Pizza Dough – The Best Pizza Crust (VIDEO)
This is hands down the best pizza dough! It makes a New York-style pizza crust that is a thin crust pizza in the center with beautifully puffed edges. You will love this crust – it’s crisp, chewy and so satisfying. Make this and you will never want a store-bought crust again. And, you’ll be known for your pizza!
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Why We Love This Pizza Dough:
This is a make-ahead pizza dough recipe that just gets better with time and it keeps really well refrigerated for at least a week. Here’s more good news: our classic red pizza sauce and creamy white pizza sauce also keep really well in the fridge so you can fire up a pizza whenever the craving strikes. An overnight crust also makes throwing a pizza party stress-free and everyone will be super impressed by your pizza-making skills.
The #1 Secret to the Best Pizza Dough:
Since most pizza dough recipes have the same ingredients: flour, salt, water, yeast, it’s the process that makes all the difference. This pizza dough seriously tastes like it came out of a high-end pizzeria and in fact, most New York pizza doughs are fermented for at least 24 hours.
The pizza bosses of the world know the secret to an incredible dough is to let it rest and give it time. This process makes the dough much easier to work with and forms the coveted texture, rise, and bubbles at the edges.
The #2 Secret to the Perfect Crust:
Do not use too much yeast! Many of the quick pizza doughs out there use way too much yeast which makes the crust doughy and makes the center of the pizza rise while baking. If you use too much yeast, you will never achieve that thin crisp crust in the center.
The Takeaway: use less yeast and let the dough rest.
How to Make Pizza Dough Video Tutorial:
Watch the pizza dough video tutorial once and you will be a pro in no time. Here is a quick overview of the process for easy reference:
- Mix together water, salt and honey. Sprinkle with yeast and set aside 5 min then stir.
- Pour water mixture over your flour and stir to combine with a spatula then knead by hand 2 minutes. Cover and let rise 4-5 hours at room temperature.
- Transfer dough onto a floured surface and divide in half. Fold each piece of dough 8 times (rotating book fold) and form a ball. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 7 days. Your dough is done.
Why Fold the Pizza Dough?
Folding the dough balls 8 times with that book fold, and turning the dough between each fold, makes the gluten threads stronger and traps carbon dioxide created by the yeast to help form those beautiful bubbles in the dough.
How to Form and Bake Pizza Crust:
- Remove dough from the fridge 1 hour before using then preheat the oven with a pizza stone in the center to 550˚F.
- When the oven is preheated, place room temperature dough onto a floured surface, dust lightly with flour.
- Gently press dough down in the center with fingertips then place the dough over the back of your knuckles with both hands together and roll over your knuckles rotating around the dough as you go, keeping a 1″ thicker border. Place 10-12″ diameter crust onto a floured pizza peel.
- Add white sauce or red sauce then cheese and toppings. Give the pizza a shake over your pizza peel to make sure it’s not sticking then immediately slide it from your pizza peel onto the preheated pizza stone and bake at 550˚F for 8-10 minutes.
Tools for Making Pizza:
The right tools will make the pizza dough making the process even easier. It will also make you look like a pizza ninja to transfer your pizza from a pizza peel onto your hot pizza stone.
- Pizza Peels (a set of 2 makes the process easier).
- Flexible Food Scraper – to scrape the dough out of bowls and cut the dough in half
- Round Pizza Stone – to bake your pizza on in the oven
- Pizza Cutter – the easiest way to slice a pizza
- Instant Read Thermometer – to check water temperature
What is the Best Flour for Pizza Dough?
You don’t need any fancy flours to develop a gorgeous crust. We used organic all-purpose flour for making pizza. Bread flour will work equally well if that is what you have on hand and it will give you a slightly chewier crust. You can substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour in equal parts.
Note: We haven’t tried making a gluten-free version or any other flour, so let me know if you experiment.
Can I Freeze Pizza Dough?
Yes! It’s very easy to freeze this dough and once it’s thawed, it tastes just as good as freshly made. See our tutorial for How to Freeze Pizza Dough.
What to Serve with Pizza:
Once you have your pizza-making skills down, you will want to throw a pizza party. Pizza pairs really well with these easy sides.
- Avocado Ranch – because everyone loves a great dipping sauce
- Caesar Salad – a fresh green salad with light homemade dressing
- Avocado Corn Salad – so vibrant and satisfying
- Cobb Salad – beautiful and delicious
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob – the juiciest way to cook corn
Pizza Dough Recipe - The Best Pizza Crust!
This is hands down the best pizza dough! It makes a New York-style pizza crust that is a thin crust pizza in the center with beautifully puffed edges. You'll love chewing on the crust - it's crisp, chewy and so satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups warm water, 105-110˚F
- 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, (measured correctly) plus more to dust*
Instructions
How to Make Pizza Dough:
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In a small bowl, stir together water, honey, and salt then sprinkle the top with 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit 5 minutes then stir.
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Measure 3 1/3 cups flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture into the center then stir with a firm spatula until the dough comes together. Knead by hand 2 minutes (dough will be sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 4-5 hours or until doubled in size.
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Transfer dough to a floured surface, turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky then divide in half. Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the center like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds. Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.
How to Form a Pizza Crust:
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PREP: Remove the dough 1 hour before using to let it relax and come to room temperature. Before forming the pizza crust, fully preheat your oven so pizza can be baked right away. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet onto the center rack of the oven and preheat to 550˚F. Also, lightly flour a pizza peel and prep toppings.
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When dough is about room temperature and oven is preheated, transfer 1 piece of dough to a floured surface, turning to lightly coat in flour. Pat the center of the dough gently with fingertips. DO NOT pop any bubbles present.
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Lift the dough over both knuckles and roll your knuckles under the center of the dough, working outward as you rotate the dough along your knuckles and leaving a thicker crust at the edge. Continue working the dough until a 10-12” pizza has formed. It will shrink slightly so make it a little bigger than you think. Place the dough down on a lightly floured pizza peel. Give the pizza peel a little shake to make sure the pizza slides over it and is not sticking.
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Spread on desired pizza sauce and toppings. Give the pizza another jolt to make sure it slides on the pizza peel (you don’t want it to stick while transferring it into the oven). Slide pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and bake at 550˚F for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and some of the larger bubbles on the crust are lightly scorched to ensure a crisp crust.
Recipe Notes
*Use a high-quality flour. We used organic all-purpose flour.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
How to Freeze Pizza Dough 
Homemade Individual Pizzas 
Homemade Pizza Sauce (5-Minute Recipe) 
Chicken Pizza with Creamy Garlic Sauce 
California Pizza Recipe 
Focaccia Bread Recipe (VIDEO) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I don’t have a pizza peel, is it possible to assemble the pizza on the pan first?
Hi Yvette, it’s best on a pizza stone, but a regular pan will work great also.
I made this a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely perfect. Thanks so Natasha.😋
You’re welcome, Rick. Thank you for your review, I’m glad it turned out great!
Your instructions says to bake at 550° for 8 minutes.
My oven only goes up to 450°.
If I cook my pizza at 450 for about 13-14 minutes, will I get the same texture as what you get and what restaurants serve?
PS great looking recipe….
Hi Erwin, the closer to 550, the better. Four hundred fiftymdegrees will still work, but it will require slightly more time in the oven.
I see you have a number of pizza dough recipes. Would you suggest one over the other? I just need a simple and basic crust. I have a recipe now but I’d like it to be more restaurant quality.
Hi Amira, this is our go-to pizza dough.
Hi Natasha! This is always my go to recipe, it really is the BEST pizza crust.
Question, am I able to divide the dough into two right before making the pizza or is it necessary to divide it before folding it and putting it in fridge?
Thank you!
Hi Ann, it is necessary to divide the dough ahead of time. If you cut into it after it has rested, you will ruin some of the bubbles and it will be difficult to form into even pizza dough disks.
I have a question before making this recipe that sounds delicious and exactly what I’ve been looking for. Can I pre-bake the dough, then put on the toppings and finish baking the pizza? I’m sorry if this question was already asked, I went through quite a few of the comments and didn’t see it. Thank you Natasha, I love your recipes!
Hi Joanne, that may work, although I don’t pre-bake the crust. Otherwise, it may burn by the time the toppings are done. I hope this is helpful!
Joanne, I almost always par-bake the crusts. I shape the crust and then bake for about 1 minute then pull it out of the oven and out on a cooling rack and put in the next crust to par-bake. Once I have par-baked all the crusts then I start dressing them and cooking them. Without the par-baking I often end up with trouble getting the pizza off the peel and onto the stone. I end up with Calzone if I am lucky, or just a mess. I have also sometimes frozen any left over par-baked crusts and used them another day.
Hi Natasha,
Yes, I have made my own pizza,cust and sauce. Since I saw your recipes couple years ago, it is yours I make most of the time now. Love both no -cook tomato sauce and white sauce which is wo flavorful an delicious. Thanks again for your great recipes and videos!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Karen! I’m happy you enjoyed it!
This really is the best crust! I don’t have a pizza stone, but I use a 15″ Wilton non-stick pizza pan with the whole batch of dough, bake it at 425 for 20-25 minutes. The inside is soft, the outside is crispy & chewy. I recommend letting the dough chill in the fridge for 3 days to develop the flavor. Thanks Natasha for another great recioe!
Great to hear that it worked great, Cheryl. Thank you for your review!
Hi Natasha,
When I first made this, the dough was sticky just like in your video. And it tasted great! The 2nd time, the dough was firm so I added alittle bit of water to get the dough to be softer. Should I have done that? I just made the dough again today and same outcome. I measure the flour the same way, so not sure why my dough is not coming out sticky. Use less flour next time? Or the firmer dough shouldn’t really affect the overall outcome of the pizza? Thanks!
Hi Arie, maybe consider if anything was different the second time around – any ingredient substitutions? I have mismeasured flour before and the dough can end up more tough that way with too much flour. If the dough rises and forms the bubbles, it should still work for pizza.
Natasha, I used instant yeast and I guess because of that it kept rising in the fridge. And also it was ripping when I was rolling the dough on my knuckles. But I used the exact amount of flour. Do you think the yeast was the problem? I kinda have thoughts to make it again but quite afraid that I will fail again.
Hi Sendini, I recommend making it with active dry yeast and it should work better
Hi Natasha,
Thank you I always love your recipes. You said I can leave it in the fridge for several days, but it keeps rising there. Is there something wrong?
Hi Anna, did you use regular yeast and not rapid rise? And also make sure to use the same amount? It will continue to rise a little bit in the refrigerator and that is pretty normal but it shouldn’t rise too much (it definitely won’t double).
What if your oven only reaches to 500? Would I bake for longer time?
Hi Sandra, yes, you could bake at 500 for a little longer and just look for the visual cues for pizza doneness.
I am always skeptical when a recipe says “best” or similar BUT this is definitely the best homemade pizza crust I have tried. Told my husband we might NEVER go out for pizza again. Froze one portion of dough for later use. Thanks Natasha!
Haha I told m husband the same thing, so glad you loved it.
Hi natasha i followed the recipe but the crust was very dry and there anything i can do
I’m so sorry to hear that, I’m not sure at which point something went wrong, make sure your yeast is not expired.
Hello Natasha, thanks for your pizza recipe which I followed exactly, except for doubling on the ingredients to get more. The pizza came out great but the dough ripped very easily and I wasn’t able to stretch it over my knuckles. What might the reason be? Thank you!
Hi Dorit, if all of the resting periods were followed, make sure to let it rest at room temperature as directed before forming the pizza crust so it is more pliable. Also, make sure to measure flour correctly which makes all the difference in great pizza dough.
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I followed your directions measuring and resting time exactly. Still, it ripped and I cannot figure out what I did wrong.
I’m sorry to hear that. I would say try again
Natasha, do you think doubling the recipe had something t do with the problem, making it too heavy to stretch.
HI Judith, I have made a double batch before without issues. I wonder if it’s an issue with measuring. A scale would make the process faster and is a great way to make sure the recipe is exactly the same every time, although our spoon and level measuring method works great as well. I wonder if there was just too much flour.
Dear Natasha! Thanks a lott for sharing great recipes with us!
I wish to ask how long is the best for fridging the dough? In your video you say at least 24 hours, in recipe it’s written at least 18 hours.
Thank you very much in advance, for your time and attention!
Hi Bahar, 18 hours is enough and you can refrigerate the dough up to a week.
I’ve made this pizza dough soooo many times! it’s the best! I recently, learned my glucose is a little high. Do you think this recipe would work with wheat flour?
Hi Catherine, I haven’t tried wheat flour, but it would make the dough tougher if using whole wheat.
thank you. I guess I’ll not mess with perfection! I’ll cut my carbs some place else!!!!
Haha that’s awesome, It’s so worth it.
Hi Natasha,
I don’t have a pizza stone. Can I use a regular pizza pan? If so, please let me know the temperature and cooking time suggested. TIA!
Hi Amira, it’s best on a pizza stone, but a regular pan will work great also.
If i dont have honey can i replace it with sugar? If so, same quantity?
Hi Evelyn, It can be substituted with 1 tsp of sugar.
Yummy! This recipe was the best. I love pizza and this recipe made me love it even more! Thank you so much Natasha!!!
Yay! I’m so happy this was a hit, Zoe! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Natasha, this is ALWAYS my go-to recipe for pizza! I’ve tried so many others that have been inconsistent, but this one never misses. I even used this dough recipe for cheese breadsticks today and it was delicious! Thanks!
That’s fantastic! I’m glad this is your go-to recipe.
I just tried this. I wanted to use the last of my 00 flour so I added 1/4 more. It is still way too hot to use my oven so I put my stone on my gas grill. This is the best crust I have ever made. It stayed crunchy in the middle but thin and big and puffy on the edge. Thank you!
I meant to say 1/4 cup more
Thank you for your good comments and feedback, Kathleen!
I made this pizza dough last night, was the best pizza. I like that it has less yeast, makes perfect sense. Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipe.
You are so welcome! I’m happy to know that you enjoyed it.
Hi Natasha- my dough isn’t sticky after mixing and kneading 2 minutes. Will it be ok?
Hi Jill, it sounds like there may be too much flour. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
Hi Natasha,
I followed the recipe exactly but the dough was very dry.
What can I do to fix this?
Hi Ame, It’s hard to say what caused that without being there. I recommend checking out post on measuring to make sure too much flour was not used.
Just getting ready to mix the dough.. can’t wait to try. I have read some reviews about the dough being dry. Even when I make bread, if the dough is dry sprinkle a bit more warm water it until it gets sticky. You definitely do not want the dough dry. Hope this helps!
I dont have any honey, can I use sugar?
Hi Vikki! It can be substituted with 1 tsp of sugar.
I think I am missing something. I want to use this for calzones, so do I put the whole ball into the refrigerator and then divide it into eight balls the next day? I’m cunfused.
Hi Barbara, yes, that will work for calzones. You can use my Calzones Recipe here.
I was wondering if I could use this pizza dough the same day, letting it rise for a few hours and then using it.
Thank you
If I leave it out longer than an hour, it puffs up a little too much which is why 1 hour is ideal. You want it to do the extra puffing in the oven rather than on the counter.
hi Natasha. Great video and receipe. After I have done all the steps. Can I rest the dough in room temperature for more than an hour like 3 hours or more before I will mold it and put it to the oven to cook it already? what is the maximum number of hours you can rest pizza before you can mold and cook it?
Hi Mitzi, I have found that if I leave it out longer than that, it puffs up a little too much which is why 1 hour is ideal. You want it to do the extra puffing in the oven rather than on the counter.
I have tried your recipes and really enjoyed it… thank you for great recipes..please help me with this recipe. There are no bubbles/foam after rest in my yeast mix. Yeast is new. What should I do? I really want to try this recipe
Hi Ghanyah, I recommend reviewing all the steps and ingredients to make sure nothing was missed.
Hey Natasha! Hi, I happen to notice in your recipe for your pizza dough that in your oven, your pizza stone had a carrying rack. I checked the link that you posted on where to buy your pizza stone but it does not say it comes with the rack do I was wondering where you got the rack from?? Please and Thank you!
Hi Sandra, the stone that we use is one that came with our oven, and I don’t think it is available for purchase separately from the oven, but a rack is not necessary, and we typically just let the stone cool down inside the oven as the oven cools.
Sorry… I should have read some of the other comments before I asked… I see that you’ve already answered my question !
No worries. I haven’t tested it myself so I’m not sure if the substitution is exact straight across but I have had one reader report good results using 00 flour.
Hi, apologies if this has been answered already on the comments(haven’t seen it yet, so far). I just want to ask if it’s okay to not have pizza stone? Will there be any changes to the procedure in making the dough? Thank you.
Hi there. Please see the first step prep. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet onto the center rack of the oven and preheat to 550˚F.” It works great without a pizza stone.
Instead of all purpose flour or bread flour for pizza dough…could I use 00 flour? Never tried pizza dough..alittle nervous
Thank you
Hi Sherry, I haven’t tested it myself so I’m not sure if the substitution is exact straight across but I have had one reader report good results using 00 flour.
Natasha this is my second time making we love it both being a diabetic, just love your pizza dough recipe tysvmmmm
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Aline! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha, What would I change in the recipe to make a double batch of your dough?
Thank you!
Hi Dale, yes, this recipe can be doubled. I haven’t tried it myself, but I would double everything equally.
I made the pizza first time I had bubbles , second time it did not get bubbles ,I used instant yeast instead of regular yeast don’t know what happened that it did not get. Bubbles
Hi Mary Ann, since there is not a lot of yeast in this recipe, you want to make sure to let it ferment the full amount of time. Some room temperatures are cooler than others – it may just have needed slightly longer. Lastly, make sure you allow the dough to come to room temperature before forming and baking it. Also, did you make any changes in the recipe or type of yeast used?
Hi
If I were to freeze the pizza dough for future baking, should I double the quantity of yeast in the dough? Thanks
Hi LS, Yes you can freeze the dough. Freezing will work fine. To Freeze Pizza Dough: 1. Let the dough do it’s cold ferment overnight before freezing. 2. Lightly coat the dough with oil and transfer to a resealable freezer-safe zip bag and squeeze out the excess air then freeze up to 3 months. 3. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter and come to room temperature 1 hour before shaping.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Can I cut the recipe in half and only make 1 pie?
Hi Michelle, that would still work, although you might consider freezing pizza dough for the second disk.
I did not use my full yeast packet. Is it possible store what is left and save for next time? If so how should it be stored?
Hi Will, Newly purchased yeast (with good purchase-by date) can be stored in a cool location (pantry or cabinet), refrigerated, or frozen for up to two years. Once the yeast is opened, it’s best kept in the refrigerator to use within four months and six months – if kept in the freezer.
Can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I have been making pizza for over 20 years, in search of the perfect dough, and thanks to you, I have finally made the perfect dough.
So airy. So soft yet crunchy. So authentic. So EASY!
And so grateful
Wow! Thank you for this lovely comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed my recipe!
Heyy is it compulsory to refrigerate the dough overnight?? Or can I just let it rest for 5 hrs??
Hi Salma, this dough really does need the overnight cold fermentation process to rise properly since it doesn’t have a ton of yeast in it. This is what differentiates it from a quick dough, but it’s well worth the wait.
Best pizza dough out there. My roommate keeps eating most of my pizza because of this recipe. Like a good bread, soft and airy inside while just crispy on the outside. Very much recommended!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Robert! Time to make extra for next time!
I have never commented on a recipe before but have to on this one! It was so easy and I ended up with two perfect crusts. It was so fun to make and have it turn out so well!
That’s so great, Nichole! I’m so glad you had fun with this one!
Absolutely delicious. I made my pizza half with your white sauce and half with red sauce using a recipe we love, and it was great. Unfortunately, my pizza was not quite round, nonetheless, it was great. Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipes. Love you and may you and your family be blessed.
That’s totally fine, practice makes perfect. I’m glad you loved it! Thank you for your kind words and I wish your family the same too.
I’ve tried this dough recipe once before and my wife and nids are like, “Why do we order pizza?” This is our new go-to for homemade pizza. Question, does the dough need to be refrigerated before you use it or can it go from the book folding to the shaping and into the oven?
Again, thanks for the awesome recipes. I’ve tried several and I have yet to find any of these difficult or -heavens forbid- disappointing.
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
I tried this dough out for the first time yesterday and absolutely loved it. Much easier to make than what I was doing before, and the way the crust puffed up had my whole family raving. We cook our pizzas in our super hot wood fired oven and this works perfectly. This is now going to be my standard go to recipie
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Gary! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
For some reason, my dough is not sticky like yours. Should I add more water?
Hi Snetha, I recommend making sure to measure flour correctly so the dough doesn’t end up too tough. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
I had the exact same problem and I’m pretty sure I measured it all correctly. The dough even became quite stiff to the point my arms were hurting after kneading
Hi thanks for this amazingly wonderful recipe. First time it turned out perfect but for the second time I doubled the recipe…. and dough did not rise nor it is bubbly. I don’t know where I went wrong. Can you please suggest how can I correct it.
Hi Iram! I’m so glad it worked out the first time. It’s hard to say what went wrong when it was doubled. When doubling, make sure each ingredient is doubled, including the yeast, and double the steps and processes with more ingredients. I hope it turns out for you!
I have used 00 flour several times for this recipe and it turns out great. My only problem is that I cannot put the pizza directly on my steel peel. No matter how much I flour the peel,the pizza sticks. I have to put it on parchment paper which I pull out after 3 minutes. Any suggestions of what to do if you’ve already made the pizza on the peel and then it sticks?
Hi Monica, I’m glad to hear it works with 00 flour! I have never experienced this with 00 flour before, so I’m not sure what could have caused that. It could be the kind of flour you’re using, causing it to be more sticky. You may try to knead in additional flour until smooth and silky to the touch and the dough no longer sticks to your hand. Let rest and rise in a warm wet environment. Repeat if needed. You may then let the dough rest overnight before shaping and baking.
Dear Monica. When you take the dough out of the frigde to form a pizza dip the dough first in semolina flour on both sides. Hope it will helps you.
I made this pizza yesterday. Toppings were red sauce,cheese,black olives, frozen fresh mushrooms, pepperoni. It was very tough and a little doughy under the cheese. I had trouble with the knuckles step. Any other way to do it other than the knuckles to stretch the dough. I didn’t have bubbles either. The taste was very good though. I’m not giving up but please tell me what I did wrong. Thank you. Love the sauce
Hi Carolyn, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. You might check to make sure your yeast is not expired and still active. Be sure it doubles in size while rising and if it’s not rising, the yeast is probably not working correctly. Also, make sure to measure flour correctly so the dough doesn’t end up too tough. Lastly, make sure to let it rest at room temperature before using the dough to bake the pizzas. I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to see where things may have gone wrong.
Can I use my Kitchen Aid mixer with dough attachment?
Hi Dawn, a stand mixer isn’t necessary and I find I have more control doing this by hand.
Can bread flour or 00flour be substituted for All Purpose flour?
Hi Gina, I haven’t tested that so I can’t give you exact details on that substitution with 00 flour.
I always use bread flour with this recipe. I find it chewier and easier to shape with the knuckles.
Made the dough yesterday for dinner tonight…amazing! It was a hit. Chewy, crispy thin Crust pizzas!
Hi Gillian, we’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your good comments and feedback.
Simply wow! Will never buy pizza again. Easy. Delicious. Could not be better. I have a question on my ingredients though. I used cooked sausage, raw onion, raw mushrooms and fresh basil. When we cut into it after resting for 5 minutes the center was quite watery. Flavor was still fabulous, but any ideas on where all the moisture came from? I love your recipes, Natasha!
Thank you for that great review, Paige! Make sure you’re using a low moisture cheese. My favorite cheese brand is Galbani for low moisture part-skim mozzarella.
We made this tonight ! Kids gave it 2 thumbs up! pizza came out perfect ..love your recipies thanks.
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Hi Natasha. My 7 year old son and I think you are the cutest and we love your recipe tutorials.
Can I use instant yeast in this recipe? Do I just add this to the dry ingredients?
Hi Charlene, I haven’t tried this with instant yeast so I’m not sure how that will affect the rise in the fridge, but other readers have reported trying it and following the same method.
OMG!!!
Can I marry you😀😀
That is the best pizza ever!
THANK YOU
Haha! It sure sounds like you have a new favorite!
What if you don’t have a pizza stone? Can you use a round pan and if so what temperature? I thank you..love all your recipes 😍
Hi Janet, please see the first prep step: “Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet onto the center rack of the oven and preheat to 550˚F.” It works great without a pizza stone.
its my go to recipe I did it multiple times with your red sauce and its amazing.
but I want to ask if I can freeze the dough??
I’m so happy you’re enjoying it Engy! You sure can! See our latest recipe post HERE on how to freeze pizza dough!
Could you substitute sugar for the honey?
Hi Alicen, it can be substituted with 1 tsp of sugar.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! If I need to feed 10-15 people, can I double the recipe or will I need to make two separate batches? Thanks!
Hi Cy, making it in two batches will work. I hope you love this recipe!
Help! I love the dough but I can’t get the crust on the bottom to be crunchy. I have to spray my cookie sheet so it doesn’t stick so that makes it soft. Can you cook on parchment paper or a silpat? I only have one pizza stone and want them ready at the same time. The sauce is amazing and that’s coming from a full blooded Italian cook! Thanks so much!!
It’s critical to preheat the pizza stone fully for the crust to get that crispy consistency. You could use a large baking sheet inverted and fit two at a time, but having that baking sheet hot is going to help the most with the crust forming properly. I’m so glad you love the pizza sauce!
I use a cast iron pan and once the oven is the right temperature I put the pan on a hot burner just for three minutes then finish it off in the oven. Works perfect for a crispy crust. Also I am from Alberta and I guess because of altitude use only just over 2 cups of flour. Love your recipes 💕🇨🇦
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Loretta. Altitude change will cause adjustments, and I’m glad you found what works.
Can I freeze this dough?
Yes you can freeze the dough. Freezing will work fine. To Freeze Pizza Dough: 1. Let the dough do it’s cold ferment overnight before freezing. 2. Lightly coat the dough with oil and transfer to a resealable freezer-safe zip bag and squeeze out the excess air then freeze up to 3 months. 3. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter and come to room temperature 1 hour before shaping.
Hi, I made the dough yesterday and tried to roll it out today. It wouldn’t roll out, if I tried using my hands it wouldn’t spread evenly. I left it to rest again, and still would not roll out. It instantly contracts. What am I doing wrong? Alot of time to throw it in the garbage.
Hi Connie, make sure to measure the flour the same way. A tough dough sounds like too much flour. I also always recommend following the same process and tools whenever possible before making adjustments.
Hi Natasha, I would like to know if I can sprinkle the pizza stone and pizza peel with corn meal only or can I put corn meal and flour on pizza stone and pizza peel. Thank you.
Hi Caroluna, I bet that could work, but we made it successfully without the cornmeal.
Not sure if someone already asked. But you mentioned 550 °F but my pizza stone only takes 450°F. Will it need more cook time?
Hi Christina, 450 will still work, but yes, it will require slightly more time in the oven.
Absolutely love the crust of this pizza but don’t know shy the very centre of the pizza the dough is not cooked enough
Hi Janice, sometimes, if you overload the pizza with toppings and sauce, it can cause the center to soften. I don’t pre-bake the crust. Otherwise, it may burn by the time the toppings are done. I hope this is helpful!
Finally a dough I can put on my ooni and get it off the wheel and not have the whole pizza burn up. Was so good. I started this dough on Tuesday and cooked on a Friday. I left it out over night as I made the dough late Tuesday night. So it was out for 10 hours, divided and put in the fridge Wednesday morning. Took out Friday morning for 4 hours and then cooked in my ooni for 2 mins. My kids devoured it. It was gone in mins. I have failed so many times I wasn’t expecting it to work but it is so delish! I will definitely be making this again. ❤️
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Okay, Natasha, your recipes are really impressive!! Thanks to your recipes, I am really starting to lose my bad cook reputation. I just discovered you a couple weeks ago and have already made several of your recipes, including this pizza dough with your pizza sauce. Each recipe I’ve made has turned out absolutely delicious! They are always exactly to my taste. I’m going to have to work my way through all of them 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing your talent!
Hello Brooke, thank you for sharing your good comments and feedback with us. I’m really happy to know that you’re enjoying my recipes!
Hi Natasha, I just have a question about the proofing of the yeast. I was always taught to never add salt directly to the yeast mixture while proofing or it will kill the yeast? Here you add it directly, I’ve never seen that before…is there a reason for this? Thank you, just curious…I’m looking forward to trying this 🙂
Hi Christina, I haven’t had any issues with that and I have made countless batches of this pizza dough. Salt slows down fermentation which is perfect for this dough because you want that slow cold fermentation.
Perfect! I’m going to try it this afternoon, thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly:)
Hi Natasha, can I make this dough and then cook it on my gas stovetop as I don’t have an over to bake in…I have a large heavy bottom frying pan, can I use this to cook this pizza dough?
Hi Nilendra, I can’t say that it would work on a stove top. I haven’t tried that to advise on the outcome.
Let me take a crack at it. The dough came out well ☺️👍🏼 I’ll keep you posted on what happens with a stove top cook 🙂🤞🏼
HI Natasha, what do you suggest for pizza cheese?
Hi Silva, we used Mozzarella cheese. BUt you can definitely get creative!
Hello Natasha
Do you have a recipe for making pizza dough without yeast, I am allergic to yeast…any suggestions would be greatly appreciated..thanks again…love your cooking ideas it has brought me to a whole new level..
Hi Monica, I don’t have anything like that, unfortunately. I wish I could be more help with that.
You can always try the greek yogurt and self rising flour dough. Equal parts of each.
I have made it and is pretty good.
Best pizza dough ever!! Delicious
Thank you, that’s a nice comment!
Helllooo!! just want to say I love this recipe!! It tastes just like pizza shop dough, so good!! I been using the dry active yeast, but couldn’t find any recently, can I use Fleishman pizza crust yeast also? thank you!
Hi Cindy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I have not experimented with Fleishman to advise on an outcome. If you happen to try that out, I would love to know how you like it!
Tried this recipe with your white sauce – so much better than store-bought. Thank you!
Would this recipe also work for mini pizzas by diving the dough further after proofing in the fridge?
Thanks for your great feedback. I imagine that would work too! If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
I’ll have to disagree on the AP flour, you can make a huge difference with Tipo II pizza flour.
I prefer a thicker crust in the middle, and was wondering if I added a bit more yeast than in the recipe, would I get a thicker crust?
Hi Terry, Stretching the dough less would also give you a thicker crust. Adding more yeast would make it puff up more during the fermentation and usually will be done faster but the quick-rising with added yeast usually results in a denser and tougher crust from my experience.
Hi Natasha, I do not have a pizza stone to preheat in oven at 550 degrees. What can I use and do I use the same oven temperature of 550 degrees?
Hi Carolina, please see the “prep” step in the instructions: Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet onto the center rack of the oven and preheat to 550˚F. I hope you love the pizza!
Thank you!
Hands down the best pizza dough I’ve found. My family now request this dough once a week and we love it. Thank you !!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
We love this pizza dough recipe and love to use it for grilled pizza on our Big Green Egg!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
The max temp of my oven is just 430F, what should I do?
Hi Angus, You can try it at 430 you may need to bake it longer however.
I’ve used my grandmothers pizza dough recipe for years but this one is our new favorite! Better than restaurant pizza!
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me! I’m happy you found a new favorite on my blog
Thanks Natasha! This is the best tasting crust I’ve ever made! I won’t waste my time trying anyone else’s recipe!
That’s so awesome! I’m really happy to know that, thank you for sharing your great feedback with us!
I made your pizza dough! I’ve been looking for a good pizza dough. Love this one! It’s perfectly chewy. It’s now my go to crust. Didn’t even have a chance to take any pics. It disappeared. Thanks, Natasha!
You are very welcome, Johanna! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and loved it.
Excellent dough recipe and my first time using a pizza stone.
A quick question – after letting the dough rise for 5 hours, I put the two balls in lightly oiled bowls, sealed them and put them in the fridge for 24 hours. When I took them put I discovered that they had doubled or trebled in size. What did I do wrong?
HI Joe, it sounds like maybe you used more yeast than what was called for? Or did you possibly use rapid-rise yeast? Being refrigerated, they should rise very slowly with cold fermentation.
I absolutely love this recipe! I have tried so many and they just don’t compare. As the dough gets better with age, I usually make it on a Sunday to have for dinner during the week. So easy!
I also usually double it and make one Sicilian and two traditional pizzas. YUM!!
Thank you!
So great to hear that this is your go-to recipe, Devon! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Hi Natasha,
Love your recipes, can I make the pizza crust in my breadmaker, and would I have to alter the amount of liquid.
Hi Bessie, I have always done this dough by hand so I can’t speak to that. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Hi, can Instant yeast be used?
Hi Ellen, I haven’t tried this with instant yeast so I’m not sure how that will affect the rise in the fridge, but other readers have reported trying it and following the same method.
Hi! I’ve made this pizza today but I feel I didn’t knead it enough . Can I knead it again after putting it in the fridge, and before putting it in the oven? Thanks!
HI Eleasha, it’s best not to knead it again since it will disturb and remove the bubbles in the dough that have built up overnight.
So my dough won’t be sloppy or anything ? Or will it break ?
Hi Eleasha, if made according to the recipe, it should not have any issues, but I would not knead again.
While we like the taste of the dough I had trouble using my fist to stretch out the dough. I’ve never done it that way before and found I was getting holes in some places. I followed the recipe but wasn’t able to get all the flour in and still I may have used to much. It wasn’t very sticky. I had to pinch the dough together where the holes were. I have the other half still in the fridge for another lunch.
Hi Rosanna, it sounds like maybe too much flour. Make sure your measuring flour correctly – it is critical to getting the proportion of wet to dry ingredients correctly.
This is an excellent recipe! We are sure enjoying it. I was wondering if you can double this recipe?
Hi Janet, yes, this recipe can be doubled.
I made this & it was amazing. The dough was crisp, lovely texture a winner.
I froze some & was so disappointed. It was nothing like the “fresh” version. I followed the directions dough was tough, hard to fit into the pan – a failure.
Hi Debbie, you might look up some online tutorials for thawing the dough correctly before letting it rest at room temperature. If it doesn’t go through the process of complete thawing and resting before baking, it won’t rise properly.
I’m allergic to honey, can I skip it?
Hello Amy, it can be substituted with 1 tsp of sugar.
Can I use rapid rise yeast??
Hi, I have only tested this with regular yeast and not instant or rapid rise yeast so I can’t speak to the process changes if you are substituting that ingredient without testing it through myself. My guess would be to keep the process the same.
Hi! I made the dough on Friday. One puffed really nice in the fridge overnight the other didn’t. Why do you think this is and can I still use it? Thanks
Hi Diane, I’m not sure why that would be if it came from the same batch of dough – was one piece larger and just appeared to puff more? The rising should be minimal in the fridge. You might leave the one that didn’t rise out on the counter for a bit and see if it rises some to make sure the yeast is working correctly before using it for pizza.
I am a lifelong bread baker and have never been able to find a good pizza crust recipe. Until now. This is excellent! My search is over. Look no further, bakers!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Linda!
Hello, can we freeze the dough for later use? If so, for how long and how to use a frozen dough? TIA!
Yes you can freeze the dough. Freezing will work fine. To Freeze Pizza Dough: 1. Let the dough do it’s cold ferment overnight before freezing. 2. Lightly coat the dough with oil and transfer to a resealable freezer-safe zip bag and squeeze out the excess air then freeze up to 3 months. 3. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter and come to room temperature 1 hour before shaping.
Good day maam! After I proof it, how many days can I store it?
Hi Beryl, We love it best enjoyed within 3-5 days. You are welcome to freeze this dough if you need it to store longer, you can let it ferment in the fridge after it thaws, but I would recommend using in within a couple of days for the best results.
Super easy! Great results and definitely a do over.
Thanks for your good feedback, Lynn.
This is truly a great dough and now is my go-to for pizza dough. The instructions are wonderfully detailed which help make it easy. I even bought the pizza kit recommended, love that spatula especially! Thank you, Natasha. Love your recipes.
That’s great to hear, Peggy! Thank you for sharing that with us.
This is the very best pizza dough I’ve ever made, used the white sauce recipe with pieces of chicken breast, saute onions and yellow peppers, delicious!
That is awesome! Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and review, Edna.
Hello Natasha! I’m a big fan of your recipes! I’ve made lots of ‘em and usually pull it off 😅. This time it didn’t go so well :(. My dough didn’t rise much, it felt very moist and when I baked it also didn’t rise much, very tough. It had a good overall flavor but the consistency was off. What might’ve happened? I live in the Caribbean, maybe too much humidity for these measurements? Would love to nail it next time!
HI Isselle, I would highly recommend reviewing our post on how to measure ingredients and also double check that your yeast is still active and not expired. This does rise slowly so the overnight cold fermentation in the fridge is very important – make sure not to rush the process. I hope that helps.
Hi, Natasha! I always do such an awful job preparing the pizza dough from scratch, but when I made the pizza dough using your recipe it came out perfectly. I made this for my family, they loved it. Thank you so much!
Wow, that is so awesome, and great job to you too! I’m glad it was a success, thank you for sharing that with us.
Hi, Natasha! Pizza is my all-time favorite food, and I would make and eat it daily were it not for all the other awesome foods out there to drool over. I have visited your site many times (all good stuff, by the way!), and, as it would be with a pizza fanatic, as I am, your pizza post simply grabbed me. I’ve made hundreds of pizzas, many styles, many types. We each probably have our own favorite crust type. I tried yours and IT’S THE BOMB!! I converted to metric measurements to be accurate (very important!), baked my pie on a 325° steel, and my crust looked just like yours – with all the gas pockets. Great crumb. And it had GREAT flavor and a GREAT chew! As it would after sitting for 3 days in the fridge. In a word – AWESOME!! It is now my go-to dough recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!!
So perfect! What a wonderful review and comment, Larry. Thank you so much for your detailed feedback, we truly appreciate it!
I have made the best pizza dough recipe and it is everything Natasha claimed. Incredibly easy to make and handle the next day while stretching. Most important delicious.
Thank you so much for your wonderful comments and feedback, Cindy. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!
Made it two times already, it’s amazing, I try to make everything at home, pizza is something I could never make before, following your recipe was so simple and the results were amazing
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
hey so i wanted to try the recipe so i halved it but the dough came out pretty dry so i added like a little more water now i have left it to rest lets see what happens or ill start over again.
Hi Areej, make sure to measure the ingredients correctly to avoid adding too much flour.
Such an amazing recipe! We make this once a month now. Wondering, I know the refrigeration is super important but have you ever tried making the pizza right after the rise? I need a last minute meal for some guests and I’m wondering if this would work. Thanks!
Hi Suzy, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise.
Can I use instant yeast instead
Hi Cindi, I have only tested this with regular yeast and not instant so I can’t speak to the process changes if you are substituting that ingredient without testing it through myself. My guess would be to keep the process the same.
can i use tipo “00” flour and bake in my pizza oven with this recipe?
Hi Stephen, I haven’t tested that so I can’t give you exact details on that substitution with 00 flour.
since I can’t have anything with yeast, is there a recipe I can do using cauliflower and no flour and yeast
Hi Rodney, we don’t have a cauliflower crust recipe currently.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use a pizza flour instead (higher protein content) and cook using a pizza oven?
Hi Kyle, I haven’t tested with pizza flour and always use all-purpose but I think it’s worth experimenting. I have tested in a pizza oven and it works great.
I will test this weekend and get back to you! Thanks for the reply.
Hi Natasha, worked a treat with the pizza dough in the pizza oven. If I could post pics I would ☺️
I’m so glad! You’re welcome to load it up to social media and tag #natashaskitchen for us to see it.
Hey Natasha, we made a pizza today following your instructions. It tasted awesome; couldn’t have been better. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
However, we set both the sides(bottom and top) to heat, and the bottom was not as soft as we wanted it to be. How can we avoid that the next time?
Hi, to avoid a soft crust on the bottom, be sure to preheat your pizza stone fully and also do not overload the pizza with toppings or sauce.
Actually, the bottom was not soft but hard. I want to make it softer. To do so, should I allow only the top of the oven to heat?
Hi Mathisha, the bottom is intended to be crisp but not hard. In that case, you might try to keep the center a little thicker when stretching the dough so it doesn’t end up too thin.
Thank you so much. Problem solved!!
Perfect! Glad it was solved.