Chewy Pizza Dough Recipe

Name: Chewy Pizza Dough Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 750 min
Ingredients: 1000 grams bread flour (about 8 cups); 650 grams water (warm (95º-105ºF) scant 3 cups); 7 grams active dry yeast (about 2 teaspoons); 14 grams salt (about 2 teaspoons); 15 grams olive oil (about 1 tablespoon plus more for greasing the bowl); Rice flour for sprinkling; Pizza toppings

5 from 11 votes

34 Comments

Jul 26, 2022

(updated Dec 31, 2023)

by Kimberlee Ho

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This homemade pizza dough recipe makes a crispy crust with a perfectly chewy texture. If you are looking for a pizza recipe that yields the best results, look no further.

Top with your favorite toppings for your next pizza party or backyard BBQ!

This recipe makes enough for about 8 personal size pizzas. If you do not need that much, divide the dough in half to make Soft-Baked Garlic Breadsticks from pizza dough or store the remaining pizza dough for later.

KAB reader Jodi says: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ "This recipe does not disappoint! The taste and I'd say, texture definitely improves the longer it stays in the fridge. This is a repeat with my family. Thanks for sharing 💚"

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Why you'll love this best pizza dough recipe

This great recipe for pizza dough works really well on a hot pizza stone in the oven or in your backyard pizza oven. If you do not have a pizza stone, an upside baking sheet preheated in a conventional oven works well, too!
A hands-off recipe - mix the ingredients, knead for a few minutes then place in the fridge overnight to get a good pizza dough rise. Then you're ready to cook pizza
Easy pizza dough recipe that yields a super flavorful pizza crust that's chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside. It's (almost) an authentic napoletana pizza dough recipe that you're going to love
Use this dough to make better than Pizza Hut garlic breadsticks!

A cheesy baked pizza cut into triangles with some pieces pulled away from the pie.

Ingredients & substitutions

Perfect pizza dough doesn't require many ingredients. It does require time to develop flavor, though. So be sure to plan ahead at least 12 hours.

As with most bread recipes, ingredients should be measured by weight using a kitchen scale rather than by volume (via measuring cup). This makes for more accurate measurements which makes a huge difference in the final product. The recipe card below lists the ingredients by weight, but also includes volume measurements for your convenience.

Here are the basic ingredients you'll need:

Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose flour, which yields a chewy pizza crust. If you do not have bread flour or have trouble obtaining some, all-purpose flour may be substituted. The cooked crust may be slightly less chewy, but will still be delicious. You will need about 8 cups of flour so be sure you have enough before beginning
Warm water: Using warm water helps to activate the yeast. Be sure the water is no hotter than 105ºF though, as this will kill the yeast, making for a dense pizza dough.
Active dry yeast: You'll need about one packet of yeast for this recipe. Be sure to check the expiration date to ensure the yeast is still good. If not, your pizza dough will not rise and instead it'll be very dense. Instant yeast may also be used.
Salt: As always, adjust the seasoning to your own taste and preference. I like to use fine or kosher salt in this recipe
Olive oil: You'll need a little bit of olive oil (about 15 grams or 1 tablespoon) for the dough and a bit more for greasing the bowl in which the pizza dough will rise. This prevents the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Rice flour: this is used for sprinkling on the pizza peel to allow the pizza to slide off easily onto a pizza stone for cooking. After trying many different ingredients such as every type of flour, I have found rice flour to work the best. Be generous when sprinkling it on the pizza peel, but brush off any excess from the sides of the pan, as the rice flour may burn in the oven. Semolina flour may be substituted for rice flour. I have found it doesn't work as well at preventing the pizza from sticking, however, it does work better than all-purpose or bread flour. I would not recommend placing the pizza on a piece of parchment paper then sliding this into the oven. Because of the high temperature at which pizza needs to cook, the parchment will burn
Favorite toppings: the sky's the limit when it comes to creating your perfect pizza! I like to top with tomato sauce or pizza sauce then sprinkle with generous amounts of shredded mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with garlic powder and onion powder. Then, add whatever toppings are desired before cooking.

How to make chewy pizza dough

If you've ever wondered how do you make chewy pizza dough, here's step by step instructions.

Step 1

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. With the dough hook attachment affixed, knead on low speed until the ingredients come together in a ball around the dough hook. Stop the mixer and cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel, letting the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Pizza Dough ingredients in a mixing bowl. — Add ingredients to the bowl of a mixer.

Pizza dough after initial mixing. — Knead just until the ingredients come together then let rest for 15 minutes.

Remove the towel and knead the dough on medium low speed (Kitchenaid speed 2) for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is soft and smooth. Alternatively, knead by hand on a clean work surface. The kneading process by hand may take up to 15 minutes. Rest your arms as needed!

Pizza dough after kneading for 10 minutes. — Dough that has been kneaded for 8-10 minutes.

Step 2

Lightly coat a large bowl or container with olive oil. Lightly coat your hands with some oil to remove the dough from the mixing bowl (this prevents the sticky dough from sticking to your hands) and shape into a ball with your hands. Place dough in greased the bowl, turning the dough over to coat with oil on all sides. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight, at least 12 hours and up to 72 hours.

The longer the pizza dough is in the fridge, the more flavorful the crust. Do not exceed 72 hours, as the dough will not rise well after this amount of time.

If preparing the dough in advance, allow it to rise overnight in the fridge, divide into 8 dough balls and freeze each in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Defrost overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature. Continue to next step once the dough reached room temperature.

Pizza dough in an oiled bowl ready for proofing. — Place dough in a bowl coated in olive oil. Cover and place int he fridge overnight.

Step 3

Remove the dough from the fridge about an hour before you plan to make pizza.

Proofed pizza dough. — Remove the dough from the fridge 1 hour before using.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. You can eyeball it or weigh the total dough, dividing by eight to get the weight of each ball of dough. I typically portion off pieces that weigh 180-200 grams.

Small piles of pizza dough on a floured surface. — Divide dough into 8 portions.

On a heavily floured surface, dip both sides of the dough into the extra flour then gently stretch each into an 8-10 inch circle. Stretch less for a thicker crust pizza or stretch more for a thin crust pizza dough. You can use a rolling pin, if desired.

If the dough resists stretching, cover it with a clean dry towel and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before stretching.

Generously sprinkle a pizza peel with rice flour and place dough on top. If you do not have a pizza peel, use an overturned cookie sheet sprinkled generously with rice flour. Top dough as desired and cook via preferred method

If cooking pizza dough in a conventional oven

Place a baking stone in the oven then preheat oven to 500ºF for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, place an overturned baking sheet in the oven while it's preheating. Slide prepared pizza directly onto hot baking stone or overturned baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Time may vary based on the size and thickness of the pizza

If cooking in a pizza oven

Preheat pizza oven until it reaches about 700ºF. In the Ooni pizza oven, this takes approximately 30 minutes. Slide prepared pizza directly onto floor of the pizza oven and bake 1-2 minutes or until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbly

If you're a fan of pizza, then bake some Pull Apart Pizza Bread to share with the family for a fun twist on a classic dish or share it at a tailgating party.

Pro tips

I highly recommend using a pizza stone on which to cook the pizza. This allows the bottom of the crust to get perfectly crisp. The stone retains and distributes heat really well allowing the center of the dough to cook through as well.
Looking for a 72 hour pizza dough recipe, similar to the Baking Steel pizza recipe? Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for up to 72 hours. The longer the pizza dough is in the fridge, the more flavorful the crust. Do not exceed 72 hours, as the dough will not rise well after this amount of time
When stretching the pizza dough, be sure not to stretch it too thin or create any holes in the dough. If a hole forms, patch it well by pinching it closed to seal. If the dough has holes in it, the sauce and toppings will get on the pizza peel, making it impossible for the pizza to slide easily off the peel and into the oven
If preparing the dough in advance, allow it to rise overnight in the fridge then divide into 8 dough balls and freeze each in a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 1 month. Defrost frozen pizza dough overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature. Prepare pizza for cooking as directed
Know How To Store Pizza Dough if you're making an extra batch or can't bake yours right away.

Floured surface with balls of pizza dough.

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FAQs

What makes dough chewy?

The chew in dough comes from the flour used to prepare it. Bread flour contains higher protein content than all-purpose flour which gives pizza crust its chew.

What kind of flour is used to give pizza a chewy crust?

For a perfectly chewy pizza crust recipe, use bread flour rather than all-purpose flour. Bread flour contains higher protein content than all-purpose flour which gives pizza crust its chew.

How do you make pizza crust puffy?

Ensure the yeast used in the pizza dough is fresh. This will allow the dough to rise properly. Next, be sure your oven is at a high temperature for cooking and preheat a pizza stone in the oven. This will ensure the bottom of the crust cooks quickly and evenly while the top cooks. The crust will puff up in the high heat.

Can pizza dough be frozen?

I often get asked if you can freeze pizza dough. The answer is yes! I do it frequently. This homemade pizza crust recipe makes 8 10-inch pizzas. If you don't need that much, freeze the rest! It'll save you lots of time next time you want to make homemade pizza.

If preparing the dough in advance, allow it to rise overnight in the fridge then divide into 8 dough balls and freeze each in a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 1 month. Defrost frozen pizza dough overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature. Prepare pizza for cooking as directed.

What can I make with leftover pizza dough?

Use this pizza dough to make Soft-Baked Garlic Breadsticks! They are are smothered in garlic butter, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese then baked to a toasty golden brown.

FOR ALL MY FAVORITE BAKING TOOLS INCLUDING THOSE USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE, CHECK OUT MY BAKING RESOURCES PAGE!

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