Make Your Own Pizza Dough
If you have ever had the experience of buying frozen pizza dough only to be disappointed when it does not turn out even remotely like pizza dough, then your best bet is to try your own.
Making your own pizza dough does not have to be a complicated process. With a few simple ingredients, it can save you time and money and is just as tasty, as well.
Regular Pizza Crust
Ingredients
1 cup of hot water
2 ¼ cups of flour
1 tablespoon of oil (preferably olive oil)
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of yeast
½ tablespoon of salt
Instructions:
1. Add yeast and sugar to the hot water and stir. Let this mixture sit until the yeast starts to bubble up. Usually within a few minutes, the mixture will become foamy.
2. Add the oil and salt.
3. Add the flour as you slowly begin to stir the mixture. As you go along, you will begin to notice the mixture thickening. Keep slowly adding flour until the mixture becomes dough like. If the mixture is difficult to stir, stop adding the flour.
4. Knead the dough, but be careful not to overdo it. If you knead the dough, too much it will be difficult to work with and have a sticky context to it.
5. Move the dough over to a wooden baking board where you have coated the board with flour. If the dough does feel sticky, you can always add more flour to it.
6. Continue kneading and adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
7. Let the dough rise at this point. You can choose either 1 to 1 ½ hours at room temperature or 5 hours in the refrigerator depending upon when you will want to use it.
8. Once the dough has risen, grab your rolling pin or just use the heels of your hands and flatten and press out the dough.
9. Create an elevated ledge all around the edges of the pizza dough to act as a wall to hold whatever sauce or toppings you use.
10. Shape in a circular design as you go along.
Gluten Free Crust
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (temperature should be between 95 and 110 degrees)
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups (more as needed) all-purpose gluten free flour we recommend Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, honey, and yeast. Mix to combine well and dissolve the honey and yeast. Let rest for 5 minutes.
In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mix well.
Stir the olive oil into the water mixture then gradually add the flour mixture. Stir well to combine. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky. If the dough is too soupy, more flour can be added until a sticky dough forms.
Spray a clean bowl with nonstick spray and place the dough inside. Cover and let rest for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, spread on a pizza pan and prepare your pizza!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza sheet and add dough. Evenly press and spread dough until most of the sheet is covered. Bake pizza for about 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Time will vary depending on if it's a thin or thick crust.
TIP: add dried spices and seasonings to the flour mixture before adding to the wet ingredients for a zesty twist!
Add whatever toppings or ingredients you wish such as pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and anything you desire for your freshly homemade pizza dough.
Typically, you can bake your pizza for thirty to forty-five minutes on 350 degrees, but this will vary according to what types of toppings you put on it and what type of oven you have.
Making your own pizza dough can be fast, easy, and fun.