Make crispy, chewy thin crust pizza dough at home with this easy pizza dough recipe. Simple ingredients and a quick rise make it perfect for pizza night!
Here’s an honest confession: after years of creating authentic Neapolitan pizza recipes, I somehow never landed on a great thin crust pizza dough recipe: until now! Thin crust pizza is different from the pizza I fell in love with in Italy: it’s got a crispy bottom, a very thin center, and less airy pockets than a standard artisan pizza dough.
But here’s the thing: this thin crust pizza dough is satisfying, delicious, and very easy to make! You roll it out with a rolling pin instead of stretching it by hand, which makes the whole process so much easier. Here are all my tips!
Watch the Video!
Watch Alex knead, shape, and roll the dough from start to finish: it’s only 90 seconds and helpful for understanding the process.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to make with a rolling pin: There’s no stretching required, so the dough is much easier to shape my standard pizza dough recipe
- Delicious texture: It’s nicely chewy and very satisfying
- Simple pantry ingredients: Just flour, yeast, kosher salt, warm water, and olive oil
- Slightly healthier than standard dough: Since there’s less dough per slice, there are slightly less calories
5-Star Reader Reviews
“This thin crust pizza dough recipe, like your regular pizza dough recipe (which I use all the time), is excellent! I will be using this recipe again for sure!” -Ali
“I have been on the hunt for a really good sugar free thin crust pizza that tastes like restaurant style and this is it. This is now my favorite pizza crust. I get those nice bubbles on the edges and the dough freezes really well. I’m about to try a double batch!” -Kristal
Ingredients You’ll Need
This thin crust pizza dough recipe requires very few ingredients, so it’s important that you use exactly what we’ve listed in the recipe card below. Here’s a breakdown:
- Tipo 00 or all purpose flour: Tipo 00 flour is a type of Italian flour that makes for fluffy, supple dough. These days most grocery stores sell it, or you can find it online. All-purpose works just as well if you can’t find it.
- Yeast: Use instant or active dry yeast (both are different from bread machine yeast).
- Kosher salt: Use kosher salt, not table salt! If all you have is table salt, use ¾ teaspoon since it is saltier than kosher salt.
- Water & olive oil: These round out the ingredients to get just the right texture.
- Semolina flour or cornmeal: You’ll use cornmeal or semolina flour to dust the pizza stone before baking — any type will work!
How to Make Thin Crust Pizza Dough
Making thin crust pizza dough is a fairly easy process: the only “hard” part about it is the timing. Here are some things to consider about how to make pizza dough:
- Hand knead the dough, or use a stand mixer. You can use your hands for this easy thin crust pizza dough recipe! You don’t need any special equipment at all. A KitchenAid or stand mixer works well too and makes it totally hands off. The kneading time in both cases is 8 minutes.
- It takes 45 minutes to rise before baking! While it’s easy, thin crust pizza dough is not necessarily quick. Most of the time required for making the dough is letting it rise. Start making your pizza dough about 1 hour before you’d like to eat your pizza to account for the rise time.
- For best results, cook on a pizza stone and pizza peel. The two pizza making tools you need: a pizza stone to cook the dough at very high heat, and a pizza peel to remove the dough from the stone. I recommend this standard pizza peel as a good starter option, or this conveyor pizza peel, which is more expensive but easier to use.
Pizza Topping Ideas
The best part of making thin crust pizza dough? Topping it! Here are a few of my very favorite pizza topping ideas to eat with this dough:
- Homemade Margherita Pizza The classic! It features basil, mozzarella, and bold tomato pizza sauce.
- Italian Pizza: A heritage-style pie loaded with the flavors of Italy
- Best Healthy Pizza: Veggie-loaded with a thin crust and a sprinkle of Parmesan
- Cheese Pizza: Like your favorite delivery cheese pizza, but infinitely tastier.
- Taco Pizza: Topped with refried beans, cheese, romaine, and tortilla chips.
- Olive Pizza: Briny, savory, and satisfying on a thin crust.
- Shrimp Pizza: With three cheeses and a white sauce.
- Classic pepperoni or fresh pesto: Sometimes the simplest toppings let the crust shine the most. Browse all my pizza topping ideas for even more inspiration, or my full collection of homemade pizza recipes.
Storage & Freezing Tips
Refrigerating for better flavor: After kneading, refrigerate the pizza dough 2 to 3 days prior to baking. This makes it naturally ferment and brings a nutty, complex flavor. It’s not required, but it makes for a great flavor!
Using refrigerated dough: On the day of baking, pull the dough out of the fridge, set it on a lightly floured surface, cover with a towel, and let it come to room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before rolling.
Freezing dough: Wrap each dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and store in a zip-top freezer bag. Frozen pizza dough keeps well for up to 3 months. For instructions, see my guide on how to freeze pizza dough. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Dietary Notes
This thin crust pizza recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free. For vegan toppings, go to Vegan Pizza.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rolling the dough thin (about ⅛ inch) and baking on a properly preheated pizza stone at high heat. A hot pizza stone preheated at 500°F for at least 30 minutes creates a crispy crust. Also, a thin crust is best with a light, even layer of sauce, cheese, and toppings so the base can crisp up rather than steam.
A heavy-duty sheet pan that is preheated in the oven can work. Preheat it so it’s screaming hot before the dough goes in: the heat transfer is what gives you a crispy bottom.
You could make a no-yeast flatbread-style dough using just flour, baking powder, salt, olive oil, and water, but it won’t be quite the same. Yeast is what gives this dough its structure and developed flavor.
Whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese is my favorite: it melts and browns beautifully. Fresh mozzarella is delicious but contains more moisture, so I like to cut it into very small pieces and intersperse with shredded mozzarella. Parmesan added at the end adds a salty, nutty punch.
Thin Crust Pizza Dough
Chewy and rolled thin with a rolling pin, this easy homemade pizza dough is your go-to for pizza night! It works on a pizza stone or baking sheet, and refrigerating for 2 to 3 days builds incredible flavor.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
- Yield: 4 medium pizzas (32 pieces) 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 500 grams* Tipo 00 or all-purpose flour (3 ⅓ cups)
- 8 grams instant or active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
- 7 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
- 338 grams warm water (1 ¼ cups + 3 tablespoons)
- 13 grams olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting
- For the toppings, refer to our Homemade Pizza Recipes
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir to combine. Add the water and olive oil and stir until a raggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
- Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
- After the kneading is finished, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Using floured hands, gently shape each half into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Set each boule on a floured surface and dab the dough with a bit of olive oil to keep it moist. Cover all boules with a damp towel and allow them to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- The dough can be used immediately. However for the best flavor, transfer the dough to separate sealed containers brushed with a little olive oil, large enough for the dough to double in size again, and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. (Alex and I don’t always do this, but I try to when possible because it makes for a noticeably nutty, unique flavor that truly is the best homemade pizza dough you’ve ever had.) You can also freeze pizza dough you don’t plan to use the day of.
- **If you’re using the dough after refrigerating: The day of serving, remove the dough from the containers, place it on a lightly floured surface covered with a towel, and allow it to come to room temperature before stretching, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here’s the pizza oven I use).
- Prepare the pizza toppings: refer the pizza recipe of your choosing.
- When the oven is preheated, roll out the dough. Place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, adding a pinch of flour if it is too sticky. Then roll out the dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter, using just enough flour on each side to keep it from sticking. If the dough starts to resist rolling, wait for a minute or two, at which point it will roll out more easily.
- Spread your pizza peel with semolina flour or cornmeal. Use your hands to carefully place the dough on a pizza peel spread. Top the pizza (refer to the pizza recipe instructions), then use the pizza peel to transfer the dough to the pizza stone. Bake about 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted.