How to Make the Best Homemade Pizza Crust
Making pizza for dinner has become a staple in my weekly meal planning rotation. Knowing that one night of the week is already planned out makes meal planning so much easier.
Whether you use pre-made dough or homemade pizza dough, making pizza at home in the oven is an easy way to get dinner on the table quickly.
Trying to feed picky eaters? Try giving each person their own dough to roll out and add toppings that suit each individual’s tastes.
Pizza is a great option when you need to feed a large amount of people and is a very versatile option.
Having tasty pizza in the weekly rotation means that you can play with different topping variations.
You could keep it simple with a margherita pizza, or a simple cheese and pepperoni.
I like to sneak some veggies on my pizza so I add peppers, olives and mushrooms to my pizza as well.
The possibilities are endless, so get ready for the best pizza night with your own homemade pizza.
For other tried and true family recipes, be sure to try my flavorful goulash, humble beef stew, and delicious French dips!
Ingredients for Pizza Crust
- Warm Water– The warm water is used to activate the active dry yeast.
- Active Dry Yeast– Active dry yeast helps the bread to rise and needs to be dissolved in water. Instant yeast does not need to dissolve in water first.
- Honey (or sugar)– Honey is used to add flavor to the dough. It helps keeps the dough moist and slows the growth of mold.
- Salt– Salt obviously adds flavor to the dough, but also helps regulate yeast and assists with the structure of the dough.
- Bread Flour– This type of flour adds a higher level of gluten and protein than regular all-purpose flour.
How to Make Pizza Crust
- Stir the yeast and honey into warm water in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit until the yeast starts doing its job. Then add the salt, oil, and half the flour and mix.
- Once the flour is incorporated, add the rest of the flour, bit by bit, until you get the consistency you want. Then kneed it for 6 minutes.
- In a lightly greased bowl, rise the dough for 1-2 hours. Make sure the dough is covered.
- After the dough rises, it is ready to create your pizza on top of parchment paper!
How to cook pizza in the oven
Cooking pizza in the oven is a fool proof method to make homemade pizza from the comforts of your own home.
Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or as hot as your oven will go, adding your cast iron skillet to the oven as the oven preheats.
While the oven is heating, form your dough into pizza circles, approximately ½” thick.
- Pull your skillet out– Set the cast iron skillet on your gas stove with the burner on. (This is tricky on a smooth top stove. I always worried about the heat from the skillet cracking the glass, so if you do this make sure your burner is on and warm prior to placing the skillet on it.) Immediately put a crust inside the skillet so it can start to cook the bottom of the crust. This gets it super crispy.
- Add your toppings– Add your toppings while it is cooking on the stove.
- Pop the pizza into the oven– Once your pizza sauce, toppings, and cheese are added, pop it into the stove to cook the toppings for around 5-7 minutes.
- Repeat– Repeat with the next pizzas.
- Cut the pizza– After the pizza has cooled, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the pizza in a diagonal to form slices. Use a cutting board to protect your countertops. Serve your family!
Tips for cooking pizza in the oven
- Pizza needs to be baked at above 400 degrees. If you like a crispier crust you will want to bake for a longer amount of time. You can also make your dough a little thicker if you prefer a thicker crust.
- Make sure to add any fresh toppings like basil, arugula, prosciutto, etc., once the pizza is removed from the oven to prevent toppings from wilting or burning.
- You could add some corn meal to the bottom of the sheet pan, that adds a little bit of texture and flavor to the crust.
- Even though it is tempting to eat the hot pizza straight from the oven, make sure you allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it. If you cut the pizza too soon the sauce and cheese will separate from the crust, causing the topping to slide off the top.
- Make sure that the dough is rolled out at room temperature. If the dough is too cold, the crust will be tougher and harder to roll out. Make sure to remove it from the refrigerator at least thirty minutes prior to cooking.
How much time does it take to make pizza dough:
Day 1 Evening:
Add the pizza crust ingredients to a large bowl, including the seasonings.
Mix the ingredients with your hands, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap to let the dough rise.
Leave the bowl on the counter overnight for best results.
Day 2 Morning:
Leave the dough in the bowl and do a stretch and fold all the way around the bowl.
I like to picture the “four corners” of the bowl and fold those, even though a circle has no corners.
Cover and put the bowl in the refrigerator until you are ready to make pizzas (up to 12 hours).
Day 2 Evening:
1 hour of prep prior to baking
- Allow the dough to come to room temperature. It takes about 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 pieces.
- Cover each dough ball with a damp tea towel and allow a rise time of 30 minutes in a warm place for a better result.
How to cook pizza in the oven in 3 easy steps
- Preheat the oven– Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll the dough– Roll the dough on a floured surface until the dough is ½” thick. Transfer to a baking sheet.
- Add pizza toppings– The last step is to add your favorite toppings. Baking time for the pizza is 10-15 min., or until the crust is golden brown.
How Do You Store Leftover Pizza?
It is a good idea to store any leftover pizza in tin foil or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can reheat your pizza by warming it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for a cook time of 5-10 minutes.
You can also use a toaster oven or air fryer to warm up the crust and get the crust nice and crispy.
Warming pizza in the microwave tends to soften the crust and leaves a mushy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The best temperature for a homemade pizza recipe is when it is baked at a very high temperature.
Most recipes start at 400 degrees but can go up to 500 degrees, based on the type of oven you are using.
If you do not know your internal oven temperature you can check the temperature using an oven safe thermometer.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the thermometer on the center oven rack.
Once the oven has preheated, check the thermometer reading for the temperature.
You do not need a pizza stone to make a great oven baked pizza.
Pizza stones are used to conduct heat and create an even hotter surface to bake pizza on.
Using a stone will produce a crispy crust and will make your pizza at a hotter temperature than the oven is set.
If you are using a baking stone, make sure to read the instructions carefully, as each stone is a little bit different.
How to Make the Best Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe
How to Make the Best Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 baking stone
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp honey (or sugar)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive or canola oil
- 3 cups bread flour
Instructions
- In a large mixer (I use my mixer), stir the yeast and honey into warm water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until you see that the yeast is doing its job. Pour in salt, oil, and half the flour and mix.
- Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it, it doesn't stick to your hands. Once you reach this stage, knead for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean!
- Lightly grease the bowl and the dough so it doesn't dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours.
- After you have let it rise, divide the dough into two equal pieces, lay parchment paper on your counter and create your pizza on the paper. In a 425 degree oven (preheated with a HOT baking stone inside), slide your pizza (still on the parchment paper) onto the HOT stone. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until it is done how you like.
- Repeat with the second pizza.
Notes
Tips for cooking pizza in the oven
- Pizza needs to be baked at above 400 degrees. If you like a crispier crust you will want to bake for a longer amount of time. You can also make your dough a little thicker if you prefer a thicker crust.
- Make sure to add any fresh toppings like basil, arugula, prosciutto, etc., once the pizza is removed from the oven to prevent toppings from wilting or burning.
- You could add some corn meal to the bottom of the sheet pan, that adds a little bit of texture and flavor to the crust.
- Even though it is tempting to eat the hot pizza straight from the oven, make sure you allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it. If you cut the pizza too soon the sauce and cheese will separate from the crust, causing the topping to slide off the top.
- Make sure that the dough is rolled out at room temperature. If the dough is too cold, the crust will be tougher and harder to roll out. Make sure to remove it from the refrigerator at least thirty minutes prior to cooking.
