Basic Pizza Crust
1 tsp dry active yeast
1 tsp sugar
1¼ cup warm water (110℉)
3½ cups flour
1½ tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Set aside for 7 minutes until yeast blooms.
Put flour and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached*. Add bloomed yeast and mix on low until mixture turns into a smooth, soft dough (about 5 minutes). Don’t over knead.
Cover loosely and let the dough rise for 45 minutes. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 36 hours. The dough will more than double in this time so make sure your bowl is big enough!
Grease a 15”x10” baking sheet and press dough into the bottom of the pan. If a thinner crust is desired, use this dough to make 2 crusts.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 500℉.
Bake the crust for 5 minutes and remove it from the oven.
Top with desired toppings and bake for an additional 8 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the toppings are bubbly.
*You can do this step by hand, it will just take a little longer.
8 servings, 220 calories per serving (crust only)
Hack: Use this basic pizza crust to make Barbecue Spaghetti Squash Pizza or Homemade Pepperoni Pizza!
Hack: Pizza crust can be stored for later use after the initial 4-minute bake. Wrap well in plastic wrap or tightly sealed freezer container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 4 weeks.
Hack: Pizza cooked with toppings can be stored as described for the pizza crust above.
