Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
Chewy, bubbly pizza dough with a crispy bottom — ready in under 2 hours
By RecipesQueen Kitchen • June 10, 2026
This homemade pizza dough produces a chewy, bubbly crust with a crispy bottom that rivals your favorite pizzeria. Five ingredients, minimal kneading, and about 2 hours of rise time is all that stands between you and the best pizza you've ever made at home.
The dough is intentionally wet — wetter than you think it should be. This extra hydration creates the large, airy bubbles and chewy texture that distinguish great pizza dough from bread. Don't fight it with extra flour; use oiled hands and trust the process.
A screaming hot oven (as high as it goes) with a preheated pizza stone or inverted baking sheet is the key to that crispy bottom. The intense heat mimics a pizza oven, cooking the crust in minutes and creating those gorgeous charred spots. This recipe makes enough for two large pizzas or four personal-sized ones.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (110°F)
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bowl
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy — this confirms your yeast is active.
- 2
Add olive oil, flour, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic (or use a stand mixer with dough hook for 3 minutes).
- 3
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- 4
Punch down the dough and divide in half. Shape each piece into a ball and let rest 10 minutes before stretching.
- 5
Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside. Stretch dough into circles using your hands — let gravity help by draping over your fists.
- 6
Top as desired and slide onto the hot stone. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden and bubbly with charred spots. Let cool 2 minutes before slicing.
