This Einkorn pizza dough makes a soft and tender pizza crust that has a deliciously rich flavor. It is packed with all the wholesome goodness of ancient einkorn wheat and is perfect for those avoiding modern wheat products. You can use the dough to make one large pizza or several small pizzas.
The easy-to-follow recipe includes simple ingredients like flour, yeast, salt, and water so you can whip up a homemade pizza in no time.
Pizza Crust with Einkorn Flour
We have instructions to make this pizza crust with either all-purpose or whole wheat einkorn. Either option will make a great pizza.
Einkorn is the most ancient variety of wheat that is still in its original state. It has never been hybridized or altered. The Einkorn you purchase today has the identical chromosomal structure it held millions of years ago, remaining unchanged through the years
Einkorn, the wheat cultivated and consumed in biblical times, was undoubtedly the very grain used to make the bread that Jesus enjoyed. Its heritage and significance make it a remarkable ingredient that connects us to ancient traditions and flavors. Einkorn is the original wheat. Wheat the way God intended.
This einkorn recipe is clean eating at its best and it makes a super flavorful pizza. The unique flavor of Einkorn gives the pizza a distinctly earthy, nutty taste.
The Gluten in Einkorn is Different
Over time, wheat has undergone hybridization, influenced both by natural factors and human intervention. These transformations in wheat have brought about significant alterations in the composition of gluten.
Modern wheat has a form of gluten that can be difficult to digest. Some individuals are highly sensitive to its effects, experiencing symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, indigestion, depression, mental fogginess, fatigue, headaches, and inflammatory responses that lead to joint pain.
The gluten in Einkorn is actually pretty unique and easier to digest. It’s not recommended for people with Celiac disease, but many who have gluten sensitivities find that this ancient grain sits well with them.
Making Pizza Dough with Einkorn Flour
Einkorn flour requires less kneading compared to traditional flour. The gluten in Einkorn behaves differently and does not develop with excessive kneading.
In fact, overworking the dough can break down the gluten, resulting in a stickier and harder-to-handle pizza dough. It can also lead to a more crumbly texture after baking.
If you love making your own pizza, this is a recipe you should try. The pizza dough is easy to make and the crust is delicious!
A simple method to develop gluten without overworking it is by using the stretch and fold technique. Start by keeping the dough in the bowl, then gently stretch and fold it in half. Next, turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat the process of stretching and folding. This technique helps develop the gluten without overworking the pizza dough.
How to handle sticky dough
When working with dough made with einkorn flour, you’ll notice it’s a bit stickier than regular bread dough. No worries though! Just use wet hands and tools to handle the dough, or even apply a little oil to your hands and tools to prevent sticking.
Einkorn takes its time to absorb liquids and fats. If the dough seems too wet when you first mix it, just let it rest and go through the first rise before adding more flour. And if you do add more flour, use just enough for it to hold its shape. Adding too much flour will make the bread dry and dense.
Pro Tip When Making Whole Grain Einkorn Pizza Dough:
With that said, this recipe calls for a 68% hydration dough, which initially may seem quite wet. Paired with the inherently sticky nature of Einkorn, handling this pizza dough might pose a challenge. It isn’t suitable for tossing in the air to stretch, but it is remarkably pliable and easy to shape when you keep your hands moist.
Damp hands will prevent the dough from sticking to you. When you’re ready to shape it, sprinkle flour on a sheet of parchment paper. Use your moistened hands to spread the pizza dough, then effortlessly transfer it onto your pizza stone or baking sheet using the parchment paper. This simple trick will make working with the dough a breeze, guaranteed.
Instead of pulling the dough apart, which can tear the gluten, opt for using a bench scraper or knife to divide it. Not only will this method maintain the dough’s integrity, but it will also make it easier to keep your work surface clean.
Storing Whole Wheat Einkorn Pizza Dough
You can make this dough in advance and freeze it for up to three months.
Simply divide it into portions that are suitable for a pizza and store them in an airtight container. When you’re ready to make pizza, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. This way, you’ll have perfectly sized dough portions ready to use whenever you crave a delicious homemade pizza.
Other Einkorn Recipes you might like:
- Try this delicious Einkorn Milk and Honey Bread
- Einkorn Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Whole Grain Einkorn Blueberry Pancakes
- Sourdough einkorn bread
- Wild yeast sourdough starter
Have you made this whole grain einkorn pizza crust? We would love to hear from you.
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Einkorn Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 4-½ cups whole grain einkorn flour 432 grams (or 432 grams of all-purpose einkorn flour)
- 1 packet instant dry yeast 2-¼ teaspoons (7 grams)
- 1-½ teaspoons salt 8.5 grams
- 1-¼ cups warm water 295 grams, see notes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 39 grams
- 1 tablespoon honey 21 grams
Instructions
- Add the Einkorn flour, instant yeast and salt to a large bowl. Stir in the water, olive oil, and honey until well combined. The dough will be wet and sticky.
- Let the dough sit for 5 minutes to give it a chance to absorb moisture. (Einkorn flour needs extra time to absorb liquid.)
- Dip your hands in water or grease them with oil to stretch and fold the dough several times. Keep the dough in the bowl and stretch it up then fold it in half. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Continue pulling the dough up and over itself 4 to 6 more times then let it rest for 5 minutes. Repeat the same stretch and fold process three more times every 5 to 10 minutes.
- The dough will get firmer and easier to handle with each stretch and fold interval. It will still have a sticky texture but if you keep your hands wet, it won't stick to them.
- Coat the ball of dough with oil and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 1-½ to 2 hours.
- Divide in half with an oiled bench scraper. Use wet or oiled hands to form two balls of dough. Coat each ball with oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let them rise for 1 to 2 hours
To store the pizza dough
- At this point, you have two options: you can either store it in the fridge (or freezer), or you can proceed with baking.
- To store the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in ziplock bags. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use it, thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, remove it from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before using it to make pizza.
To shape pizzas
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Sprinkle some flour on a sheet of parchment paper and press the dough into a flat circle. If the dough is too sticky, dip your hands in water so it doesn't stick to them.
- Add your toppings and use the parchment paper to slide the pizza onto your baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Notes
- If you use all-purpose einkorn flour, start with 1 to 2 tablespoons less water. You can add additional water if it seems too dry.
- You will have best results if you use a scale to weigh your flour. Whole wheat einkorn weighs 96 grams per cup and all-purpose einkorn weighs 120 grams per cup. If you don't have a scale, fluff the flour with a fork and lightly spoon it into the measuring cup.
- It is not necessary to knead einkorn bread as much as traditional bread. If you knead it too much, you will break down the fragile gluten structure.
- Dough made with einkorn flour tends to be stickier compared to standard pizza dough. It will be easier to handle if you keep your hands oiled or dip them in water frequently (wet hands won't stick to the dough).
- When you are ready to shape it, spread the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper, then slide the parchment paper onto your pizza stone or baking sheet. The parchment paper will make it easy to transfer, and you can bake the pizza right on the paper.
- This recipe is a fairly high-hydration dough (68% hydration). If you find it is just too difficult to work with, then you can add up to 30 grams of flour without making the pizza dough too dry.
- Einkorn flour absorbs fat and liquid slowly. If the dough seems too wet initially, give it some time to rest before adding more flour.
Marty
Sunday 23rd of April 2023
Would the recipe need something extra if I were using sprouted einkorn flour?
Pat Nyswonger
Sunday 23rd of April 2023
You can definitely swap the flour for sprouted einkorn flour. I would add 50 to 100 grams more water.