Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

Recently, I'd mentioned my new love for all things natural and simple.

One of my first converts from the world of processed food was with this homemade pizza dough.

Looks good, right?!

When I was pregnant with my little girl, I frequently felt too tired to make dinner and too eager for the comforts of pizza delivery (I mean, who hasn't, right?)!

Once that became too expensive (& unhealthy) of an option, we started going to the freezer section of our local grocer. (Hey, no judging, people! I was pregnant and exhausted...It happens!).

In the name and health of pregnancy though,
I quickly banned store-bought pizza from my diet...

The sodium made me feel bloated and blegh! ... 

I didn't want this for myself, my baby, or any other member of my family!

So, I made the switch..

I tried Boboli....
                        Easy, yes...but too expensive for us.

I tried ready-made dough...
                        That was a disaster by my own hand...
I could never (and I do mean NEVER)  get that dough to stretch and form into any sort of resemblance to pizza...Plus, adding insult to injury, it was always either chewy and thick or thin and burnt, depending on what part of the pie you had sliced into!

But then, one day, 

while walking down the baking aisle of my local grocer, 

I saw it...

Cue the magical lights and mystical music.  

...my very own magical and mystical pizza yeast!!  

Now, I admit that I didn't have much hope for what my efforts could produce, but at $2.12 for 3 packets (which means 3 pizzas!), I figured it was worth a shot!

So, after some tweaking and a few tricks learned, I'm proud to say that I've now got something share-worthy for you all!

Without further ado, my magical and mystical homemade pizza dough!

1 cup flour

1 envelope pizza yeast (I use Fleishmann's Pizza Crust Yeast)

1.5 tsp brown sugar (you can also use white)

3/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup very warm water

3 tbsp oil (I've tried it with canola and olive oil.  Both work great!)

Grease your pizza pan with oil and lightly flour, or line with parchment paper.  I was using a 9x13 pan, but have recently switched to using a glass casserole dish.  It gives me a thicker crust, and it's a favorite with my family.

Oven preheat is 425, but I typically wait to preheat until the dough is formed before I turn the oven on.  It gives the dough a couple minutes to rise and makes it easier to form in the pan.  

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, pizza yeast, brown sugar, and salt.

Add the water and oil, then mix together until fully incorporated (about 1 minute).  I usually use a fork for this...Definitely makes it easier with the sticky dough!

Gradually add a little flour until the dough is no longer sticky, and you are able to knead it without it sticking to your fingers.

Knead the dough for about four minutes on a clean, lightly floured surface.
Update:  Some may prefer to knead the dough on a floured surface, but I am just fine with kneading the dough right in the bowl I was using to mix my ingredients.  It saves me a clean-up step afterwards and anything that saves me a cleaning step has got my vote for sure!

On that same floured surface, shape your dough, then get that bad boy in your pan/baking dish!  Update:  Again, some may prefer to shape the dough on a floured surface, I have recently taken to just shaping the dough directly in the pan.  I really saw no difference in the two, and having the dough already in the pan is simpler for me than transferring it afterwards.

Next, add your sauce and other essentials...

Pop it in the oven and bake for about 8 minutes or so until the crust is browned and the cheese deliciously gooey.

Seriously, it's so delicious...

One bite and you'll never think of ordering delivery again!  My entire family agrees!