Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm water (between 100-110°F)
- 2¼ teaspoons rapid rise yeast (1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour* (280-290g), plus more for kneading
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- Toppings: pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and desired pizza toppings
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, add the warm water, yeast, sugar, olive oil, flour, Italian seasoning (if using), and the salt.
- Using the dough hook attachment, turn the mixer on at low speed and mix until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough (1-2 minutes). Then increase the speed to medium and mix until a dough ball forms on the hook and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute more.
- When the dough is all mixed together it should be slightly sticky to the touch. Remove the dough ball from the hook and knead it on a flat, lightly floured surface for 2 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky, but shouldn’t stick to your hands or the surface as you knead it. If it does, add a little more flour.
- Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl (I use the stand mixer bowl misted with cooking spray). Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough ball rise in a warm room (between 68-75°F) until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- About 10 minutes before the rising time is up, preheat the oven to 425°F. Mist a 16-inch round pizza pan or a 10×15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on the prepared pizza pan. Using your hands, gently press and stretch the dough out to cover the entire surface of the pizza pan. (Note: If the dough is too difficult to press out and pulls itself back toward the center of the dough ball, it needs more time to rise. Let it rise again for 15 to 20 minutes.)
- Place the un-topped pizza crust in the preheated oven and partially bake it for 5 minutes.
- Remove the crust from the oven and top with pizza sauce, cheese, and desired pizza toppings.
- Return the pizza to the preheated oven and bake for an additional 13 to 18 minutes. Begin checking the pizza around the 12-minute mark, as each pan and oven will vary in how quickly the pizza crust will cook and the cheese will melt.
- Once the pizza crust is golden brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted, remove the pizza from the oven. Cut into slices.
Notes
For Freezing Homemade Pizzas:
1. Follow Steps 1 thru 7.
2. Par-bake the crust on the pizza pan in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes; until the bottom of the crust is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
3. Once the crust is cool, spread pizza sauce evenly onto the crust and top with desired cheese and toppings.
4. Keep the pizza crust on the pizza pan and flash freeze the crust by placing it in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes or until solid.
5. Remove from the freezer and wrap the pizza in plastic wrap or foil. Return the wrapped pizza to the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Bake from Frozen:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Remove the frozen pizza from the freezer. Unwrap the pizza and place it on a pizza pan.
3. Place the pizza in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden and the cheese is melted.
4. Remove from the oven and cut into slices.
* Unlike many of the recipes on this site, this one is not able to be converted to gluten-free. I’ve tried, and haven’t come up with anything satisfactory yet. For a gluten free option, I would recommend using a store-bought gluten-free pizza mix.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 slice of crust only or ⅛ of the recipe
- Calories: 154
- Fat: 3 g
- (Sat Fat: 0 g)
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Carbohydrate: 27 g
- (Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 1 g)
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg