Simple Classic Pizza Crust Recipe

There's just something about making a pizza at home that brings the whole family together. Pizza making also is an excellent activity for a group of friends. This time around, skip purchasing the dough from a store, and give the dough-making process a whirl. Not only is this recipe straightforward to make, but it also yields the perfect dough. So, whether you want a pepperoni, veggie, or a white pizza — this dough should be your go-to.

Recipe developer Erin Johnson is the brains behind this recipe for simple pizza dough. "This dough is quick to make, and tastes amazing," she raves. Johnson also explains why she prefers to make her own dough, instead of purchasing it from the grocery store. "Making your own dough is significantly less expensive than buying it premade without any preservatives or added ingredients," Johnson notes. Keep reading to find out how to make this easy pizza dough recipe. 

You only need a few ingredients to make this recipe. For starters, you will need warm water, which you should have at home. Then, head to the store and grab sugar, active dry yeast, all-purpose flour, bread flour, kosher salt, and extra virgin olive oil. "If you don't have bread flour, you can use [more] all-purpose flour for the full amount," Johnson notes.

Once you have those items, you can make this simple classic pizza crust.

Add the warm water, sugar, and yeast to a bowl. Mix well to combine, and set the bowl aside, until the mixture turns frothy.

Grab a large bowl, and add both the all-purpose and bread flour, salt, and olive oil, and mix with a whisk or spoon. "To get the most precise measurement, I strongly recommend weighing your flour," Johnson suggests. "If you don't have a scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, and level off when measuring."

Dump the yeast mixture into the flour mixture, and mix to combine. Add the dough to a well-floured surface. Once you place it on the surface, add more flour on top for kneading. "The amount of flour you will need to add when kneading varies depending on a lot of factors, including humidity," Johnson says. "I usually need about 50 grams of additional flour (just shy of ½ cup)."

Continue kneading the dough, until it's only slightly sticky. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise for 90 minutes. 

After 90 minutes, separate the dough in half to get 2 pieces. "When you are ready to bake the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 F, top the dough with whatever your favorite toppings are, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes," Johnson says. "The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, and [any leftover dough] can be frozen for up to 3 months."

We hope this recipe hits the spot at your next pizza night.