For years I struggled to make a homemade pizza dough I was proud of. It always seemed off — until I perfected this simple recipe. It’s easy to make, freezes beautifully, and yields consistently great results.
This dough uses everyday pantry ingredients and works whether you bake it immediately, refrigerate it, or freeze it for later. I’ve tested all three approaches and each produces a lovely hand-tossed style crust. This post contains affiliate links.
How do you make Pizza Crust You Can Freeze?
I used to prefer store-bought pizza because homemade crusts often tasted mediocre. After refining this method, I now make fresh pizza dough that freezes well and delivers excellent flavor and texture. It’s versatile: bake right away, refrigerate for a day, or freeze for longer storage.
My ten-year-old loves pizza delivery but requested this homemade pizza for her birthday — a true sign it’s a keeper in our house.
How do you make pizza dough?
You need simple ingredients: all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and olive oil. When all-purpose flour wasn’t available, I’ve used self-rising flour with good results. Any common yeast works — active dry, rapid-rise, or pizza yeast — though I find regular active dry yeast or rapid-rise gives the best dough texture. Pizza-specific yeast can make the dough less stretchy, which makes rolling more difficult.
Begin by activating the yeast. Use warm water about 110–115°F (43–46°C). Mix the yeast with a bit of sugar and the warm water, then let it sit for about 10 minutes until foamy.
Stir the yeast mixture together with the flour, olive oil, and salt until a crumbly dough forms. I usually start mixing with a wooden spoon before finishing in a mixer or by hand.
Don’t have enough yeast?
If you’re low on yeast, you can reduce one packet and still get usable dough — just allow the yeast mixture a little more time to become active before combining with the flour. I’ve successfully stretched a single packet to make four pizzas by giving the yeast extra time to bloom.
The Easy Way to Knead Pizza Dough
A stand mixer with a dough hook makes this process fastest: knead on medium-low for about 5–6 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly shiny. If kneading by hand, work the dough until it’s elastic and not sticky.
Form the dough into a ball, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size — typically around 35 minutes. Once risen, turn it onto a floured surface and divide into four pieces for four 12-inch crusts.
Wrap each portion in parchment paper (avoid wax paper, which can stick) before storing. Parchment easily releases from the dough even after refrigeration or freezing.
What kind of crust does this pizza dough make?
This recipe yields a hand-tossed style crust. I bake pizzas at 500°F (260°C) for 10–13 minutes, then finish under high broil for 1–2 minutes to get a slightly crisp exterior and a soft, chewy interior.
How do you store pizza dough in the freezer?
Wrap each dough ball in parchment and place all portions together in a gallon-size zip-top bag, then freeze. Store up to three months. To use, transfer the dough to the refrigerator to thaw the day before baking.
How do you store pizza dough in the fridge?
Store the portions the same way for refrigeration: wrapped in parchment and placed in a zip-top bag. Use within 24 hours. Dough stored in the fridge will continue to rise slowly, so it may be slightly larger when you take it out to shape and bake.
Recipes to go along with Pizza
- Red Italian Dressing
- Italian Style Tomato Salad
- Cannoli Cookies
- Roasted Tomato Salad
Easy Pizza Dough You Can Freeze
45 minutes
11 minutes
56 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 packets or 4 1/2 teaspoons active yeast
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 2 cups water – 110-115 F degrees
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Combine the sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl and add warm water (110–115°F). Stir and let sit about 10 minutes until foamy.
Add the flour, olive oil, and salt, and mix by hand until just combined.
Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead on medium-low for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and slightly shiny. If kneading by hand, work the dough until elastic and not sticky.
Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot for about 35 minutes, until the dough doubles in size.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into four balls. Rub pizza pans with olive oil before rolling out the dough.
Use immediately, or wrap each ball in parchment paper and place all portions into a gallon-size zip-top bag.
Refrigerate if using within 24 hours; otherwise freeze for up to three months. To thaw, move dough from the freezer to the fridge the day before using.
Notes
This recipe makes four 12-inch pizzas or about 10–12 mini personal 6-inch pizzas.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 88
Total Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 15g
Protein: 2g
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used only as a guideline.
Ready to make pizza? For tips on shaping, baking, and finishing your pie, check my guide on making the best homemade pizza.
