Homemade Pizza Dough and 3 Lighter Alternatives

Homemade pizza dough is infinitely tastier than the kind pre-made into cardboard-like circles at the store. Even baked on a cookie sheet, it turns out very well – crispy on the edges and nicely browned all across the bottom. To get that particular even crunch across the bottom that artisan pizza places have, you might need a pizza stone or other special equipment, but if you’re not interested in pizza perfection, this dough does just fine without it.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup warm water
1 active dry yeast (envelope)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 tbsps olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Set aside.
Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface.
Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to oiled bowl, and turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
After it’s risen, punch down the dough. (If you’re not using it immediately, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It should last 1-2 days). Roll out the dough, starting from the center the dough and working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.

At this point, you can top it with a nice homemade marinara, some cheese, and other goodies, and pop it into the oven! Bake it anywhere from 375 – 400 degress Fahrenheit until the crust is evenly browned – usually 15-25 minutes.

If you’re on a low-carb diet or you’re interested in a healthier dough, these alternatives are delicious too.