Making pizza dough at home is easier than it looks. With five ingredients, a little patience and your hands, you can make a tasty, light base that turns crisp at the edges. In this guide we explain how to make pizza dough step by step, how long it should rise, how to store it and what to do when it does not behave as expected.
A general home recipe designed for domestic ovens. It is not the recipe or method used in the Pizzaria Favorita kitchen.
Pizza dough ingredients
Makes 2 medium pizzas (about 30 cm):
- 500 g type 65 wheat flour, pizza flour or strong white bread flour
- 300 ml water at room temperature
- 7 g fast-action dried yeast (1 sachet)
- 10 g salt
- 15 ml olive oil (1 tablespoon)
Fast-action dried yeast can be mixed straight into the flour. If you use active dried yeast, dissolve it in the water first; if you use fresh yeast, follow the conversion on the packet. Avoid hot water, which can harm the yeast.
How to make pizza dough step by step
- Mix the flour, yeast and water. Combine the flour and yeast in a large bowl, add the water gradually and stir until no dry flour remains.
- Add the salt and olive oil and keep mixing until they are fully combined.
- Knead for about 10 to 15 minutes on a lightly floured surface, until the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticks to your hands.
- Leave it to rise for about 1 to 2 hours in a bowl covered with a cloth or cling film, away from draughts, until it has visibly grown in size.
- Divide the dough and let it rest. Cut it into two equal pieces, shape them into balls and leave them covered for 10 to 15 minutes; the dough relaxes and becomes easier to stretch.
- Stretch it by hand. Press from the centre outwards, leaving the edge slightly thicker. A rolling pin also works, but it tends to flatten the edge and push out some of the air.
- Add the topping and bake in a well-preheated oven. The sauce, toppings and baking are explained in our homemade pizza recipe.
What is the secret of good pizza dough?
There is no single secret, but a few things make a difference:
- Weigh your ingredients. Kitchen scales give more consistent results than cup measures.
- Do not add too much flour. The dough should be slightly moist; extra flour makes it heavy and dry once baked.
- Knead long enough. Kneading develops the gluten and gives the dough its stretch.
- Get the rise right. Under-risen dough is dense; over-risen dough can lose its strength and collapse.
How to knead pizza dough by hand
You do not need a mixer. Push the dough away with the heel of your hand, fold it back, give it a quarter turn and repeat. At first it will stick; resist adding lots of flour. After a few minutes it becomes softer and starts to come away from the surface. It is ready when the surface is smooth and a small piece stretches a long way between your fingers before it tears.
How long should pizza dough rise?
For this recipe, allow about 1 to 2 hours at room temperature. The time depends on your kitchen temperature, the yeast and the flour: on a cold day the dough takes longer, on a warm day it may be ready sooner. Go by how it looks: it should be bigger, soft and have a few bubbles. A simple test: press it with a floured finger; if the dent springs back slowly and only partly, it is ready.
If you prefer to make the dough ahead, let it rise slowly in the fridge in a sealed container overnight (up to about 24 hours). Take it out 1 to 2 hours before stretching so it comes back to room temperature.
Can I freeze pizza dough?
Yes. After the first rise, divide the dough into balls, brush them lightly with olive oil and store them in well-sealed freezer bags or containers. For best quality, use it within 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and let it come back to room temperature before stretching. Do not refreeze dough that has already been thawed.
Food safety
- Do not taste raw dough. Raw flour is not a ready-to-eat food; the dough should only be eaten once baked.
- Wash your hands and work surface before and after handling the dough.
- Take care with the hot oven and stone or tray: use oven gloves and a peel or board to put the pizza in and take it out.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make pizza dough without a mixer?
Yes. The whole recipe can be made by hand: all you need is a bowl, a work surface and about 10 to 15 minutes of kneading. A mixer simply saves effort.
Why does my dough shrink back when I stretch it?
It usually means the gluten is still tight. Leave the dough covered for another 10 minutes and try again: it will be more elastic and easier to stretch.
Can I make the dough the day before?
Yes. After kneading, keep it in the fridge in a sealed container and use it the next day, as explained above under “How long should pizza dough rise?”.
Would you rather enjoy a pizza without cooking?
If you are in Lagos and do not feel like kneading today, take a look at the Pizzaria Favorita menu, on Rua Vasco da Gama, 12 A. For opening hours and directions, see our contact page.
Photo: “pizza dough at savoy” by Paul Keller, CC BY 2.0, cropped. Illustrative image: not a photo of Pizzaria Favorita.