Perfect Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe (4 Servings)

Master the art of making pizza crust at home with this foolproof recipe that serves four

Key Takeaways:

• Ready in 2 hours (30 minutes active time)
• No special equipment needed – just basic kitchen tools
• Creates 2 medium (12-inch) or 1 large (16-inch) pizza crust
• Freezer-friendly dough for future pizza nights

Why Make Pizza Crust at Home?

Making pizza crust from scratch puts you in control. You’ll save money and get better results than delivery pizza. Best of all, you’ll know exactly what goes into your food.

Equipment & Ingredients

Kitchen Tools:

• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Clean kitchen towel
• Pizza pan or baking sheet
• Rolling pin

Ingredients:

• 3½ cups bread flour
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1⅓ cups warm water (105-115°F)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Extra flour for dusting

Substitutions:

• All-purpose flour can replace bread flour
• Instant yeast can replace active dry yeast (use same amount)
• Honey can replace sugar
• Vegetable oil can replace olive oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

Phase 1: Preparation (10 minutes)

1. Set Up Your Workspace:

• Clear and clean a large counter space
• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Gather all ingredients and place them on counter
• Set out all measuring tools

1. Check Water Temperature:

• Fill measuring cup with water
• Test with clean finger – should feel like warm bath water
• If you have a thermometer, aim for 105-115°F
• Too hot will kill yeast, too cold won’t activate it

1. Measure Ingredients:

• Place flour in separate bowl
• Use liquid measuring cup for water and oil
• Use measuring spoons for yeast, salt, and sugar
• Keep ingredients separate until ready to mix

Phase 2: Making the Dough (20 minutes)

1. Activate the Yeast:

• Pour warm water into large mixing bowl
• Add sugar and stir until dissolved
• Sprinkle yeast over water
• Let stand 5 minutes until foamy
• If not foamy after 5 minutes, yeast might be old – start over

1. Combine Wet Ingredients:

• Add olive oil to foamy yeast mixture
• Stir gently with spoon
• Mixture should look cloudy with small bubbles

1. Mix Dry Ingredients:

• In separate bowl, combine flour and salt
• Use whisk or fork to mix evenly
• This ensures salt is distributed throughout

1. Form Initial Dough:

• Make well in center of flour mixture
• Pour wet ingredients into well
• Using wooden spoon, stir from center
• Mix until no dry flour remains
• Dough will look shaggy and rough

1. Prepare for Kneading:

• Dust counter with ¼ cup flour
• Scrape dough onto floured surface
• Dust hands with flour to prevent sticking

1. Knead the Dough:

• Push dough away with palm heels
• Fold dough back toward you
• Turn dough quarter turn
• Repeat for 8-10 minutes
• Add small amounts of flour if too sticky
• Dough is ready when smooth and springs back when poked

Phase 3: First Rise (90 minutes)

1. Prepare Rising Bowl:

• Clean large mixing bowl
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Spread oil around bowl with paper towel

1. Place Dough for Rising:

• Put dough in oiled bowl
• Turn dough to coat with oil
• Cover bowl with clean kitchen towel
• Place in warm spot (above refrigerator works well)

1. Monitor the Rise:

• Let rise 60-90 minutes
• Dough should double in size
• Poke with finger – indent should remain
• If kitchen is cold, may take longer

Phase 4: Shaping the Crust (10 minutes per pizza)

1. Prepare for Shaping:

• Preheat oven to 450°F
• Lightly oil pizza pan
• Dust work surface with flour
• Punch down risen dough
• Divide in half if making two pizzas

1. Shape the Dough:

• Press dough into 8-inch circle
• Lift edges and rotate
• Let gravity stretch dough
• Place on prepared pan
• Press from center out
• Leave thicker edge for crust
• Fix any holes by pinching dough

1. Final Rise:

• Let shaped dough rest 10 minutes
• This prevents dough from shrinking
• Dough will puff slightly

Phase 5: Baking (15-20 minutes)

1. Prepare for Baking:

• Ensure oven is fully heated to 450°F
• Position rack in middle of oven
• Have toppings ready to add

1. Add Toppings:

• Start with thin layer of sauce
• Leave ½-inch border at edges
• Add cheese and other toppings
• Don’t overload – less is more

1. Bake the Pizza:

• Place pan in preheated oven
• Set timer for 15 minutes
• Check at 12 minutes
• Look for golden brown crust
• Cheese should be melted and bubbly

1. Remove and Serve:

• Use oven mitts to remove
• Place on cooling rack
• Let rest 2-3 minutes
• Transfer to cutting board
• Slice and serve

Troubleshooting

Dough won’t rise:

• Check yeast expiration date
• Water temperature too hot or cold
• Room too cold for rising

Tough crust:

• Too much flour added
• Overworked dough
• Not enough rest time

Crust too thick/thin:

• Adjust rolling thickness
• Check pan size matches recipe

Storage & Reheating

Fresh Dough:

• Refrigerate up to 24 hours
• Bring to room temperature before using

Frozen Dough:

• Wrap tightly in plastic
• Freeze up to 3 months
• Thaw overnight in refrigerator

Safety Tips

• Wash hands thoroughly
• Check yeast expiration date
• Don’t let dough sit out over 2 hours
• Heat oven fully before baking
• Use oven mitts when handling hot pans

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using cold ingredients
2. Adding too much flour while kneading
3. Skipping dough rest times
4. Rolling dough too thin
5. Opening oven door while baking

---

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rise Time: 90 minutes
Bake Time: 15-20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4