Quick and Easy 30 Minute Pizza Dough
This easy homemade pizza dough is ready to use in just 30 minutes which is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a lazy weekend family pizza night.
This pizza is so versatile as well. Use it to make pizzas, calzones, or even cheesy breadsticks. We like to do a pizza night and make several different kinds like Buffalo Chicken, Meatball, or Kielbasa and Peppers in addition to your classic pepperoni and cheese pizzas.
Making those fancy pizza place styles isn’t as hard as you think, and neither is making your own pizza dough. All you need are a few simple ingredients and a stand mixer or a few minutes for a good arm workout.
My version is adapted from Better Homes & Gardens and uses a little bit of sugar to help activate the yeast which helps speed up the rise time. I’ve also found helps the dough be just a tad softer when baking.
This is also a really easy recipe to double, or triple if you have a big enough bowl. I always make a double batch for my giant eater – pizza loving crew.
Ingredients
- flour
- active dry yeast
- sugar
- salt
- warm water
- olive oil
- corn meal (optional)
Possible substitutions:
You can substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast. Use 1 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast for the 1 packet active dry.
I always use extra virgin olive oil but if you don’t have that you can always use vegetable oil instead.
Although the corn meal is optional, it is what gives the pizza crust an extra crunch and helps it not stick to the pan.
How to make this:
Although I’ve added a lot of pictures it doesn’t mean this recipe is hard. I just wanted to make sure that those who have never worked with any kind of bread would not what the different aspects of stages of making the dough should look like.
- Pour 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl.
- Next add warm water and olive oil to the mixing bowl and beat the mix for 30- 60 seconds until well combined and smooth.
- Add as much of the remaining flour as you can to the dough using a wooden spoon to mix it in, until the dough forms a shaggy ball.
- Dump out the dough and any excess flour onto a lightly floured surface.
Sorry for the creepy hand of death in the next photo. I have no explanation for it.
- Knead the dough for about 8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Oil the same bowl that you mixed the dough in. Add the dough and turn to coat the dough in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let sit for 10 minutes until roughly double in size.
- Divide the dough in half and place the half you are not using back into the oiled bowl, covering again with the plastic wrap or towel.
- If needed, add a little additional flour to your workplace and lightly sprinkle corn meal over the flour.
- Roll out the dough into a circle 12 inches (about 30 cm) in diameter.
- If you would like, brush the edge of the crust with melted garlic butter for extra flavor and color.
- Add your pizza toppings and bake in a 425 degrees F oven for 12-15 minutes or until crust is brown and cheese is golden and bubbly.
Trouble shooting section
Water temperature
One of the biggest ways to go wrong with yeast is for your water to be too cold or too hot. The water should be between 120 and 130 degrees F, like a warm bath but cool enough to leave your finger comfortably in the water.
A good thermometer will always be your friend when cooking and baking. I use my Thermoworks thermopen all the time to make sure I have the perfect temperature.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can mix equal parts cold water and boiling water which should be very close to the right temperature.
Can I refrigerate leftover pizza dough?
Yes! Place leftovers in a sealed ziploc bag or keep covered in the oiled bowl you were using. The dough will continue to rise in the fridge so allow extra room for growth.
It is best to use the leftovers in 1 to 2 days.
Can I freeze leftover pizza dough?
Yes! Shape leftover dough into a flattened ball and cover well with plastic wrap. Place the wrapped dough into a ziploc bag and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.
To use the dough, allow the dough to thaw completely in the fridge before using.
Top Tips for cooking with kids
Kneading dough can be hard for kids to do, especially little ones. You can give children a smaller piece of dough to knead while you knead the rest.
Another option is to divide the dough among multiple children to work with.
You can use this dough to make several smaller individual size pizzas and allow children to top with whatever they want. Include different meats, vegetables, and herbs and let them choose. What they choose may surprise you.
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Other pizza recipes you might love:
Equipment
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl.
- Next add warm water and olive oil to the mixing bowl and beat the mix for 30- 60 seconds until well combined and smooth.
- Add as much of the remaining flour as you can to the dough using a wooden spoon to mix it in, until the dough forms a shaggy ball.
- Dump out the dough and any excess flour onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead the dough for about 8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Oil the same bowl that you mixed the dough in. Add the dough and turn to coat the dough in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let sit for 10 minutes until roughly double in size.
- Divide the dough in half and place the half you are not using back into the oiled bowl, covering again with the plastic wrap or towel.
- If needed, add a little additional flour to your workplace and lightly sprinkle corn meal over the flour.
- Roll out the dough into a circle 12 inches (about 30 cm) in diameter.
- If you would like, brush the edge of the crust with melted garlic butter for extra flavor and color.
- Add your pizza toppings and bake in a 425 degrees F oven for 12-15 minutes or until crust is brown and cheese is golden and bubbly.
Thanks for a wonderful recipe. I’ve made this many times in the past few years. It always turns out great.
Tonight I tried it on the grill instead of in the oven. I used a pizza pan for the first few minutes, until it could hold together on its own. It worked!
Can I double the recipe for 2 pizzas?
Yes, you can double it!
Great recipe. Great taste and texture (I baked them on a pizza stone at 500F for 4-5 min). This will probably be our go-to recipe now, and we’ve tried a few.