Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

Name: Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup warm water ((105 degrees F)); 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast; 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 2 to 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour*; 1 tsp fine sea salt

By Laura Sandford

Updated Jun 05, 2025

4.99 from 1239 votes

1,882 Comments

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This is the best pizza dough recipe ever. It’s easy to make with 5 ingredients and doesn’t need to rise – which means you can have a fresh hot homemade pizza on the table in 30 minutes. Follow my step-by-step photos and video to learn how to make pizza dough at home!

a ball of homemade pizza dough dusted with flour on a gray floured surface with olive oil and a striped towel nearby

I got my very first job when I was 14, answering phones at our favorite local pizza place in the suburbs of Chicago.

Working there caused me to have incredibly high pizza standards. I grew up and moved away from Chicago to a state that does not have great pizza, so we always make homemade pizza.

We make this easy pizza dough recipe (paired with this homemade pizza sauce) at least once a week. Truly great pizza requires an outstanding crust. And that is what you get with this pizza dough recipe.

This recipe is easy to make because the dough doesn’t have to rise, although rising is an option. Which means you can have fresh, hot, homemade pizza on the table in 30 minutes flat!

baked pizza made with homemade pizza dough cut into triangles, garnished with basil. A hand is taking a piece of pizza from the pizza

Homemade Pizza Dough: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this pizza dough recipe in bowls, flour, yeast, sugar, olive oil, water and salt

All-purpose flour. You can use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose baking flour to make this pizza dough gluten-free. If you’re looking for a whole wheat pizza dough recipe, this one is the best.
Sugar. honey works very well in place of sugar.
Olive oil. Any neutral tasting oil works perfectly in this recipe, I suggest olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil.
Toppings: The unanimous pizza topping of choice for my family is pepperoni or cheese. We also love sausage pizza, BBQ chicken, etc. You can top your dough with anything you like!

Note: The crust is vegan, so you can make delicious dairy-free/vegan pizzas using this recipe, and save yourself lots of money buying vegan options at the store.

a baked pizza with homemade pizza dough on a serving plate with tomato, basil and a striped towel nearby

How to Make Pizza Dough

Since we make this easy homemade pizza dough recipe weekly, I have many tips and tricks to ensure it turns out perfectly every time. So we’ll walk through every step so you can learn how to make pizza dough at home, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Note: you can mix this pizza dough by hand or use a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook.

Preheat a Pizza Stone or Baking Pan

If you have a pizza stone – I highly recommend using it to bake your homemade pizzas. You can also preheat a baking sheet.

We love baking our pizzas on a stone because it crisps the bottom perfectly. Put the pizza stone in the oven and let it preheat with the oven. For the best results, let the stone preheat at 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius) for at least 10 minutes before baking the pizza.

a pizza stone in an oven preheating to make pizza dough

Proof the Yeast

To make this pizza dough recipe, begin by proofing the yeast, which means mixing together water, sugar and yeast and letting it sit until it becomes foamy and bubbly (about 5 minutes). It’s important that you use warm, but not hot water. Ideally around 105 degrees F.

How to Make Pizza Dough - yeast, water and sugar in glass bowl on a gray surface with a blue spatula before mixing

How to Make Pizza Dough - yeast, water and sugar in glass bowl on a gray surface with a blue spatula after mixing

If the water is too warm it will kill the yeast and it won’t proof (become nice and foamy and activated). You can use a thermometer to measure the temperature, but it should be warm to the touch but not feel hot.

proofed yeast and water mixture in a glass bowl on a gray surface making pizza dough

Make Pizza Sauce

While the yeast is proofing, take 5 minutes and make this homemade sauce to use on your homemade pizza dough. It truly is the best.

Sauce being spread onto this pizza dough recipe

Make the Pizza Dough

Once the yeast is proofed, add the olive oil to the water and yeast mixture. The olive oil makes the dough tender, flavorful and moist.

How to Make Pizza Dough - olive oil being added to the proofed yeast mixture in a glass bowl on a gray surface before mixing

How to Make Pizza Dough - olive oil being mixed into the proofed yeast mixture in a glass bowl on a gray surface with a blue spatula

Then add 2 cups of flour and salt and stir to combine. It’s important to only add some of the flour to start with so the dough is easy to stir, and so you don’t accidentally add too much.

How to Make Pizza Dough - flour and salt added to the water and yeast mixture in a glass bowl on a gray surface with a blue spatula int he bowl

a ball of pizza dough in a glass bowl with a blue spatula on a gray surface

The dough will start to form a sticky ball, add more flour as needed until the dough is only very slightly tacky and smooth (it should not require more than an additional ½ cup flour at this point).

Also, during this step you can mix in some fresh or dried herbs for a special twist!

How to Make Pizza Dough flour added to the dough in a glass bowl with a blue spatula

pizza dough in a glass bowl on a gray surface

Knead the Dough

Once the dough is only slightly sticky, transfer it to a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes, or until a smooth ball forms. If necessary, add 1 Tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s smooth and not sticky.

hands kneading pizza dough on a gray floured surface with a bowl of flour nearby

I make this recipe by hand, but it can easily be made and kneaded in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. It’s so fast and simple that I prefer to save some dishes and not pull out my mixer for this one.

a ball of homemade pizza dough on a floured gray floured surface with olive oil and a striped towel nearby

Optional – Rise

If you have more than 30 minutes, you can let this dough rise for 10 minutes or up to it doubling in size (60 minutes). Simply cover it with a damp tea towel and let it sit at room temperature or in a slightly warm environment (like the oven with the light turned on).

pizza dough in a bowl on a gray surface with a white and red tea towel partially covering the bowl and dough

pizza dough in a bowl on a gray surface covered by a damp white and red tea towel

Like I’ve said repeatedly, this is not required for a delicious crust, but letting the pizza dough rise results in a softer, more tender, and thicker crust.

risen pizza dough in a glass bowl on a gray surface with a white and red tea towel in the top left corner

Roll Out the Pizza Dough

Once the dough is smooth and elastic, form it into your desired shape. We usually make a circular pizza because that is the shape of our pizza stone. However we have made them in fun shapes too, including a football for the Super Bowl and a heart for Valentine’s day.

a woman rolling out pizza dough with a wooden rolling pin on a floured gray surface

Then, roll out the pizza dough on a well-floured surface until it’s about ½” thick.

Next, transfer the rolled-out dough to a piece of parchment paper before you begin adding pizza sauce and toppings. Putting the pizza dough on parchment paper makes it easy to transfer to a pan or stone.

hands rolling out pizza dough with a wooden rolling pin on a floured gray surface

Add Sauce & Toppings

Once the dough is rolled out and on a piece of parchment paper, slather on the sauce.

pizza sauce being spread on homemade pizza dough with a silver metal spoon. the dough is on brown parchment paper

Then, add your desired toppings. Check out my list of our favorite pizza recipes! Some include (but are not limited to): cheese pizza, BBQ chicken pizza and this pepperoni pizza recipe.

Add a layer of cheese before the toppings

I learned this trick working at pizza restaurant in Chicago. Starting with a very thin layer of cheese, then adding the toppings, then finishing with another (more generous) layer of cheese helps keep the toppings in place when the pizza is cut. Plus, more cheese is always a great idea.

a hand sprinkling cheese over the pizza sauce on homemade pizza dough. The dough is on parchment paper and there is a bowl of cheese and jar of sauce nearby, with a striped towel in the top left corner.

an assembled pizza using homemade pizza dough on parchment paper and there is a bowl of cheese and jar of sauce nearby, with a striped towel in the top left corner.

Bake

Once the pizza is assembled, transfer it to the preheated stone or baking sheet in the oven using a pizza peel. If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a flat baking sheet to transfer the pizza to the oven.

Bake the pizza on the preheated pizza stone or baking pan for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

unbaked pizza right in then oven on parchment paper on a pizza stone just after it has been put in the oven.

Tip: Watch the pizza carefully. The pizza goes from almost done to too brown fairly quickly. So be careful!

a baked pizza on a pizza peel on a gray surface with a wire cooling rack in the bottom right corner

Then, use the pizza peel to remove the pizza from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

a baked pizza on a wire cooling rack on a gray surface

Serve

We use these pizza scissors to cut our pizzas and it’s so easy!

I love serving homemade pizza with a huge salad (especially this burrata salad) when we have guests over for dinner.

You can also make the crust into small personal pizzas and let guests make their own pizzas with a variety of toppings, which is really fun.

pizza made with homemade pizza dough being cut with pizza scissors with tomatoes, basil and a striped towel nearby

To Make Ahead

You can make this pizza dough in advance. Mix it together and form a ball, then place it in a bowl and tightly cover it with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to use (up to overnight).

a cheese pizza made with this pizza dough recipe garnished with fresh basil and cut into 8 triangular slices. There is a striped towel, red pepper flakes, fresh basil and olive oil nearby.

How to Freeze Pizza Dough

You an freeze this homemade pizza dough in a few ways:

Form it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container or plastic bag.
Pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes without toppings. Let it cool, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze. To use, let it thaw, add toppings and bake according to the recipe.
Freeze a fully assembled pizza before baking. You can make your own frozen pizzas by making this pizza dough, topping it with sauce and toppings and flash-freezing it on a baking sheet. One it’s hardened, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake the frozen pizza at 425 Degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) for 15-20 minutes.

Pizza Dough Recipe FAQs

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, this homemade pizza dough recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

Can I let the dough rise?

Yes, for a thicker, fluffier dough let it rise for 15-30 minutes, or until doubled.

Can I make this dough the night before?

Yes, to make this dough the night before put it in a bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and a damp towel and store it in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze this pizza dough?

Yes, there are three ways to freeze this dough:
1. Form it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container.
2. Pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes without toppings. Let it cool, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze.
3. Freeze a fully assembled pizza before baking. You can make your own frozen pizzas by making this pizza dough, topping it with sauce and toppings and flash-freezing it on a baking sheet. One it’s hardened, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months.

What happens if bubbles form in my dough while it bakes?

If you notice pockets of air forming in the dough while it’s baking, simply prick them with a fork to let the gas out and continue baking.

What if I don’t have a pizza stone?

If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can preheat a pizza pan or baking pan in the same way that you preheat the stone.

a hand taking a triangular slice of pizza made with this Pizza Dough Recipe garnished with basil

If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!

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Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

Laura Sandford

This is the best pizza dough recipe ever. It's easy to makewith 5 ingredients and doesn't need to rise – which means you can have a freshhot homemade pizza on the table in 30 minutes.

4.99 from 1239 votes

Course bread, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings Pizza (12 servings)

Calories 67

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup warm water (105 degrees F)
▢ 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
▢ 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
▢ 2 to 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour*
▢ 1 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius). Put a pizza stone in the oven while it preheats, and let it warm at 500 degrees F for at least 10 minutes.*

Make the Pizza Dough

Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Let mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until it becomes frothy and bubbles form.
Gently stir in olive oil.
Add 2 cups of flour and salt and mix with a spatula until a ball begins to form (dough will still be slightly sticky). Add more flour as needed to form a dough ball.
Transfer to a floured surface and knead into a smooth dough, adding up to ½ cup extra flour if needed.
Optional. if desired, cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let it rise for 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Assemble the Pizza

Roll the dough into your desired shape and put it on a piece of parchment paper.
Add pizza sauce, cheese and toppings of choice.

Bake The Pizza

Use a pizza peel to transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone in the oven.
Bake on the preheated pizza stone for 11-14 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown.
Remove the pizza from the oven with the pizza peel and put it on a wire rack to cool for at 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

No Pizza Stone? No problem.

You can preheat the pizza pan or baking pan you will be cooking the pizza on in the oven instead of the stone. You will need to bake the pizza slightly longer without a stone.

Ingredient Substitutions

All-purpose flour. you can replace up to ½ cup flour with whole wheat flour. You can also use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose baking flour for a gluten-free pizza crust.
Sugar. honey is a great substitute for sugar.
Olive oil. Any neutral tasting oil works perfectly in this recipe, I suggest olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil.

Double or Triple this Recipe

This pizza dough recipe is easily doubled or tripled. Simply use 2x or 3x the ingredients and divide the dough equally in 2 or 3 portions.

You can also make the crust into small personal pizzas and let the kids put their own toppings on it, which is really fun.

Make Ahead (Prepare in Advance)

Freeze

Freeze the dough: Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container or plastic bag. To use, thaw completely, roll and proceed with the recipe.

Par-Bake Crust, then Freeze: Pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes without toppings. Let it cool, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze. To use, let it thaw, add toppings and bake according to the recipe.

Freeze Assembled Pizza: You can make your own frozen pizzas. Make this pizza dough, top it with sauce and toppings and flash-freeze it on a baking sheet. One it’s hardened, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake the frozen pizza at 425 Degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) for 15-20 minutes.