Homemade Soft Chewy Pizza Dough
This pizza dough offers a soft, chewy interior with a crisp golden crust, ideal for classic Margherita or your favorite toppings. Easy to prepare and versatile for various pizza styles.
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 measuring cups and spoons
- 1 pizza stone or baking sheet optional but recommended
- 1 Rolling Pin optional for shaping
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread or pizza flour 600g
- 2 tsp instant yeast 6g
- 2½ tsp kosher salt 15g
- 4 tsp white sugar 20g
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1⅓ cups warm water 330ml
- 1 tbsp extra flour for working surface
- 2 tsp extra olive oil for working
- 1⅓ cups freshly grated mozzarella 130g per pizza
- ¼ cup pizza sauce per pizza
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
- Combine flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Add warm water and olive oil, then mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding flour sparingly if sticky.
- Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 3 equal balls. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before shaping.
- Preheat oven to 475–500°F (245–260°C). Roll or stretch each dough ball into 10–12 inch circles and brush edges with olive oil.
- Spread pizza sauce over the dough, add mozzarella, and top with your favorite toppings.
- Bake pizzas for 10 to 15 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly, using a pizza stone or lowest oven rack if available.
Notes
- For richer flavor, cold ferment dough 24–48 hours in refrigerator.
- Preheat pizza stone 30 minutes before baking for extra crispy crust.
- Dough balls freeze well up to 3 months when tightly wrapped.