Homemade Pizza

This Homemade Pizza Recipe is easy to make and includes the most delicious homemade dough recipe. Just add sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings and bake to golden perfection!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Rise Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

For the Dough

2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast equal to 1 packet. See notes
¾ cup warm water 105-115° F
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups all-purpose or bread flour plus up to 1/3 cup as needed (250-290 g)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for bowl/crust

For the Pizza

½ cup pizza sauce
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese whole milk low moisture
pizza toppings as desired

Pizza Garnishes

Roughly chopped parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. (The warm water and sugar activates the yeast.) Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the salt, garlic powder, and 1/2 of the flour. Stir to combine. Add the warm water/yeast mixture and the olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to stir well, then gradually stir in the remaining cup of flour. Continue to stir until an elastic ball has formed, slightly sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough in the bowl for 3-5 minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky, gradually add additional flour in small dustings, up to 1/3 cup additional. If you poke the dough with your finger and it slowly comes back, it’s ready to rise. Shape into a ball.
Drizzle a separate large glass bowl with a little olive oil and use a pastry brush to distribute the oil on the bottom and sides. Add the ball of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 30-60+ minutes, until doubled in size. (This gives time to for the gluten to develop, which allows the dough to stretch without breaking.) You can also let it rise in the fridge overnight.
Preheat oven to 450° F during the last 30+ minutes to ensure it has plenty of time to get fully up to temperature. Place the pizza pan (or stone) in the oven as it preheats.
Gently punch down the dough and knead it 5 times to smooth it out.
Spread the dough into an even 12-inch circle, either with your hands or with a rolling pin. (I also like to use my fingers to form a crust along the edge.)
Remove the pizza pan from the oven and sprinkle it with a thin, even layer of flour. Transfer the dough onto it.
Use a fork to gently poke holes in the dough to prevent the crust from bubbling up as it bakes. Drizzle it with 1 tablespoon olive oil and use a pastry brush to spread it out over the dough.
Top with pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings.
Bake for 13-15 minutes. Even if the cheese is melted, give the crust enough time to cook and crisp on the bottom, resist the urge to remove it too early, but don’t let it get too brown on the top. Mine takes 15 minutes exactly.
Remove the pizza from the oven and use a spatula to lift the crust to check the bottom, ensuring it’s slightly browned and crisp.
Garnish with parsley, grated Parmesan, and red pepper flakes if desired. Slice and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips:

Yeast: This recipe calls for Instant Yeast, but I'm always successful when I use Active Dry yeast as well.
Rising Trick: A warm environment (75-78° F) is ideal for rising. I'll sometimes place a dish towel in the dryer to warm it up, and place that over the saran wrap on the top and sides of the bowl while the dough is rising if I'm experiencing a colder NH day!
Salt: Non-iodized salt is best for baking. (Table salt is generally supplemented with iodine, which can generate a bitter taste in baked goods.) I use Redmond Real Salt for all of my baking and cooking recipes. (Enter code 'COZY' for 15% off!) Of course, table salt can definitely be used if that's what you have on hand.
Cheese: Be sure to use whole milk, low moisture mozzarella for this (not fresh). Shred it fresh from a block, it will melt much better. I use Dragone or Galbani.
Gluten Free Flour: This 1 to 1 baking flour may also be used in this recipe.
High Altitudes: Baking at a high altitude typically requires adjustments, see this guide from Bob's Red Mill on what adjustments may be needed for this recipe.
Recipe Variations: For a quicker version without homemade dough, try my Naan Pizza recipe! For a low carb option, try my Zucchini Crust Pizza. For a fun twist, try my Pizza Dip or Pizza Pasta recipes!
See blog post for information on using all-purpose flour vs. bread flour and pizza topping options.

Make-Ahead Method:

Prepare the dough as outlined in the recipe. Instead of rolling it out for baking, shape into a ball and lightly spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a Ziploc freezer bag.
Refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze for 3-4 months.
Thaw completely and let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to using.

Storing Leftover Pizza:

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
If frozen, thaw before reheating. Do this overnight in the fridge or use a thaw/defrost function in the microwave.
See blog post for my recommendation on reheating leftover pizza.

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per slice. This recipe makes 8 slices and assumes only the sauce and cheese are used as toppings.

Nutrition