Yield: 18-20 SLICES
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Place a pizza stone in the oven if you have one. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (or 475 if that’s as high as your oven will go) while preparing the pizza dough so it can be completely hot when you are ready to bake the pizzas.
- Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. If using active dry yeast, let it proof for 5 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast, there is no need to wait for the yeast to proof.
- Add flour, olive oil, and salt and stir well with a wooden spoon or mix in a stand mixer with a dough hook until combined.
- Knead for 5 minutes using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment or 6-7 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic. The dough will be tacky and slightly sticky, but should still be manageable to work with.
- Drizzle a clean bowl with a little olive oil, then place the ball of dough in the bowl and turn it to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rise for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 1/2 hours) until doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into 2 or 3 balls (or more if you want to make personal-size pizzas).
- Roll, pat, or stretch the dough out until it is roughly 1/4″ thick, then top with 1/4-1/2 cup of pizza sauce, freshly grated mozzarella cheese, and other toppings.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and crispy around the edges.
- Cool slightly before cutting and serving.
Notes
After rising, the dough can be divided into smaller balls, then frozen for up to 3 months. Rub each ball with a little olive oil first, then place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag before freezing. To thaw, set the dough in the fridge overnight for at least 12 hours, then let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
This pizza dough recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just transfer it to the fridge before letting it rise. Remove from the fridge and let it rise for 1-2 hours before using.