Description
This homemade pizza dough recipe yields two 12-inch pizzas with a soft, elastic, and slightly sticky dough perfect for a flavorful and textured crust. The dough can be prepared using an optional sponge method for enhanced flavor, or the straight method for convenience. It includes tips for kneading, rising, and storage options including overnight refrigeration and freezing.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups warm water (between 105-110 degrees F)
- 2 & 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4 ounce packet)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 & 3/4 cups bread flour, or all-purpose flour, or half bread flour and half “00” flour
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Add the warm water to a large bowl or stand mixer. Ensure the water temperature is comfortably warm, like a nice bath, between 105-110°F. Add the active dry yeast and sugar, then wait about 3 minutes for the mixture to become foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Optional Sponge Step: To enhance flavor, add 1 cup of flour to the yeast mixture and stir. Let it rest uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes to 3 hours until foamy and fermented. After this, add the remaining ingredients except the salt, olive oil, and remaining flour. You may need to add extra flour slightly for workable dough.
- Straight Method: If skipping the sponge step, add the kosher salt, olive oil, and all the flour (adding 1 cup at a time) directly to the bubbly yeast mixture.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough for 5 minutes using a stand mixer with a dough hook or approximately 7 minutes by hand on a floured surface until smooth, elastic, slightly sticky, and soft. Add more flour if dough is too sticky and doesn’t form a ball.
- First Rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl, turning to coat the top. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm environment, like an oven warmed to 350°F briefly then turned off, for at least 20-30 minutes or up to 8 hours for best flavor development.
- Punch Down and Divide: Once risen, punch down the dough to release gas and divide into two balls for two 12-inch pizzas (or three balls for thinner crusts). Place on a greased or floured surface, cover, and let rest for 5-20 minutes.
- Prepare for Use: Deflate each ball gently with your hands. The dough is now ready to be rolled out and used according to your preferred pizza baking method.
- Overnight Refrigeration: After kneading, place dough in a covered bowl or sealed gallon ziplock bag and refrigerate overnight. Before use, punch down and let rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- Freezing Dough: Divide dough into two balls and place each in labeled ziplock bags. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 1-2 hours before using. Warm water bath thawing is an optional quick method.
Notes
- Use warm water between 105-110°F to avoid killing the yeast.
- The optional sponge step improves flavor but can be skipped for quicker preparation.
- Adjust flour slightly as needed to achieve a soft, slightly sticky dough; avoid too much flour to keep crust tender.
- Longer rising times develop more complex flavors and better texture.
- Use olive oil to enhance dough elasticity and flavor.
- The dough can be refrigerated overnight for convenience and flavor or frozen for up to three months.
- Always allow refrigerated or frozen dough to rest at room temperature before rolling out.
- For thinner crusts, divide dough into three balls instead of two.
