Easy Homemade Pizza Dough for a Crispy, Chewy Pizza

An easy recipe for delicious, chewy homemade pizza dough, with options for thick or thin crust. I topped this pizza with a creamy garlic Parmesan bechamel sauce, shredded chicken, summer vegetables, herbs and fresh arugula.

Looking for more recipes? You’ll love my homemade soft pretzels, cheesy herb biscuits with bacon, and baked prosciutto egg cups.

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Why You’ll Love This Pizza

Easy to Make. You only need a few simple ingredients to make homemade pizza dough, and if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, just throw everything in the bowl, and let your mixer knead it for 10 minutes. The majority of the time spent on this recipe is simply letting the dough rest, so it can develop the best flavor.

Versatile. Make this dough thin or thick, depending on how much yeast you have, how thin you roll the dough, and what kind of pan you bake it in! And you can top it with any kind of sauce and toppings that you love.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Pizza Dough Ingredients

• Flour. For the chewiest texture, you need to use bread flour, which has a higher percentage of protein than all-purpose flour. I also add a small amount of whole wheat flour, which makes the crust crispier.
• Salt. Coarse Kosher salt adds flavor.
• Yeast. You need yeast for the dough to rise, and I like to use instant or rapid-rise yeast, but you can also use active dry yeast.
• Olive Oil. Adds flavor and improves the texture.
• Honey. A touch of sweetness and flavor.
• Water. It’s important for the water to be between 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, it won’t activate the yeast; too hot, and it will kill the yeast.
• Corn Meal. Keeps the crust from sticking to the pan, and adds a crunchy texture.

TIP: If your oven has a bread proofing setting, use that to let your dough rise. Otherwise, preheat the oven to 200, then turn it off, and set the dough inside to rise.

Instructions

Make the Dough

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or paddle attachment, combine all the dough ingredients (except the cornmeal, which you’ll be sprinkling onto the pan before baking the crust). Knead on low speed (#2) for 10 minutes. The dough should be pliable, but will form a ball.
• If it seems too stiff, add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too loose, add a little more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Lightly grease a bowl with non-stick baking spray or olive oil, gather the dough into a ball, and place in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.

• Place the bowl in the refrigerator to rest, at least for several hours, but preferably overnight, or up to 2 days. The longer you let the dough rest, the more flavor it will develop and the better its texture will be.

Bake

• Preheat the oven to 450 F, and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. This will allow the bottom crust to brown and become more crisp, without over-browning the toppings.
• Punch down the chilled dough, then place it onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, too. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to your desired size/thickness. If the dough is resistant to stretching or rolling out, let it rest for 2-3 minutes then try again. You may have to let it rest a few times.
• Sprinkle your pizza pan or baking sheet with the cornmeal, then transfer the dough to the pan.
• Spread the sauce over the dough, leaving a half inch border all around. Add the cheese, then the toppings, herbs and Parmesan cheese.

TIP: For a crispy, flavorful crust on your pizza, lightly brush the edge of the dough with melted butter or olive oil before baking.

• Bake the pizza for about 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the crust is baked through and crispy.
• Cool for several minutes, then cut into slices and serve.

TIP: For a thinner crust, reduce the yeast to just 1/2 teaspoon. Press your homemade pizza dough out very thin onto a large pizza pan or pizza stone. For a thicker, chewy crust that’s nice and crisp, press it into a greased cast iron skillet.

Types of Sauces

• For pizza nights with my family, I usually do a simple marinara sauce, sprinkled with Italian seasoning or some dried basil and garlic powder.
• But for today’s post, I tried a white sauce, and it was just delicious. I’m not sure which I like best!
• And if BBQ pizza is your thing, you can use your favorite BBQ sauce to spread onto the dough. You can make several mini pizzas and top them with different sauces, or just double the recipe and make two big pizzas so everyone can have their favorite.

Garlic Parmesan Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• pinch salt and pepper
• pinch Italian seasoning
• ½ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and light golden brown.
• Whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute.
• Very slowly, whisk in the cold milk, whisking it to form a smooth paste, then gradually whisking in the rest of the milk. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook for several minutes, just until slightly thickened, with a consistency similar to warm pudding. Note that the sauce will thicken more as it cools.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce cool for a few minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, until needed.
• You’ll have enough sauce for 1-2 pizzas, depending on how much sauce you like to use. (I only used half the sauce for the photographed pizza.)

Favorite Toppings

My kids want nothing to do with a pizza unless it has pepperoni and black olives on it, but there are endless meats, vegetables and herbs you can use to make some delicious combinations. For a thin crust pizza, I usually use fewer toppings, but you can pile them on a little heavier for a thicker crust pizza.

• Pepperoni
• Ground Beef
• Sausage Crumbles
• Shredded Chicken
• Prosciutto
• Fresh Mozzarella Slices
• Red Onion
• Black Olives
• Sliced Jalapenos
• Thinly Sliced Potatoes
• Crushed Red Pepper
• Dried Basil, Oregano or Italian Seasoning
• Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Basil or Arugula (added after baking the pizza)

TIP: Serve your pizza with a side of honey. It’s fantastic for dipping the crust into!

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

Will all-purpose flour work as well as bread flour?

You can use all-purpose flour if it’s all you have, but bread flour gives your homemade pizza dough a chewier texture and crispier crust.

Can I use granulated sugar instead of honey in the dough?

Yes.

What’s the best pan to bake pizza in?

For a thin crust, I like to press or roll the dough out very thin and bake it on a large pizza pan. For a thicker crust, a cast iron skillet is best. You can also just use a plain baking sheet if it’s what you have.

How should I adjust this recipe to make a thin crust pizza?

For a thin crust, reduce the yeast from 2 1/4 teaspoons to just 1/2 teaspoon. While rising, the dough will take longer to double in size with less yeast, about 90 minutes. Roll or press the dough out as thin as possible on a large pizza pan or baking sheet.

Should you add the sauce first, or the cheese?

Some recipes call for spreading sauce onto the dough, then topping with cheese, and other recipes start with the cheese first! I’ve tried it both ways, and they’re both good. Honestly, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in the finished pizza.

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

This recipe calls for instant or rapid-rise yeast, which does not require any proofing first, so you can just mix it right into the dough.

If you only have regular active dry yeast, you should proof it first, before adding to the dough.  To do this, combine the hot water and honey. Then sprinkle the yeast over the liquid.  Stir in and let sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.  Add to your dough and mix as instructed.

Can I knead the dough by hand if I don’t have a Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook?

Yes. If you’re kneading your dough by hand, you’ll need to knead it for about 20 minutes.

How do I add cheese or herbs to the dough?

Just add them into the dry ingredients, then add the water and knead the dough.

Will this recipe work for mini pizzas?

Yes, after resting the dough, divide it into 2-4 portions, knead each portion a few times, then roll or press out for mini pizzas.

Can this recipe be doubled for 2 pizzas?

Yes, absolutely.

Can I make the dough in advance and freeze it?

Yes. After proofing the dough, punch it down, knead it a few times, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3-6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Does the dough have to rest for 2 days before baking the pizza?

The longer the rest time, the more flavorful your dough will be. So try to plan ahead and make the dough on Wednesday or Thursday if you’re planning on baking pizza that weekend. If you’re pressed for time, I’d recommend a rest time of no less than 4 hours.

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