This is hands down the best pizza dough! It makes a New York-style pizza with a thin crust in the center and beautifully puffed on the 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!
Unlike our Quick and Easy Pizza Dough (which is great if you’re in a hurry), this is an Overnight pizza dough. You can only get this kind of pizzeria-quality crust by letting it rest in the refrigerator and slowly rise overnight. It’s also easier than you think. Watch the video tutorial, and you’ll be a pro in no time!
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The Best 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 pizza dough also makes throwing a pizza party stress-free and everyone will be super impressed by your pizza-making skills. P.S. This overnight pizza dough is also great for homemade Stromboli or even Calzones (i.e. pizza pockets).
Pizza Dough Video Tutorial
Watch the pizza dough video tutorial once and you will be a pro in no time.
The Secret to the Best Pizza Crust
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 to rise in the slow/ cold fermentation step. This process makes the dough much easier to work with and forms the coveted texture, rise, and bubbles at the edges.
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.
If you want to make a more Neopolitan-style pizza, a “00” Flour is a great choice as well.
You can dust the pizza peel with the flour you are using to make the dough, or dust with semolina flour if you have it on hand. It’s what the pros use for easier transfer from the pizza peel to the oven.
Pro Tip:
Do not use too much yeast! Most ‘quick’ pizza doughs use way too much yeast which makes the crust doughy and causes 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.
How to Make Overnight Pizza Dough
- Mix together water, salt and honey. Sprinkle with yeast and set aside 5 min then stir.
- Pour the water mixture over your flour and stir to combine with a spatula, then knead by hand for 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 the ‘book fold’ and turning the dough between each fold strengthens the gluten threads and traps carbon dioxide created by the yeast, which helps form those beautiful bubbles in the dough.
How to Form and Bake Pizza Crust
- Remove the 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 and dust lightly with flour.
- Gently press the dough down in the center with your 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 pizza sauce or red pizza sauce, 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 Homemade 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 in the oven
- Pizza Cutter – the easiest way to slice a pizza
- Instant Read Thermometer – to check water temperature
Pro Tip:
If you are looking for fresh pizza topping inspiration, you’ll love the Tuscan Pizza we shared in Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook (it uses this same overnight pizza dough recipe)!
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 mastered your pizza-making skills, you will want to throw a pizza party. Once you throw a pizza party, you’ll need sides to go with it. These are all great options:
- Avocado Ranch or Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Caesar Salad – a fresh and crisp green salad
- Avocado Corn Salad – so vibrant and satisfying
- Cobb Salad – beautiful and delicious
- Garden Salad – A restaurant-style side salad
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob – the juiciest way to cook corn
Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
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
Filed Under
Thank you for this recipe, I’ve been making it every week for pizza Friday! No more pizza delivery for us. It does take a while to figure out how to shape the crust but so with it!!
Hi Sonja! That’s wonderful. I’m glad you found this recipe.
Best pizza crust ever. I made it the other day and fell asleep during the 1st rise. The dough sat on the counter for about 16 hours. I went ahead and folded it 8 times and put it in the fridge. It didnt seem to rise again, is it ruined?
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us. Dave! I recommend making the recipe as written and watching the video again to ensure no steps were missed. Any adjustments could result in the rise being affected.
I’ve been making your pizza all winter on Wednesdaysand love it so much had to get a paddle wooden and steel paddle reovel equipment for the process. Makes it so much better.
Everything I’ve be tried on your kitchen website is great.
A happy Me’Mere.Even at 77 never to old to ask for help in my old Kitchen.
Thanks so much Natasha!
Hi Marie! That’s amazing. Thank you for your continued support. I am so glad you love my recipes.
Made this crust yesterday for dinner next day and it was amazingly delicious. Highly recommended I used regular all purpose flour and it was delicious. Crispy crust just the way I like it!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Jill! Thank you for your awesome review!
just made this and it’s delicious! the crust is just like at a pizza placer better! I made the white sauce and topped it with mozzarella and a little sausage I need to use up. Fabulous
Sounds delicious, Chris! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
I want to make this pizza, but my stones can only take a temperature of 400 degrees. suggestions
Hi Gail, a few of my readers mentioned great results using a standard pan.
I use pizza flour. 00 king arthur. Do think the amounts would be the same with that flour. Want to try your recipe. Thanks
Hi Patricia. I have not tested that. Based on some research online, 00 pizza flour absorbs less water than all-purpose flour so I am not sure what adjustments would be necessary. Please let us know how it turns out if you experiment.
Hi Natasha quick question for you can I substitute whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour. Thanks Judy
Hi Judy! 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.
Would this recipe work with a 14” cast iron pizza pan lightly oiled with olive oil?
Hi Kathy! I think that could work. Some of my readers also just make this in a regular pan or large baking sheet.
Hi Natasha, LOVE your recipes!
Quick question, can I skip the cold fermentation?
I accidentally started this recipe instead of the quicker version.
Thanx
Trish
Hi Trish! I do not recommend skipping it because cold fermentation is what will yield the best results. One of my readers has reported using the dough faster and he enjoyed the recipe, but I am not sure about the details of his process or how long he let the dough ferment. You can experiment with it if you’d like.
Hi natasha, I am making the pizza dough for the first time and I don’t have a pizza stone just a round pizza pan that is perforated. Will that work and sould I use the same temperature?
Hi Mary Ann, Several of my readers have reported making this successfully in a regular pan so it should be fine.
I have tried this dough at least 6 times now plus the pizza sauce
It’s very delicious
However it sticks every
I have watch your video at least a hundred times
Mine sticks every time
I’ve tried flour cornmeal three different types of pizza slides and nothing helps
Any thoughts
Hi Laura! I’m so glad you enjoy the flavor of this dough! The dough is sticky but it shouldn’t be that difficult to work with. See step 3 for tips to help. Also, be sure you are measuring your ingredients correctly, by viewing our tutorial, how to measure ingredients to ensure you’re using the correct amount of flour.
I find the more toppings I use the more it sticks to the peel. (Example …cheese, sausage, mushrooms, onion and pepperoni). So I do not preheat my pizza stone. I prep the pizza on the stone.
If I’m just making a cheese pizza pizza it slides off much easier.
Hi Mary! The most common cause for pizza sticking to a stone is because the stone was not preheated. Adding too much sauce, cheese, and toppings can create too much moisture and cause the dough to be too wet which has the potential to stick even more.
Hi Natasha
Absolutely love this recipe. I have been making this pizza dough for awhile now and it’s delicious!
I would like to make mini pizzas with the dough. Just wondering about cooking time. Can I roll it out to make the mini pizzas?
Hi Diane, I imagine that would work for mini pizzas. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Does this make the 2lbs needed to make your calzone recipe. I want to make your calzone recipe and it calls for 2lbs of dough.
Hi Nancy, yes, one recipe for pizza dough will work for this recipe.
I’m going to be making this today, but can I use fresh (wet) yeast? My son works in a bagel shop and was going to bring some home to use to make the dough… thoughts?
Hi Melanie, I haven’t tried that, but here’s what one of my readers wrote: “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.” I hope this helps!
Hi Natasha would the outcome be better if i use bread flour instead of ap flour? Thanks
Hi David, 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.
I thought I read somewhere that you could put this in the fridge up to seven days but I can’t find where I read it is that correct? Thank you Natasha
Hi Dorene! Yes, it’s in step 3 on the recipe card for “how to make pizza crust.” 🙂
I doubled the recipe as I am having a lot of people over.
When I kneaded it for the 2 minutes, you mentioned it should be sticky. Mine is not sticky. Did I screw up?
Appreciate your reply. i have 4-5 hours to go & hope all is OK?
Hi Diana! It sounds like you could have used too much flour. You can watch the tutorial on how I measure my flour HERE. Also, I am not sure if you read the instructions ahead of time but this recipe requires an overnight (18 hours) cold fermentation in the refrigerator prior to using the dough.
For a quick dough, I recommend this recipe HERE.
I’m excited to try this! Question: I’m considering taking a pizza to a friend who lives about 45min away. If I assemble everything at my house and have her get her oven ready, do you think it’d be okay for her to cook the pizza at her house? I’m not sure if anything would happen with the crust if it sat out a bit.
I’m sure that would be fine, enjoy!
I would give this more than 5 stars if I could. Not only is this the best pizza dough recipe it’s so easy and it cooks so fast that I now include my 2 and 3 year old boys in the pizza making. We use this recipe about once a week now and they call it pizza party night and it’s one night where they actually eat. Thanks for not only a great recipe but some great family memories.
Thank you, it’s my pleasure! I’m happy to know that you love this recipe a lot, Megan!
Finally…a recipe that makes an awesome pizza crust! I know this video is a few years old but I just found it! This is my go-to recipe now for pizza crust. It came out PERFECT! It takes patience to wait for the dough to rise and ferment… but it is worth it! Thank you Natasha for sharing this recipe!
Hi Kim! I’m so glad you found this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m happy you loved it.