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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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!
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
my oven only goes to 500, but it starts to smoke when it gets the hot. is 450 for a longer time an option
Hi Sammy! The high temperature creates the right environment for the perfect crust (crisp and chewy). But yes, you can bake this at a lower temperature for longer.
Hi Natasha, after adding the water to the flour and mixing and then kneading, my dough always seems tough and not sticky like you described. What could I be doing wrong? Thanks!
Hi Shelly! It sounds like the ratio of wet/dry ingredients is off. I would check to make sure you’re measuring the flour correctly. You can click on “metric” in the recipe card for gram conversions and measure your flour by weight if you have a food scale or watch my tutorial on How to measure ingredients here if you’re using a measuring cup.
Thanks so much! I pushed my measuring cup into the flour, which was a reply to someone else, not to do. Prob got too much flour. Also, I used 00 flour, wasn’t sure if that can also make a difference?
Hubby and I made this tonight, we let it proof overnight- total 30hrs. We found our dough so dry to work with- it was never sticky kneading, or at any point. What did we miss? Besides that, we still just went with it and made the pizza- which was DELICIOUS. Just needing advice on the dry dough. Thank you Natasha, we enjoy your cooking videos! God Bless you.
Hi Ange, did you possible use 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. I hope that helps.
I noticed in the video for: Pizza Dough – The Best Pizza Crust (VIDEO), the pizza stone your using has handles? The GRILLBEE PIZZA STONE at AMAZON does not….is this important and/ or does it matter?
Hi David! No it does not matter. The handles just make it easier to life and move.
Thank you so much Natasha! I’ve made about 10 pizzas so far!!!
It was hard at first to stop the dough from sticking to my peel, no matter how much flour or even cornmeal I used. But the secret for me was to put parchment paper on the peel first, make the pizza right on it, and then trim off the excess parchment before sliding it into the oven. Game changer!
I’m going to try your sourdough next. How much do you use and how do you make pizza with it?
You’re welcome and wow that’s great to hear! I’ll be coming up with more sourdough recipes soon, watch out for it!
I tried out the pizza dough receipt last night and it was very good for a first timer. It smelled great! I do have a question. I followed you recipe and made 2 dough balls. I used one of them last night on a pizza stone in my oven for 10mins. The pizza looked great, but the crust was a little chewy throughout. I suspect that I did not stretch it enough when forming the pizza? Any suggestions? I’m going to try the last one tonight.
HI Michael, it could also have needed a little more time to proof. Also, make sure to measure flour correctly as too much flour could result in a chewier and denser crust. I hope that helps.
I’m very excited to make this today. Two quick questions, can this recipe be doubled with the same results? Also, can you freeze this dough? If so, is there a method you use?
Hi! Yes, if you have a bowl large enough, you can double the recipe. See my note in the blog above for freezing. I hope you love the recipe!
Thank you! I realized after sending my initial message that you included a note about freezing. Dough is done and resting. Onto your pizza sauce recipe next!
I’ve been experimenting with pizza crusts and haven’t found any that are keepers until now!!! I let this sit in the fridge for 2 days and made a pizza and it came out PERFECT!!! If you’ve been looking for that NY style crust, look no further!
Aaaw, thanks so much for your lovely feedback! I’m happy that you loved this recipe a lot!
I’m going to try this with Caputos gluten free pizza dough. Have you had any experience with Caputos flour? Curious if it freezes well.
Hi Nicole! I have not. I really don’t have much experience with GF flour. Please let us know how it turns out if you try.
holy air bubbles batman! This is a great pizza crust recipe!Very light and bubbly
Thank you! So glad you loved it!
Is it possible to bake the pizza after the 4-5 hour raise? Was planning on making pizza today but found your recipe a little late for that it seems. Thank you.
Hi Steve. Yes, that is possible but it is at its best when the full fermentation process is complete.
Hoping to make this for tomorrow! Can you add how many grams for each ingredient? Thanks!!
Hi Rachel. Click on the “metric” button in the recipe card. I hope you love the recipe.
The pizza crust and the red sauce is nothing short of amazing! It’s delicious! I had trouble rolling the dough across my knuckles, the center kept tearing. I will have to practice that, it gave me trouble! I can’t wait to get as good as you are! The taste was definitely amazing! Going to try again with the white sauce. Thanks again for another great recipe!
Aw, thank you! I’m so glad you loved it.
I don’t have a pizza stone.
What can I use instead so ny pizza is not super soft in the middle? I like a Crispy crust through out
Hi May! A pizza stone gives it an even and overall crisp crust. Several of my readers have used a baking pan successfully to make this too.
Can I make this with wheat flour. Will the time be the same? Any tips? I’m a diabetic so I’m trying to make it diabetic friendly. Thanks in advance for all you do and You rock! Love your website. So many things to make and explore. Love your cookbook too.
Hi Mayraliz, I have not tested that. You could experiment with it. Whole wheat tends to absorb more moisture so you may need to make adjustments as needed.
luv this pizza crust, just wondering, if placed in the fridge, does it have to be punched down daily until used, thank you!
HI Pamela, there is no need to punch it down. Refrigerating the dough will slow down the rise considerably. There isn’t very much yeast in the dough which is intentional for a slow overnight fermentation.
Can I use one piece of dough on a baking sheet with parchment paper since I don’t have stone?
Hi Malinda, this recipe will work on a baking sheet!
Hi Natasha, I love the texture of this pizza but I am having a problem becuase the dough is never sticky when I put the liquid into the flour and knead for two minutes, I measure exact. I spoon the flour into the measuring cup and I pour enough liquid into my liquid cup that reads exactly 1 1/4. I have to be doing something wrong….everything else is exact…..
Hi Patricia, it may be the type of flour you are using – some flours have a higher protein content which develops more gluten – I suggest trying a little less flour the next time you are making pizza dough.