Name: Quick Pizza Dough
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for kneading); 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon instant yeast; 1 teaspoon table salt; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup warm water (around 110-115F)

This pizza dough recipe gives you a fluffy crust with crispy edges in just 25 minutes. Pro tip: make a double batch and freeze half the dough for an easy homemade pizza whenever the craving hits later in the month.

raw pizza dough with pizza toppings round it

Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour - Regular all-purpose flour works great here. You can swap out half the flour for whole wheat if you want a heartier crust, but I wouldn't go 100% whole wheat. It gets too dense.

Sugar - Just one tablespoon helps the yeast activate faster, without making the dough taste sweet.

Instant Yeast - Instant yeast rises faster than active dry yeast, and you can mix it right into the flour. No proofing step needed.

Salt - Helps bring out the flavor in the dough.

Olive Oil - Gives you a crispier crust instead of a soggy one. If you don't have olive oil on hand, canola, avocado, or vegetable oil all work fine.

Warm Water - Aim for 110-115°F. Too hot and you'll kill the yeast, too cool and it won't activate properly.

How to Make Quick Pizza Dough

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients, then add wet. Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and warm water, then mix until a shaggy dough ball forms.

Step 2: Knead the dough. You can knead by hand or with a stand mixer. Full instructions for both methods are in the recipe card below.

Step 3: Let the dough rise. Cover the bowl with a towel (or flip your mixing bowl over it) and let the dough rise for 15 minutes. Use this time to prep your toppings.

Step 4: Roll out and top. Roll the dough to about ⅛ inch thick, then add your favorite toppings.

How to Knead Dough

Lay your dough on a flat surface.
Grab the edge of the dough furthest from you and fold it toward you.
Turn the dough 90 degrees.
Repeat steps 2 & 3 until your dough ball is smooth with no dimpling. Add a tablespoon of flour to the surface if the dough becomes sticky.

Still not sure you're kneading it right? Here is a video by All Recipes that will walk you through the steps.

Crust Thickness

Dough rolled out to ⅛ inch will give you a hand-tossed crust.
Dough rolled out ⅙ inch will give you a thicker crust.

I'd keep it under ¼ inch thick. In my experience, you want the dough a little thinner than you think it should be. It rises and thickens as it bakes.

Common Questions

How to Freeze Homemade Pizza Dough

After the dough rises for 15 minutes, shape it into dough balls and freeze for up to 3 months. To keep the dough from expanding and bursting through the wrapping, either store the balls in a freezer bag with some extra room, or freeze them uncovered until firm and then wrap them in plastic wrap.

How to Thaw Homemade Pizza Dough

Move the dough to the fridge about 9 hours before you plan to make pizza. Then let it sit out on the counter for 30 minutes before stretching it. Room temperature dough is much easier to work with.

My dough is too sticky. What do I do?

Add flour a tablespoon at a time while kneading until it's no longer sticking to your hands or the surface. Just don't overdo it. Too much flour will make your crust dense and tough instead of light and fluffy.

My dough is too dry. What do I do?

Add water a teaspoon at a time while kneading until the dough comes together smoothly. Humidity, flour brand, and even how you measure your flour can all affect how much water the dough needs, so don't worry if you need a little more or less than the recipe calls for.

Why didn't my dough rise?

A few common culprits. Your yeast may be expired or dead, check the date on the package. Your water may have been too hot (anything over 120°F can kill the yeast) or too cold (under 105°F won't activate it properly). Or your kitchen may just be too cold for the dough to rise well, try placing it in the oven with just the oven light on.

When It's Pizza Time

Oil your baking sheet with one to two tablespoons of olive oil.
Stretch the dough to about ⅛ inch thick.
Top with sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings.
Bake at 450°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.