Homemade Pizza Dough

Many years ago I discovered the deliciousness that is homemade pizza dough. If you’ve yet to make pizza from scratch I truly believe it’s something you must do at least once. But honestly, once you start making this easy pizza dough at home, you likely won’t go back to store bought.

I don’t just bake my pizza in the oven, I also love making pizza on the grill!

The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

I know, that’s a really bold statement, right? I mean, how do I know it’s the best? It’s the best homemade dough I’ve ever made, and I’ve tried several. Homemade pizza ended up being one of the most requested dinners in my house while my kids were growing up.

Living in the midwest, we know good pizza. But when my kids were younger, we spent several years living near Las Vegas, Nevada. Coming from the Chicago area to the desert, there was no comparison. I ended up learning how to make pizza dough because I just didn’t like the pizza I had to buy there.

Before I was a blogger, I was a webmaster. I started working on the Internet in 1997. Shortly thereafter I met Mitch and Cheri. They owned a recipe website and that’s where I found this amazing pizza dough recipe.

What you’ll need to make pizza dough at home

• Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps the gluten develop.
• Semolina flour looks a little like cornmeal and is used to make pasta. It actually helps this pizza dough to have a more cake-like crumb, making a wonderful soft crust.
• You need warm water, somewhere between 85 to 115° F. Use a kitchen thermometer to test, but the more pizza dough and bread you make, you’ll be able to determine the temp by feel.
• I use SAF instant yeast, but regular active dry yeast will work just fine.
• Sweet, delicious honey will be “eaten” by the yeast, starting the fermentation process.
• I use extra virgin olive oil, but other varieties will work as well.
• Regular table salt helps tightening the gluten structure and adds strength to your dough.
• Cornmeal is not added to the dough itself, but rather acts as little ball bearings, allowing the pizza dough to slide off the peel and onto the stone.

Helpful kitchen tools:

• Food processor
• Liquid measuring cup
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Wooden cutting board
• Large bowl
• Pizza peel
• Pizza stone
• Pizza cutter
• Kitchen towel

How to make delicious homemade pizza dough

Before starting, I recommend measuring everything out. It just makes the process so much easier! Also, lightly oil a large bowl and get a kitchen towel ready.

1. First add the warm water to your food processor. The water should be about 85 to 115° F. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. This is important because if the water is too cold your dough won’t rise fast enough, and too hot will kill the yeast.
2. Add the honey and salt to the warm water and process on low for about 20 seconds.

3. Next, add the yeast and process on low for another 5 seconds.
4. Now add 1 cup of bread flour and all of the semolina flour. Process on low for 10 seconds.

5. Add the olive oil and process until blended (about 15 or 20 seconds more).

6. Pour in the rest of the bread flour and process for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it’s too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.
7. Once the dough has balled up, place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough to rise and become fluffy when cooked.

8. Place the dough in the oiled bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, dry place free from drafts.

9. After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size.
10. Punch down the dough, cover, and let it rise for another 45-60 minutes.

11. While the dough is rising, place a pizza stone in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 425 degrees F. The oven needs to be good and hot, so preheat it about 45-60 minutes before adding the pizza.
12. Once risen, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. How thick or thin you make it depends on your tastes. I suggest between 1/4″ and 1/2″.

13. Sprinkle a pizza peel* with cornmeal and transfer rolled dough to the peel. The cornmeal helps slide the pizza off the peel and onto the pan in the oven.

14. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings.
15. Slide pizza off of the peel and onto the stone in the oven.

16. Bake for 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of your dough.

*Here’s a tip – if you don’t have a pizza peel, the round turntable from your microwave works great!

Can I make anything ahead?

• You can make the dough early in the day, or the day before, and refrigerate it wrapped in plastic wrap.
• Prep your toppings by chopping veggies and shredding cheese.
• Make your pizza sausage and pizza sauce.

If you need a low carb option, be sure to try my cauliflower pizza crust.

Homemade Dough

Homemade pizza dough trumps anything you can buy at the store. Making your own dough is fun and you can make it ahead.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 slices

1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Calories: 286

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups bread flour
• ▢ ½ cup semolina flour
• ▢ 1 cup warm water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons yeast
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup cornmeal

Before You Begin

If you don't have a pizza peel, the round turntable from your microwave works great!

Instructions

• Pour warm water into food processor. The water should be about 85 to 115° F.
• Add the honey and salt. Mix on low for about 20 seconds.
• Add the yeast and mix on low for another 5 seconds.
• Add 1 cup of bread flour and all semolina flour, mix on low for 10 seconds.
• Add the olive oil and mix until blended (about 15 or 20 seconds more).
• Add the rest of the flour and process for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.
• Once the dough is balled up, place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough to rise and become fluffy when cooked. Place the dough in a covered bowl in a warm, dry area to rise.
• After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough, cover, and let it rise for another 45-60 minutes. 
• While the dough is rising, place a pizza stone or high heat pizza pan in a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 425F. The oven needs to be good and hot, so preheat it about 45-60 minutes before adding the pizza.
• Once risen, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. How thick or thin you make it depends on your tastes. We suggest between 1/4" and 1/2". 
• Sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and transfer rolled dough to the peel. The cornmeal helps slide the pizza off the peel and onto the pan in the oven.
• Add sauce, cheese, and toppings. Slide pizza off the peel onto pan or stone in the oven. Bake for 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of your dough. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 286cal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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This recipe was originally published here on December 12, 2008