Pizza Dough

Make classic homemade pizza dough with simple ingredients for a light, chewy crust that bakes beautifully in your oven.

This classic pizza dough recipe is simple, reliable, and perfect for homemade pizzas. It makes a soft, elastic dough with a crisp edge and a tender, chewy center. Use it for thin or medium crust pizzas and top it with your favorite ingredients.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Extra flour for dusting
• Extra olive oil for greasing

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
3. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 equal portions.
7. Shape each portion into a ball, then roll or stretch into pizza rounds.
8. Place the dough on a pizza pan or baking sheet, add toppings, and bake in a preheated oven at 475 F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
9. Let the pizza rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.