Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Dough Recipe
This thin crust pizza dough recipe delivers a perfectly balanced crust with crisp edges and a soft, chewy center. Inspired by Neapolitan pizza dough, it’s simple enough for home kitchens, requires no specialty equipment, and uses basic ingredients you likely already have on hand. With a quick prep time and a long, gentle rise, you can make homemade pizza that tastes restaurant-quality. Make a double recipe for extra dough to freeze or serve at your next pizza night.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups room temperature water
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp quick-rise yeast
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in the room temperature water. Stir and cover, letting the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam.
- Knead: Add the flour and salt, then knead by hand for 8–10 minutes (or on low speed in a mixer for 5 minutes) until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- First Rise (5 hours): Lightly oil the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 5 hours, or until roughly doubled in size and airy. Tip: choose a warm spot in your home of kitchen, somewhere around 72–75°F works best.
- Divide Dough and Rise (2 hours): Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Divide it into two equal portions, about 250–270 g each, and shape each into a smooth, tight ball. Place on a floured tray, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Preheat the Oven (optional): If using a pizza stone, place it on the center rack and preheat your oven to its maximum temperature (500–550°F) for at least 45–60 minutes before baking.
- Shape Dough: Gently stretch each dough ball into a 14-inch round, keeping the rim airy for a classic pizzeria-style crust. If you prefer a thinner, more even crust, you can roll out the dough with a rolling pin instead, just dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
- Add Toppings: Add desired toppings to the pizza.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven for 7–10 minutes, or longer if you’ve added heavy toppings, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice and serve immediately.