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.
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
Homemade Individual Pizzas 
Homemade Pizza Sauce (5-Minute Recipe) 
Chicken Pizza with Creamy Garlic Sauce 
California Pizza Recipe 
White Pizza Sauce (Quick & Easy) 
No-Knead Bread Recipe (VIDEO) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
It worked out ok. Why does my dough keep rising in the fridge. It goes crazy if I cover it and keep it in the fridge. I can’t seem to make a thin crust also.
Thanks Natasha
Hi Robert, the dough should rise pretty minimally in the fridge – did you use the same amount of yeast? Also, I haven’t tested with a self rising flour, but that could be a culprit since it has extra leavening in it?
This crust was delicious! I would like to make a sourdough version. Any tips?
Hello Janice, I haven’t tried that yet to advise. Maybe others have experienced using sourdough before and can share it with us.
Hi Natasha, the pizza dough looks amazing! Can instant yeast be substituted instead?
Hi Sylvia, I always make this with active dry yeast because it seems to keep better for longer, but that should work fine and there would be no need to wait 5 minutes. You could mix the instant yeast right into the flour before adding the liquids. Please let me know if you experiment with instant yeast.
Hi Natasha, Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! This is by far the best recipe I have ever tried and this is a keeper, I have shared with so many of my friends and all of them loves it too!!! I remember you had a Khachapuri recipe that you could make with the same pizza dough, but now I cannot find it for some reason 🙁
Thank you so much for your great comments and feedback. I don’t have a recipe for that, maybe you saw it from another website?
OK, but does switching water with milk make it softer?
Hi Yelena, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you happen to experiment please let me know how you like that.
Hi Natasha!, can I use baking soda instead of yeast to make it faster?
Hi Yelena, unfortunately, that would not work well in this recipe.
Hey Natasha, thanks for the recipe! My fiancé and I made it last night and it turned out much better than we expected as first time pizza makers.
My question for you is regarding the pizza peel. Mine was brand new and after I washed it it started “shedding”, I’m not sure what else to call it – little bamboo pieces started coming off. Do you have any knowledge about this? Is it like the pizza stone and has special care instructions that we’re not included with mine?
Hi Rachel, it’s hard to say without knowing the brand or what the care instructions are. I would recommend looking up the manufacturer online to see if they have any care instructions online.
Natashas, you are by far my favorite. I share all your recipes and everyone loves them. Last night I tried you stuff cabbage which I have never made or even eaten before. It was a hit, I even shared them with my neighbors. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hello Natasha, please keep sending these videos, you are my favorite blogger thank you sooo much for this recipe it is so delicious THANKS, Zoe
Hi Zoe, okay will surely do. Thanks for your awesome feedback!
This is the BEST pizza that I ever ate!!! Thank you so much for it!!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
can this dough be frozen
Hi Annette, Thanks for your wonderful feedback. 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.
Natasha,
I’ve made this recipe many times and it is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Thank you so much for sharing this. I now want to try making it with gluten-free flour and I was wondering if you or anyone else in this community has tried to substitute for gluten-free and if so what are the right ratios? Thank you!
Hi Natalie, I have not tested this with gluten-free flour. I looked through the comments and didn’t see anyone commenting on that. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I will!
OK. So I tried the exact same recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour. Results, so so…
1) The dough does not rise like it does with regular flour. I left it on the kitchen counter for 7 hours and then put it in the fridge for 24 hours. The ball did not change in size from what I initially created.
2) The dough is chunky and I rolled it out right onto the cooking tray because it would fall apart if I tried to lift it and move it. As a result the pizza turned out pretty flat.
3) It took 2 mins less in the oven at 550.
4) Tastes alright. Obviously the original recipe tastes wayyy better but if you really can’t have gluten try it out. It’s like flat bread.
I have always been intimidated when it comes to any kind of dough, but this was so fun and easy! I love that you can get creative with toppings and sauces. My favorite is Barbecue chicken pizza. I also made my own pizza seasoning that I sprinkled on top of the dough before adding the barbecue sauce. So delicious!
Wow, that sounds awesome! If you’re ready to share your recipe with us, please do so.
Can you freeze the dough after it’s been sitting in the fridge for a week? When should you use it by? How long would it take to defrost? Or can it stay in the fridge for longer than a week?
Hi KG, you are welcome to freeze this dough, 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. I haven’t tried storing it for more than two days so I can’t say a week will work.
Hi if my oven can’t reach 550 degrees F am I able to set it to 450 degrees F? 450 is the max for my oven
Hi Bob, I would just set it to the highest it goes and bake a little longer. Watch the visual cues for crust and topping doneness. I hope you love the pizza!
Hi Natasha!
I did the double portion and use Kitchen aid mixer. Low speed/dough attachment.
And the dough wasn’t as yours. It was harder and not sticky.
Is the mixer not work for this recipe, or I did something wrong?
Hi Anna, 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.
pls how many small individual pizzas will this dough make? and can it be frozen?
Hi Annah, this recipe makes 2, 10-12 inch crusts. 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 Natasha
Thank you very much for the great tutorial! Like to know what is the ideal temperature in the refrigerator when the dough is being fermented overnight? is it not suppose to rise much after 24 hours?
Hi NK, it won’t rise much in a cold environment during this slow fermenting period. Our refrigerator is between 35-39˚F.
Amazing!! Served it today for dinner and we absolutely loved it! Yes, it takes 24 hours but it’s worth it! – the dough is sooo good. I used a very hot iron pan so the heat will concentrate and it worked amazing.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us Agus!
I just made the dough. It is very sticky and after the first rise I had a hard time releasing it from the bowl. Trying to fold it was also difficult as it needed a lot of flour to stop it from sticking. Yours on the video definitely looked much smoother as you started folding. I realized on your video that you stated the weight of the flour but its not in your recipe ingredients. Looking forward to using the dough but next time I will weigh the flour.
Hi Halinka, we mentioned the weight for reference, we do have the metric conversion option on the towards the bottom of the post on the printable recipe card. I hope that helps.
Well, it was a disappointment in the end. I did not get the bubbles or the rise on the edges in the crust like yours. Like the other poster mine also rose in the fridge. Interestingly enough the more it sat on the counter the better the second piece turned out but still it fell flat for me and nothing like your video.
Hi Halina, because 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?
Hello! If I am using a cast iron skillet instead of a pizza stone, should I preheat the cast iron I’m the oven?
Hi Amber, yes, you will want to preheat that.
Thanks to you Natasha we have pizza night every week now. They are so good that I no longer buy any pizza, I make them myself. I don’t have pizza stone, I just put a parchment paper on my oven rack, put my dough on it, and then slide my dough with a parchment paper on my oven tray with help of oven rack.
Sounds awesome! I’m so glad to hear that you and your family enjoy this pizza dough recipe.
Can we use whole wheat flour in stead of all purpose flour.
I haven’t tried wheat flour but I think it would make the dough tougher to just use whole wheat.
When i tried using whole wheat flour it was more difficult because whole wheat flour requires more liquid, so i suggest scaling down the amount of flour or doing part whole wheat and part ap flour or use bread flour. Hope this helps
We love this pizza dough recipe and make it often. We bake it in a cast iron skillet at 500 for 15 minutes. DELICIOUS
Yum! I bet the crust is fantastic on a cast-iron skillet! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hello Natashas
What is the difference between bread yeast and active yeast
I also saw some for the bread, are these as good?
Thank’s
Hi, I haven’t worked with “bread yeast” but stick with active dry yeast. Here is some information on the different types of yeast that may be helpful to you.
I made this on Sunday and it was amazing! I made more dough today but left it out for 7+ hours before putting it in the fridge. Can I still use it? Or should I toss it?
Hi Augustine, there is no need to toss it, I would just refrigerate the dough portions as usual.
Hi Natasha!
I love this recipe! The first time I made it, it immediately became our new family favorite.
I’m planning to make about six pizzas this weekend for visitors coming to town. Does each pizza dough need to be divided into separate bowls to sit in the refrigerator for a few nights? Would freezer bags with the air squeezed out work instead, or would that interfere with the process? I’m just tight on space.
Thanks so much!
Hi Heather! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe! I love the idea of making several pizzas for a party. I would recommend individual bowls for these but I have not tested this in freezer bags to advise. We do have tips on freezing the dough in comments if you plan on going that route.
Love your recipes! Question, will this work if dough doesn’t rest overnight? Thanks!
Thanks Lora. The secret to an incredible dough is to let it rest and give it time, we recommend doing it at least overnight.
Hiii!!! I was so excited to make this dough!!! And… I made it… it did not come out right… it Kept rising while resting in the fridge overnight… had no bubles and didnt bake right, but I my oven sucks so… Im so upset!! Im from Brazil and lived in US 10 years.. been to Italy… so… Love pizza… would Love to be able to make a good homemade pizza…
Hi Any Kely, sorry it did not work out for you and I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. The liquid to dry ingredients proportion is accurate and make sure you aren’t substituting with a different type of flour. Check out our post on how to measure ingredients – measuring flour the wrong way can result in 25% more flour than you need. Also, make sure your yeast is not expired and be sure not to overheat the dough while it proofs or it can deactivate and kill the yeast.
This dough was amazingly delicious and easy to prepare. Got my 11 yr old son involved and we learned more about yeast and fermentation. Of course his most favorite part was “playing with his food”. He loved getting his hands in the dough. The rest of the family loved the taste, comparing it to restaurant quality, and asked to add it to the “do again” list. Thank you.
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Hi, this looks amazing! Can you use this dough to make garlic knots?
Hi Jane, I have not tested that to advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like this recipe.
Made this tonight for supper. It was a hit. Definitely a new family favorite. Restaurant quality. My family and I joked while it was stretching the dough. I am not like one of those pizza places that has the guy that stretches the dough so perfectly. I will need more practice. I was a bit nervous to make a hole so I was very slow and careful. The crust was delicious lite and crispy. We will definitely be making this soon and sharing it with close friends and family. Can’t wait to enjoy those 2 pizza sauces on your blog!! Yummo!
Hello Elizabeth, thanks for sharing that with us. I’m sure you did great and yes, practice makes perfect! I am happy to know that you enjoyed making the pizza dough.
Love this pizza recipe! It has become our Friday night go to. I’d like to pre-make the dough and freeze it??? any hints and recommendations?
I’m thinking, take it out of the freezer 2 days before I want to serve. Thaw in fridge for a day and then let it rise on the counter the morning I want to use it??? Thanks!
Thanks for your wonderful feedback, Krista. 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.
Natasha I made the dough, after one hour of putting it out, it wasn’t a hard dough like yours, I mean I couldn’t even lift it. any how I shaped it and backed it. There were lots of bubbles before backing it, but no bubbles after it was backed. the taste was good though. what did I do wrong?
Hi Sam, I haven’t had that experience to advise. I’m curious, was anything altered or substituted in the recipe? I recommend reading through all of our tips on the dough. Also, you may find this post on measuring helpful.
I made this exactly as your video and recipe instructed. The rising went well but stretching it was not easy. It came out lumpy and too thick. When I tried to stretch it tore apart. The crust tasted good but was too thick in some spots and too thin in others. I know you said not to disturb the air bubbles so I didn’t roll it out. I was actually disappointed with the result. What did I do wrong?
Hi Diana, if you followed the steps and timing for the resting, chilling, and then letting it come to room temperature before forming the crust, then it sounds like there may be too much flour. Make sure to follow our tutorial here on how to measure flour. If you push the measuring cup into the flour bin, you can compact it and get 25% too much flour. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, My dough is in cold fermentation stage now, after two hours of being in the fridge they are getting bigger and the bowl is full, there is no more space for the dough to rise. Should I change their place into bigger bowl? If I change their bowl, is it going to ruin my dough? I’m going to keep them in the fridge for the next 3 days.
Hi Sam, it won’t ruin the dough – just transfer it to a larger oiled bowl.
Made this pizza Dough – was heavenly – had the best pizza ever made at home – was pure high end restaurant quality ! Thank you
Yay that is awesome! Thank you so much for your excellent feedback.
I want to make it but dont have pizza stone..what options doi have?
Hi Karolina, we have a note on that but I also recommend reading through the comments. Several of our readers reported great results using a baking pan.
Hello Natasha,
I’m about to make the pizza for the first time and I’m excited because your recipe looks amazing! I was just at a very fancy pizza place here in Mexico and they told me they use fresh mozarella italian cheese (bel gioso). I noticed that you use shredded cheese. Can I use the fresh mozarella?
Hi Lulu, I bet that could work! I would love to know you like this if you experiment!
Did you attach the white and red pizza sauce somewhere? Also a link to your pizza making cooking utensils please.
Hi Vicky, yes, we have it linked in the recipe. Find our Classic Red Sauce HERE & White Pizza Sauce HERE. You can find our favorite tools on our blog shop and our Amazon Shop. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
I’m having a party in 5 days, so i made my dough and now its resting in the fridge. as it’s 6 pizzas i will make, what’s the best way to save time with rolling, adding toppings in advance. thanks
Hi Charlotte, I like to build my pizzas just before putting them in the oven, otherwise, you will need a significant amount of flour under the dough or the sauce, and toppings will soften it and make it difficult to transfer later. If you wanted them fully assembled for the party, freezing might be a good option although it will change the texture of the crust baking from frozen. If anyone else has some great make-ahead tips, please share!
Hi natasha the party was yesterday i ended up leaving the dough for 5 days in the fridge, and cooked them fresh on the party. I just prepared the fillings, there was a bit of flour mess but results were soooo worth it. Everybody complimented on the dough, u could eat a full pizza without getting full. I made 1.5 times of the recipe and had 9 pizzas 8 slices each. Fillings were
– cheese
– pilli steak (ur recipe for a sandwich. I made it on the pizza)
– barbecue chicken
– pepperoni
– veggy
Also used ur white sauce and red sauce.
Can’t wait to make pizza again.
Yay so great to hear that you had a wonderful experience. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha, I’m going to use instant yeast. Do I still need to add honey to the water?
Hi Sam I would keep the rest of the recipe the same.
I made mine in a cast iron skillet. O. M.G. Soooooo good. I’ve made several pizza dough recipes in quarantine. THIS by far, hands down, is seriously the best! I made one pizza the first day and made the next one the day after. Totally recommend letting the dough proof for at least 2 days. Unfortunately, I’m not patient enough to wait for it to proof 3 days! Lol I also made the classic red sauce from this link too. Highly recommend!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe Joy! That’s so great!
After pre heating the oven, can I use rolling pin on the dough to make it even and in proper shape?
Hi Nandy, we do not recommend a rolling pin as it could destroy the bubbles in the dough that give the pizza dough its texture.
Hi Natasha, I tried this recipe and had several fails. Can you help me achieve the perfect pizza and tell me what I am doing wrong.
First time I did it was a complete fail. I think it was because I used instant yeast and did not read that you can add directly to the ingredients. Also it never rised and ended up super thin and the crust was super hard.
Second attempt, way much better. I used the instant yeast and incorporated it into the ingredients right away. I also used my stand mixer because last time I did not knead correctly. Left it to rise 4 to 5 hours at room temperature and it rose great. When I cooked the pizza I achieved the perfect crust with the holes like you said. The center of the pizza rose to much it was not thin. Everything else tasted great. Did I do something wrong? I stretched it to the size you said. Please tell me what am I doing wrong. I will try again until achieve it.
Hi Carmen, the center of the pizza rising usually indicates too much yeast. I had that happen in my testing with too much yeast. Make sure you are adding the correct amount of yeast. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha,
If you only want to make one pizza, can you freeze the 2nd ball of dough for later use? If so, what is the process?
Hi Michele, 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.
Made this recipe twice now. Love the texture of this dough but the flavor seems a tad flat. Wondering if i can add more salt to the dough or will it have an ill effect on the rise? Thank you.
Hi Lisa, there should be ample salt. If using kosher salt, I would suggest using more salt. You can always add a little more salt and it will work fine.
Hey, a quick question. Can I use Sugar instead of honey ? Because that’s all I have RN.
Hi Neha, yes it can be substituted with 1 tsp of sugar.
Hi Natasha! I made your pizza with white sauce, and after I removed it from the oven I sprinkled on pieces of cold, cooked, Maine lobster and a little chopped fresh basil from my garden. Amazing!!! Thank you so much!
Yum! That sounds amazing! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Carol!
Hi Nataseha,
I live in Egypt, and thanks to house confinement I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen poisoning the family with my many failed attempts.
Since I fell upon your website (it started with the apple pie) I have become a master chef! whenever my wife says “what are you gonna feed us?” my replie now is always “I’ll ask Natasha”
This pizza recipe is by faaaaar the best I’ve seen/tried online… and the white sauce is WOW…and new!
I can’t wait to try more and more of your recipes.
Thank you and God bless
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Aiman. I am so happy to hear that you are enjoying my recipes. I hope you love every recipe that you try!
Hi Natasha,
I Live in Egypt and I’m kinda new to the kitchen. Before I fell upon your website I was torturing my wife and kids with my attempts. However, now I’m the chef at home thanks to you! My sister-in-law calls me the “dough master” cuz of my pizza AND apple pie!!!
Thank you and can’t wait to try more and more of your recipes.
God bless
My pleasure! I am so glad that you’re enjoying my recipes.
Can you roll the dough out to make calzones?
Hi Sheri, I haven’t tested that but I bet that could work! If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
OMG! The best calzones ever! I used half the recipe, one bowl of the pizza dough and made two large calzones! I rolled it pretty thin, filled with some good ingredients, lots of cheese and did an egg wash on top with a few slits on top. Baked at 375 for 30 mins! It’s a must try! Wish I could share a picture!
I’m so glad this worked for calzones! That’s so great!
Hi Natasha. My daughter and I have made this recipe several times and it’s our favorite new pizza dough. It never disappoints! We have also left the dough in the fridge for almost a week and it’s still great. Thank you for a great pizza dough.
Yay, I am so glad to hear that you loved this pizza dough recipe. Thanks for your great review!
I wish i knew this recipe before! The pizza was amazing!! better than our favorite pizza place!!!
Wonderful to hear that you loved it!
They looked amazing and so yummy. I’m going to try out this week. But I only have instant yeast on hand. Can I use the same amount instant yeast to replace the dry active yeast from your recipe with same instruction? I heard some say that instant yeast don’t need to dissolve in the water so I’m little confused. I never done pizza, so I’m try to it right. Love all your recipes. You are the best! 🙂
Hi Alice, I make mine with active dry yeast. If I were to do it with instant, I would mix it into the flour and then just add the liquids to that flour mixture.
Would this work with bread flour?
Hi Via, I have not tested that with bread flour to advise. I’m curious now, if you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
HI. Never mind my previous question and comment about Tbsp. Wonder if it is ok to use canned tomato puree too and add same ingredients to it and blend?
Hi, I haven’t tested it that way – we stick to this same list of ingredients because it works so well, Tomato puree might be too thin.
Hi. I am a bit confused about the tablespoon thing. 1/2 Tbsp salt…. You mean one or two Tbsp salt? Never heard of one-half Tbsp… I will be making a pizza tomorrow afternoon.
Hi Karl, a “1/2 Tbsp” measurement is half of a tablespoon. I hope that helps.
3 tsp make 1 Tbsp, so, 1 1/2 tsp equals 1/2 Tbsp. There are charts that can be found online explaining all ‘spoon’ measurements that take away all the mystery. Personally I would list 1 1/2 tsp in a recipe instead of 1/2 Tbsp. It’s simpler.
Sorry Natasha!
I should add that I’ve made this recipe once and it was well received. Thanks! I’ve been asked to make it again for this coming 4th of July weekend.
Would it be ok if I only left it in the fridge for 12 hours?
Hi, it’s definitely better if it’s left for a little longer because the bubbles will develop better but it will still work after 12 hours. I would encourage you to test with different batches to see which you enjoy better.
Is the honey required in the recipe? I’m not a fan of honey and don’t want to buy a whole bottle because it won’t be used, plus its super expensive where I live.
Hi Kaylee, Both honey and sugar work well, it feeds the yeast.
Do I use the same amount of sugar that I would use of the honey?
Hi Kaylee, yes it can be substituted with 1 tsp of sugar.
Hi Natasha,
I love all your recipes, you make cooking so simple. I made your banana bread, bread rolls and both of your lasagna dishes.
So now, I am really excited to make your pizza dough.
I have prepared my dough for the pizza, but I do not have a pizza stone.
What can I use instead of a pizza stone and how to cook the pizza without the pizza stone, step by step instructions please?
Thank you
Hanna
Hi Hanna! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes. You can use a pizza pan or a baking pan! That should work great! I recommend reading through the comments for some tips also, our readers have the best ideas! One reader mentioned using cast iron.
Hi Natasha,
I made the pizza mine was not round like yours, but it tastes amazing.
Thank you so much.
Hanna
Thanks for sharing Hannah, I’m glad you enjoyed the taste!
Hi Natasha,
Tried this recipe and it all went well until I tried to form the dough and it pulled apart as I tried to roll it on my knuckles. Any tips on what I did wrong?
Hi Michelle, did it rip apart and made holes? I’m more than happy to troubleshoot. Was anything altered in this recipe?
I had the same problem – tore in the center..
Hii Natasha,
I just made your pizza recipe with your delicious homemade white pizza sauce it taste AMAZING!!!!!! So delicious the best pizza I’ve ever had.My whole family loved it thank you so much.
I love it! Thanks for your comments and great feedback, Amirah. I hope you love every recipe that you try!
thanks a lot natasha
Hi Natasha, just wondering if its ok to use the dough right away or if the cold fermentation process is absolutely necessary? Love your channel btw!
The fermentation process is necessary and recommended. I hope you love it!
We actually tried it without the cold fermentation and it still came out amazing! Best homemade pizza we’ve ever made. Will definitely plan ahead and not skip the cold fermentation part next time. Looking forward to making more pizza and trying more of your recipes! Thank you for everything you do!
You’re welcome, Brendan! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Phew. Good to hear. I just started making this recipe without thoroughly reading the time involved. Have to use it tonight! Lol
I had a problem with the dough sticking to the peel. I floured it well and it shook fine until I put the sauce and cheese on it. Then it was stuck to the peel and mess when I tried to transfer to the stone. Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions to make it stick less other than more flour on the peel? Should I coat the ball of dough in a lot of flour before stretching over my knuckles.
Hi Ginger, you can coat the bottom of the dough in flour before rolling it on your knuckles. It could be that the actual dough needed a little more flour, but dipping the bottom into flour should help.
So mine came out perfect the first time and stuck the second time 🤦🏻♀️. A friend recommended using parchment paper. ill be trying that next time!
My family absolutely loves this pizza recipe! Thank you, Natasha, for this and all of your recipes that have been collecting in my recipe arsenal! I also had an issue with the dough sticking to the peel. I found that if you place a piece of parchment paper on the pizza peel it will slide right onto the pizza stone. Halfway through the cooking process, lift the pizza with a large spatula and remove the parchment…voila!
You’re very welcome, Tammy. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and for giving this recipe an excellent review!
Hi Natasha!
Its my daughters birthday and we planned to distribute some Pizzas to our neighbor frds since we dont have a party at home. I have used 4 times the recipes you gave to make 9 12 inch pizzas. They are in the fridge now for refrigeration. I have packed them in cling wrap and placed in freeser bags. There are 3 portions in 1 big freezer bag. Hope it works. Will let you know the results.
I hope you love this recipe Lulu!
Aged my pizza dough for three days. Made it for dinner last night. Didn’t tell my family I was trying something new. Rave reviews!
That’s just awesome Jeanette! Thank you for sharing that great review!
how can you know when your water is at 105-110f without a thermometer?
Hi Amirah, it should feel very warm but not hot to the underside of your wrist. It should be about the temperature of a baby’s bath water.
hii Natasha!! I was wondering if you were to use the stand mixer with the hook attachment, like how should you make this pizza recipe?
Hi Amirah, a stand mixer isn’t necessary and I find I have more control doing this by hand. Also, I have baked after 5 hours in my testing and I found the cold fermentation is what gives you those desired bubbles in the crust, great texture, and rise as the edges while it’s baking. It also tastes better after cold fermentation.
thanks a lot Natasha
Do we have to freeze it overnight or is it fine just to make it after it rises?
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.
LOVE your pizza dough! It’s the best of any we’ve tried! Quick question about your freezing instructions: after allowing the frozen dough to thaw overnight in the frig and then placing it in the oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap, would it still be okay to leave it in the frig for a few more days to continue fermenting?
Thank you so much, Cheryl. We love it best enjoyed within 3-5 days.
Just to clarify…after the dough has been frozen (and then thawed in the frig), you’ve left it in the frig an additonal 2-3 days? If yes, did you think the dough was more flavorful and bubbly that way after being frozen or do you think after thawing from frozen, it’s better to use it right after it’s thawed in the frig?
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.
Hi Natasha,
I am an experienced bread maker and I turned it out onto a floured surface to knead it for the 2 minutes prior to rising instead of kneading in the bowl with your hands as you do. Will that make a difference?
It is a lot less messy and the dough was beautiful and smooth after the 2 minutes, but it di incorporate about an extra 1/4 of flour.
I’ve never used this technique before, so I could use your guidance. Thank you. I have tried many of your recipes and they are wonderful!
Hi Ginger, this folding technique is usually sufficient for kneading the dough so I don’t do the extra kneading step. You could even fold it a few extra times if you are concerned. I’m so glad you enjoy our recipes.
Hello Natasha , I made the pizza dough today and it ddn’t come out right , the dough is not sticky like yours, and it’s more kind of dry, I don’t have active dry yeast on my pantry so I substitute with quick dry yeast.
Hi Melody, sorry it did not work out for you and I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. The liquid to dry ingredients proportion is accurate and make sure you aren’t substituting with a different type of flour. Check out our post on how to measure ingredients – measuring flour the wrong way can result in 25% more flour than you need. Also, make sure your yeast is not expired and be sure not to overheat the dough while it proofs or it can deactivate and kill the yeast.
Natasha,
Thank you so much for the recipe and directions. My grandchildren loved it. The little boy said it’s even better than the Whole food’s one.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
Love this pizza base!! Amazing Natasha!!! My husband and I are eating one right now!!! Thank you!! You are a very cook!!!! Watch all your videos!!!
Hi Josephine, I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for sharing your awesome review.
THE most amazing pizza, thank you so much 💖 I love that you can keep the dough it in the fridge for days, this makes it possible to have a spontaneous pizza lunch 😀 I usually divide it into 4 parts which makes 4 generous dinner plate size pizzas. As long as you remember to take the dough out of the fridge in time, it always turns out amazing 😍
You are very welcome, Martina. I’m so glad you enjoyed this pizza dough! Thanks for sharing that with us.
It is a perfect pizza. I made it. It looks perfect and yum.
I’m so glad you loved the pizza recipe. Thank you for sharing your great review!
Natasha, thank you so much for sharing the recipe for pizza, I made the pizzas with the red and white sauces and my family loved them, didn’t have time for pictures because they ate them so fast.
So lovely to hear that Maria. Thanks for sharing your excellent feedback with us and I hope you love every recipe that you try!
First time commenting after watching and making so many of your recipes mainly from your video tutorials.
Natasha you have inspired me to cook again after losing my enthusiasm for cooking family dinners after 20 years. Thank you and please keep on and don’t change a thing xxx
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so inspired reading your review, Rebecca. Thank you!
I loved it! You have no idea how many different recipes I tried before almost about to give up on pizza making until this one.. so perfect step by step. More time of pre elaborating but almost none extra effort for beginners like me! So worthy! Also made the red sauce recipe delicious! Thanks Natasha!!
You’re very welcome Flor! So happy you enjoyed this!
I’ve always wanted to make homemade pizza dough and I’m so happy to have come across your recipe. The process was easy and the entire family LOVED it. I also used your recipe for the red sauce (our favorite) and the white sauce and everything was delicious. I can’t wait to make it again.
THANK YOU!
You’re welcome, Erica! I’m so happy you liked that!
I don’t have a pizza stone, what should I use?
Hi Terry, others shared this “Since we don’t have a Pizza stone, I inverted my baking tray and baked the pizzas on it. The dough came out so amazing & chewy, it’ll be my go-to recipe now!”
Can you freeze this pizza dough?
Hi Vivki, 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.
Can u use fast acting yeast?
Hi Barbara, I haven’t tested this with fast-acting yeast to advise but others shared this “We made it with fresh yeast. Used double the amount of yeast that you asked for and it turned out amazing!”
Hi Natasha! I just wanted to let you know that I’ve tried this recipe for my daughter’s birthday party and it worked out great! I even have a second batch sitting in my fridge for this week’s dinner 🙂
Thanks for all your hard work and for such a pro recipe 🙂
Perfect! So great to hear that you loved the pizza dough, thank you for your good comments!
Hey Natasha! 🙂
I tried this dough recipe a few weeks ago & we all LOVED how amazing the pizzas turned out. We are already planning another pizza dinner.
Since we don’t have a Pizza stone, I inverted my baking tray and baked the pizzas on it. The dough came out so amazing & chewy, it’ll be my go-to recipe now!
Ps. My mom was a bit hesitant on this new baking technique on an inverted tray, but after taking the very first bite, she said the technique worked well.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Wow, that is so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that with us, it’s very helpful for others who are thinking of using that technique too.
LOVE the recipe!Would like to know if you can freeze it and for how long? Thank you!
Carmen Fittro
Hi Carmen, 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.
we live in Florida and with humidity and other issues. I made this twice first time was the 8hours, then 24 in the fridge. Was good but not a lot of bubbles. 2nd I did and in the fridge for 4 days, 1 dried on top and the other was fine but less bubbles than the first time i made it. Dough was wet in the middle. Was wondering if I should cut the liquid down. I have to do that with other recipes, due to sea level and weather. Any one have thoughts about this. Maybe less time in the fridge? Because the dough seems like it is perfect after folding and 8 hours on the counter.
Hi Lisa, I think it’s worth experimenting with slightly less liquid if you living in a humid area and especially if that is a typical fix for you. Make sure to cover when refrigerating so it doesn’t dry out or form a film.
I want to only do half of the thing– do I halve all flour, water, and yeast measurements?
Hi Winni, that is correct, you would halve the entire recipe.
This pizza dough is amazing!!! It’s the first homemade pizza I’ve ever made and it came out perfect. The recipe is so easy to follow and the dough was incredibly easy to work with. I used bread flour and let the dough rest in the fridge for 24h. The crust was nice and crispy on the outside and chewy and soft on the inside. I topped mine with big chunks of fresh mozzarella and fresh basil.
Yum! That sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing that great review!
Mine didn’t turn out..
The dough didnt rise well at all even though i followed your steps. It didnt bubble much either. It was very heavy. Pizza looked beautiful but didnt taste fluffy like i was expecting. Do you think i might have added too much flour? Should I add more yeast maybe? 1/2tsp seems so little.
Hi Ksusha, I would suggest checking if your yeast is still active. It doesn’t rise as much as bread but it should rise as described in the post. It could also be too much flour – make sure to either weight in grams or use the method we suggest for measuring ingredients. I hope that helps.
Thank you for the help. I think too much flour was half the problem and the other half was that I took the dough out of the fridge 1.5hrs prior to cooking. I let the other half of the dough out 4 hrs prior to baking the next day and it formed the bubbles but was still a bit heavy. Definitely will try again to perfect it.
It tastes great btw!
I’m glad that was helpful!
SOS
Hi Natasha! I accidentally, added 1/2 tsp of salt instead of 1/2 tbs. it’s been about 2 hrs. Can my dough be salvaged or should I start over?
Hi Angela, the dough will be fine. It will still work well with less salt. The toppings will also add salt and will compensate. It tastes better with more, but the recipe will still work.
Can I bake my pizza in a pizza pan if I don’t have a stone or those other fancy things?
Hi Gabriela, others shared that they used a pizza pan and it worked well too.
We love to add broccoli and Italian sausage and use just olive oil. We also do spinach and artichokes.
Sometimes we go insane with pepperoni, sausage,band bacon.
** Can we cook the pizza at 425 degrees? If so, how long?
That sounds amazing! If that is the highest your oven will go, yes. You may need to adjust the bake time, however.
Really want to make this but, quick questions.
Does it have to be kneaded by hand only? Standing mixer won’t work?
Hi Natasha, a stand mixer isn’t necessary and I find I have more control doing this by hand. Also, I have baked after 5 hours in my testing and I found the cold fermentation is what gives you those desired bubbles in the crust, great texture and rise as the edges while it’s baking. It also tastes better after cold fermentation.
Made this, this past weekend which was not a good idea in 100 degree weather but non the less was so good I made extra so once it cools down will forsure be making more pizza 😘🍕
That is awesome! I’m so glad you liked it.
Hi Natasha, I love your blogs. I’ve made this pizza dough couple of times already, but I’d like to know if it is possible to let the dough rise in an instant pot? As an alternative to 4-5 hrs at room temp.
Hi Ann, I have not tested that in an instant pot to advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
I used the Instant Pot rival pressure cooker, the a Crockpot Express to proof my dough using the yogurt function on low.
I had used google for a rough guideline but apparently didn’t read it clearly. It said to proof for 30 minutes, and I accidentally did it for an hour…. which I think was better based on the end result.
Hi Natasha! I was first impressed by this recipe with 70% hydration dough made with hand as I never seen it before as it is recommended to be done with a mixer. So I decided to give a try. I was surprised that you could fold a 70% hydrated dough with hands and that dough looks somehow hard in your hand though 70% dough are very soft e sticky and impossible to be worked by hand like you show in the video. So I gave it a try and I was right. After 4 hours I tried to fold the dough, and it was not as the hard dough you can fold in the video, though somewhat I managed to fold it and it is on the fridge now So finally I would love some info on this recipe, because it sounds good but it does not give the results that you are showing, and I really want this work.
Thank you a lot!
Hi Gris, it may be in the way you are measuring flour. Check out our post on measuring ingredients which may help answer your questions to get the texture correct. If you can weigh your ingredients, that would be even better.
I experienced the same thing. I bake bread every week. I use a scale to weigh flour. My pizza dough was still sticky after 24 hours. It wouldn’t even slide off and I floured it quite a bit. Even tho it wasn’t quite like the video it was a very good tasting crust. Guess it will take a few tries to figure things out. I’m sure there is a user error somewhere. Thank you so much for your recipe!
Hi Natasha. I have been trying to make a good pizza at home for a while now. none of the recipes ive tried have worked out. Except this one.. it did take me three tries to get it right..but finally when i got it, it was sooo yummy… thanks for the recipe…. i was so excited that when i formed the crust with my hands it didn’t break this time and i saw the bubbles
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Smitha!
Hi Natasha, I’m a long time viewer of your cooking videos and first time commenting. Just wanted to let you know that this pizza recipe was great! Your video is so helpful to understand the technique for preparing the pizza and shaping it. This is the first time I was able to make a mostly circle pizza lol.
That is awesome, great job! Thanks for leaving a comment here and for your excellent review!
with everything going on, i could only find fresh yeast. Will it work?
Hi Kathy, I haven’t tested this with fresh yeast to advise.
We made it with fresh yeast. Used double the amount of yeast that you asked for and it turned out amazing! My kiddos love this pizza and want it everyday. My oldest loves following your recipes. You are our go to. Will get a pizza stone as we made it on a baking sheet, but still the best recipe.
That is so great to know that it works great using double the fresh yeast. Did you change anything else in the process or keep the steps the same? Others have asked about using fresh yeast and your review is so helpful. Thank you!
Hi Natasha,
I made the pizza and it was amazing!! Thank you so much. It was nice and crisp and crunchy. My son loved it so much he wants it every weekend. I k ow you said we could use instant yeast. Couple questions
#1 do you think it will taste the same as far as crisp and crunchy crust?
#2 you said you could put the instant yeast in with the flour, what would be the next steps and so forth?
I love your cinnamon rolls by the way, will be making them today!
Thanks so much for all your great recipes. P.S your meatloaf is so on point also!!
Elle
Hi Elle, I always make mine with active dry yeast. If I were to do it with instant, I would mix it into the flour and then just add the liquids to that flour mixture.
Would you use the same amount of instant dry yeast? Or reduce it?
Hi Heather, I always make mine with active dry yeast. If I were to do it with instant, I would mix it into the flour and then just add the liquids to that flour mixture.
I’ve been making pizza for years and have tried many crusts. This is the best one I have found and it will be my go to recipe from now on. Thanks. Kelly
That is just perfect! Thank you so much for your good comments.
Hi there all the way from New Zealand. We tried this recipe along with your white pizza sauce for a cheese pizza and it was awesome. Definitely be using this recipe again
I’m so glad that you loved it! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
I really want to make this but I dont have a pizza stone… what do you recommend? also your kids are super cute !!!
Hi Amberley, you can use a pizza pan or a baking pan! That should work great! I recommend reading through the comments for some tips also, our readers have the best ideas! One reader mentioned using cast iron.
Hi I want to try your recipe for dough but does the Honey make it sweet?
Hi Denise, it does not. Most pizza dough has either sugar or honey in it.
I’ve just finished mixing the initial ingredients and set aside for the first rise. Since I cook for one, how should I divide and shape the dough for smaller size pizzas? Will the dough freeze properly after the second rise in the refrigerator after it’s already divided? Thanks, Natasha!
Hi Sara, 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.
How should I divide and form the dough for smaller pizzas as I cook for only one?
Hi Sara, that should work fine, just form smaller balls of dough – I would cut them further in half but probably not smaller than that.
Best pizza dough ever!!! My husband and I have tried a couple dough recipes and this one is the best! Not only are we only going to use this recipe from now on but might have a pizza night once a week just to have this!
That’s just awesome Larissa! I’m so glad you both enjoyed this! It sounds like you found a new favorite! That’s so great!
Natasha, all I have right now is Whole Wheat Bread Flour. Is this okay to use? Any special instructions in making this Pizza?
I haven’t tried wheat flour but I think it would make the dough tougher to just use whole wheat.
Hi. I tried to make a double portion. When combined all Ingredients I had a lot of flour left, Could not get to the right consistency. What did I do wrong?
Hi Iryna, could you possibly have mismeasured the flour? It helps me to count out loud when I’m measuring a lot of flour. Also, this post on how to measure ingredients for baking may be helpful.
Can I use fresh yeast? If so, how much?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Ana, I haven’t tested this with fresh yeast to advise.
This pizza was amazing!! My kids looked at me and just said PLEEEEAASE make this again! We used your red sauce!
Most pizza stones say 450 degrees though, do you have a stone that can take 550 heat?
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Amanda! Sounds like you found a new family favorite! We use this pizza stone here. It is heat safe up to 2100 degrees.
Where did you get your light blue coated tongs?
Hello Pam, you may check the kichen tools that I use here in our Amazon Page.
This recipe is a keeper! I have been relying on two other recipes for the past several years. They were always just ok, not like the New York style that I wanted to replicate. This was that!! I went through the first 5 hour rise and then I did another 5 hours in the fridge. I didn’t want to wait and I needed something for dinner. It was still great, but I bet the longer rise develops amazing flavor. I will plan better next time. Also, I use a piece of parchment on my pizza peel to make sure it doesn’t stick when I slide it onto the baking stone.
I’m so glad you loved the pizza dough! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review.
Hi
I don’t have baking stone
What I can use instead
Thank you
Hi Tamara, you can use a pizza pan or a baking pan! That should work great! I recommend reading through the comments for some tips also, our readers have the best ideas! One reader mentioned using cast iron.
Super delish! I’ve found it tastes best after refrigerated for 3-5 days. And yes, less is more when it comes to yeast! Some pizza recipes out there call for a tablespoon or more of yeast… ugh. Makes the dough bland and tasteless. My husband and I love this recipe especially paired with your homemade alfredo sauce
Thank you so much for sharing that great feedback with us Phoebe! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Anyone try this review with gluten free ap flour? Curious if it would turn out well.
Hi Trina, I have not tested this with gluten-free flour. I looked through the comments and didn’t see anyone commenting on that. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha! I’m Juan Carlos from Colombia, I am going to try to make the pizza crust with gluten free flour. I will let you know how it goes.
Regards.
1st try I used exact measurements and the dough was so dry I couldn’t even get it to come together, so I started over. 2nd try I sifted flour and measured properly but Left out 3/4 cup Flour and dough is still dry, not sticky at all, seems very dense. Any helpful tips?
Hi Heidi! Are you scooping the flour or spooning it into your measuring cup? This post on measuring should help.
Hi
During quarantine i found this pizza recipe. I have tried to make one. The problem i found was the dough was stiil rising in the fridge. Its not like i watched in your video. I followed your instruction already but it came up different. Is there any suggestion? Thanks natasha
Hi Kuz, it should still right slightly in the refrigerator and that is normal. You can see the difference after resting overnight in the photo tutorial above in the smaller bowl before and after photos. You want it to rise slightly – that means your yeast is working and those bubbles are awesome in the baked dough.
Thanks natasha
Just 1 simple question. Do we need oil for dough?
Thanks again
Hi Kuz, we did not add oil to the dough itself but it does rest in a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down.
My daughter had to make homemade pizza dough for a school project. We tried 2 recipes….this one turned out the best! I’m keeping it for my own go to recipe. On a side note, we only had whole wheat flour… crust still turned out good but we had to use less flour. Definitely going to use all-purpose next time and I think we will get an even better crust… it’s pizza, who needs to be healthy! Thanks for the great recipe and tips!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hey, that pizza looks incredible and I’m excited to try it.
What to do if I don’t have a pizza stone or a wooden peel? Should I keep my pizza pan in the oven beforehand? Should I transfer it from my wooden cutting board to the hot pizza pan in the oven?
Thanks
Hi Fatima, yes, you can use your pizza pan! That should work great! I recommend reading through the comments for some tips also, our readers have the best ideas!
Pizza can be healthy depends on what you put on it.
Yesss! This pizza dough is so easy, and tastes better the longer you wait. I just used some jarred marina, a ton of mozzarella and some Parmesan. I topped with fresh basil and some chili flakes. Magical! My oven only heats up to 500 Fahrenheit, and I don’t have a pizza stone or peel. I baked the pizza for an extra 2 minutes, on a preheated cast iron pan. Once the dough was formed into the shape I wanted, I transferred it onto some well floured parchment paper and then added the toppings. It was easy to transport onto the pan (left the parchment paper under as the pizza cooked). Thanks for this great recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
I’m in my 60’s and consider myself a good baker, but I’ve never worked with yeast. I Always thought it was too hard. Making this dough was SO easy, and it actually came out so good! My husband even said the pizza was restaurant quality. The only thing I couldn’t do was make it round. The dough just got longer and longer, so I baked it that way! It looked very ‘artisan’! Also, I had to use a cookie sheet, but it still came out fine. Lol. I’ll definitely make this again. Love your recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Julie! Thank you for that awesome review.
Perfect one! Turned out really great, crispy and was restaurant-quality. Finally have found my forever pizza dough recipe. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome Adrah! I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
Hi Natasha! I made this recipe with instant yeast and it was amazing! Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Nina!
Hi Nina how did you do that?
I made it with the active yeast, it was great by the way. I’m new to baking. It took way too long. I use instant for my cinnamon rolls, but would like to use it for pizza dough. If you could kind of explain it, that would be great.
Thanks,
Elle
Your pizza dough is the best ever. Crispy and perfect. Will make this my pizza dough recipe for ever. Thank you!!
You’re welcome! Thanks for your great feedback.
This is the best pizza dough ever!!! Omg…we really enjoyed 😋😋Thanks Natasa😘
Yay thanks for your awesome comment!
Just a question. I just finished the first steps and am beginning the initial 4-5 hour wait…wondering if I can just leave the dough out overnight (as I’m heading to bed soon) and making the dough balls in the morning.
Hi Alex, it can be left on the counter for 8 hours – that will work fine.
Hi Natasha! Pizza was great 😍 it was awesome for the first try. I didnt hav a pizza stone so the crust was not tat crispy! Bt it was thin in the middle as urs😍❤️ Loved it! Have one question though! Even though its in fridge the second batch dough keeps rising day by day! Should i knock out the air and fold again before i use? Or use as it is? Its almost tripled i would say. What do u suggest?
Hi Rad, there is no need to remove the air bubbles – those make the crust better. After a week though – the dough becomes overly bubbly and is more like a sourdough baguette dough. It made a lovely baguette for me (I’ve tried it!), but it wasn’t great for pizza anymore after a week.
Oh thanq so much! Its just been 3 days since i made d dough! So hopefully will make a pizza again ! Will send u the pic once i make the second batch! Thank u Natasha
You’re welcome! I look forward to it!
I have read many recipes that say never to add salt until the flour stage as it kills the yeast properties. You haven’t found this to be the case?
Also, what is the difference in activating yeast with honey or sugar?
Hi Adri, we haven’t had that issue at all. Both honey and sugar work well and it feeds the yeast.
Best dough recipe. I used it to make a French baguette. 450F Convection 12 min, then 4 min on Broil. Amazing!
Thank you so much!
Made this dough yesterday, the dough has been in the fridge for 24 hrs and I am about to taste the pizza. I will update my review when the taste test is done, but I wanted to note that my dough was not as sticky as yours. Also, after refrigerating it, I could not use my knuckles to thin it out as it was too think, I ended up using a rolling pin.
Sounds good Ria. Please share with us how it goes!
Hi I made this yesterday – great taste and seemed to come out great but I did notice that after staying on the fridge for 24 hours the dough doubled again in size. In your video the dough seems to be the same size as when you made it into balls. Did I do something wrong or does it rise again when it’s in the fridge? I did use active yeast (not instant).
Hi Renee, Great question! It does rise slightly but won’t double. I put it into a bowl that can hold dough twice the size of the ball. As the dough sits up to a week in the fridge, it will slowly expand more. so if you have a 1 1/2 cup portion of dough, you should have a 3 cup bowl to give it some room.
Hi, I tried your recipe and it came out amazing. May I use wheat flour on this? Thanks.
Hi C, without testing that, I’m not sure what the substitution would be or how it would affect the rise and texture of the dough.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried wheat flour but I think it would make the dough tougher to just use whole wheat.
Hi,
Can you make this pizza with instant yeast. It has been hard to find yeast during the pandemic. I finally found instant yeast today & would love to make the pizza.
Thank you
Hi Janice, I always make this with active dry yeast because it seems to keep better for longer, but that should work fine and there would be no need to wait 5 minutes. You could mix the instant yeast right into the flour before adding the liquids. Please let me know if you experiment with instant yeast.
Best pizza ever!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me, Natalia!
Hi Natasha, I seldom write comments for recipes that’s I’ve tried. But this pizza dough recipe is a real keeper! Thank you very much for this amazing recipe!!!!!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that1
Made this tonight for Mother’s Day with my daughter. Who always turns cooking time into a food fight. Pizza dough turned out great. Thanks for the memories. Brandy
So nice you enjoyed making this with your daughter. Hope you had a nice Mother’s Day celebration!
Dear Natasha, followed your Recipe to the T and it came out perfect. Including the hollow bubbles you showed on your video. Also made & used your Pizza White Sauce (Minus the Parmesan. Yet it was nice). Thanks a ton for sharing the wonderful Recipe. It was my first time making Pizza at home and feeling so happy to have nailed it with your help of course..😁
You are very welcome. I’m so glad that you enjoyed making pizza! Thanks for giving this recipe a try.
Natasha,
I make my pizza with, Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms and green chile, with lots of oregano at the end! I love your segments!
I shot a cooking segment for 14 years in the 90’s and early 2000’s for local TV news. I shot, chopped and produced it with two different chefs, all over the US. I like yours because it’s simple and good food! Keep up the good work
Wow, that is awesome Dennis. Thank you for sharing that with us, thank you for your great feedback!
I have tried many pizza dough recipes but this one is certainly the best. The dough turns out perfectly, not too sticky. It is really very easy to make too! Thank you for this recipe. Our family uses it every Friday night.
You are very welcome! Thanks for trying out this recipe and for giving it an excellent review, Melanie.
I had problems with the dough being too soft after one hour. It stretched way too easy and didn’t allow the full circle to form. I think it may need to be a bit chilled before stretching. The first pie (next day) was okay. The second one (three days later), was a flop. Not sure if anyone has had this and figured out a solution as to what went wrong.
Hi Marcy, I haven’t had that experience – it can soften faster in a warmer room so you can keep it out for less in a warmer environment. Also, make sure you are measuring the wet and dry ingredients the same way. Check out our tutorial on how to measure.
I only have premium instant yeast, can I use that instead of active yeast? If so do I just add it to the flour?
Hi Sheri, I always make this with active dry yeast because it seems to keep better for longer, but that should work fine and there would be no need to wait 5 minutes. You could mix the instant yeast right into the flour before adding the liquids. Please let me know if you experiment with instant yeast.
Thank you! Making it now, with the shortages in the store, this is all I could get!
Can the dough be frozen I would like to make more than one batch at a time thanks for the great recipe
Hi Lisa, This would work fine for freezing. 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.
The water and flour proportion seems totally off. My dough turned out to be extremely dry and didn’t rise. Also adding yeast and salt together in water looks like a bad idea.
Hi Katie, Bummer it did not work out for you and I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. The liquid to dry ingredients proportion is accurate and make sure you aren’t substituting with a different type of flour. Check out our post on how to measure ingredients – measuring flour the wrong way can result in 25% more flour than you need. Also, make sure your yeast is not expired and be sure not to overheat the dough while it proofs or it can deactivate and kill the yeast.
I really like your recipes and presentation. I made this tonight and I’m hearing a lot of “This is so good!” From the fam. Thanks, keep up the good work!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Richard!
Best recipe ever. Thanks for sharing. Wondering if you have tried with a different Flour? Whole grain or sprouted spelt flour?
Hi Yordy, I have not tested that with other flour to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
What’s the serving size
Servings: 8 people (makes 2, 10-12 inch crusts)
An amazing recipe! I still have some leftover dough from the last time i made this, however i donot get the crispy edges or the thin centre, could you help me out with what i might be doing wrong, also can this me made without a pizza sone?
Hi Nafisa, the pizza stone aids in that crispy edge. Having a heavy-duty pan that is already oven hot to place the dough on helps that effect. You can still use a pan but it may be less crispy.
If you have instant yeast do you still put it in the water? Or in the flour?
Hi Christine, I always make this with active dry yeast because it seems to keep better for longer, but that should work fine and there would be no need to wait 5 minutes. You could mix the instant yeast right into the flour before adding the liquids. Please let me know if you experiment with instant yeast.
Hi Natasha, I just made the pizza dough, I followed your recipe exactly, but it is not sticky as yours. Not sure what went wrong…
Hi Lana, flour is usually the culprit in the manner it was measured. This post on measuring should help. I hope this helps.
Came out a little doughy but still yam. Thanks Natasha.
I’m glad you enjoyed that!
Just a bit confused as to why you add salt to the liquid, rather than the flour. I was always taught that salt kills yeast if it comes in direct contact. Thanks so much
Hi Natasha, have you ever used 00 Flour? I’ve been told I should be using 00 Flour for Pizza and Pasta doughs.
Hi G, I haven’t because it works so well with All-purpose, but if you test it out, I’d love to know how you liked it compared to all-purpose flour.
Hi Natasha! Would a normal baking sheet give a crusty pizza dough similar to the one that is bake in a pizza stone?
Hi Kei, we prefer baking this on a stone but it will still work on a baking sheet. I hope that helps.
I made the pizza for supper today.
It is awesome.
Love it. Also did the white sauce. Perfect
Tks
That’s so great! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Our kids LOVE the white sauce!
Great recipe. I made one pizza 24hrs after and one pizza 4 days after I made the dough. The second one tasted even better! So easy and quick to make. Will be doubling the recipe next time:)
That is awesome Rachel! Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your good feedback.
Hi, can you omit honey? or substitute for sugar? If so, how much sugar?
Hi Chantelle, yes it can be substituted with 1 tsp of sugar.