This 00 flour pizza dough creates a flavorful pizza crust that's the perfect combination of crispy and chewy. This easy pizza dough recipe makes enough dough for two hand-tossed pizzas (12" to 14" in diameter) or one deep dish 16" cast iron pizza.
One of my favorite recipes for pizza night uses this 00 flour pizza dough recipe. In my opinion, great pizza dough needs a crispy crust. Did I mention it's freezer-friendly? Double the batch and save the extra dough for your next pizza party or a batch of pizza dough cinnamon rolls! This pizza crust reminds me of Neapolitan-style pizzas.
Short on time? If I don't have time to make pizza dough from scratch, I like making pita bread pizzas or naan bread pizzas. Or, I make this pizza dough ahead of time.
00 Flour
This homemade pizza dough recipe uses pizza flour or 00 flour, a common Italian flour. 00 flour, also referred to as double zero flour and doppio zero, differs from all-purpose flour or bread flour. 00 flour is milled finer and has a fine texture like cornstarch. Use 00 flour for pizza dough and pasta-making (like fresh lasagna sheets!). Different flours create different pizza crusts. Pizza has a crispier crust with 00 flour versus a chewier crust with all-purpose flour.
Ingredient Notes
Use 00 pizza flour, quick-rise (or instant) yeast, white sugar, salt, olive oil, and warm water. If you don't have 00 flour on hand, substitute equal parts all-purpose flour. Active dry yeast is different from quick-rise (or instant) yeast, but it can be substituted. Active dry yeast will take longer for the dough to rise, and must be proofed in warm water.
How to Make Pizza Dough
The most important part of this recipe is proofing the yeast. If using quick-rise yeast, ensure the water temperature is between 110 ℉ and 115 ℉ when adding the yeast and sugar. Warm the water in the microwave for about 45 seconds to get the temperature.
Add the quick-rise yeast and sugar. Mix. Let the yeast proof for about 5 to 10 minutes. It will get foamy.
In a large bowl, measure out the 00 flour and salt. I recommend weighing the flour with a kitchen scale.
Using a Stand Mixer
Add the foamy yeast, dry ingredients (flour and salt), and olive oil to a standing mixer bowl. Mix until well combined.
Once the dough forms (it will be sticky), change to a dough hook. Continue kneading the dough for 10 minutes.
Making Dough By Hand
Add the dry ingredients, yeast water, and olive oil to a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon the best you can. Things are sticky and messy!
Dust hands in flour. Hand-knead the pizza dough for 10 minutes on a floured surface. The pizza dough is sticky, so a floured work surface is important.
After the Dough is Formed
Coat the outside of the pizza dough ball with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. For the best results, allow pizza dough to rise in a warm spot for a minimum of an hour.
Pizza dough will double in size. Punch out the air.
Hand-knead for a minute and form a dough ball. Cut the dough in half and form two dough balls. Press the pizza dough into a pizza pan (about 12" to 14" in diameter). You can also roll the dough out using a rolling pin.
Spread tomato sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Add your favorite toppings. Bake in a home oven at a high temperature of 450℉ for about 12 minutes.
Rising the Dough in a Warm Environment
Here's the warm environment hack that has worked beautifully for me. Turn your oven on until it gets to 110°F, then shut it off. Place the bowl with the dough on the middle rack (with plastic wrap and a damp towel on top). Turn the oven light on. Let the dough rise in this environment for a minimum of an hour.
Tips and Tricks
One important tip of the recipe is to ensure the water temperature is between 110℉ and 115℉ when mixing with the yeast. If the yeast doesn't activate, the dough will not rise. Boo.
The best homemade pizza has balanced pizza sauce, flavorful crust, and mozzarella ratios, so adjust to your liking! Serve tiramisù as a yummy dessert for pizza night.
📋 Recipe
00 Flour Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 4 cups 00 flour substitute all-purpose
- 1½ cup warm water between 110 ℉ and 115 ℉
- 2¼ teaspoon quick-rise yeast or 1 packet
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt see note 7
Instructions
- Proof the yeast. Heat water in the microwave for 45 seconds. Wait until the water measures between 110 ℉ and 115 ℉ then add the sugar and quick-rise yeast. Mix the water. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the yeast foams.
- Make the pizza dough. Mix the dry ingredients (00 flour and salt). Add the foamy yeast and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Mix with a stand mixer or a wooden spoon. Once the ingredients are combined, knead the dough with a dough hook or by hand on a floured surface for 10 minutes. The dough is sticky.
- Let the dough rise. Rub olive oil on the dough and place it in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Place the dough in a warm spot for a minimum of an hour (2 hours might be ideal). See Note 8.
- Cook the dough. Heat the oven to 450 ℉. Cut the dough in half. Press the pizza dough into a 12" to 14" diameter pizza pan. Spread tomato sauce and sprinkle shredded cheese. Add your favorite toppings. Bake the pizza towards the bottom of the oven for about 12 minutes.
Equipment
Notes
- Nutrition facts are just for the pizza dough assuming a person can eat half a 14" diameter pizza.
- Substitute active dry yeast for quick-rise yeast. Make sure to proof the yeast per the package instructions in warm water before adding it to the dry ingredients.
- Knead the dough for 10 minutes so the gluten activates for a chewy crust.
- Freezer instructions- Place the dough in a gallon-size bag. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To thaw, place frozen dough at room temperature for 2 hours until thawed.
- Leftovers- I recommend baking the pizza at 425 F for about 8 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven to reheat the pizza as leftovers. The pizza crust gets even crispier!
- Variations:
- Substitute equal parts all-purpose flour for 00 flour.
- Use melted butter instead of olive oil.
- Cook pizza in a pizza oven or on a pizza stone or baking stone. I use a pizza sheet with holes drilled on the bottom, and it works well.
- Salt. Depending on the type of salt you use or your preferred saltiness level, you may want to increase the amount of salt in this recipe. I use fine-grain salt.
- Warm environment: Turn your oven on, and once it heats up to about 120°F, shut it off. Turn on the oven light and place your dough in the middle of the oven (with plastic wrap and a damp towel on top). This environment has worked perfectly for me, rising dough in a warm environment.
Marina Dagenais says
This was so easy and turned out to be the best pizza crust I’ve ever made. Thank you so much.
Lily Guidry says
Wow thanks, so glad you liked it!
Sri says
Great recipe
Marina Dagenais says
Wow- and basically difference it made to use the 00 FLOur. This recipe was easy and turned out amazing and I did not do the optional second rise
Lily Guidry says
Thanks for the comment Marina!
Kathy says
This recipe is good except 1 teaspoon of salt for 4 cups flour is NOT enough. The dough was sort of tasteless (although perfect texture!). I don’t cook with very much salt, check sodium content of everything l, and buy low sodium varieties every chance I get; so it isn’t because I have a taste for lots of salt. I checked Bob’s Mill 00 flour recipe on the bag and that had 3 teaspoons per 4 cups flour. I wondered if the recipe calculator when the user changes the servings had a glitch and it meant one tablespoon because 3t =1T.
Lily Guidry says
Hi Kathy, thank you for that feedback! Yea I normally put "salt to taste" on my recipes because salt is one of those ingredients that can be different for everybody. Another thing I've noticed is that sea salt, iodized salt, flaked salt are not equivalent in "saltiness" when measured into a recipe. What type of salt did you use? I'm going to add a note to the recipe about the salt.
Stephanie DiIorgi says
Just made this. Perfect recipe! Thanks Lily!
Lily Guidry says
Wooohoo awesome! Thanks for the comment Stephanie!
Yael says
My first trial was recipe on the back of the 00 flour. The recipe required 1/8th tsp of yeast and the dough did not rise. I texted my coworker who is Italian and makes food all the time from scratch. She send this recipe and my pizza came out fantastic. I’m saving this recipe.
Lily says
Wow, thanks for taking the time to comment Yael! I have struggled in the past with dough that didn’t rise, so I feel your pain.
Tony C says
Cut the dough in half? Is this for one pizza or 2??? tony C
Lily says
The recipe is for two pizzas that are between 12” and 14” in diameter.
Judy says
Easy instructions! I used all-purpose flour and turned out good. Dough was a little sticky, but I just added flour to it.