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This homemade pizza dough recipe really is the best! Here are our tricks for how to make pizza dough with the perfect fluffy, chewy texture and robust flavor—every time. This is one of our most popular recipes with loads of positive reviews!

Pizza dough recipe
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Looking for next-level pizza dough? Here at A Couple Cooks, Alex and I have spent the past decade becoming homemade pizza experts. We’ve interviewed chefs, done endless research, and even made a few trips to Italy to taste the real thing.

So we are so happy you ended up at our best pizza dough recipe! This recipe has loads of positive reviews and people often send us emails or stop us on the street to tell us how much they love it (true story). You don’t even need special equipment: just your bare hands and a passion for pizza. Here are all our secrets on how to make pizza dough⁠!

Don’t take it just from us! Here are a few happy readers who rated this pizza dough recipe with 5 stars:

  • “I make this dough at least once a week. It’s fantastic!” -Emily
  • “The kids I look after said it was the best pizza they ever had! 12/10. Highly recommend!” -Jessie
  • “This recipe is an absolute hit in my family. Easy to follow and results in a lovely Neapolitan pizza.” -FC

Video: how to make pizza dough

Homemade pizza dough can be tricky the first few times. So we created a tutorial video to show you how to work with the dough! Here’s Alex making pizza dough in our kitchen.

Best flour for pizza dough

What makes best possible homemade pizza dough recipe? Using great flour. Our top choice is the flour that professional pizzerias use, called Tipo 00. But you can use other types of flour if you have them on hand or can’t find Tipo 00. Here’s what to know about types of flours for pizza dough:

  • Tipo 00 flour, a finely ground flour used in Italian cuisine, is the best choice for pizza dough. Its strength and elasticity make a light and airy crust with a crispy exterior. The high gluten content lets the dough stretch easily without tearing, creating a fluffy, chewy texture. Tipo 00 is becoming more widely available at American grocery stores, or you can order it online.
  • Bread flour, a type of flour that is high in gluten and protein, can also be used for pizza dough. The high protein content helps to create a nice chewiness in the dough. The main disadvantage of this type of flour is that it’s not as light and airy as Tipo 00. But if you have it on hand, it’s preferred over all-purpose flour.
  • All-purpose flour also works for this homemade pizza dough recipe. The main advantage is that it’s widely available and inexpensive. However, the gluten content in all-purpose flour is not as high as Tipo 00 or bread flour flour, making the pizza crust slightly more dense and crumbly. However, all-purpose flour still makes for an excellent homemade pizza dough!
How to make pizza dough

Tips for how to make pizza dough

Making homemade pizza dough is a fairly simple process. The only part that requires some skill is the stretching. There is also some proofing time involved, so make sure to factor that in to your pizza night! Here are some things to know about how to make pizza dough: or go right to the recipe.

Knead the dough by hand, or use a stand mixer.

Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need any special equipment for pizza dough. You can knead it by hand! We love the tactile nature of hand kneading and it comes out great. However, if you do have a KitchenAid or stand mixer, it does a fantastic job and is totally hands off. The kneading time in both cases is 8 minutes.

Allow the dough 45 minutes to rise.

Kneading takes only 8 minutes, so most of the time required for making pizza dough is letting it rise or “proof.” Set each dough ball on a floured surface, dab with olive oil, cover with a damp towel, and allow them to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Plan to start making the recipe about 1 hour before you’d like to eat your pizza. You can also make the dough in advance and refrigerate.

Refrigerate the dough 1 to 3 days prior to baking (optional!).

Alex and I have interviewed some top rated pizzeria chefs in America and they all agree. For the best pizza dough, make it in advance and refrigerate it for 2 to 3 days before baking. This naturally ferments the dough, infusing a nutty, complex flavor. Of course, thinking ahead by 2 to 3 days is not always possible! You can skip this step and the dough still tastes incredible. (Promise.)

Homemade pizza dough recipe

Method for stretching the dough

Do you have to throw homemade pizza dough into the air like in your favorite pizzeria? While it looks fancy, this type of stretching is not required for homemade dough! It’s easiest to learn by watching: watch our How to Stretch Pizza Dough video before you start. Here are a few tips for stretching pizza dough:

  • Prep the dough: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour.
  • Pat into a circle: Pat the dough into a circle, then drape it on your knuckles to stretch it. If the dough resists stretching, set it down and let it rest for 1 minute. Once you pick it up again, the gluten will have relaxed and it will be possible to stretch.
  • Drape the dough over your knuckles: Once you have about an 8-inch circle, pick up the dough and gently drape it over the knuckles on both of your hands. Slowly rotate it around, allowing gravity to stretch it into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. If it resists stretching, put it down and allow it to rest for a few minutes, at which point it will stretch more easily.

Pizza dough variations

This homemade pizza dough recipe produces a deliciously fluffy pizza crust that’s crisped on the outside and chewy on the inside. It’s perfect for a standard, artisan-style pizza. But if you’re looking for something different, here are a few variations on this pizza crust recipe:

  • Thin crust: This Thin Crust Pizza Dough is similar to this recipe, but with a thinner crust! It’s slightly easier to make because you can roll the dough out instead of stretching it.
  • Pan pizza: Try Perfect Pan Pizza, with a thicker crust made in a cast iron pan.
  • Focaccia pizza: This Focaccia Pizza is simple to make with an extremely thick, fluffy crust.
  • Sheet pan pizza: Make a big Sheet Pan Pizza, the equivalent of 3 medium pizzas.
  • Pizza oven dough: This Pizza Oven Dough is optimized for an outdoor pizza oven (though the recipe below works as well).
  • Gluten free dough: This Gluten Free Pizza Dough is stretchy and satisfying, perfect for those with special diets.

Dietary notes

This pizza dough recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze pizza dough?

You can freeze any pizza dough balls you don’t plan to use the day of. After it rises, place it in a freezer proof bag and remove extra air with a straw. Freeze for up to 3 months. Go to How to Freeze Pizza Dough for more about how to defrost the dough when using it.

The dough is very sticky – is this normal?

The dough should be slightly sticky but still workable. If it’s too sticky, try:
   – Adding just enough flour to make it workable (don’t overdo it)
   – Using slightly less water next time (about 30g less)
   – Remember that a somewhat sticky dough often results in a lighter, airier crust

Do I need to let the dough rise before refrigerating for the 2-3 day fermentation?

Yes! Always do the initial 45-60 minute rise at room temperature first, then divide into balls and refrigerate. This sets up the proper fermentation process.

Can I make this dough without a stand mixer?

Yes! You can knead by hand for 7-8 minutes. You may need to add a bit more flour while kneading to make the dough workable, but try to keep it minimal to maintain the right texture.

What if I don’t have a pizza stone?

While a pizza stone creates the best crust, you can still make great pizza without one. Use a preheated baking sheet or an inverted cast iron pan. Bake at 450-500°F – the crust won’t be quite as crispy but will still be delicious.

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Homemade Pizza Dough (Fan Favorite!)

Pizza dough recipe
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 21 reviews

This homemade pizza dough recipe really is the best! Here are our tricks for how to make pizza dough with the perfect fluffy, chewy texture and robust flavor—every time. This is one of our most popular recipes with loads of positive reviews!

For the best possible pizza dough, we recommend this pizza stone. Here’s why we love it.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 3 medium pizzas (about 11 inches in diameter) 1x
  • Category: Essential Recipes
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 500 grams* Tipo 00 or all-purpose flour (3 ⅓ cups)
  • 8 grams instant or active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
  • 7 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
  • 338 grams warm water (1 ¼ cups + 3 tablespoons)
  • 13 grams olive oil (1 tablespoon)

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir to combine. Add the water and olive oil and stir until a raggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
  2. Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
  3. After the kneading is finished, divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Using floured hands, gently shape each half into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Set each boule on a floured surface and dab the dough with a bit of olive oil to keep it moist. Cover all boules with a damp towel and allow them to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  4. The dough can be used immediately: go to Step 6. For next-level flavor, you can transfer the dough to separate sealed containers, large enough for the dough to double in size again, and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. (We don’t always do this, but we try when possible because it makes for a noticeably nutty, unique flavor that truly is the best homemade pizza dough you’ve ever had.) You can also freeze pizza dough you don’t plan to use that day.
  5. **If you’re using the dough after refrigerating: The day of serving, remove the dough from the refrigerated containers, place it on a lightly floured surface covered with a towel, and allow it to come to room temperature before stretching, 30 to 45 minutes. (This is not required if you’re using the dough immediately after proofing.)
  6. To stretch the dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, flipping several times and adding a pinch of flour if it is too sticky. Once you have about an 8-inch circle, pick up the dough and gently drape it over the knuckles on both of your hands. Slowly rotate it around, allowing gravity to stretch it into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Do not overwork or fold the dough. If the dough starts to resist stretching, put it down and allow it to rest for a few minutes, at which point it will stretch more easily.
  7. We bake our pizzas at 500F and use a pizza peel to transfer it to a preheated pizza stone in the oven: the bake time is around 5 to 7 minutes. See our pizza recipe posts for baking instructions.

Notes

*Using a food scale will ensure you have consistent results every time! We use this one.

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More pizza recipes & resources

Try our fan-favorite Homemade Pizza or Margherita Pizza topped with the best homemade pizza sauce. Go classic with Homemade Cheese Pizza, or more unique with Mushroom Pizza or Taco Pizza. Or start the day with Breakfast Pizza!

About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

Leave a Comment

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179 Comments

  1. Valerie says:

    Phenomenal! I’m making my second batch of dough now to freeze for quick meals for my husband and I. This is by far the absolute best pizza dough we’ve made! I didn’t have great results from other recipes and I can’t stand the premade dough. We used the 00 flour and weighed the ingredients. No more frozen pizza for us!






  2. Ana Li says:

    Hi Sonja and Alex,

    You guys are my favorite recipe site- I love how minimalistic your approach is but, somehow, the taste is never sacrificed and the recipe always ends up being my favorite version.

    About this pizza dough recipe- it was amazing despite not following it exactly. I made the dough without the stand mixer; the dough ended up very sticky and I think I probably added 2 additional cups of flour.

    I was wondering if it would be possible to create a version of this recipe without using the stand mixer (just kneading by hand)? I presume it would be either reducing the water or adding more flour? I just don’t want to guess the ratios and want your professional guidance on the amount of each.

    Thank you so much.






    1. Hi!

      A super sticky dough is actually ok, especially if you let it ferment in the fridge for 1 to 3 days. It allows the crust to be nice and light. We recommend adding just enough flour to make it workable.

      You can definitely hand knead for 7 to 8 minutes, you probably will need to add a bit more flour in this case.

  3. Valerie podbielski says:

    What if I put dough in freezer how to prep it. Thank you

    1. Freeze after first rise and then thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours before using.

  4. Sharon says:

    I am following a low sodium diet 1500-2000 mg / day. I noticed that sodium is not listed in your nutritional information on this recipe.

    1. We know many people watch their sodium intake closely, so to be extra careful, we don’t include sodium in our recipe information. This is because ingredients like canned tomatoes and cheese can vary in their sodium content, and we wouldn’t want to give you inaccurate info!

      If you want, you can still get an estimated sodium breakdown! Just pop the recipe into this handy website: https://whisk.com/recipe-nutrition-calculator/

      This way you can check with your own ingredients. Thank you for reading!

  5. Joseph Mastrocola says:

    Hello,
    Please send the pizza dough recipe above to my e-mail.
    I love it!
    Joey

  6. Deanna Norman says:

    Hello I am a new cook, just stepped away from box dinners, but was still scared to make everything from scratch, so recently I have been buying the pillsbury pizza dough tube and then “making” pizza at home. Your page gave me all the detail I needed to feel confident trying my hand at pizza dough, amazing! I made pizza last night and it was amazing, It took me all day, but worth it! I was doing the happy pizza dance all night. My husband gave two thumbs up and said I nailed the crust! He is a picky eater, huge praise! Thanks for the attention to detail and a great website.

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      So glad to hear! Thank you for the comment :)

  7. Kirsty says:

    My goto pizza recipe. I sub in Spelt flour (freshly milled) and works out great!

  8. Brienne J says:

    Hi! I am planning to make your dough and then refrigerate it. I have a large dough proofing box, and I am wondering if you think I can put the boule’s in this same box as long as they have some space? Or is it best for them to be in separate containers? Thanks in advance!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      They can be in the same box! Give a little space between, but it’s ok if they touch a bit while proofing.

  9. Madison says:

    This was the best quick dough recipe I have used! It was super sticky, even after adding extra four, so I decided to just work with it sticky so the pizza wouldn’t be too dense. The pizza was still crispy and chewy. Thanks!






  10. John Oliveri says:

    Can I halve the recipe?
    Just my wife and eating

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Yes!

  11. Emily C says:

    I make this dough at least once a week. It’s fantastic! I actually prefer to use it same day. I don’t notice a difference in taste/texture and it’s more convenient to have it when I need it. That being said it freezes well. We use in on our Ooni Koda 16. Having pizza tonight!






  12. Jessie Rogers says:

    My boyfriend made the most amazing pizza so asked for the recipe (this one).
    I made it with the kids I look after. We left the in the fridge for a day. The first time they ate an entire pizza and said it was the best pizza they ever had!
    12/10. Highly recommend!






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Love it!

  13. Kyle says:

    This recipe worked great! First round, I made the mistake of kneeding/shaping the dough before trying to stretch it. Did NOT want to stretch. Once it’s done rising, plop it out and start stretching it. Mine got super thin really fast (I made 2 larger pizzas instead of 3 smaller ones)






  14. Me says:

    It was goood






  15. FC says:

    Hi There. All the way from South Africa….
    This recipe is an absolute hit in my family. Easy to follow and results in a lovely Neapolitan pizza. Without a scale, the measured ingredients listed on the recipe, make it so much easier.






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      So glad you enjoy!

  16. Leah Downer says:

    Finally found the prefect pizza dough recipe that can be made right before and cooks up great on the outdoor pizza oven (we have a gozney roccbox). Chewy yet cooked on the bottom. Thank you!






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      So glad you enjoyed! We have the roccbox as well :) Try the 3-day refrigerator ferment for an even better flavor/

  17. Doug A. says:

    You guys are the best! This is my favorite recipe website. You’re my number 1 go to for new recipes.

    I’d love it if you could create an easy gluten free pizza dough recipe.

    So many of the store bought mixes and ready made gluten free pizza doughs taste more like cardboard than pizza.

    You are so great at creating simple, easy and tasty recipes I know you can do it.

    Thanks, Doug

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Haha! Challenge accepted.

  18. MARLAINE says:

    I made this dough a few times it always turns out delicious thank you for the recipe.






  19. Anonymous says:

    I made this dough last week and waited the 3 days it was the best pizza dough ever thank you so much. Oh I made the sauce too. It was delicious.






  20. MARLAINE Dennehy says:

    I’ve been making pizza dough for a while now. But this was the best pizza dough ever. Again thank you so much for this and all your recipes.






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      You’re welcome! So glad you’ve enjoyed.

  21. Tara a. says:

    What pans do you recommend? We have pizza pans for our oven that are old and need to be replaced.

    Recipe is great! Only trouble we have is that sometimes our dough won’t crisp up as much as we’d like in the center of the pizza. But overall I’d say this is so easy and delicious, and I love having my kids involved in meal prepping and cooking.






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! We always bake directly on a pizza stone without a pizza pan. This creates a really nice crisp crust.

  22. Supriya Kutty says:

    This was the big problem that was facing as I could never make dough perfectly but when I again stated to check for the blogs I came across this post by you and I really feel great having come across this post as today finally I could make it perfectly all thank you.

  23. Diane N says:

    Could a bread machine (dough cycle) be used to make this dough. If not reasoning? If so any adjustments/changes? TY






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I think so! We haven’t tested it but if it’s just a kneading function it should work fine.

  24. Kate L says:

    Loved this pizza dough. I was shocked at how easy it was to work with. However, no matter how much cornmeal I used, it stuck to our aluminum pizza peel. Very hard to transfer to the grill. Any tips?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      After you stretch it, you can place on a lightly floured surface to get the bottom a bit less tacky.

  25. Brian Poloczek says:

    Just made one margherita and a pepperoni using kitchen aid mixer.
    Result was outstanding will use this recipe from now on.

    Brian From Scotland






  26. Michael Starr says:

    If making poolish for your 00 Dough receipe what would be the measurments in grams please…
    Thank you…..

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I haven’t tested it with a poolish, sorry!

  27. Melanie says:

    Hello,
    Can the dough be frozen and if so, at what point in the process?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Yes! Freeze after the rise, thaw in fridge and then warm on counter 30 minutes before stretching.

  28. Joshlyn O says:

    Hello! This is the best recipe I’ve tried, so thank you! What are your thoughts on freezing the dough for later use? I agree letting it refrigerate 2-3 is a game changer and the only way I like to make your recipe, but oftentimes I don’t have the foresight to have made it so far in advance. What if I froze the dough and let it dethaw day of use? Thanks so much!






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! You could definitely freeze the dough after the ferment. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours, then allow to come to room temp for about an hour before stretching.

  29. Michael Harriman says:

    I really appreciate your guys recipe for KitchenAid some of us with arthritis like myself it’s really hard to do all the handwork I can stretch it fine and prep for cooking but all the heavy handwork is what gets feet this took all the work out of it and really good recipe thank you






  30. Susan L says:

    Thank you for sharing this recipe. My 11 year son made it by hand (no kitchen aid) and it’s the best pizza dough recipe we’ve had. Family loved it!
    We must remember to get the pizza stone hot before placing it on, that is our biggest lesson as a novice.
    Otherwise, love that we can use AP flour and it’s so easy to stretch after a couple days.






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I love hearing this! Thanks for commenting :)

  31. Colleen says:

    At what point can I freeze the remaining dough balls for future use?






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Yes! Freeze in balls after proofing, then thaw in refrigerator one day before making the pizza.

  32. Linda Schroeder says:

    I didn’t have the right flour so used Lily. Good flour. They rose initially… but not rising in frig. ??

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      The rise in the fridge will be super slow… they don’t even need to rise at all for the fermenting flavor to work.

  33. Urvi Shah says:

    Hi there, love all your recipes. Thanks for the tips. Is it possible to use whole wheat flour?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      You can use up to 50% whole wheat flour. The resulting dough will be more difficult to stretch though!

  34. Jane says:

    I have newly bought a pizza oven, so needed a real recipe for pizza dough. I chose yours as it sounded good- 10 years in making, wanting authenticity etc Well, I did recipe, refrigerated 24 hours, topped with passata, bulls mozzarella and basil. The actuall stretching if the pizza was a bit suspect (holes which needed patching etc but not too bad) in oven, and OMG it/they turned out Amazing, practice practice will make stretching easier, but for first attempt, brilliant, it could have been bought from a restaurant, it/they where that good. 😍😍😍😍😍
    5 stars out of 5, for absolutely sure!!! Thank you both soooo very much xxx






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      So glad you loved it! If you keep making, make sure to hunt down some Tipo 00 flour for extra stretch and texture.

  35. Cornelia Whitaker says:

    Pushed off making another pizza recipe because the last one I made was terrible finally broke down and made this recipe I cut two balls out of the dough and made my pizza for two of us and when I smelled it baking I already knew it would be good andwhen we tasted the pizza I was impressed ready to make it again soon thanks for sharing this recipe I’m so glad I found this recipe






    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      So glad it worked for you!

  36. Meenakshi says:

    I made the pizza dough using your recipe last weekend. I used the sourdough starter instead. It was great. Thanks for the recipe

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Love it!

  37. Michelle says:

    We live in the New Haven, CT area, which boasts some of the best Neapolitan pizza in the world! I had never thought to look for a “Neapolitan” crust recipe before, and that is probably why the recipes I have tried before have all stunk!! I just made this recipe in my kitchenaid. Rising now! So far….. easy peasy!! Tuesday night I’ll let you know how it came out!!! Thanks for this recipe!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Good luck! Hopefully it’s worth the wait :)

  38. Mike says:

    Hi Sonja and Alex! I’m about to make the dough for the 2nd time – first time came out great! A couple of people have mentioned adding things like garlic powder – can this be added with all of the other measurements staying the same? Or would it replace part of another ingredient (like flour)? Thanks!!

  39. Pizzainpajamas says:

    Hi! I’ve tried this recipe twice now and with different sauces, toppings, prebaking for a couple minutes…tried all sorts of combinations and I always get a chewy dough on top even though the bottom of the crust is a crisp golden brown. I also usually have to bake closer to 10 minutes to get the edges to golden. Any advice? Did I over knead? Not let it rise enough? Oven just doesn’t get hot enough? Different flour? How do I get it to cook all the way through? Thanks!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! Are you baking at 500F with a pizza stone? If not, I’d start there. Otherwise, you are probably just getting a bit too much sauce and toppings on top. A thin layer will work best.

    2. Kate says:

      Hi Alex and Sonja, I am trying this pizza this weekend and can’t wait! I was wondering if you think it would be ok to let the pizza dough ferment in the refrigerator in a freezer bag? This way I can let it ferment in the fridge then pop it fit right in the freezer to use at a later date? Thank you kindly in advance! p.s. I am so thankful for your podcast during this pandemic. It inspired me to cook and have fun with it! Your podcast and delightful recipes have really allowed me to find moments of joy during these challenging times. Thank you both for everything you do!

      1. Alex Overhiser says:

        Hi! I think that would work as long as you leave plenty of room for expansion. So glad to hear about the podcast! Happy cooking :)

  40. Carl says:

    The recipe says 500g of flour but then uses the 3 1/3 cup, volume measurement. 3 1/3 cup of tipo 00 flour is about 387 grams. Can you clarify which one you mean.

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! We generally get about 140 to 150 grams of weight per 1 cup of unsifted flour. The 500 grams is much more accurate and recommended if you have a scale (the dough is sticky, but turns out great).

  41. John schaeffer says:

    Yes, just use about 50 g sourdough starter in place of yeast and let it rise for 4-6 hours. Makes a great dough even better.

  42. Thea says:

    Hi! I make your sourdough bread a lot, it’s a great recipe. Is it possible to use sourdough starter here instead of the yeast? Thanks!

    1. John Schaeffer says:

      Yes, just use about 50 g sourdough starter in place of yeast and let it rise for 4-6 hours. Makes a great dough even better.

  43. Meaghan says:

    Hi! We’ve made this recipe several times and we love it. We do sometimes add a little oregano and garlic powder for taste. The dough is a bit more flavorful if you refrigerate for several days. I am curious though. Have you ever made the dough, stretched it and frozen it? Wanted to take some dough on vacation but wanted it to make it ahead of time and ready to go. Please let me know your thoughts!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! You can freeze it in a ball after the first rise and then let it thaw a day ahead in the fridge. I’ve never tried pre-stretching before freezing.

  44. Deborah Hansen says:

    I let the Kitchen Aid knead at speed 2 for 8 minutes and the dough was over kneaded therefore dry and didn’t rise well. The second time I kneaded for 8 minutes by hand which made all the difference. The dough was light and airy.

  45. Bryan Lonardo says:

    Thanks, I can’t wait to try this dough recipe in my new Ooni Koda.

  46. Bryan Lonardo says:

    When dividing the dough into 3 balls is each ball the size to make a 12″ pizza or 16″ pizza?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      About 11-12 inches.

  47. Jonathan Wallace says:

    A question about kneading the dough: My dough tears a lot when kneading, even after leaving it to rest for a few minutes each time. I think my dough may have come out a bit on the dry side. Would that be the culprit or would you have any other suggestions?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      It may have just needed a little more water — we like the dough on the sticky side. Also, sometimes you get a bad bag (or old bag) of flour that just tears rather than stretch. If you have the same results next time this could be the case!

  48. Lauren says:

    Thank you thank you for this recipe! I used normal bread flour and made 3 days ahead. Even forgetting the olive oil, it’s the best pizza night we’ve ever had.

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      So glad you enjoyed! :)

  49. Melissa says:

    Thank you! Not sure how I missed that, thanks for the info!

  50. Juliana says:

    Is it okay if I use fresh yeast??

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Yes, I think you’d need about half the amount as compared to dry.

  51. Melissa says:

    Hi, can you use this recipe with a KitchenAid mixer, or does it need to be modified for use with a mixer?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      There are mixer instructions included in the recipe. See the “Alternatively” note.

  52. Malcolm says:

    Thanks for the recipe guys. I made these pizzas the other day and they were awesome. I now want to try making them in advance, giving them some time for fermentation but I don’t have big enough sealable containers. Would the dough balls be ok in tray in the refrigerator covered with a damp towel?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I’d do a tray covered with plastic wrap!

  53. Pooja says:

    HI! I love this dough! Thanks. Was wondering. Can it be frozen and then used later? If so, what would I do? Apologies, if yo have mentioned it here. I can’t seem to find it. Thanks!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      To freeze: Place each dough ball in a freezer proof bag and put in the freezer. The morning that you are going to use the dough, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw. About 30 minutes before making the pizza, take it out of the baggie and allow it to relax on the counter, covered with a towel.

      1. Florida says:

        Freezing excess dough question: Should we let the dough rise the first 45-60 minutes first before freezing, or does it go straight into the freezer after the dough has been shaped into balls? Thanks, just finished making this in preparation for Friday Night Pizza, but don’t need all this dough for one dinner. It’s rising beautifully so far.

        1. Alex Overhiser says:

          Hi! Freeze after the rise. Enjoy!!

  54. Lara says:

    Hello
    Can i use the same recipe for whole wheat flour?
    Thank you

    1. Sonja Overhiser says:

      You can use up to half whole wheat flour. If you do more than that it will become very tough.

  55. Suzie Swan says:

    I made the pizza dough and it is in the fridge, easy process and it rose beautifully on my counter. I plan to make pizza over the weekend. Question: I have a pizza stone but not a peel. how do I transfer the loaded pizza to the hot stone? Could I make the pizza on parchment or no-stick foil and transfer that to the stone?

  56. Jessica says:

    Hi! i have my dough ready to go, if I am just baking it in a normal thin pan, how many degrees would you suggest and for how long?
    Thank you!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! Try 450 for 6-8 minutes.

  57. Eugenie says:

    This is the best pizza dough recipe ever!!! I didn’t leave it for a few days, but I will definitely give myself sometime to prepare next time! Thanks for sharing 🍕

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      So glad you enjoyed! Yes, try the ferment next time; it’s even better!

  58. Vee says:

    Hi I can’t wait to try this! Can I add the ingredients to my bread machine and let it mix, knead, and rise in there before I refridgerate?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I don’t have any experience with bread machines, sorry!

  59. Hannah @ Family Food Freezer says:

    Made this last night and it was amazing!!! My husband and kids ate it up!

  60. Kendal Buak says:

    Hi,

    I made this recipe yesterday and followed the instructions. However, my dough hasn’t risen. I let it rise room temp for 1 hr and didn’t make much of a difference. Now it’s in the fridge, and still hasn’t risen. Any tips?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      This is really unusual! I’d leave it in the fridge until you are ready to cook and then leave on the counter for about 2 hours before shaping.

  61. Anonymous says:

    Hi from Oz again I forgot to say that I just used ordinary plain flour for my pizza bases with excellent results. Thanks again

  62. Vanshika W says:

    HI Alex, first time I’m making a pizza dough.
    1. I proofed it (before refrigerating) for about 1.5 hours instead of 60, then put into separate containers and into the fridge. Was wondering if it will have any effect apart from just rising a little more?
    2. Does it further proof in the fridge at all? I plan to make this in about 18 hours from now – so wondering how long before I should take it out of the fridge to rest. Would 30-45 mins be sufficient?
    3. Don’t have a pizza stone, so would a pre-heated oven-safe plate or a baking tray suffice?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! It will continue to proof in the fridge. The extra rise shouldn’t hurt anything. Remove the dough about 30 minutes before baking.

      A preheated baking tray will do fine! The pizza stone just adds a nicer crust, but it will be fine!

  63. Boon says:

    Dear Alex,
    I mistaken and put my dough in the container in the fridge, right after knead it. I didn’t let it rise in room temp for an hour :(
    Will my dough still rise if fridge it for 3 days?
    If I need to bake it on coming Saturday, is it okay to fridge it for 5 nights? Or I should move it to freezer on the 4th day?
    Sorry for so many questions!
    I’ve tried making my first pizza day ago, followed exactly from your recipe, it’s super great! Everyone loves it :) Thank you!!!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I think it will be ok without the extra rise. I’d place in the freezer on the 3rd day and then take it out of the freezer the night before baking!

      Enjoy!

      1. Boon says:

        Thanks Alex! Yes it rise even straight keep in the fridge :D well noted I will move it to freezer tomorrow and take it out on Friday night (will keep in fridge still, due to the humid & warm temperature in Singapore), to bake on Saturday evening ;) thank you thank you! I cant post pictures here, will show you via email.

  64. Carol Henderson says:

    Do I still bake the crust at 500 degrees if I don’t have a pizza stone?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Yes! The crust just won’t cook quite as lovely.

  65. Josh Davoudi says:

    Hey Alex- great! So im back from my mother in laws place and the dough is on day three. I noticed there are still a good amount of visible yeast in the dough. Is that normal? Or will that go away once cooked?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I’ve not noticed this issue before. How did it turn out?

      1. Joshua Davoudi says:

        They came out great! Both same day and 3 days later…came out awesome. Thanks for the great recipe!

        1. Alex Overhiser says:

          So glad you enoyed!

  66. Josh says:

    Hey there- during all this COVID -19, I’ve got tons of time at home and messing around/ perfecting an at home dough. This time I’m trying yours out! I’ve made the dough and if currently doing the initial 45 min rise. Your recipe says to divide into 3 balls and then do the 3 day fermentation. Can I divide into 3 balls after the three days in the fridge. *also how much will proof in the fridge being a slow ferm.? I’m asking because I don’t have anything large enough to store the three balls in the fridge hence why I’d like to place the whole bowl of dough in the fridge. Please advise! And thank you!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I do three balls in separate containers, each about twice the size of the dough. If your fridge is at standard 37F, it will about double after 3 days. You can divide after the 3 day fermentation, but if you let it rise in separate containers, the shaping is easier when you are ready to cook (since all you do is pop it out of the container and let it warm up).

      Good luck!

  67. Gee says:

    Followed the instructions (measuring in grams) and divided my dough into 3, then stretched to 11inch pizzas, they came out delicious, and I had some nice big bubbles for in the crust, but the crust was all around too thick. It cane out very fluffy and bready, more like a north american pizzeria than a neopolitain. Did I over-proof?

    I still have one dough ball in the fridge I’m going to try splitting it and making two pizzas from 1/3 of the recipe.

    Also for anyone curious I don’t have a pizza stone so I tried baking on an inverted cast iron pant! Fantastic results!!! Very crispy crust!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! The type of flour will make a difference with the fluffiness. Try to find Tipo 00 flour for more neapolitan texture.

  68. Joe says:

    Your site recipes/tips in general and perhaps in particular these pizza tips and recipes, are so fantastic. Great insights allowing even a ham-handed cook like myself to make really delicious, nicely-prepared food. Thank you.

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed.

  69. Karl M says:

    Hello! I think I made a mistake somewhere. I used a kitchen scale, added all ingredients exactly, but it was extremely sticky. I added flour, kneaded, but continued to be sticky. It rose, no prob, just crazy sticky – almost like a slime. That normal? Wouldn’t come off my fingers, even with probably about 50g off extra flour. Just checking for next time…

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      It’s normal to be sticky but not that sticky! Some brands of flour tend to get stickier. I’d just start with about 30g less water next time and see how it goes.

      1. Karl says:

        Thanks! Even being sticky, turned out fantastic. 24 hours in fridge. Thanks for the reply!

        Just did your Instant Pot Minestrone, fantastic as well.

        1. Alex Overhiser says:

          So glad it worked out!

    2. Rob says:

      I’m a home bread baker. I weighed the flour and water but I believe the conversions are off between cups and grams and the ratio of flour to water is off. Too much water for the flour. Had to add at least 1/2 cup flour more.

    3. Caryl says:

      I had the same problem and I also weighed all the ingredients. I added at least 1/4-1/2 cup of extra flour to get it to the right consistency. I used Anna organic TIPO 00 flour.

  70. Dalene Hokanson says:

    Cannot get the video to play for making the dough and stretching

    1. Sonja Overhiser says:

      Try refreshing your screen! It plays right after the ad. Let us know if it works!

  71. George says:

    Hey Alex,

    The best pizza I ever had was in Rome, and once in Bologna (I think if I remember right). We tried at home all kinds of recipes but never had that perfect and delicious taste. I also think that the rest of the ingredients matter.

    Recently we started to make sourdough pizza and yes we found out that the taste is way much better if we keep it a couple of days in the fridge. We also tried to freeze it. It is ok if you don’t keep it for months in there (not that it has any chance to stay there that long). We will try this recipe. Thank you very much for it.

    Best regards
    George (Pizza Tester/Ingredients Artist) & Irina (Dough Master)

  72. Marco says:

    Awesome recipe! Trying it for the first time today. Question… I made the dough at around 9am for a 5 o’clock cook time. Should I refrigerate the dough after the first fermentation and take it out 30-45 mins before cooking or should I just leave it out for the day?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! You should definitely put it in the fridge after the first rise. Otherwise, it will overproof. Remove from the fridge about 1/2 hour before shaping.

  73. amy bowen says:

    Thanks for your quick response! I will let you know the results.
    Amy

  74. amy a Bowen says:

    Hi Alex,
    I was reading that you could freeze the dough but was not sure if I should keep in the frig for the 3 days then freeze to get the best flavor-or do I just just move it to the freezer after the the first proofing?
    I was also going to use some dough for calzone skulls in a metal skull mold. any tips.
    Thanks Amy

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! I’ve never actually combined the freezer and fermenting… I think that it would be best to ferment for 3 days and then freeze.

      THe dough should work fine for calzones, just make sure it isn’t too sticky with a sprinkle of flour before molding :)

  75. Tonya Kistner says:

    We have absolutely loved your recipe. I have never used my Cuisinart so much in my life! Got Farina00 flour as a gift from my niece and her boyfriend from their trip to Italy. We already had a pizza stone for the grill so it seemed like a perfect fit. Thank you so much for your recipe, it has changed my pizza life. It will be around for the kids and grandkids I am sure:). We make it for Friday pizza night and make our own dough, sauce and fresh basil and mozzarella for a beautiful Margherita pizza. I honestly love it more than any other pizza I could ever order for take out:). Thank you so much!!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      This is the best! So glad you love the recipe and much as we do! :) Pizza Fridays forever!

  76. Celina Marie Schneider says:

    This is the best recipe we have tried for grilled pizza! One question: instead of refrigerating, can we freeze until we want to use? We only used 1 of the 3 balls and won’t make pizza again for at least a week.

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Awesome! We love this recipe :)

      To freeze: Place each dough ball in a freezer proof bag and put in the freezer. The morning that you are going to use the dough, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw. About 30 minutes before making the pizza, take it out of the baggie and allow it to relax on the counter, covered with a towel.

  77. Jennifer says:

    Hi! Love your recipes and plan to use the dough and sauce. We are having a make-your-own pizza party for our daughters birthday. We have peels and a pizza oven. With so many pizza’s to make, we were wondering if there are any advanced steps we can take? We can make and refrigerate the dough ahead of time as you suggest but what about rolling out the dough into individual pizzas ahead of time and storing in the refrigerator? Or freezing? My husband does the pizza but hard to be inside rolling out dough and outside manning the pizza oven at the same time. Thank you!!

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      That sounds so fun! Unfortunately, we haven’t tested any methods for pre-rolling out the doughs. Generally, I’m running back and forth between stretching and the oven while Sonja does the toppings :)

      We’ll look into this for the future though!

  78. MS says:

    Also, why does your video mention 450g of flour and your written recipe 500? That’s quite a difference.

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Sorry about this, we recently updated the recipe card to 500 grams because it makes 3 perfectly sized rounds. The method from the video still applies!

      1. Cookie says:

        Hi, do you punch the dough after the first rise and before putting it in the fridge right? So it’s like sexond rising and you do a third one on the counter again when you take it out?

        i use exactly the same recipe for years with the same amount of yeasts but never tried the cold fermentation and i want to let it rest in the fridge 10-12 hours before putting them in the oven.

        Thanks!

        1. Alex Overhiser says:

          Hi! I shape them into balls and place in separate containers in the fridge. Once they come out and reach room temp, they basically stretch themselves.

  79. MS says:

    Thank you for your recipe,
    I will be using fresh yeast instead of instant or active dry, so I am wondering about the conversion.
    You mention 8 grams of either active dry or instant. Now for active dry I would need to use twice as much fresh yeast, and for instant four time as much. Therefore could you tell me which one you used?
    Thank you,

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! I’ve used both to good effect. Just allow to rise until doubled in size!

  80. Nyx says:

    I tried this recipe, due to the simple calzone recipe. I did not let it sit a day or more in the fridge but I did start it early and let it sit in the fridge for 6 hours. This was the first time i have ever made pizza dough at home and it turned out perfect texture/feel wise. I had only wished I had tried adding some flavor into the dough like garlic powder, basil flakes, and a bit of extra salt maybe. Next time I try to do calzones again and I use this recipe for the dough I may experiment. I didnt even taste salt from what was listed in the recipe. Was just flavor of plain dough and of course what was added inside. But I loved how when I followed the directions it came out perfect to work with. I’ve tried different bread recipes and even when following directions stuff doesnt seem to turn out as great. A lot of messy recipes had me staying away from anything online for a good while. This one was perfect and easy to work with. Thank you so much for sharing it and glad i took a chance on it.

    1. Alex says:

      So glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  81. Jimmy says:

    I’m excited to try this recipe. I have one concern though. The amount of yeast is 8 grams, where most recipes I’ve tried require much, much less. Will this amount have any affect on the taste of the dough? With so much yeast, will it just keeping rising through the 2-3 days of fermenting?

    1. Alex says:

      It will keep rising for the 3 days, but as long as it’s refrigerated it only doubles in size.

  82. Karin says:

    Can I leave it to ferment for 5 days. I want to make on a Sunday for a Friday event

    1. Alex says:

      Hi! I’ve not tested five days, but I think it maybe end up overproofing a bit and could expand beyond your containers…

  83. Julie says:

    Have you tried making pizza using a GF flour? Costco makes a really good all purpose GF flour and there are also several other specialty kinds as well. Curious how this would turn out with GF flour???

    1. Alex says:

      I haven’t tried it. Sorry!

      1. Liv says:

        The same company as the Tipo 00 flour, Antimo Caputo, has a gluten-free flour that makes good pizza and focaccia dough. It is a wheat-based flour, yet has its gluten removed.

  84. TJ says:

    I just mixed my dough following your instructions, and did not activate the “active dry yeast” which was against my instincts. I haven’t done a slow ferment before though so thought it’d be best to follow the instructions. Now I see graduals of yeast on my dough… do I need to start over? If so, it’s be helpful to make it clear to people that it needs to still be activated first!

    1. Alex says:

      Hi! No, your bread should rise just fine!

      1. TJ says:

        It is rising! Thank you, and sorry for the spelling errors (autocorrect!). I’m shocked and stoked, I had no idea it would still work without activation. Should I have activated it first for the most optimal results? Thanks!

        1. Alex says:

          We never activate the yeast for our breads and have never had an issue.

          1. Margaret Dannenmaier says:

            Hello! When I clicked on the Tipo 00 link you provided, it took me to Amazon with a listing of a brand called Antimo Caputo soft wheat flour. Is this the brand you use for your pizza dough? There seem to be so many different brands out there. I want to make sure I use the same one you use. If you can send a screenshot of the exact one that would be great. Also, I tried your pizza sauce recipe and love It! Sad to say I am not very good in the kitchen, but I like your simple recipes and the pizza sauce was a hit! Thank you for providing such wonderful tried and true recipes that are easy enough for me to try.

          2. Alex Overhiser says:

            Hi! Yes, the Antimo Caputo brand is the one that we usually buy. We’ve tried several brands and they’ve all worked well. If you try the Tipo 00, definitely do the slow rise in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, it makes a HUGE difference on flavor.

            Happy cooking!

  85. Charlene says:

    If I am to refrigerate the dough do I still need to cover it with a damp towel and allow it to rise before putting it in the refrigerator or I just put it in directly?

    1. Alex says:

      You still let the dough rise before refrigerating! Thanks for clarifying :)

  86. Debbie says:

    What is the serving size for this?

    1. Alex says:

      Hi! The nutrition info is per slice.

  87. Vanessa says:

    Quick question! The recipe in your book uses instant yeast, and this one uses regular active dry yeast… what is the reason for this difference?

    1. Alex says:

      Hi! Sorry for the confusion, Instant or Active Dry yeast will both work for this recipe!

      1. Vanessa says:

        Thanks for the quick response! Making the dough today to have pizza on Friday – will update you on how it goes!

        1. Sonja says:

          Please let us know how it turned out!

      2. George says:

        Are you able to freeze this pizza dough

        1. Alex Overhiser says:

          Yes! Freeze after the first rise and thaw 24 hours in the refrigerator.

    2. Nikki Shrum says:

      I would love a gluten free, vegan, vegetarian pizza recipe that’s a safer alternative for Autism. Thank you.!

  88. Karl says:

    That’s the secret I don’t think I leave mine long enough also do you have to let it come back to Rome temputure or can you use it straight out of the fridge

    1. Alex says:

      Hi! You do need to let it come to room temperature before cooking, otherwise it’s too hard to stretch!

      1. Stacey Welsh says:

        Hello, I absolutely love this recipe. The only change I make is that I use whole wheat and I lil dab of honey I always make 2-3 days ahead of time and the reward is AMAZING!
        Thank you so much for all the tips.. oh I should add that I pre bake for 2-3 minutes then top and bake for 7 minutes at your recommended temp of 500°. oh I just can’t say enough how great it is!

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