I have tried a LOT of pizza dough recipes, and this is the one that beats them all! Not only is it quick and easy with no rise time, but it is literally the most delicious and no-fail pizza dough you've ever tasted!
Ingredients for simple pizza dough
- Warm Water — The ideal temperature of the water should be between 105 and 115 degrees F to help the yeast "bloom". If the yeast is not cooperating, it could be that the yeast has gone bad or that the water is not the right temperature. Try using an instant read thermometer (I have the one linked and I love it!) to check the water temp before adding the yeast.
- Granulated White Sugar — Adding sugar to the warm water and yeast mixture will help the yeast speed up the process of becoming bubbly and ready to use.
- Rapid Rise Yeast — Sometimes called instant rise yeast. One packet of yeast is 2 ¼ teaspoons, (it will still be ¾ teaspoon short of the 1 tablespoon called for, but it will still work.) But we prefer to use a larger jar of yeast and store in the refrigerator to keep fresh for 4 to 6 months after it has been opened.
- All-Purpose Flour — For bread recipes we recommend using a high quality flour, such as King Arthur All-Purpose. Bread flour is not necessary for this recipe, but it will work just fine as well.
- Optional Seasonings — This pizza dough recipe calls for ½ teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, and mixed Italian seasoning. However, feel free to use more or less of these for your tastes, or omit the garlic and Italian seasoning if you prefer. However, the salt is important to the overall flavor of the crust.
How to make easy pizza dough
- First, preheat the oven to 550°F. If you're using a pizza stone make sure to put it in while oven is warming up.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast is foamy and smells, well... yeasty!
- To the yeast mixture, add salt, flour, and spices. Mix with a dough hook and knead until combined and dough starts to pull away from edges. About 3 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, this can be done by hand.
- Once kneaded divide dough into two or three equal parts depending on how thick you like your crust.
- Next, lightly flour a cutting board and using a rolling pin, roll out dough into a 12" - 16" circle.
- Brush the edges with olive oil and build your pizza with your favorite sauce, cheese and toppings! Try our Buffalo Chicken Pizza or our Healthy Pesto Pizza recipe using our Super Greens Pesto recipe!
- Sprinkle corn flour over the pizza stone or baking sheet to keep dough from sticking. Slide your pizza onto the pizza stone or baking sheet and bake on center rack for 7-8 minutes or until crust is browned and cooked through in the center.
- Once fully cooked, remove pizza and let cool for five minutes before slicing. ENJOY!!!
- This pizza dough does not have to be made round, make a rectangular pizza on a dark baking sheet, if you prefer square slices. There's no wrong way to enjoy a slice!
Pizza stones for a perfect crust every time
There are a few kitchen "extras" that I feel are worth the money and space they take up. Since we typically make pizza once a week, I decided a pizza stone might be worth it. I purchased one just like this from Amazon, for such a great price! And now I can't believe I waited so long! This one kitchen product was a big game-changer for our pizza nights. It creates the perfect slightly crisp crust and gives us a really even bake that I could never achieve using a cookie sheet. You should own one!
Pizza dough with no rise time without sacrificing texture and flavor
I've made a lot of dough (bread dough, not money) in my life, but this is my favorite, most versatile recipe. It's simple, flavorful, and my favorite part is I don't have to wait for any rising. Rising dough adds more "chew" to dough and is necessary for most artisan bread recipes, however, we feel it is not a necessary step for pizza dough to still taste fantastic.
That means I can whip up pizza with homemade dough in just a matter of minutes. There's no tricky rising, punching, covering and waiting for more rising, guessing when the dough is ready, etc. It's seriously the best.
More ways to use pizza dough
The great thing about pizza dough is that it is so easily transformed into other delicious recipes. We made Garlic Herb Breadsticks —makes a completely delicious appetizer or side when dipped in marinara.
This recipe works great to make a dessert pizza by simply omitting the garlic and Italian seasoning. Try these dessert pizza recipes from Brit + Co.
Pizza Pinwheels are another fun way to use pizza dough and create an appetizer with your favorite fillings.
How to freeze pizza dough
Make dough as instructed. Divide dough into 2 large, 3 medium or 4 small sized balls, depending on the size of pizza you want to make. Coat the outside of the dough with olive oil and slide each ball into a freezer safe ziploc bag. Place in freezer and store up to 3 months. Be sure to add a date to the bag!
How to thaw frozen pizza dough
There are a few methods to thaw frozen dough, but my favorite is to remove the dough from the freezer bags and place each ball in a large bowl to allow room for rising. The dough should be ready to use in 2 hours and to roll and continue to use as stated in the recipe below.
The dough still does not need to rise, but it may expand a bit while coming to room temperature and that's ok.
Super Quick Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1 ½ C warm water Should be warm but not hot
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast or "instant yeast"
- 3 ½ C flour
- ½ teaspoon each salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 550 degreesIf using a pizza stone make sure to put it in while oven is warming up.
- Mix water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add salt, flour, and spices into a stand mixer with a dough hook and knead until combined. About 3 minutes.If you don't have a stand mixer, this can be done by hand.
- Once kneaded divide dough into two or three equal parts depending on how thick you like your crust.
- Flour a cutting board and using a rolling pin, roll out dough into a circle.
- Brush edges with olive oil and build your pizza.
- Slide pizza onto a pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes or until crust is browned.
- Take out pizza and let cool for two minutes before slicing.
Notes
Amanda Sterzick
I tried this recipe after another recipe for pizza dough failed me... And I'm so glad I did!! It came together fast and made enough dough for 2 large calzones and one pizza! Definitely my new favorite pizza crust recipe. Thanks Amy!!
Anonymous
Perfect every time ❤️
Jillian Malcomb
I’ve made this twice. Once I divided it in half the second time I did the dough 3 ways (I prefer this thickness). Don’t skip the corn meal, it really makes it more like a gourmet pizza shop. My oven only goes to 500 but this turned out perfectly, just cooked it a tiny bit longer. I made a copy cat version of a specialty pizza I like to order out and I think the homemade version this dough was way better.
Adena
I am making this tonight but my oven only goes to 500. I am making BIG pizzas for a family of 5 with 3 teens lol so I have to double the recipe! I did let mine rise in a heating pad for about 15 mins to get it a little more fluffy. It turned out AMAZING!
Kasie
This has become our go-to pizza crust recipe. My 6yo helps me prep the crust and pizzas-a fun little activity for both of us. I’ve divided the recipe into four dough balls to make personal pizzas for each family member, and I’ve also done it as two pizzas; We only have one stone so we use a baking sheet to make the other (rectangular) pizza. They turn out amazing every time!
Anonymous
Good, better then take out !
Nikki Rohde
Awesome, thank you! Loved this recipe!
But I don’t think my pizza stone loved it, eek. During preheat , the stone turned any angry shade of mahogany and whatever was burnt into the stone came bubbling back to the surface. But I wanted pizza so I just covered the stone with aluminum foil and put the dough right on top of the foil. The pizza cooked perfectly. Should I prep the stone another way or have I discovered the quick clean up method for this meal?
Amy
I love your method! I might try that when I make pizza tonight! I'm not sure why your stone turned colors, but it sounds like you did it right.
Christina
Trying this for dinner tonight! Confused about how much yeast to use. The beginning of the blog says that you use 2 tablespoons, but the recipe says 1 tablespoon. Can you clarify please?
Amy
Thank you so much for your comment! The recipe is correct, just 1 tablespoon. I've corrected the text above so it's right. Enjoy!
Elle
I was looking for a way to use up a couple of packets of yeast before it expired. I make a batch of this dough, divided it into four pieces, and froze them. This morning I took one out and thawed it on the counter. It started to rise after a few hours. Nice!
Baking anything at 550F makes me nervous. That's super hot and I don't even have oven mitts that can handle that temp. I rolled my dough out on a cast iron griddle dusted with cornmeal, poked holes all over it with a fork, and baked it for 15 minutes at 450. It came out perfect and it was delicious.
Thanks for the recipe. This one is a keeper.
Lucy
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I tried it and it was great. My husband and daughter loved the pizza so much. I am pinning it for every now and then homemade treat. The time it takes to prepare a pizza is such a bonus. Great for a busy mum..
Deb
Absolutely yummy, we loved it! Only downside - major fail in transfer of raw pizza to preheated pizza stone, even with large pizza spatula. Didn't really notice once it was cooked, looked "rustic". 😉
Kelli F.
This pizza dough was absolutely perfect! I have searched years for a quick and tasty pizza dough recipe and this is it!
Jasmine
I don’t leave reviews on recipes normally, but this is an amazing recipe and I just made, in my opinion, the best homemade pizza I’ve ever made with this dough. Better (and cheaper) than takeout and frozen pizzas as well. I did use bread flour and I let the dough rise about 20 minutes (I had to catch up on dishes lol), but hands down best pizza dough I’ve come across. Definitely will be keeping this recipe handy.
Pam
Does the pizza dough need to rise? I put half the dough in the fridge to make bread sticks and the next day the dough had risen some. We made pizza out of half the dough and it was very good. We loved it.
Anjali Arora
It is magic. Lovely recipe. Easy.
First I was shocked without yeast, how we can make. But you did it stunning and that helped me too.
gflem
I was looking for a basic pizza crust that my picky 15yr old and family would enjoy. This one, being a quick recipe caught my eye so I thought I'd give it a go. Made a pep and cheese pizza and a Hawaiian one (I split the dough into two.) The pizza was a hit!!! My grandson loved the taste of the crust and because I made each pizza a little larger, I stuffed the crust and that too was a hit! Needless to say, this pizza dough recipe has found a home in my stash. Thanks so much for sharing this. Love it!!!
Thankful Nana and Wife.
Betsy
This is such a great recipe! I really like thin crust, so I divided it into thirds and froze the extra. Love the seasoning in the crust. It is such a breeze to make homemade pizza now!
Linda
Love this recipe! My family wants pizza every night now! I’m keeping it to Fridays though. LOL! Have used it to make Calzones and next week I’m making large knotted buns for Chicken Parmesan sandwiches. It’s a very versatile recipe. Thank you so much for posting. Is it too hyperbolic to say you changed our lives?! LOL!
Amy
I don't think so, it changed our lives too! And you're right, we use it for EVERYTHING! So glad you enjoy it!
Linda
Great recipe for beginners and advanced bread makers alike. Followed recipe exactly and the family, pizza snobs all of them, loved it. I will probably use a little cornmeal on bottom and sprinkle oiled crust edges with seasonings or pretzel salt next time. I use a pizza stone and preheat for 30-60 minutes to get an incredible crust. Also, I have had no problems using parchment paper underneath to transfer to oven stone and pull out again. I do watch it closely tho since parchment paper is rated to 500F and recipe cooks at 550F. I also keep oven rack in the middle at least 8” from heat source. Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to try it s a cinnamon roll!
Robert Reese
It is a very good recipe. I drop the Italian seasoning and save it for the pizza topping (not needed). I add 1/2 tsp of onion powder and just less than 1/4 cup of olive oil. I also add dough conditioner. This recipe works either as no rise, or you can let it rise in the refrigerator over night (and it’s even better!).
Anne
Hi, want to follow this recipe. How many mini pizza's with a diameter of 3" or 10 cm would this recipe yield? Thank you very much!
Amy
The recipe yields 2 pizza's approximately 12" round. So it should make close to 10 3" pizzas. I'm going to have to try this out, tiny pizzas sound so cute!
Amanda
Tried this dough last night... everyone loved it! Made a double batch of dough and refrigerated 1/2 for breadsticks for a potluck today! They turned out great too! Thanks for sharing - so easy and delicious! Definitely a keeper!
Amy
I'm so glad you loved it! Breadsticks would be great with this recipe!
Jen
Great recipe! So easy and really delicious with the addition of garlic and Italian seasoning directly into the dough. This is our new go-to for pizza night!
Amy
I'm so glad! I've made this twice this week already too!
Janelle
This is a family favorite! Thank you so much!. I read that you can used the dough for cinnamon rolls, how long do you bake the rolls for?
Thanks so much for sharing this- easy and delicious! And I am always amazed that I actually can make three large sized pizza's with what appears to be a small amount of dough
Amy
Thank you for your comment! I'm so glad you love this recipe. We'll get that cinnamon roll recipe up right away!
Tania Waite
Is this recipe using plain/all purpose flour or strong bread flour,.?
Amy
Hi Tania! For this recipe, we used plain all-purpose flour, but either would result in a great pizza dough!
Amy
Is there a reason we have to add sugar to the recipe? I’m wondering if I can do a sugar substitute or just leave it out all together.
Amy
Leaving out the sugar is no problem. It helps activate the yeast and helps brown the crust, so you may need to give your yeast a little extra time, and keep an eye on the bottom of the crust to make sure it's cooked all the way through.
carole henderson
I have a couple kids trying this out, can we just make small individual pies and put them on baking sheets with this recipe? split the dough maybe into 3?
Amy
Hi Carole! Yes! We make this often with our kids. I often just use a cookie sheet to bake these, although I do like to heat the baking sheet before placing the pizza on it, but it will work even without pre-heating. Just add a few minutes of bake time to be sure it cooks all the way to the center. Enjoy!
Lonnee
What is the best way to transfer the pizza to the stone?
Amy
Hi Lonnee, this can be tricky! I like to use the backside of a large baking sheet. Pull out your oven rack as far out as it goes to avoid burning your hands and then slide it on. To help it slide easily, sprinkle the baking sheet with cornmeal. It also helps if you have a large pizza spatula!
Avery N
Hello! I am wanting to prep the dough the night before we eat it. Do you recommend it? Does it still turn out?
Amy
You absolutely can make it the night before! Divide the dough and put into individual ziplocks and refrigerate overnight.Then take out of the refrigerator and roll out when ready to use. You can also freeze and dough and then thaw when needed. This is how we make it and it turns out perfect every time!
Chelsie
Can I bake this in a Cast Iron Skillet?
Amy
Hi Chelsie! Thank you for this question! We tried it out and yes you can! Preheat your oven to 450°F. Put your skillet in the oven while it heats, or heat it on the stovetop. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in the skillet. Roll out dough to approximate size and shape into the pan. Top with sauce and cheese and toppings. Bake for 12 minutes. Go light on the sauce, otherwise the top of the dough will absorb too much and get a bit mushy. Let us know how you like it!
Pamela Mader
What temp do you recommend when not using a pizza stone? And how long to cook?
Amy
Use the same temperature of 550°F and you're still going to cook for 7-8 minutes. I've made it this way many times using a dark baking sheet and it's perfect! I hope you enjoy it!
Casie
Super easy and quick! Loved it! Thank you for sharing!
I will he making this all the time now ❤️👌🏼
Aimee
Do I cook the pizza at 550 also? Or just to what the stone? Thank you in advance!
Amy
Hi Aimee, yes, cook the pizza at 550°F. You can use a pre-heated stone or just bake on a baking sheet. Enjoy!
Faith
I assume since you dont specify guick rise yeast that you mean regular yeast?
Amy
Hi Faith,
Thank you for your question! Yes, it is rapid or instant rise yeast. I've updated the recipe to clarify this! I hope you enjoy!
Ellyse Stock
Just wanted you to know that we love this recipe!! I whip it up about twice a week. My family thinks I’m a cooking genius for how amazing these pizzas turn out. I usually make 2 batches, divide into thirds and everyone gets to make their own pizzas with enough left over for a cheese stick pizza. Thanks for sharing!
Amy
Thank you so much for your comment!! We make it all the time too. It works well for pizza roll-ups and even no rise cinnamon rolls!
Anonymous
Tried this when I was in a pinch to make pizza dough. I was susprized how good it was! The dough was a tad sweet for my liking tho so I'll probably do half the sugar next time. But great recipe
Amy
So glad you like this recipe! We're in love with how quick this dough comes together and tastes better than any recipe I've ever tried!
Tamara
Made this tonight and it was heavenly!!! Thanks for sharing such an easy and tasty recipe! I made 1 giant pizza on a cookie sheet and baked it for 20 mins. After brushing the edges with olive oil, I sprinkled on some everything bagel seasoning. Yum all around! Thanks for posting!
Amy
Hi Tamara! What a great idea to use bagel seasoning! I'm going to give that a try next time!