Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (2024)

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It's easier than you think to make homemade pizza dough at home. This is my favorite Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe that makes the chewiest, most tender and crispy crust.

Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (1)

Whenever I'm in a pinch, which is at least more than once a week,instead of reaching for the take-out menu, I throw togetherthis super easy pizza dough recipe andmake homemade pizzas with various toppings, sausage stromboli's, calzones etc. It's such a better option than ordering out because not only are you saving money, but you can tailor it exactly how you want itand there's nothing more satisfying than making a pizza from scratch!Ready made pizza dough that you can buy at the store is great in a pinch but nothing beats homemade!

This dough is ready to go in just under an hour with little prep time. I've made this dough over and over and over again so it is absolutely fail-proof!

Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed to Make The Best Pizza Dough
  • How to Make No-Fail Pizza Dough
  • Recipe Tip
  • Recipe FAQ
  • More Recipes You'll Love
  • 📋 Recipe
  • ⭐ Reviews

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Amazing texture and flavor. The texture is chewy but crispy at the same time and the flavor has a slight hint of garlic. So yummy!
  • It's easy to make:This pizza dough recipe is relatively simple and is made with pretty basic ingredients. Store bought pizza dough is a thing of the past once you learn how easy it is to make at home! Just like my homemade soft pretzel dough.
Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (2)

Ingredients Needed to Make The Best Pizza Dough

I kept this pizza dough as simple as possible while creating the best texture and delicious taste!

  • Water: Make sure the water is about 105°-115°F to best activate the yeast.
  • Active dry yeast: It helps the dough to rise while baking. Have more yeast to use? Try a sweet treat like my soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls.
  • Sugar: A small amount of granulated sugar is used in this recipe to sweeten the dough slightly. It also helps to brown the crust.
  • Olive oil: I like the taste of olive oil in my dough recipe but have substituted with vegetable oil in a pinch. Any oil will work.
  • Salt: Helps give the dough some flavor.
  • Garlic powder: This gives it such a yummy subtle flavor! It gives it that "something" it would otherwise be missing.
  • All-purpose flour: After testing this recipe, the best flour for pizza is all-purpose flour.
  • Prepared pizza sauce: I have an amazing pizza sauce recipe that you guys absolutely have loved!

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions.

  • Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (3)
  • Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (4)

How to Make No-Fail Pizza Dough

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add warm water and sprinkle yeast and sugar on top. Mix on low to combine and let it sit to proof for 5-10 minutes until the top looks frothy.
  2. Once the yeast is proofed, add olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Mix to combine. Add 2 cups of flour and turn mixer on low speed to combine. While mixer is running, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together and is no longer sticky. You want it to be tacky but not sticking to your hands. The dough will stick to the bottom of the bowl and this is OK - too much flour will result in dry, dense dough. Once your dough is the right texture, leave mixer running on low speed for 7 minutes to knead the dough.
  3. Grab a large bowl and grease it with olive oil. Place dough into greased bowl and roll it around to lightly coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a wet towel and allow it to sit in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
  4. Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down to get the air out. If you are making pizza, this dough is enough to make two pizza crusts so you will cut the dough in half at this point. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface or you can try stretching pizza dough by hand. At this point you can add sauce, toppings to make pizzas, stromboli, calzones or whatever you desire!
  5. Bake at 500°F until golden and crispy. For pizza, dough does not need to be pre-baked before adding toppings.
Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (5)

Recipe Tip

Dough rising tip: I like to turn my oven to 170 degrees, turn it off and then place my dough in there because it creates the perfect warm environment.

Recipe FAQ

Do I need a mixer to make this Italian pizza dough recipe?

Absolutely not! While using a stand mixer makes the whole process much easier with very little effort, it isn't needed. Many people have told me how they have made this same day pizza dough by hand, it just takes a little more elbow grease!

Can you freeze homemade pizza dough?

Yep! To freeze: Prepare the dough and allow it to rise. Punch it down and divide it into two balls because this recipe makes two pizzas. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw: Place in refrigerator overnight. Allow dough to warm up on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before trying to stretch it out and add toppings, it will be much easier to stretch!

Why is my pizza dough dry?

This is likely from adding too much flour. When mixing the dough, you WANT your dough to be tacky/slightly sticky. This will ensure that there is enough moisture in the dough to create a chewy and crispy crust while baking.

Is my yeast dead?

In the first step, if your yeast doesn't get "frothy," this unfortunately means it is dead and the dough will not rise. You will need to toss it and start over.

Can I make this pizza dough gluten-free?

To make a gluten free pizza crust, use 1:1 Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour.

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  • BEST Pizza Sauce
  • Italian Sausage and Provolone Stromboli
  • The BEST Authentic Italian Meatballs (with sauce recipe!)
  • Caprese Flatbread Pizza

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a ⭐️ reviewbelow andtag @sprinkle_some_sugaronInstagram!

📋 Recipe

Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (12)

Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

Jessica

It's easier than you think to make homemade pizza dough at home. This is my favorite Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe that makes the chewiest, most tender and crispy crust.

5 from 1 vote

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dessert, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 12" pizza crusts

Calories 729 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast 1 standard packet
  • 1 tbs granulated sugar
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 ½-3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½-1 cup prepared pizza sauce* link to my homemade pizza sauce included in notes section

Instructions

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add warm water and sprinkle yeast and sugar on top. Turn mixer on low and mix to combine and let it sit to proof for 5-10 minutes until the top looks frothy.

  • Once the yeast is proofed, add olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Mix to combine. Add 2 cups of flour and turn mixer on low speed to combine. While mixer is running, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together and is no longer sticky. You want it to be tacky but not sticking to your hands. The dough will stick to the bottom of the bowl and this is OK - too much flour will result in dry, dense dough. Once your dough is the right texture, leave mixer running on low speed for 7 minutes to knead the dough.

  • Grab a large bowl and grease it with olive oil very well. Once dough is kneaded, pull the dough out and knead in your hands slightly to create a round ball. Place dough into greased bowl and roll it around to lightly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet towel and allow it to sit in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until it is doubled in size. I like to turn my oven to 170 degrees, turn it off and then place my dough in there because it creates the perfect warm environment.

  • Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down to get the air out. If you are making pizza, this dough is enough to make two pizza crusts so you will cut the dough in half at this point.

  • Roll it out on a lightly floured surface. At this point you can add sauce, toppings to make pizzas, stromboli, calzones or whatever you desire!

  • Bake at 500°F until golden and crispy. For pizza, dough does not need to be pre-baked before adding toppings.

Notes

*Grab my homemade pizza sauce recipe here!

Freezing instructions: Prepare the dough and allow it to rise. Punch it down and divide it into two balls because this recipe makes two pizzas. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw: Place in refrigerator overnight. Allow dough to warm up on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before trying to stretch it out and add toppings, it will be much easier to stretch!

Nutrition

Calories: 729kcalCarbohydrates: 127gProtein: 18gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 2337mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 7mg

The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Leave a comment below & tag @sprinkle_some_sugar on instagram!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Nada says

    This is a fantastic recipe, thank you for sharing. I make it on a Sunday and after the first proof, I divide the dough into pieces and refrigerate for baking fresh for school lunch every morning. Can't thank you enough 😀

    Reply

    • Jessica says

      I love this idea!

      Reply

  2. Amber says

    Can this be used with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose?

    Reply

    • Jessica says

      I have not tried it myself but I don't see why not! It just may be a bit more on the dry side and I would probably add a little less than the recipe requires. Maybe try half all purpose and half whole wheat?

      Reply

  3. Dave says

    Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (17)
    Just finished fermenting the dough for 3 days in the fridge. It smelled like pizza already as I punched it down and divided it! The long ferment allows the yeast to make alcohols and deconstruct the gluten mesh a bit for a great texture and depth of flavor. I prefer thin crust. I understand that in Italy, it's all about the dough/crust and sauce and not so much the toppings.

    I measure everything in grams, not cups but it's not difficult because almost all flours weigh between 130-140 grams per cup (it's a carry-over habit from 10 years of gluten free baking). Weighing "tare" on the scale adding ingredients into the mixer bowl saves on cleanup.

    Going on the hunt for your sauce recipe now and grab some pointers from you. Take care.

    Reply

    • Jessica says

      So interesting! The dough definitely does play such a HUGE part in the flavor! I hope you love my recipes for both the dough and sauce! 🙂

      Reply

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Chewy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes pizza dough more chewy? ›

For a perfectly chewy pizza crust recipe, use bread flour rather than all-purpose flour. Bread flour contains higher protein content than all-purpose flour which gives pizza crust its chew.

What ingredient makes pizza dough stretchy? ›

When mixing your pizza dough, the flour and water create a chemical reaction that results in a build-up of gluten. Gluten is what helps create a stretchy texture, allowing the dough to stretch without breaking. Though it's important to knead your dough thoroughly, it's not necessary to knead your dough for long.

What makes pizza dough gummy? ›

It's caused by excessive diastatic action in the dough. So the cure is to reduce diastatic activity. Unlike with doughy layer, extended baking will not eliminate gummy layer. Lengthen bake time by 60 to 90 seconds and decrease oven temperature.

What is the secret to making good pizza dough? ›

There are many tricks to achieving a tasty, homemade pizza dough that rises into a beautiful pizza crust, such as making sure your ingredients are at right temperature, using half bread flour for a stronger dough and half all-purpose flour for a nice rise, substituting honey for sugar to help caramelize the crust and ...

How do you make dough more chewy? ›

One key to chewier bread is using bread flour with its higher protein levels and gluten potential. Next, shoot for hydration levels around 60% to 62% (weight of water divided by weight of flour). One example to look at would be bagel recipes since bagels are chewy breads.

Is pizza dough supposed to be chewy? ›

Pizza dough should be softer than bread dough. When brushing pizza dough with tomato sauce (done before putting any toppings on) make sure not to use too much sauce.

What is the secret of stretchy dough? ›

The more gluten, the more elastic, stretchy and strong the dough will be. Mixing gluten and water results in a dough that almost feels like rubber. Wheat flour contains 6 to 12 percent gluten, enough to provide a gluten network that holds the carbohydrates together.

What makes the dough more elastic and rubbery? ›

The more the dough is mixed, the more gluten is developed. This causes the dough to become elastic and stretchy, as can be seen in bread dough. The gluten is formed during kneading of the bread dough. Kneading causes the gluten strands to get stronger and longer.

What to do if pizza dough won't stretch? ›

The power of patience: Even gluten needs to rest

If you start to stretch your pizza dough and it fights back, the simplest solution is to exercise patience. “Walk away and let the dough rest for 15 minutes, longer if necessary,” Clara says.

What is the best flour for pizza dough? ›

For Crispy and Chewy Pizza Crust, Use 00 Flour

00 flour is finely ground Italian flour that contains about 12% protein, or 12% gluten. It's the traditional flour used to make Neapolitan-style pizza. Since its gluten content is similar to bread flour, it also produces a pizza crust with chew.

What happens if you add too much water to pizza dough? ›

Too Much Water

Higher hydration means there is more water in your dough, which naturally will make it sticker and can make it difficult to handle.

What not to do when making pizza dough? ›

The Most Common Mistakes When Making Pizza
  1. Not Letting the Dough Rest. ...
  2. Not Kneading the Dough for Long Enough. ...
  3. Using a Rolling Pin to Form the Dough. ...
  4. Overloading Pizza Toppings. ...
  5. Not Letting the Pizza Cook for Long Enough.

What is the most important ingredient in pizza dough? ›

Flour is the main ingredient in pizza dough, and the type you use can have a big effect on the end result. All-purpose flour will work fine, but if you want a chewier crumb and a better hole structure, you should consider buying yourself some high protein bread flour.

Does gluten make pizza crust chewy? ›

One of the very things that makes pizza crust chewy is the very thing we're missing--gluten!

What does cream of tartar do in pizza dough? ›

Cream of tartar (an acid byproduct of making wine) is used as a dough relaxer. It slightly hinders the gluten protein in the wheat and causes yeast dough to rise at slower rate.

How do you improve the texture of pizza? ›

The results show that dough deformation due to stacking weight can be largely reduced by longer pre-baking times. Pre-baking, however, resulted in a harder texture of the re-baked pizza crust. Re-hydration before the re-baking phase can improve the texture of pizza crust.

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