We can’t all build a brick oven in the backyard, but you CAN make perfect light and airy pizza at home! It all comes down to the dough…
Making the perfect pizza dough is most certainly a creative act, and for me it has been an obsession. I have experimented for years with different ways of making pizza dough: different flours, yeasts, resting time, kneading techniques, no-knead dough… A few months ago, I decided that I wanted to publish a pizza dough that was easy to make and would yield the results you might expect from a top pizzeria. So I rolled up my sleeves, read as much as I could on the chemistry of yeast and flour, and made dough – lots of dough.
This pizza dough recipe is the result of all my research and experiments (failures too!), and I must say that I am extremely excited to finally publish it.
To make a restaurant-style thin-crust pizza, the dough needs to have the right consistency (that is, slightly sticky) and the oven needs to deliver tons of heat. In the step-by step video, I address both of these issues in depth. So be sure to watch.
Two great flour options: the old standby, Tipo “00”, or the “King” of bread flours!
And of course, let’s not forget about the flour! This recipe calls for either bread flour (I use King Arthur’s) or Caputo Tipo “00” Pizza Flour. Both flours yield superb crusts that are almost identical in texture and flavor, with the “00” flour delivering a slightly more refined pizza.
Are you ready to roll up your sleeves? I am… Let me show you how to make the perfect pizza dough, and then shape it into the most delicious thin-crust pizza!
Here are some gourmet pizza recipes
Grilled kale pizza with smoked Gruyère, sweet corn and chipotle chili oil
Pizza with mushrooms, ricotta and garlic confit spread
Pizza with shaved Brussels sprouts, burrata and dried lemon zest
Never Miss a Recipe
Pizza dough
2 large pizzas
30 minutes
3 to 4 minutes
Print
Ingredients
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (4 g)
1/2 teaspoon sugar (1 g)
1 cup (24 cl) warm spring water (temperature between 105°F and 115°F) (41ºC and 46ºC)
1 teaspoon sea salt (6 g)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 1/4 cups (11 oz) (310 g) unbleached bread flour or “00” flour for pizza
extra flour for the work surface and for shaping the dough
fine cornmeal or bread flour to dust the pizza peel
large pizza peel (16″ x 18″ paddle)
Directions
- Place the yeast and sugar in a medium bowl. Pour the warm water over it and whisk until the yeast dissolves. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. When the yeast activates (it’ll start to bubble up to the surface), whisk in the salt and olive oil. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Turn dough over on your work surface and start kneading it. In the beginning, the dough will be sticky. If it sticks a little to the counter top, that’s fine. Try to knead a little faster to prevent it from sticking. If it sticks a lot, add as little flour as you can to prevent it from sticking to the counter top too much. A slightly sticky dough will yield a wonderfully light pizza crust, so this is a crucial step. Don’t add too much flour or the dough will be firmer and harder to shape, and the crust will be stiff. Continue kneading the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Roll dough in flour until well dusted and place in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place in a warm place (75°F to 80°F) (24ºC to 27ºC) and allow dough to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size. (If the ambient temperature is lower than 75°F (24ºC), it could take 15 to 30 minutes longer for the dough to double in size.)
- Punch down dough and scrape it off the bowl. Cut dough in 2 equal parts and shape each into a ball. Roll each ball in bread flour and place each ball into a gallon-size plastic bag. Seal the bag, leaving plenty of room for the dough to expand, and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 36 hours, until ready to make your pizzas.
- Place the pizza stone in the oven, on a rack located at the bottom third of the oven. (The stone should be about 9” from the roof of the oven.) Set the oven to 500°F (260°C) and preheat for 30 minutes. Then, without opening the oven, turn it off and turn on the broiler to high heat. Preheat broiler for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal or bread flour and set aside. Take one piece of dough from the refrigerator and sprinkle top and bottom with a little flour. Gently stretch the dough into an 8″ circle. Next, grabbing the edges of the dough, work your way around the outside edge, stretching it as you go. When the dough is stretched into a 16″ circle, place on the prepared pizza peel. Sprinkle dough with your toppings of choice. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone by giving it a quick jerking movement and then gently shaking the peel to loosen the pizza. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes until the crust is browned on the edges. Slide the pizza back onto the peel and serve immediately. Keep the broiler on and make the 2nd pizza.
Viviane’s tip
Don’t bring the dough to room temperature before shaping it. Only take it out of the refrigerator when you’re ready to make your pizza. A cooler dough will be easier to work with. And anyway, your hands will warm that dough up pretty fast!
Hi Viviane,
Out of 100 videos and written recipes, I choose yours as it is very detailed and written with a lot of passion! Thank you for all the explanations and tips. However I still have some questions that you may be the best source to help my dilemmas. I used Caputo Pizzeria 00 Flour, Caputo Active Dry Yeast, and KitchenAid Mixer.
The first questions are related to the Yeast… On the Caputo yeast container, it says that the yeast is Active Dry yeast, and it should be mixed directly into the flour. Does it make a difference if it is disolved first in water like in your video?
On some recipes, even on the Caputo website, for almost 3 times more flour, they suggest using 1.4 gr active dry yeast, so I was wandering why so big difference?
If you put the salt into the water, or in the flour, what difference would it make? I always thought that the salt will kill the yeast, is it correct?
I followed the exact measurement of your video, but the dough was a little more sticky, so I added a little more flour like in your video, in order to be able to work with it, and make a ball. Would it help if the next time I add more flour from the start? Or the process is to add more to the end so the outer surface will be not so sticky?
There are many videos using also Caputo flour that add for example the oil at the end, does this make any sense or difference?
Some people cover the dough with Oil, but yours is with flour, what difference does it make?
Sorry for so many questions, I understand that it might take some time to answer them, but I really hope that they will help many other beginners because those kind of questions are the ones that bother us at the beginning in order to master the recipe.
Thank you a lot in advance!
Jane
I forgot to also ask, because I wrote the comment after putting the dough to rest for 1 hour… I made a double dose, with the exact measures doubled. What I noticed is that after 1 hour, the dough was almost 3 times bigger. Is it good or is it bed if it is over-rested? Do I need to watch it to not go over double size, and then interrupt? Or what will happen if I leave it for example 2 hours like in some videos?
Would it make a difference if after shaping the balls, I leave them in a plastic container for couple of hours before putting them in fridge, or they will go bad?
I shaped the dough into small balls, and I noticed they also doubled in the fridge after 7-8 hours (intend to keep them 24 as you mentioned). My question here is, I put them in plastic containers and I noticed there is a lot of moisture, a lot of drops on the walls of the plastic container. Is it bad for the dough? Or maybe it evaporates from the dough? I couldn’t notice with the plastic wrap in your video if it is the same.
Thank you again!
Jane
Hello Jane! Thank you so much for choosing my recipe over so many others on the infinite web! I am honored. I will try to answer all your questions.
– I do not use a kitchenAid mixer to make the dough. I make it all by hand. That makes a big difference and it will affect the texture of your dough.
– I tested this recipe dozens of times for all the measurements. So you can trust them. I purposefully add less flour than needed when mixing the dough with the water/yeast. This way you can add more when you knead and get a soft dough (plus, remember that everyone measures a but differently). If you add to much flour in the beginning, your dough will be too stiff. As you get more comfortable with kneading, you will use less flour. It is normal to want to use more flour in the beginning, as it is a challenge to work with a sticky dough.
– The amount of active dry yeast listed works for this recipe, although I use US brands such as Fleischmann’s or Red Star. I have not used Caputo’s dry yeast.
– Salt is integral to the recipe. Without it, the dough does not rise properly.
– The ambient temperature will affect the amount of time the dough needs to rise. One hour is usually a reliable amount of time, unless your ambient temperature is low. You’ll need to experiment there… You want the dough to have risen enough so that the yeast is quite active and doing its job.
– Yes, the dough will continue rising in the fridge. That’s how you know your dough is alive! 🙂
– No, you do not want to start the dough for the second rise at room temperature before you put it in the fridge. The yeast will over-work and this will affect the texture of your dough.
– Coating the dough with olive oil will make is harder for you to shape the pizzas. Flour is best.
– My guess is that moisture around the dough once in the fridge means the dough was a bit too wet.
My advice is for you to follow the recipe exactly as I have written it and make your dough as shown in the video (by hand). If you do this, you will understand all the steps better. It will take making this recipe a few times before you feel comfortable making this dough. It is not easy, but with time it will become more natural.
I hope this is helpful… and I hope you have LOTS of fun making your pizzas!
I’m simply going to say this, I rarely post comments unless I’m wow’d. Even my kids said, dad never says wow to anything. I made this dough. Like an earlier commenter I too was concerned I wouldn’t get 2 16” pizzas out of this. OMG. it’s so easy to shape and use. I used mine on a cooking steel. 550. 3rd shelf from top. Started with parchment paper underneath as I can’t master the transfer from the peel. After 3 minutes I pulled out the parchment and let cook for another 3.5 mins. Perfection. The lightest crispiest crust I’ve ever had!! Yes it freezes well as I made a double batch and froze two. I used them a week later and perfection. Thanks soooo much!! This is my one and only.
Jom, I cannot thank you enough for your wonderful note! I am so, so happy this pizza dough recipe worked for you. May you happily make pizza for your family for many moons to come. Bon appétit!
Hi Viviane. Love your elegant style and presentation. I only have a small electric pizza oven that can reach a temperature of 450 F, and does not have a bottom broiler. How would I modify the baking time and method with a pizza stone?
Hello Cimoka, You do not need a bottom broiler to bake the pizza, only a top one. So my advice, it to warm the pizza stone in your oven at the maximum temperature until your stone is hot and then turn on the broiler as per the recipe. Moving the stone a bit closer to the broiler might help, but you’ll have to experiment. Let me know how it turns out… and happy pizza making! Viviane
I am working my way through pizza dough recipes; this was the third I’ve tried. My dough was a little too wet at first; which can happen due to humidity levels and other factors. I just worked in flour but by bit until it was like yours. It was a dream to stretch and yielded a crust that was closest to NY brick oven pizza I used to get at Lombardi’s brick oven in NY, by far it surpasses pizza I have tried here in Tennessee. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe for this gorgeous, delicious dough.
Deborah! Thank you so much for your comment. I must say, you made my day! 🙂 I am thrilled you’re happy with this recipe and may you make many, many delicious pizzas with it! Viviane
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Hello, Vivienne!
How much water to take in grams or milliliters? I usually use ingredients by weight. Thank you!
Hello Olga, the European measurements are in the recipe… Take a look at the ingredient list. Happy pizza making!
Have tried many pizza dough recipes and this one is perfect! Thanks so much
Thank you, Jim! I am really thrilled to hear this recipe is working for you…. Just made my day!
U are the best 😘😍😎
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Viviane, this recipe is the BEST! I have made it twice, and I am obsessed with it. My roommate told me it reminded him of a great, local mom and pop pizza shop from growing up in NJ. Any recipe that elicits nostalgia like that is a winner in my book! Thank you for sharing!
What’s the best way to store this dough so that I can make it in advance without sacrificing the fantastic texture of this dough? I would like to double batch it and store balls of dough for weeknight use. Any advice on scaling up and making in advance?
Christy, I am very sorry for this terribly late reply… I’m afraid the question you had is now irrelevant. But for the future, you can make the dough up to 36 hours before you use it and keep it refrigerated. Take a look at Step #2, for the instructions. I do not recommend freezing the dough, as it totally ruins its texture. Thank you so much for your note and happy pizza making!
Your recipe is totally amazing and allows very clumsy bakers like myself to succeed in making a perfect pizza like a pro !
I can’t believe the results: thin crusted and yet chewy with some delicate crispiness here and there and savorous !
Thank you so much for this gem and the video !
I’ve been making homemade pizza for years all pretty good using All Trumps flour and some bread flours but I want to try 00 because many prefer. We like NY style thin crust pizzas. I agree with everything in your recipe and the proportions except one important thing. Usually when i make pizza and even most recipes out there even from the experts indicate that 500 grams of flour using a 65% hydration yields two 15-16 thin crust pizzas so I am confused. I don’t see how 310 grams of flour can yield two 16″ NY style pizzas. What am I missing because All Trumps is designed to make thin pizzas and mine come out pretty thin using 500 grams sometimes 480 grams. Thanks so much, just wanted to know before I try 00 flour and your recipe.
Hi David! I am thrilled you will give the 00 flour a try. It is exceptional for making pizzas. As for the measurements, I stretch my dough pretty thin and I have no problem getting two pizzas out of this recipe. You can see it in the video. Best of luck… and most of all, have fun!
I followed this recipe EXACTLY and had enough dough for TWO 16″ pizzas. It was easy to stretch, was nice and thin crust, and produced as great a pizza crust as I have ever made. I used Caputo TIP0 “00” Chef flour. After initial raise I left in fridge in plastic bags overnight as directed. So 24 hour ferment. I am so confident I am having a pizza party tomorrow with a bigger batch !!
Hello Mike! My apologies for this terribly late reply and thank you so much for your comment – just made my day! I am delighted the pizza dough recipe worked well for you and I hope your party was a smashing success!
Dear Viviane
My pevious comment that I had followed your receipe and the pizza dough turned out to be
perfect. It was the best pizza I had ever made.
Sorry I accidentally press the send button before I could fill in my email details.
Thank you, thank you so much for your pizza dough receipe, it is the best.
Inspite of several attempts to make pizza dough via youtube and attending bread making
lessons, your pizza dough is the BEST
Thanks
Rebecca Koh
PS: I would recommend your pizza dough to all my friends.
Dear Rebecca, my apologies for this late reply to your wonderful note. I am thrilled that this recipe was helpful – just made my day! I hope you’ve been enjoying making pizzas often… and will continue to do so for many moons. A heartfelt thank you for your comment!
This is the best by far and WIDE the best technique I have found. Love it! I use the 00 caputo flour and all is well with the first bite.
Thank you for giving me a way to have (almost) brick oven pizza! Now to learn the technique with a pizza peel, it’s one hard technique!
Thanks again! ~Kiowah
Thank you so much for you comment, Kiowah. I am thrilled this recipe worked for you. After making pizzas with a peel a few times, you’ll become a pro. It’ll then be “an easy technique”!
Hi! Trying this recipe currently!! We have had terrible luck (I guess) with our stones cracking when turning the heat up to 500°. I didn’t think stones were able to take this much heat. Any advice?
Hi Michele, Thank you for your note. I am sorry your stone cracked – probably due to improper manufacturing or quality. I have two stones that are now 15 years old. I use them on a regular basis at 550F and they’ve never cracked. When purchasing a new stone, make sure they’re meant to take high temperatures. For example, I put a link for a stone in the ingredient list of this recipe. Take a look at it. This stone can withstand temperatures up to 2000F. I hope this helps… and good luck!
Aloha. My stone has cracked before as well. Out of necessity been using my cast iron pan the one for the stove that has grill on one side n flat top on the other. It works pretty well although my pizza shape is more like a ciabatta Testing your pizza dough recipe tonight.
Aloha Mauimoni! Thank you for your comment. I hope the pizza dough turned out great and I’m sorry your stone cracked on you. I have two stones and have used them regularly for years without any problems. I think it’s just a quality issue. If you ever decide to buy another stone (and I hope you do!), make sure you get one that is “non-cracking”. Happy pizza making!
Do you think the hand kneading, produces superior results over a Kitchen Aid with a dough hook?
I’m looking forward to trying the recipe either way. Thanks
Hi Paul, I’ve always kneaded my dough by hand. It makes me feel connected to it and in that way, my pizzas turn out the way I want them too. But I’m sure your kitchen Aid would do a good job too. Perhaps you should try both ways and see what happens? Do let me know how your pizzas turn out!
Hello Viviane,I recently read and watched your video on pizza dough.
My question is can i mix cake flour with either bread or all purpose flour to substitute for 00 flour,if yes please give proportions used for mixture.
Thank You in advance,
Ron
Hi Ronald, I recommend you using bread flour for your pizza dough, not cake flour… If you look at the list of ingredients here: https://allweathermedia.com/pizza-dough/ you will see my recommendations. Good luck and have fun making your pizza dough!
I just tried to make a pizza this way but I couldn’t get the dough to stretch out. What was I doing wrong?
Hi Teri, my apologies for this late reply. It sounds like your dough hadn’t risen enough. Also, make sure you don’t handle the dough too much before stretching it. If you get all the air out of it, it will become stiff and you won’t be able to stretch it. I’d be happy to help further if you give me a few more details… Good luck trying again!
This pizza dough is amazing. The video made all the difference for a successful first try. There was not a single leftover piece of pizza from even my pickiest eaters! Do you think this recipe would double well? Thanks!
Hi Terri, I am delighted to hear this recipe worked well for you – just made my day! And yes, you can absolutely double the dough recipe. It’s a little more strenuous to knead, but you sound like an expert, so I suspect you will have no trouble making it. Have fun!
Perfect recipe, since I am from the Netherlands the metric measurements were super. I baked the pizza’s on a stone in a very hot gas BBQ with the lid down. Just 8 minutes and they come out sissling and crispy!!Thanks a lot. When you are on Aruba come by and taste one 😉
Hi Harry, I am delighted this recipe worked well for you and I admire your creativity with your stove – very clever! And lucky you to be living in Aruba!!!
Hi! Can you freeze the dough? And if so, should you freeze it before it’s risen or after? Thanks!
Hi Dave! I do not recommend freezing the dough as it makes the dough very stiff (crispy) once baked – not at all desirable. It’s best to make the dough when you need it…
In my oven the top of the pizza burned before the bottom of the crust was golden brown? Will it work as well if I just leave the oven on 500 degrees? If I raise the rack higher as heat rises wouldn’t that work? Other than that it was fabulous!
Hi Monika, It seems that your pizza might have been too close to the broiler. Try lowering your rack so it’s not as close to the broiler. It’s crucial to heat your pizza stone at 500F for 30 minutes. Then, without opening the oven, turn it off and turn on the broiler to high heat. Preheat broiler for 10 minutes before baking your pizza. Let me know how it works the next time you try… Enjoy and have fun!
Hi, I need to be gluten free. Recently I went to a pizza restaurant that claimed they use double zero pizza flour with a free notation process that brings the flour from 75,000ppm down to 12ppm. Is this a recipe that does that? It was the first time in 9 years I had a real pizza, it was delicious & I didn’t get sick!
Please advise, thank you, Sue Capone
Hi Sue! Thank you so much for your comment. I am not an expert in gluten, so I am afraid I cannot answer your question. However, I found an article that might shed some light on why you may not have had adverse effects to the pizza you were served: https://wholegrainscouncil.org/blog/2012/01/research-sheds-light-gluten-issues It seems that the sourdough process drastically reduces gluten – something that needs further investigation, for sure. Good luck!
Do you turn the broiler off after the 10 min preheat before putting the pizza in……doesn’t say.
Hi Ed, Yes, you want to keep the broiler on the whole time you’re baking, no matter how many pizzas you’re making. See the last sentence in Step 3. Happy pizza making!
I found this recipe yesterday and made the pizza today. It came out fabulous! I used a pizza pan since i don’t have a stone and it came out quite well. My son loved it and suggested we sell them. Thank you so much for the recipe. Your video was also so confidence inspiring. Can’t wait to make it again.
Hi Angelo! I am really glad the recipe worked out for you… and I hope you sell tons of pizzas! Your son is most enterprising. Enjoy your next pizza-baking extravaganza!
The best pizza recipe that I have found. I have frozen half of the dough for next week as Friday night is always pizza night. So I will have to wait until then to see if freezing it is ok. Greetings from Denmark
Hi Karen! Thank you so, so much for your comment (all the way from Denmark – hooray!), I am delighted your dough and pizza turned out great. As for freezing the dough, I haven’t had good success with it. Although the thawing goes well, freezing makes the dough very stiff (crispy) once baked – not at all desirable. So instead of freezing the dough, I simply make pizza two nights in a row. Let me know how your frozen dough works out for you. Thank you again!
Hi Viviane. I don’t have the stone to bake the pizza will a normal pizza pan bake the same? Will there be a difference in baking time and temperature too? Thank you!
Hello Lat Tang! If you are only using a normal pizza pan, then preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). When the oven is hot, bake your pizza until browned on the edges. You can finish it for 30 seconds under the broiler if you want the charred edges. Your crust won’t come out as moist as when you bake on a stone, though. It’ll be more crisp. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
Hi. This dough comes out way too sticky, are you sure the proportions are correct? The recipe amounts to 80% hydration which is more than the wettest of breads, and impossible to knead by hand. It comes out of the bowl as a yogurt like substance. I added another 60g of flour and my dough is still sticker than yours.
Hi Andreas, I am very sure about the measurements since I’ve made this exact recipe for many years now. Even with giving as detailed measurements as I can, different flours are milled differently and will give you a different result. It also depends on how the water is measured. My suggestion is for you to look at the video to see what is the ideal consistency of the dough and follow that. I show how the dough should look like before and after it has been kneaded. Don’t worry if you have to add a bit more flour to get the dough as it is shown. Let me know if I can help further…. and good luck!
I thought mine was too sticky at first, too, but i just kept kneading and adding flour as necessary. It works.
Very glad to hear this, Angelo!
Hello my dear Vivane, I am from China, and I am new to learn how to make a pizza dough , I followed your receipt but I don’t know how to make the garlic confit oil,can you tell me?
Hi Duran! Thank you so much for stopping by (all the way from China!) and for your note… Here’s the link to the recipe for the garlic confit: https://allweathermedia.com/garlic-confit/ You can also find links to different toppings right above the video on this page – under “recipes”. Let me know if you need any further info… and have fun making your pizzas!
Are you keep the dough in the icebox, before it really wanted to cooked ?
and can last for how long?
Thanks before.
*Sorry if my english is bad.
Hi Mizz, my apologies for this late reply. Read Step 1, 2 and 3 of the recipe carefully and you will have all the info you need. The second rise for the dough needs to happen in the refrigerator (cold rise). See Step 2:… “refrigerate for a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 36 hours, until ready to make your pizzas.” Let me know if you have any more questions and have fun making your dough!
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Hi Viviane thank you for your quick response. I do have
one more question. What is caputo 00 flour and where do
I get it. Do you use this flour instead of bread flour. Can’t wait
for your response. I’m going to try again tomorrow. Not
going to give up until I get the perfect pizza dough like yours.
Thanks again, have a great day
Hi again, Jill! “Caputo 00 Flour” is an Italian flour made from hard durum wheat which is milled extra-fine (00 indicates the degree of fineness). It’s a very high quality flour that makes extra-soft dough. You can find it at gourmet food stores or on Amazon (there is a link in the recipe’s ingredient list). Good luck and let me know how your next round goes! 🙂
Hi Viviane my name is Jill and I am finally able to find the time to try your
recipe. Everything went great all the way up to the stretching part. It
started ok and when I felt like it waas going to rip I put it over my arms
like you did, however my dough ended up tearing in several places. It
really bummed me out, because I wanted it to work so bad. Any help with
this issue would be greatly appreciated. Oh I have one more question. Did
you ever get a chance to try freezing the dough to see if it would work? Thanks
Hi Jill! Thank you for letting me know how it went. Don’t get discouraged. All you need is a little practice and soon you’ll be a pro. As for freezing the dough, I finally had the time to test it last week. I DO NOT recommend freezing this dough. Although the thawing went okay, it made the dough very stiff (crispy) once baked – not at all desirable. Good luck, and make pizza soon again so you can practice!
I have been trying to make crispy and light pizza for AGES and now it’s finally worked! THANK YOU. Seriously, I made one last night with figs, parma ham and blue cheese and it was sooo good. Really airy crust and crisp bottom. I think my problems before were:
1) Dough too dry
2) Dough hard to stretch properly because did not rest it in the fridge
3) Irregular thickness because I did not have the right technique to stretch it.
I’m so happy 🙂
Vincent, I think I am even happier than you are! Thank you for dropping me a note… I am over the moon your dough was such a success! #keepkneading
I ti. I am soo excited to try your recipe this weekend. My husband loves pizza and I know
it is going to save us money on take out pizza. Thats what I am excited about. Pizza is so
expensive these days. So thank you very much for your easy to follow pizza tutorial. I
do have one question for you. Can this dough be frozen and made at a different time,
if it can be done how would I do it. Thank you in advance for your answer, and also
for your wonderful recipe. Have a great day.
Hi Jill!
Thank you for your note! I am delighted that you’re excited about this recipe and I hope you make your own pizza dough soon. As for freezing the dough: Two other readers have asked me ask about this last week. I am busy testing it now. I’ll be able to give you an answer next week. For now, you can make the recipe without freezing it. It makes two pizzas and the dough stays in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours… so make a pizza two days in a row! More soon, I promise… 🙂
Hello, can I freeze the pizza dough?
Hi Lili, My apologies for this late reply. I am testing freezing the dough now and will be able to give you an answer next week… Stay tuned!
Thank you for this great recipe! I have searched high and low on the internet for a comprehensive easy to follow pizza dough recipe. This is it! The video is terrific especially the part showing how to knead the dough. It takes some practice but after a few tries, I had it down. I made two batches of dough. The first batch came out too sticky. I adjusted the amount of flour to just under 2 and 1/2 cups of flour for the second batch and it was perfect. I used Caputo “00” flour. My family raved that this delicious thin crust pizza was as as good as we get in Boston’s North End! Fantasico!
Donatello, I am smiling from ear to ear! Thank you so much for your comment and for taking the time to tell me how your dough turned out. I made this video because I wanted people like yourself to be able to make a dough that’s as good as what you’d find in a great restaurant. I love that you made this recipe your own. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come!
I anxious to try your recipe for pizza dough, but am wondering if the recipe can be cut in half. For just two of us the second ball of dough will usually go to waste. Most of the recipes I see make two to four pizzas.
Hi Bill, you can try to cut the recipe in half, although it might end up being a bit harder to knead, since it will be so small. It is always best to make a new recipe as it is written, before you alter it in anyway. This way you will have a better chance for it to come out right. This dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours, so I suggest you make the recipe as is and make pizza two days in a row… Enjoy!
Hello,
I made your recipe for pizza dough and it came out very good. I let it sit in the fridge 36 hrs. I didn’t have unbleached bread flour so I used regular bread flour.. The dough came out a little stiff and was hard to shape but I managed to work it flat and get an edge in a oval shape.. Not very pretty but tasty.
My question is which flour is used in the video Caputo 00 or King Arthur unbleached flour? I didn’t have scales so I had to use the cup measure. I am wondering if the amount I used as cups or if the just regular bread flour might have made the dough hard to work and stretch?
Very Best Regards
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen, Thank you for taking the time to write a note here and for your question. Regular bread flour is totally fine to use in this recipe. And if your dough came out a bit stiff it’s because there was too much flour in it. Everyone measures differently, so it’s normal to have a bit of variation. And it is okay not to measure the flour either, although it does help. Next time, make sure you measure your water as accurately as you can. Then add 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup less flour when you first mix your dough. Only add more flour (very little) if your dough becomes too sticky when you kneed it. With practice, you will get a sense of how the dough should feel – which is slightly sticky and soft. It does take time to get it right, so don’t get discouraged. And mostly, have fun every time you make it! Let me know how the next one turns out!
I tried this dough recipe for the first time and followed the directions on heating the oven. It turned out great and my family loved it! My wife said it reminded her of New York pizza (the thin crust) and she grew up in Manhattan; so that says a lot. I used the Caputo 00 flour and developed a sauce recipe using Carmelina Italian peeled tomatoes. Great flavor. I do need to look for a better mozzarella cheese, so if you have some ideas please share.
Yes, I think I will try your suggested pizza stone. My Pampered Chef stone cracked on one edge during the second pizza!
Pizza survived:)
Hi Joe! Your note totally made my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to write and for giving me so many details. I love it! I am so happy the dough turned out well… and you’ll see that the more you make it, the better it’ll be. As for the mozzarella try Buffalo mozzarella from Italy. It’s my absolute favorite mozzarella… but make sure to drain it well because it will release a lot of moisture when it bakes. Last, but not least, I’m so sorry to hear about your pizza stone! Mine has survived several years of use. I hope your next one will too. Enjoy making your next round!
Hello,
Thanks for your helpful suggestions which I shall put into use next time I make the dough. I will keep trying. Hopefully I can get it to where it should be.
Kathleen
You’re most welcome, Kathleen! You’ll get there for sure… As they say, “practice makes perfect”! 🙂
After I have dressed the pizzas for baking what is the longest amount of time that they can sit waiting before I must place them in the oven?
Hi Rita, Not too long otherwise the dough might start to stick to your peel. Normally I dress them only right before I put them in the oven – that’s ideal. But you could get away with letting the pizzas sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy your homemade pizzas!
My family and I are new to making our own pizzas and have been wanting to try it since we planted our tomato plants this spring. We made this pizza dough recipe yesterday to go with homemade pizza sauce and it was just PERFECT!! I followed your instructions exactly. It may take a while to stretch the dough into shape the way you do, but it still tastes the same even if it isn’t in the perfect circle 🙂 Thank you so very much!
Hi Janice! You have no idea how delighted I am to read your comment. Congratulations for making your own pizza dough (and pizza with your own homegrown tomatoes, no less)! It’s not that easy the first time around but you did it! However, after making the dough a couple of times, I have no doubt you’ll end up with a perfectly round pizza. Meanwhile, you are right, whatever shape it turns out, it tastes exactly the same! Thank you so much for your note. May making your own pizza become a routine, all-year endeavor!
I made the dough, but I don’t have a pizza stone… could I just make the pizza on a metal pizza pan on a lower temperature and for a longer time?
Hi Shana, you can bake your pizza on a pizza pan, but the results will not be the same though… as long as you know that. Your pizza will turn out much crispier than when baked on a stone. I would recommend 500F for 8 to 10 minutes until your pizza is browned on the edges. Let me know how it turns out.
Hello,
Both of my pizza stones ( pampered chef and an emile henry) both caution against a temperature of over 425 degrees. Thoughts ?
Hi Barbara, I cannot vouch for every brand of pizza stones, but the one I use is safe at high temperatures (500F). See here: http://amzn.to/1GAKzUA I’ve had this pizza stone for years. I’ve used it numerous times as described in the recipe here and I have never had any problems. Let me know if you have any further questions… and happy pizza making!
Hi Ms Viviane, I tried the pizza dough and it came out well; thank you so much. I always make pizzas, breads and cakes etc but I like to try different recipes. I used my bread machine as always; because of my back problem I can’t knead with my hands too much. I let it knead and rise in the machine then I let it knead again and then I took it out and follow your refrigeration instructions but I baked them as I normally do. I have 2 pizza stones that I use whenever I’m making pizzas. I place one stone on the very first rack then I place the second stone on the third rack and then preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. I arrange my pizza, place it on the lower stone and it bakes perfectly! With the two stones one above and one underneath the pizza, it’s somewhat like a brick oven. Your recipe for the dough has more stretch than the one I usually use so it’s a keeper! I’ll be trying your bread soon. Thank you and God bless.
Hello Sandra! I’m so glad the recipe turned out well for you. I do have one suggestion though. Although using two pizza stones attempts to replicate a brick oven, you really don’t get enough heat to bake your pizza, especially at 450F. Next time you make pizza, try the method I describe in this recipe: First heat the stone at 500F for 30 minutes and then turn on your broiler for another 10 minutes before sliding the pizza on the stone. Only use one stone for this technique. I know you will be amazed at the results. Happy pizza making!
Hello Ms Viviane, thank you for your reply. When I try the recipe I’ll let you know; God bless!
You are most welcome, Sandra! Good luck making your pizza dough!
Hi Ms Viviane, I think that you’ve made a huge mistake when writing the pizza recipe. You wrote 2+1/4 cups of flour and then in brackets you have 11 ounces. What kind of measuring cup did you used? With my measuring cup 18 ounces is 2+1/4 cups. Please let me know before I try this recipe; thank you so much and do have a lovely day.
Sandra.
Hi Sandra! You gave me a fright!!! I just, this very moment, re-measured the flour for this recipe and it is 11 ounces, as the recipe states. These are the dry measuring cups I use: http://www.chefcentral.com/cuispro-measuring-cups.html I would say to you, go with the measurements (not the cups), as measurements are always more accurate. This is the reason I always include them in recipes where the weight of ingredients is important, as it is with this recipe. Let me know how your dough turns out… and have a fun time making it!
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Great instructional video Viviane! I started making my own pizza dough a couple of years ago and no I know what I’ve been doing wrong. 🙂 Will be testing out your recipe and methods soon.
yayyy! lovelovelove this post-well made homemade pizza is one of my faves
Kayle, Thank you, my dear… We’re on the same wavelength, I see. Here’s to homemade pizza dough!
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I just love your site I found you when I was looking for help with making pizza with Caputo oo flour so thank you your site is special looking forward to your recipes
Thank you so much, Christine!
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