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I love making homemade pizza dough from scratch. There is just something about having pizza and knowing that you have made it.

It's a fun way to get your kids in the kitchen cooking and to spend some quality time chatting about what is going on in their lives.

Making pizza is one of my daughter's favorite times together.

We started making homemade pizza one afternoon for a homeschool lesson. We were finishing a series on home ec, and our last and final food was pizza. Since that time, we have made several different pizza versions.

My personal favorite pizza is a Cheeseburger Pizza or a Classic Margherita Pizza. The cheeseburger pizza tastes just like a burger, but in pizza form. The pickles on top are my absolute favorite!

How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough

No pizza is good, though, if the crust is not just as good. This recipe here is my very favorite pizza dough recipe, and I use it for all my pizza recipes. It is a no-fail crust and will have you making delicious pizzas in no time flat!

Here's a tutorial on how to make pizza with store-bought dough if making it from scratch is not your cup of tea. 

Making homemade pizza was one of the very first things I ever learned to make, and was the first recipe that Kayla and I made together. She loved getting in the kitchen and making meat pizzas, pepperoni, and my all-time favorite — cheeseburger pizza.

Some of our favorite pizzas we have made using this dough are my Heart-Shaped Pizzas, Quick and Easy English Muffin Pizzas, and this Easy 3 Meat Pizza.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Pizza Dough

• Uses simple pantry staples
• No fancy equipment required
• Soft, chewy interior with crisp edges
• Works for pizza, calzones, breadsticks, and flatbread
• Freezer friendly

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water (about 105–110°F)
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough

Step 1: Activate the Yeast

In a mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast.
Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may have expired, or your water may have been too hot or too cold.

Step 2: Make the Dough

Add flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture.
Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 3: Knead the Dough

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
(If using a stand mixer, knead with dough hook for about 5 minutes.)

You’ll know it’s ready when:

• It feels soft but not sticky
• It springs back when pressed

Step 4: First Rise

Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover.

Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Step 5: Shape the Dough

Punch down dough and divide (if making multiple pizzas).

Stretch or roll into your desired pizza shape.

Step 6: Bake

Add sauce, cheese, and toppings.

Bake at:

• 475°F for standard oven pizza
• 500°F+ for pizza stone or steel

Bake for 10–15 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Of course, making pizza is more fun if you have pizza-making tools. Some of the favorites that I have purchased over the years are these pizza stones.

I also love this pizza peel (and believe me, if you make homemade pizzas, a pizza peel is a must) and this rocking pizza cutter (much better than the handheld cutters).

If you’ve ever thought homemade pizza dough sounded intimidating, I promise it’s not. In fact, once you make it once, you’ll probably never want store-bought dough again.