Easy Classic Pizza Dough recipe

Making fresh classic pizza dough is much easier than it seems, and worth it.  With this Easy Classic Pizza Dough recipe, a stand mixer is never needed.  In fact, pizza dough doesn’t really need a stand mixer.

This is an all senses food. 

Watching the yeast bloom, kneading- not forever! Seeing the smooth dough rise and smelling the yeast, before and after baking.

Then of course the sound of the people you love exclaiming, “You made pizza!” Or “You made pizza?”  It’s all good.

If you have never made pizza dough before, I know it is cliché, but “You will want to make this every day!” Or at least whenever you feel like sharing pizza.

It is quick and easy, it’s just the rising that you have to make time for.

It will have everything you want and nothing you don’t!

It’s really simple stuff. Dry yeast mixed with warm water.  This might be the most complicated part. 

By the time your thermometer reaches the reading temperature, your liquid’s temperature will have changed.  You can still check it that way of course. I find a little more than half cold water and a little less than half boiling water is about right.

The wrist test is pretty accurate because the wrist is sensitive. If you can sense that it is too warm or cold, then it probably is.  

If it is too warm it will kill the yeast. If it is too cool it will rise slower. 

We add some sugar to feed the yeast.  You don’t need a lot.

Start with adding some flour and add it as you go.  It is easier to add more flour than to try to add more liquid to a very stiff dough.

*Note!

The more you knead it the more glutens will form so you will have a chewier, more dense, traditional pizza dough texture.  If you don’t knead it too much then you will have a more bready fluffier pizza dough, so you can choose. Bread flour, aka hard flour has more protein and forms more gluten, a characteristic of classic pizza dough, but all purpose flour will do fine.

I like to use greens on my pizza like spinach or arugula.  I think arugula is better added after baking or just as it finishes.  

For spinach I chop it and toss with some vinaigrette or at least olive oil so it doesn’t look like an accident, and add it with the rest of the toppings.

How to Make Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

If you are using a stand mixer, start with the mixing attachment and switch to the dough hook before the second addition of flour. You won’t have to turn the dough out to knead the first time.

1. Pour the cup of warm water into a large mixing bowl. I swirl some hot water in the bowl and dump it out if the bowl is cold because it will affect the temperature.

2. Dissolve the sugar in it and pour in the yeast.  Stir lightly.

Let it foam, or bloom, for 5 to 10 minutes.  If it doesn’t change, start with new yeast.  

3. Stir in a cup of flour until combined.

4. Add the oil and the salt and stir it in.

5. Add another cup of flour and start stirring it in with a wooden spoon, or similar. Continue adding and stirring until it becomes either a bit difficult or something you think you could probably mix with your hands.

6. Turn it out to a floured surface and knead, pressing and folding it into itself about 15 times.

7. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, so the dough won’t stick when it’s time to remove.

Cover with a clean damp cloth, or plastic wrap and let rise in a warmer place for 30-40 minutes.

Lift

Fold

Flour as needed

After 30-40 minutes, it should be about doubled in size. 

8. Turn it out on a floured surface again and knead it about 5 times.  This is for an even texture of the bread and makes it easier to handle.

9. Stretch the dough over itself to the bottom to form a ball.

10. Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes.

11. After it has risen again, turn out the dough and cut it in half, or not, if you want to make one large pizza, or several small, or something else.

If you are making two pizzas, make two balls of dough, by kneading.

12. Cup your hand around the dough on an angle and while keeping the side of your hand on the surface, drag the dough ball towards you in an arc, then push it away from you turning your hand but still cupping, following that arc.  The dough should pull itself under.

13. Once you have a smooth ball, press and pull it into shape.

As you press with your fingers, the dough will spread out.  As you turn the dough and gently pull, you will be shaping it and the dough will get thinner in places, so press with your fingers some more..  

You can also make two fists and place the dough over and gently pull as you turn.

Keep doing all of these things, manipulating the dough into a round shape, about 10” in diameter.

14. Place on an oiled baking sheet, or baking parchment, or sprinkle it with a bit of fine cornmeal if desired.

If you are using a pizza stone, put the stone in the oven as you preheat it, make sure your pizza dough round is on a well floured surface or with cornmeal because you will have to slide it off onto the pizza stone that is in the oven.

15. Turn the oven on to 450°F(230°C)

16. Brush the surface of the dough with olive oil.  The oil adds flavour and people who usually leave the crust behind probably won’t, also because the pizza dough is so good.

If you are being careful about fat, I would suggest keeping the oil and using less cheese.  

17. Then add your toppings, starting with sauce.  

The dough will rise a bit more while the oven preheats.

Try not to go too heavy with any toppings, including the sauce because you want the dough to rise while baking. 

And sometimes too much is too much.

A little organo, a pinch of salt helps to brighten flavours especially if it is just vegetable toppings, but use what you would like.

18. Bake on lower rack for about 12 minutes, depending on how thin your pizza is and your toppings.