Basic Pizza Dough

A nice slice of pizza is one of life's greatest pleasures. Just ask Ree Drummond, who loves pizza so much that she and her husband, Ladd, started their own pizza restaurant, P-Town Pizza, in their hometown of Pawhuska, Oklahoma. P-Town serves dozens of pies with unique toppings, but they all have one thing in common: the perfect basic pizza dough. 

You've probably been going to your favorite pizza place for years and maybe you've even wondered how you can recreate their dough. Well, here's some good news: The team at P-Town Pizza shared a version of their basic pizza dough recipe so you can make your own similar pies at home! According to the team, it took about 73 tries to perfect this recipe—so you can trust that it's delicious! Read on for how to make it yourself. 

How do you make easy pizza dough from scratch?

Pizza dough is actually a lot easier to make than you'd think. You just need flour, water and yeast, plus a little olive oil and salt. You also need time and patience! Check out the recipe below for specific steps.

Is yeast necessary for pizza dough? 

The short answer here is yes. Yeast is the most important ingredient in this basic pizza dough because it is the leavening agent. Without it, the dough would be flat and not rise, and it wouldn't have any of those bubbles that make the crust chewy and crispy. You can find yeast-free pizza dough recipes out there (some people mix yogurt with self-rising flour), but that will give you a very different texture. For the true pizza parlor experience, a basic pizza dough that calls for yeast is recommended.

What is the secret to good pizza dough?

Making great pizza dough is an art, but it all starts with a solid dough recipe, like the one below. Some helpful things to remember when making this recipe: Be sure the temperature of your water isn't too cold (or the yeast won't bloom) or too hot (which will kill the yeast). The sweet spot for the water is about 110˚and you should use a thermometer to check. Also, don't skimp on rising time—this is key for developing both flavor and texture.

Can I use regular flour for pizza dough?

Yes! The recipe below calls for regular all-purpose flour. Some recipes call for bread flour or self-rising flour, which have different protein levels that contribute to the texture of the dough. It is best to use the type of flour that your recipe calls for to get the best results.