Artisan Pizza Dough

Make pizza that rivals what you would find at Neapolitan pizza restaurants with the best pizza dough recipe! Made without any special equipment like a stand mixer or pizza oven and requiring no kneading, this fuss-free artisan pizza dough is simply stirred together in a mixing bowl. For best results, be sure to read through the full post for plenty of tips and topping suggestions.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Using a Baking Sheet Instead of a Pizza Stone
• Leftovers and Storage
• Alternate Pizza Sizes
• Pizza Toppings and Flavour Ideas
• Serving Ideas
• Using Parchment Paper When Making Pizza
• Tips for the Best Pizza Crust
• Dietary Notes
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Artisan Pizza Dough
• Comments

It almost goes without saying that the best recipe for homemade pizza starts with a flavorful crust.

And let me tell you, once we started making this this chewy pizza dough recipe, it definitely took ours to the next level!

It yields a thin crust but it is sturdy enough to hold up to a variety of toppings.

Whether you make it with simply tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese or something fancier like Thai Curry, it feels like you're eating at a high quality pizzeria.

And I can't say enough about how easy it is to make! Like it actually couldn't be easier. It would be more difficult to use boughten. Honest.

Start your next pizza night off on the right foot and make this crust. You won't regret it!

The Ingredients

• Flour- I have tested this recipe with entirely whole wheat flour, all purpose flour and a combination and each way turned out well.
• Cool Water- Room temperature water or a bit cooler is best for this recipe.
• Instant Yeast- Use Instant or Quick rather than active yeast for this recipe.
• Fine Sea Salt

The Method

1. Mix. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast. Mix in the water and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, work the dough until fully combined. It will be a bit sticky. Shape loosely into a ball.

2. Rise. Cover bowl with a tight lid or plastic wrap and leave sit on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 hours until bubbly and doubled in size.

3. Shape. Preheat your kitchen oven to 475 F (or lower if needed for your parchment paper). Place a baking stone on the centre rack.

Prepare 4 sheets of parchment paper (about 12 inches/ 30 cm) long and dust with a bit of flour. Use a knife or spatula to divide dough into 4.

Flour your hands and use a rubber spatula to release ¼ of the dough from the bowl. Try to shape into a ball shape and place in the centre of the prepared piece of parchment paper.

Flour a rolling pin and starting from the centre, roll out the dough, rotating the parchment into a 10-11 inch circle. If it is hard to roll, leave it for 5-10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. (You can get the rest of the dough ready at this time).

4. Assemble. Top each pizza dough with sauce and your desired toppings. Trim the parchment around the pizza so that there is only a bit of overhang on two opposite sides to use as handles

5. Bake. Carefully slide your assembled pizza (still on the parchment) onto a pizza peel or the back of a flat cookie sheet. Open the oven and slide the pizza off of the peel (or cookie sheet) onto the hot stone. Be Very Careful! Bake for 9-11 minutes until the crust appears lightly crisp and the cheese is nicely browned.

Optional: Turn your oven to broil for the last minute.

Remove from the oven (again carefully!) by sliding back onto your pizza peel and then placing on a wire rack to set for a couple of minutes. Peel off the parchment paper.

6. Slice and serve!

Using a Baking Sheet Instead of a Pizza Stone

If you would like to make this homemade pizza crust on a baking sheet or pizza pan, you can skip the parchment and roll it out directly onto the pan (if you have enough pans to do so). I typically lightly flour the pan but if you have a pizza pan with hole on the bottom, skip this.

Bake time and assembly instructions remain the same.

For more details on using a pizza stone vs a baking sheet, check out this post that I wrote in order to decide which is best for you!

Leftovers and Storage

To Make Ahead: Artisan pizza crust can be made up to 3 days in advance. After rising on at room temperature for 2 hours, store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To Freeze: After the two hour rise time, the entire portion of dough can be frozen or you can portion it out and freeze only part of it (as in make 2 pizzas this time and save some for another time).

If portioning out, grease the bottom of a container, and place dough balls in it. Cover with an airtight lid and freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator 3-4 hours before using and then resume with recipe.

Alternate Pizza Sizes

When divided into 4, this dough recipe makes approximately 11 inch pizzas which would be similar to a small or medium pizza depending on where you go.

If you would like to make individual pizzas, divide the dough into 8 portions. Each portion will roll out to approximately a 7 inch personal pizza.

Here are the two sizes side by side for comparison.

Pizza Toppings and Flavour Ideas

Turn this easy pizza dough recipe into the best homemade pizza by loading it up with your favorite toppings!

Each 11 inch pizza can be topped with:

• ¼ cup of sauce
• 1-2 cups of toppings
• 1 and ½ cups of cheese

And a 7 inch pizza can be topped with:

• 2 tablespoon sauce
• ¾ cup of toppings
• 1 cup of cheese

Here are some of our favorite pizza recipes!

• Beef and Onion
• Thai Curry

Serving Ideas

Garnish your pizza with:

• Fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, basil or chives
• Sliced or diced tomatoes
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Parmesan Cheese
• Chili Flakes

Dip your pizza in:

• Santa Fe Ranch
• Chimichurri
• Barbecue Sauce
• Or extra Pizza Sauce

And serve it alongside:

• Spinach Salad
• Tomato Soup
• Or check out this post for 48 ideas of what to serve with pizza!

Using Parchment Paper When Making Pizza

If you use parchment paper, be sure to check the heat rating on your parchment paper. If it is less than 475, you may want to reduce the temperature and bake for a few extra minutes.

However, in my experience and according to this article from America's Test Kitchen, it may not be necessary with pizza due to the short baking time.

Tips for the Best Pizza Crust

• Baking at a high oven temperature is key for the dough to both puff up and get crispy on the edges.
• Be sure to use quick or instant yeast for the best rise time.

Dietary Notes

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If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

• Dairy Free
• Nut Free
• Vegetarian
• Vegan

And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Honey Oat Bread
• Corn Tortillas

More Meal Ideas!