Quick And Delicious Homemade Pizza Dough

Due to the problems with Blogger this past weekend, I am reposting this homemade pizza dough recipe.  The original post and all comments were almost completely lost, a post that took two days to complete.  There was only one picture and a few paragraphs of the recipe left.  So here I am again, reposting because I really think this recipe is worth it.  Did any other bloggers lose their latest post?

Anyway, as in the original post, this is a recipe for super easy but also delicious pizza dough.  I make pizza usually about once a week, not only because my kids love it but also because it is a pretty inexpensive meal that goes a long way.  Now that my kids are teenagers, when they invite friends over, it can get pretty expensive to feed a whole group of teens.  So homemade pizza is what I usually serve them because I can feed them for a lot less money than it would cost to order pizza out.  And they all seem to really enjoy it.

If you have a food processor or a stand mixer, you can make pizza dough easily and quickly.  The dough is so easy to make that you can make it in minutes in the morning, put it in a bowl to rise, and it will be sitting on your counter ready to use for dinner.  When you are ready to make your pizza for dinner, it just needs a quick rolling out or stretching, and then you can top it with your favorite toppings and you will have a delicious meal in minutes. 

There are three ways you can make this simple dough.  If you have a food processor that can fit five cups of dough and has a dough hook, you can make the full dough recipe which will make three medium pizzas or two large pizzas.  If you have a smaller food processor and/or no dough hook and just the regular blade, you can still make the dough; you just have to cut the recipe in half; so you will get one large pizza dough.  If you do not have a food processor, you can use a stand mixer that has a dough hook.  You also will have to cut the dough recipe in half and will get one pizza dough.  I will give all three recipes below.  If you do not have a food processor or a stand mixer, click on this link to get the recipe for pizza dough by hand. 

This is what the food processor dough hook looks like.  If you have this, you can make a large amount of pizza dough in minutes.

This is the regular food processor hook.  If you have this, you can also make quick pizza dough just a smaller  batch.

To make this dough in a food processor that has a dough hook (halve the recipe for a small food processor or no dough hook, recipe below) (stand mixer recipe below), first you will start by proofing the yeast.  Place one cup of warm water (105 to 110 degrees) in a small bowl.  Sprinkle two packets of active dry yeast onto the water in the bowl.  Set aside and let sit for six minutes. 

In your food processor, add 5 cups of bread flour and two teaspoons of Kosher salt.  If you do not have Kosher salt, regular salt is fine.  Place top on food processor and mix for about 30 seconds.

  When yeast is ready, pour over flour and salt mixture.  Turn food processor on and allow to mix for a few seconds. 

Gradually add 1 cup of cool water and mix until the dough forms.  This should take about 1 minute.

When adding water to your food processor to make dough, you want it to be cool.  Otherwise, it will heat up too much in the food processor due to the friction.  The only water that should be warm is the water that you proofed the yeast in.  All other water added should be cool.

  Mix for another minute or two to allow the food processor to knead the dough.   The dough will be slightly tacky and elasticy.  If it is too sticky add a little bit more flour.

Do not mix dough for any longer.  You do not want to burn out the motor in your food processor.

   Form the dough into a ball and place in a bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil.  Turn the dough ball to coat all sides.  Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to sit for one hour to rise.

  After one hour, it will have doubled in size.

If you are making the dough the same day, you can just leave it covered in the bowl on your counter.  If not wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

  Cut the dough into two or three pieces.  Roll or stretch the dough on a lightly floured surface.  I like to roll my dough really thin because I like a thin and crispy dough.  Any unused dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator or freezer.    Top with your favorite toppings.  Cook at 475 degrees F on a lightly oiled pizza pan or baking sheet or a pizza stone that has been preheated on the bottom rack for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is light golden brown.  

Quick And Delicious Pizza Dough


Recipe to use with large capacity food processor with a dough hook (makes two large or three medium-size pizzas):
printable recipe
1 Cup of warm water
2 Packets of active dry yeast
5 Cups of bread flour
2 Teaspoons of Kosher salt
1 Cup of cool water
Olive oil for coating bowl

Place warm water in a small bowl.  Sprinkle yeast over water.  Set aside and allow to sit for six minutes. 

Place flour and salt in food processor.  Mix for about 30 seconds.  When yeast is ready, take top off food processor and pour yeast mixture over flour and salt.  Place top back on.  Turn food processor.  Gradually add 1 cup of cool water through the top of food processor.  Allow to mix until dough forms.  This will take about 1 minute.  Then mix for 1 minute more to allow food processor to knead the dough.  The dough will be slightly tacky and elasticy.  Add more flour if the dough is too sticky.  Form dough into a ball.  Place in a large bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil.  Turn dough to coat all sides with the oil.  Cover  bowl with a kitchen towel.  Place in a draft free area and allow to rise for one hour.  Cut dough into two large pieces or three medium-size pieces.  Roll or stretch to desired shape and top with your favorite toppings.  Place on a lightly oiled pizza pan or baking sheet or a pizza stone that has been preheated and bake for 10-12 minutes on the bottom rack or until the crust is light golden brown. 

Recipe for smaller capacity food processor or food processor with regular metal blade (makes one large pizza dough):
printable recipe
1/2 Cup of warm water
1 Packet of active dry yeast
2 1/2 Cups of bread flour
1 Teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 Cup of cool water
Olive oil for coating bowl.

Place warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Set aside and allow to sit for six minutes.

Place flour and salt in food processor. Mix for about 30 seconds. When yeast is ready, take top off food processor and pour yeast mixture over flour and salt. Place top back on. Turn food processor on. Gradually add 1/2 cup of cool water through the top of food processor. Allow to mix until dough forms. This will take about 1 minute. Then mix for 1 minute more to allow food processor to knead the dough. The dough will be slightly tacky and elasticy.  Add more flour if the dough is too sticky. Form dough into a ball. Place in a large bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil. Turn dough to coat all sides with the oil. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel. Place in a draft free area and allow to rise for one hour.  Roll or stretch dough to desired shape and top with your favorite toppings. Place on a lightly oiled pizza pan or baking sheet or a pizza stone that has been preheated and bake for 10-12 minutes on the bottom rack or until the crust is light golden brown.


Recipe for use with a stand mixer (makes one pizza dough):
printable recipe
1/2 Cup of warm water
1 Packet of active dry yeast
2 1/2 Cups of bread flour
1 Teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 Cup of warm water
Olive oil for coating bowl

Place warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Set aside and allow to sit for six minutes.

Place flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix well. When yeast is ready, pour it over flour and salt in bowl. Using a dough hook, mix yeast into flour/salt mixture. Gradually add the other 1/2 cup of warm water. Mix until a dough forms. This will take about three minutes. Continue mixing with dough hook for another three to four minutes to allow mixer to knead the dough. The dough will be slightly tacky and elasticy.  If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Form the dough into a ball. Place in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled. Turn dough to coat all sides. Cover bowl with a towel and allow to rise for one hour. The dough should be doubled in size. Roll or stretch the dough into desired shape and top with your favorite toppings. Bake on a lightly oiled pizza pan or baking sheet (or a pizza stone that has been preheated) on the bottom oven rack at 475 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is light golden brown.