Homemade Pizza Dough With Plain Flour
Homemade pizza dough with plain flour makes the best restaurant-quality crust and is so easy to make with just 6 simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or 1 packet
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3½ cups unbleached all-purpose or plain flour plus more as needed, see notes below
- 1¼ teaspoons diamond crystal kosher salt reduce by half if using anything else
Instructions
- Proof the yeast by whisking together the warm water and sugar. Whisk in the yeast and set aside for 10 minutes until the mixture is foamy. Then pour in the olive oil.
- Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
- Pour in the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.
- Add the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth about 5 minutes. It should 'bounce back' when lightly pressed.
- Form the dough into four balls and place them in large lightly greased bowls. Cover the bowls with a clean kitchen towel and move them to a warm place to let the dough rest for an hour and a half until doubled in size.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until your desired thickness and shape.
- Sprinkle a preheated half-sheet pan or pizza peel (if using a pizza stone) with coarse semolina flour or cornmeal and carefully transfer your dough on top. Add pizza sauce and toppings of your choice.
- Bake at 500°F/260°C for 7-12 minutes, checking initially after the 7-minute mark. All ovens cook differently, so adjust the time as needed.
Notes
A note about the amount of flour: If you live in a really humid climate, your dough may be too sticky with just 3 1/2 cups of flour, so add a tablespoon at a time until it's no longer sticky to the touch. I typically add up to 1/4 cup more.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
No all-purpose/plain flour? - you can also use 00 flour. If you prefer a thicker, chewier crust, use bread flour.
Add-ins - dried or fresh herbs or garlic, lightly brush infused olive oil onto the crust before it goes into the oven, etc.
Pizza topping ideas - rummage through your fridge to see what got left behind that you could add. Maybe there are caramelized onions, cashew ricotta cheese (or regular ricotta if not dairy-free), arugula pesto, crispy prosciutto or bacon, roasted veg, etc.