture with a crunchy edge – the best kind of crust! The baking surface matters so be sure to use a stone or a pizza steel. I love the taco pizza recipe included on this site! Have a pizza party with a variety of toppings!
The perfect pizza dough every single time!
Can this be made in a bread maker?
I can’t say if it does as I haven’t tried using a bread maker.
Very Good! Also used dough to make cinnamon bread sticks. YUM!
What a great idea! Thanks for your feedback, Robin! 🙂
I’ve had great success with this recipe. I’m also toying with sourdough. I have a lot of discard, and was hoping to use it here, but not recreate the wheel. Could you please suggest how I could use it in your recipe?
I am just now getting into sourdough myself, so I don’t think I can give you great advice on it yet. Stop back in a month or so! 🙂 Good luck Kim.
So easy to make & not to mention SUPER YUMMY!!!
Yay! I think I know what ya’ll are having for dinner tonight!! 🙂
Can I make this pizza crust by hand
Yes, you can make this crust by hand. I’ve never done it, but with some patience and some arm strength, you can kneed it by hand. Just make sure you add the flour slowly. Good luck!
Nothing beat fresh homemade pizza dough! This looks great!
Thanks Boyd! I just made it again yesterday. 🙂
This is awesome and EASY pizza dough. I’ve done a lot of research on pizza doughs for our family wood fired pizza night and this one is perfect. I can start the dough at the same time that I fire up my Kamado grill – no overnight prepping and the crust turns out just right every time. I’ll use this simple recipe every time!
Thanks Dave! Glad everyone enjoyed it. We love how easy it is too! 🙂
Yummm! My family inhaled the pizza! I agree with Mike – the cast-iron skillet is the way to go!
I have a bunch of cast iron over here if you ever need to borrow! I’m so glad you had a successful pizza night, Cathy! 🙂
This is an awesome recipe and it’s only 6 ingredients! If you can find a cast iron skillet, it will take the taste and enjoyment to another level. Good luck!