Simple Pizza Dough – learn to make it the easy way or the easier way! Homemade pizza dough is totally simple for you to do. Give it a try – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
This post may contain affiliate links.
Not long ago I read in a magazine that the vast majority of Americans have never made homemade pizza dough. This absolutely amazed me. In my mind, pizza dough is simple to make! I think the thought of it is much scarier than the actual doing.
The key to making really simple pizza dough is to use instant yeast. In fact, I use instant yeast for almost everything I bake (that calls for yeast, obviously, haha!).
I decided to share two ways of making homemade pizza dough – the easy way and the easier way. The easy way is in a bowl, using your muscles to do the mixing (you could be pretty wimpy and still pull this off, though).
The even easier way is using a food processor. This takes just a minute or two to do, but then you have to clean your food processor. I usually only bother with this when I’m making a few batches of dough at a time (which is a great option if you want to Stock Your Freezer on a Dime). This recipe makes thick, fluffy pizza dough, which I just LOVE. Laurier is more of a thin crust kinda guy. We alternate.
(PS – you might also find it helpful to check out our posts on Stocking Your Pantry on a Dime and Stocking your Fridge on a Dime)
Step-by-Step Instructions – Simple Pizza Dough – Two Ways: Easy and Easier
Ingredients for Simple Pizza Dough
The Easy Way – In a Bowl
In a large bowl, stir together 2.5 cups of flour, 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of instant yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the bottom of a measuring cup. I use olive oil, but you can use whatever you like. Fill the rest of the cup with warm water.
Tip: Not hot because you’ll kill the yeast, and not cold because your dough won’t rise.
Start with around a cup of warm water, but you may need more depending on a number of factors like humidity and your flour.
Pour it into your dry mixture and start stirring. If it becomes clear that you need more water (like mine above), fill your measuring cup again with warm water and start adding more, a little splash at a time.
Soon you’ll end up with a moist, shaggy mixture like this one. For me, that’s fine. Don’t overmix it. Cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes or so.
When it’s done rising you’ll need to sprinkle a little more flour over it and your hands in order to be able to handle it. You should be able to stretch it onto a pan now (using more flour as needed) or shape it into whatever shape you’d like, for whatever you’re making).
The Easier Way – In a Food Processor
In the bowl of your food processor, pour 2.5 cups of flour, 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of instant yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of baking powder. Pulse a few times to combine.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the bottom of a measuring cup. I use olive oil, but you can use whatever you like. Fill the rest of the cup with warm water.
Tip: Always use warm – not hot because you’ll kill the yeast, and not cold because it won’t rise.
Start with around a cup of warm water, but you may need more depending on a number of factors like humidity and your flour. With the food processor running, pour the oil/water mixture in a stream through the feed tube at the top.
After a few seconds, the dough will start to clump together. You may need more water. When it looks like this you’re done. Don’t overmix it.
Put it in a bowl (some people like to grease this bowl but it’s up to you) and cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes or so.
When it’s done rising you’ll need to sprinkle a little more flour over it and your hands in order to be able to handle it. You should be able to stretch it onto a pan now (using more flour as needed) or shape it into whatever shape you’d like, for whatever you’re making).
And you’re done! With less than five minutes of actual work, you have homemade pizza dough to use in your favourite pizza recipe!
Enjoy! 🙂
You might also like these pizza recipes:
Simple Pizza Dough - Two ways: Easy and Easier!
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups flour
- 2 and 1/4 tsp INSTANT yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp oil I use olive oil
- 1 cup WARM water + more if needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor, mix together flour, instant yeast, salt, sugar and baking powder. Stir or pulse to combine.
- Pour oil into the bottom of a measuring cup. Fill the rest of the cup with WARM water. Start with around a cup of warm water, but you may need more depending on a number of factors like humidity and your flour. Stir it into your dry mixture, OR if using a food processor, with the motor running, pour the oil/water mixture in a stream through the feed tube at the top.
- After a few seconds(food processor) or minutes (stirring by hand), the dough will start to clump together. You may need more water. Keep adding until it combines into a doughy, shaggy ball. Don't overmix.
- If making it in a bowl, cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap. If using a food processor, transfer it to a bowl (some people like to grease this bowl but it's up to you) and cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes or so.
- When it's done rising, sprinkle a little more flour over it and your hands in order to be able to handle it. You should be able to stretch it onto an oiled pan now (using more flour as needed) or shape it into whatever shape you'd like, for whatever you're making).
Notes
Nutrition
Julia D, says
Thanks for the recipe! This is by far the quickest recipe I’ve ever made for pizza crust! Normally I buy already frozen pizza crusts. I just need to spread the dough a bit better but still fantastic 🙂 Thanks again for a fantastic recipe!
Myra says
So glad you like the dough Julia! I used to struggle with the dough but the more I did it the easier it got (like most things, I suppose). Practicing is a great excuse to eat a lot of pizza! 🙂