Introduction

This artisan pizza dough recipe delivers a crispy, chewy, and bubbly crust that’s perfect for homemade pizza nights. With a slow rise and simple ingredients, it creates a flavorful base that pairs beautifully with your favorite toppings.

The image shows a close-up of a pizza slice placed on a wooden surface with a white marbled background. The pizza crust is golden brown and thick with a light airy texture inside. The top layer has melted cheese with brown spots from baking, covering the surface unevenly. In the background, there are white plates stacked and slightly out of focus. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

500g (3 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
375g (1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp) warm water, divided
1g (1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
10g (1 1/2 tsp) fine salt

Instructions

Step 1: Mix flour and all but 1 tablespoon of the water in a large bowl until just combined. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes to rest. Sprinkle yeast over the remaining warm water and set aside to dissolve.
Step 2: Sprinkle salt over the surface of the dough. Stir the yeast mixture and pour it over the dough. Fold the dough by lightly wetting your hand, reaching under the dough, and stretching a section over the top. Repeat until the center is covered. Using your thumb and fingers, pinch off 5-6 chunks of dough, wetting your hand to prevent sticking. Fold the dough over itself multiple times. Repeat pinching and folding until yeast and salt are fully mixed and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest about one hour.
Step 3: Fold the dough once to develop gluten: wet your hand, reach underneath, stretch a section up, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and fold 4-5 more times until the dough tightens into a ball. Invert the ball into a clean, lightly greased bowl with the seam down and smooth top. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 5-6 hours.
Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and cut in half. Working with one piece at a time, shape into a ball by stretching out a quarter of the dough until you feel resistance, folding it back over the center. Repeat for the remaining edges to form a loose ball. Turn it over seam down. Cup your hands around the dough and gently pull it towards you, dragging the bottom along the counter to create tension. Rotate and repeat until the top tightens and the ball is round.
Step 5: Transfer dough balls to a greased plate, lightly oil the tops, cover, and rest at room temperature for about one hour. Preheat oven during this rest. If not using immediately, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days.
Step 6: To make pizza, place a pizza steel, stone, or inverted baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 500°F (or the highest setting) for at least 45 minutes. Generously flour a pizza peel or lightly grease a cast iron pan and set aside.
Step 7: Place one dough ball on a floured surface and flatten the center into a large disk, leaving a 1-inch thick edge. Hold the thick edge and use gravity to shape the dough into a 12-inch circle. Place on the prepared pizza peel, adjusting shape as needed and adding flour if dough sticks. Alternatively, shape the dough to fit the cast iron pan and place inside.
Step 8: Add sauce and toppings to the dough, leaving the 1-inch perimeter free. Slide the pizza onto the hot steel and bake for 5 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and broil 2-4 minutes until cheese melts and crust is golden and blistered. If using a cast iron pan, bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil the last few minutes to create charred spots. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings.

Tips & Variations

For an extra flavorful crust, try using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour to increase chewiness.
If you prefer a thinner crust, gently stretch the dough thinner but keep the edges thick for a nice crust.
Allowing the dough to ferment overnight in the refrigerator enhances flavor and texture.
Use a pizza stone or steel for the best heat transfer and crispiness.

Storage

Store unused dough tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to use, let it rest at room temperature for about an hour before shaping. Baked pizza is best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated and reheated in a hot oven to restore crispness.

How to Serve

A close-up of a cheese pizza showing one half on a wooden board placed on a white marbled surface with small scattered flour bits. The pizza has two main layers: a thick, golden-brown crust that is puffy with some crisp darker spots, and a melted cheese layer inside that is creamy white with patches of browned, bubbly cheese and light orange hints of sauce underneath. The cheese layer is smooth and slightly shiny with a few browned spots spread evenly on top. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?

Yes, you can substitute instant yeast using about 75% of the active dry yeast amount. Mix it directly with the flour instead of dissolving in water.

How do I know when the dough has doubled in size?

The dough should roughly double in volume and appear puffed and airy. Gently pressing a fingertip should leave an indentation that slowly fills back in.