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Quick pizza dough doesn’t have to mean bland or boring. This one comes together fast, holds its shape like a champ, and bakes up with that proper chewy texture and crisp edges you actually want.
No gimmicks, no mystery ingredients, just dependable dough that’s easy to work with and freezer-friendly, too. Roll it out on a whim or stash a few portions in the freezer for later. Either way, this crust delivers without the wait.
Here is Why This Quick Pizza Dough Recipe Works
Fast rise, real results: Thanks to Quick-Rise yeast (or RapidRise yeast), the dough is ready to shape in about 15 minutes, not 90.
Freezer-friendly: Make a batch, freeze some, and future-you will be glad you did.
Use whatever flour you’ve got: Bread, all-purpose, or pizza flour all work, each one brings a slightly different texture, but you’ll get a great crust either way.
Legit pizza texture: Chewy, crisp-edged, and sturdy enough to hold toppings without turning into a floppy mess.
Recipe Tips
Use warm water: Aim for around 110°F to speed up the activity of the yeast and get a fast rise.
Use a kitchen scale if you’ve got one: Measuring by weight is far more accurate, especially with flour, which can vary a lot by volume.
Start with less flour: It’s easier to fix sticky dough than to rescue a dry brick. Add more only as needed.
Oil your hands: Sticky dough clings to dry hands. A little olive oil makes shaping way easier (and adds a bit of flavor, too).
Warm it up: Cold kitchens slow everything down. Let the dough rise somewhere warm to speed things up and improve texture.
Let the dough rest: Even a 10-minute bench rest helps the gluten relax, so the dough stretches without snapping back.
Skip the rolling pin for bubbly crust: Use your hands to stretch the dough if you want those nice air pockets
Use parchment : Keeps the crust from sticking and makes clean up easier.
Pro tip: If you’re using a baking steel or stone, let it preheat for at least 30 minutes for the best bottom crust.
Don’t overload the toppings: Too much sauce or cheese = soggy crust and sad pizza night.
Answers to Common Dough Dilemmas
It depends on what kind of crust you’re after, but the good news is, most common flours work just fine. Here’s a quick breakdown:
All-purpose flour: Gives you a slightly chewy crust with more crispiness. Great if you want something classic and easy.
Bread flour: Higher protein = more gluten = more chew. It creates a slightly puffier, more elastic crust.
’00’ pizza flour: Super finely milled with high gluten content, but it behaves differently than bread flour. You’ll get that crisp-meets-chewy texture, and the dough is easy to stretch.
No need to overthink it, use what you’ve got. The dough is forgiving, and each flour brings something a little different to the table.
Baking homemade pizza is straightforward, but a few small tweaks can help you get that golden, bubbly finish:
Shape the dough into 10–12″ rounds and place on parchment or press into a greased sheet pan
If you’re using a pizza peel and stone, dust the peel with cornmeal and shape the dough right on top
Add pizza sauce and toppings of choice. (My White Garlic Sauce for Pizza is also a good choice.
Bake at 450°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly
This dough works with just about any pizza. Here are some ideas:
– Mushroom pizza with garlic sauce
– Chicken spinach pizza
– Chicken-mushroom pizza
– Mexican chicken pizza
– Buffalo chicken pizza
– Sausage and onion pizza
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Extra dough can hang out in the fridge for up to 3 days. Lightly coat it in oil and seal in a container or zip-top bag.
- Freeze: Wrap each dough ball in plastic, then stash in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Thaw dough in the fridge overnight, then let it rest at room temp for 20–30 minutes before shaping.
For more pizza dough recipes, try my sourdough pizza dough and my whole grain Einkorn pizza crust. I also have an Ooni pizza dough with a lower hydration.
Reliable Homemade Pizza Dough
Quick pizza dough that’s fast, reliable, and actually tastes like real pizza? This one delivers. It’s flexible enough to handle weeknights or freezer prep, and the short rise time doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing texture. Crisp edges, chewy center, no special flour or drama required. Once you see how easy it is, store-bought dough won’t stand a chance.
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Fast Pizza Dough
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
- 4 to 4½ cups all-purpose flour, pizza flour, or bread flour (480 to 540 grams)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, (13 grams)
- 2 teaspoons salt, (12 grams)
- 2¼ teaspoons Quick Rise Instant yeast, (7 grams or 1 packet)
- 1½ cups water, warm; (354 grams)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, (39 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F if you plan to bake a pizza (otherwise you can freeze the dough after you make it).
- Combine 4 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- Add the water and olive oil. Mix until blended. If it is too wet, gradually add enough flour to make a soft dough. The dough should be slightly sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes (you can also use your stand mixer with a dough hook).
- Plase the dough in a greased bowl and let it rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes if you use Quick Rise instant or for 60 to 90 minutes if you use standard instant yeast. The dough should almost double in size.
- Divide the dough into two balls.
- At this point, you can either freeze the dough or prep it for a pizza.
To freeze the dough:
- Coat each ball of dough in some olive oil. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap then slide it into a zipper-seal bag.
- Squeeze all the air out of the bag then freeze if for up to 3 months.
To Bake the pizza:
- Roll the balls of dough into 10 to 12” circles and place them on a sheet of parchment paper (or press them into a greased sheet pan).
- Form a rim around the pizza dough by rolling the edges in and pinching.
- Spread pizza sauce on the dough and add your desired toppings.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly (a thicker crust will need to bake for 20 to 22 minutes).
Notes
- The quick rise time is dependent on using the right type of instant yeast. RapidRise instant yeast or Quick-Rise instant yeast are formulated to activate faster than standard instant yeast. If you use standard instant yeast, give the dough 30 to 50 minutes to rise.
- Optional add-ins: Add 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder to the dry mix and blend it in well.
- If you want to have a longer ferment time to develop more flavor, use standard instant yeast (not the RapidRise) and reduce the amount to 1/4 teaspoon. You can let it rise for 4 to 5 hours at room temperature or for 8 to 24 hours in the fridge.
- To use frozen pizza dough, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Let the thawed dough sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling it out for pizza.
- Bakers percentages using 4-1/2 cups of flour: flour 100%, sugar 2%, salt 2%,, yeast 0.7%, water 65%, oil 2%
- If you plan to use the pizza dough in an outdoor pizza oven, use the larger amount of flour and add up to 1/4 cup additional flour. Since outdoor pizza ovens cook pizza very quickly, you should use dough with less hydration.
- Pizza flour, all-purpose flour, and bread flour absorb liquid differently. If you find the dough too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour.
- All-purpose flour will make a crispier crust, bread flour will make more of a fluffy yet chewy crust, and pizza flour will give a balance of crispy and chewy (and it will also be easier to shape).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!The Process Photos
I make pizza a lot and have tried numerous dough recipes this one is the best so far. It is very easy to follow and absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m thrilled to hear that you found the pizza dough recipe easy to follow and delicious. Pizza nights are the best!
I’ve used this recipe several times over the last few months and we have loved it!
Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m thrilled to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipe. Thanks for trying it out and sharing your feedback!
Love your recipe! I’ve made it 4 times now & it’s delicious every time! So sad that others couldn’t read the recipe right and are now missing out.
This recipe is a family favorite for sure! I added my own twist & have been adding mozzarella cheese in the crust. So yummy!
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m thrilled to hear that the recipe is a family favorite. The mozzarella hack is sooo good. My nephew did that the last time he was over. Thanks for sharing!
I loved this recipe!! Other pizza dough recipes have tried have not puffed up in the oven as much as this one did! Definitely will use again! Also, I don’t think the 1.5 cups of water was confusing.
Oh, thanks for the comment. I appreciate that. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I love this recipe! It’s a great and quick alternative to the longer pizza dough recipe I usually follow.
I’m so glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your feedback. Enjoy your speedy pizza nights!
Note: The one star rating is correct, not the 5 star.
And again, you did not read the instructions correctly. It does not call for 1/2 cup of water, it calls for 1-1/2 cups of water which is 354 grams by weight. It would be nice if you could remove that 1 star review since you made an error in reading the instructions.
@Dahn Boquist, I appreciate you trying to correct me, but when I read recipes, I triple check the ingredients as I’m following the directions. Those ingredients very clearly read “1/2 cup water” not “1 1/2 cup”. But while you’re making changes, please feel free to edit that the recipe also calls for “warm water”. To help with anyone who doesn’t read the very long blurb before the recipe card <3
Thanks for your comment! I haven’t made any changes to the recipe. You can use the Wayback Machine to see the archived version if you’d like to double-check. The recipe has always listed the correct amounts, including 1-1/2 cups water.
I was so excited to try making my own pizza dough from scratch for the first time. I trusted this recipe would give me the perfect pizza dough, but I wish I would’ve read through the ingredients before starting because I don’t understand how 1/2 cup of warm water and 3 tablespoons mixed with 4 cups of flour are supposed to create a “sticky dough”. It doesn’t make sense at all, and I was stuck adding more warm water and oil to try to create a sticky dough. Please fix this recipe or give more detailed instructions. I wouldn’t recommend otherwise.
You did not read the instructions correctly. It does not call for 1/2 cup of water, it calls for 1-1/2 cups of water which is 354 grams by weight.
I was so excited to try making my own pizza dough from scratch for the first time. I trusted this recipe would give me the perfect pizza dough, but I wish I would’ve read through the ingredients before starting because I don’t understand how 1/2 cup of warm water and 3 tablespoons of oil mixed with 4 cups of flour are supposed to create a “sticky dough”. It doesn’t make sense at all, and I was stuck adding more warm water and oil to try to create a sticky dough. Please fix this recipe or give more detailed instructions. I wouldn’t recommend otherwise.
Well you did not read the instructions correctly. It does not call for 1/2 cup of water, it calls for 1-1/2 cups of water which is 354 grams by weight.
Can I use regular active dry yeast?
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you can use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast in this recipe. You’ll just need to activate it first. Here’s how:
In a small bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm water, along with a pinch of sugar to help it activate. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy and bubbly.
@Dahn Boquist, help.
I have active dry yeast. Your recipe says 2-1/4 tsp of yeast. So do I measure that amount with how much water and sugar to activate it? And then do I still follow the directions to add water and sugar to the bowl?
Great question! Just use some of the water and sugar from the recipe. Here are the steps:
1. Measure out the 2-¼ teaspoons of your active dry yeast.
2. Warm up about ¼ cup of the water from the recipe (it should be warm, but not hot).
3. Add the yeast to the warm water along with a pinch of the sugar from the recipe and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it gets foamy.
Once the yeast is activated, you can add it along with the rest of the water and sugar to the flour mixture. Just continue with the recipe from there, and you’ll be good to go! Keep in mind that the pizza dough will take a bit longer to rise when you use the active dry yeast
Let me know if you have any more questions!
My type of crust! It was airy and light, with the right amount of chew. I wouldn’t change a thing with this recipe. I also made a smaller pizza, one that fit in my toaster oven.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the crust! It sounds like you nailed it. Making a smaller pizza that fits in the toaster oven is such a great idea for convenience. Thanks for sharing your experience!
@Dahn Boquist, can the extra dough be refrigerated for the next day or does it have to be frozen?
You can keep it in the fridge for a couple of days. Thanks for the question.