How to Make Pizza Dough Step by Step

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The following ingredients are the basis for most standard white-flour dough/crust recipes. Some people like to use olive oil. You can put lots of other things into the dough too. Try herbs like basil, oregano, or rosemary. Put in some minced garlic or garlic powder, but be a little careful here; too much garlic can retard the action of the yeast (pamper that yeast). I'll bet some chopped sun-dried tomatoes would be yummy.




1 package active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°, no more)
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
(optional) 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for coating

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Dissolve the yeast in warm water (this takes about five minutes). You'll know it's working if it bubbles up like the picture here. It doesn't have to bubble quite so much, but you want at least a few bubbles.

Make sure your water is not too hot. You want it quite warm, but not hot. High temperatures will kill the yeast. Too much garlic or too much salt will also mess it up. Yeast is such a pansy.

How does yeast work?
What's the difference between dry yeast and cake yeast?
What's the difference between regular yeast and rapid-rise?

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In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and liquid.

If making your dough by hand, stir until the mixture forms a ball, using a little more flour or water to get a ball that holds together but is soft and sticky. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about five minutes.

If you have a mixer with a dough hook, knead the ingredients on low for about five minutes with the dough hook.

Why do I have to knead the dough, anyway?

Photo courtesy of Shelli Akers

Once the dough has been kneaded enough to be really smooth and stretchy, it needs to rest (you would need a rest too, if you had just been through that). Place the dough ball into a greased bowl, cover it with a towel, and let it sit in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in volume. This may take one to two hours.

What should I do if the dough doesn't rise?
Where should I put the dough to get the best rise?
What if I have to leave before the dough is finished rising?
Can I make a pizza crust that I don't have to knead?

Photo courtesy of Flickr and Benjamin Harrison

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and move it, by hand or with a rolling pin, into the desired shape and thickness. You'll need to keep your hands a little floury to keep them from sticking to the dough. If you're rolling out the dough, sprinkle it with a bit of flour as it begins to get too sticky to work. Make sure your edges are a little thicker than the rest of the pie crust.

Photo courtesy of Flickr and Jeezuz84

Sprinkle a little cornmeal onto your baking sheet or pizza stone. Transfer carefully to baking sheet or stone and add the desired toppings. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted and lightly browned.

When you pull it out of the oven, transfer the pizza from the baking sheet to a rack for a few minutes. This helps to keep the bottom from getting soggy (we all hate soggy bottoms).

How do you use a pizza stone?