Living in Italy has its perks -- one of them being that we can order delicious pizza pretty much anytime we want. But even with this tasty option, we make a lot of homemade pizza including this easy 5-ingredient 00 flour pizza dough which is one of our favorite dinner recipes to make!
This basic 00 pizza dough takes just 12 minutes to mix and fully knead and is so versatile it can be used to make thin and crispy pizza or a thicker crispy, soft, and chewy classic hand-stretched pizza. And your oven doesn't need to reach or exceed 500°F/260°C to make it!

The best part - this pizza dough bakes up perfectly in any kind of home oven (which is photographed in this post), toaster oven, or fancier pizza ovens like my Ooni Volt 12 (even if your oven temperature only reaches 475°F/246°C).



This truly is the best pizza dough recipe (maybe besides our other favorite bread flour pizza dough which is also delicious)!
The best part -- I've made this pizza in every kind of oven I mention above - with great results! In this post, you'll learn all the best tips and techniques for how to make the best pizza at home.
If you enjoy making homemade pizza, you may want to try this Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (With Video), our crispy and soft thick-crust pizza dough, or for less refined carbs but same delicious flavor, this super delicious Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe
- Kid-Friendly Homemade Pizza Recipe
- What is 00 Flour (and Does it Make the Best Homemade Pizza Dough)?
- 3 Most Common 00 Flour Options You'll Find in Italian Grocery Stores
- Can I Substitute All-Purpose or Bread Flour for 00 Italian Flour?
- How Do I Know If This Pizza Dough Recipe Is For Me?
- Can I Make Pizza If My Oven Doesn't Reach 500°F/288°C or Higher?
- What to Expect When You Make This 00 Pizza
- Homemade Pizza Timeline
- Homemade Thin-Crust 00 Pizza Dough Ingredients
- What is Dough Point and Why It Matters
- PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH POINT VIDEO
- Overview: Thin-Crust 00 Pizza Dough in 7 Easy Steps
- Best Pizza Toppings (With Photos)
- Why You Should Add Sugar To Pizza Dough When Cooking in a Home Oven
- Equipment: The Best Tools For Making Pizza
- Pizza Pro Tip: Best DIY Substitutes for a Pizza Stone or Pizza Peel
- The Best Pizza Pizza Pans & Cooking Surfaces (Stones, Steels, Pans)
- Best 4 Ways to Meal Prep Homemade Pizza Dough
- How to Temper Refrigerated Pizza Dough
- How to Freeze Homemade Pizza Dough
- How to Thaw Frozen Pizza Dough Quickly
- The Best Ways to Reheat Leftover Pizza
- More Uses for Homemade Pizza Dough
- FAQs
- Looking For More Easy Pizza Recipes?
- 📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe
- Authentic pizzeria results using premium Caputo 00 flour for the perfect crispy-chewy texture
- Beginner-friendly pizza dough recipe (perfect recipe for kids and anyone new to making yeast doughs or homemade pzza.
- Best homemade pizza dough with only 5 ingredients (4 if you want to omit the sugar)
- No special equipment needed
- Make-ahead friendly—refrigerate for 24-72 hours for even better flavor development
- Restaurant-quality results at home with a fraction of the cost of dine-in, takeout, or delivery
- Superior stretch and elasticity
- The pizza dough and the cooked pizza both freeze perfectly for quick weeknight homemade pizzas anytime
- Versatile for both thin-crust and traditional hand-tossed or stuffed-crust pizza with foolproof baking instructions
- Professional results that outperform store-bought dough with minimal effort

Kid-Friendly Homemade Pizza Recipe
If you've ever wondered how to make the best pizza dough from scratch that has awesome flavor and a perfect texture, I'll walk you through all of the necessary steps in this post!

This uncomplicated recipe uses my favorite one-bowl basic 00 pizza dough which doesn't require a stand mixer or food processor. Although using one makes this dough even easier to pull off!
In fact, this pizza dough recipe is so easy it's perfect for beginner bakers (even if you've never made yeast bread in your life). Don't Believe me? Take a look at the photos above from one of the many kid's pizza cooking classes I taught in my cooking school (in Chengdu, China).
If these tiny kids can make great pizza, so can you...and p.s. if you have kids who want to help, smiley face pizzas and self-portrait themed pizzas are a hit every time!

What is 00 Flour (and Does it Make the Best Homemade Pizza Dough)?
Italian 00 flour (also known as "tipo 00", "farina doppio" or "doppio zero" which translates to "type 00", "double flour", or "double zero") makes excellent pizza. It is a highly refined white Italian soft wheat flour that contains no bran or germ and has a protein content usually between 11% and 12.5% (and less often up to 13%).

00 flour is highly sought after for making all kinds of pizza, fresh egg pasta, and even focaccia and other delicious flatbreads.
I've seen many online posts stating that "00 flour is a low-protein flower" which is inaccurate. In fact, the "00" has nothing to do with the protein content in the flour at all. Instead, it refers to the flour 'Type" (or "tipo" in Italian). And the type indicates how finely (or not) the flour is milled.

Italy has 4 main "types" of flour (Tipo 00, Tipo 0, Tipo 1, and Tipo 2). On one end of the spectrum, 00 flour is the most finely milled Italian flour with an almost powdery texture. While on the opposite end, type 2 flour is the least refined and contains all parts of the grain making it coarser (similar in texture to whole grain flour or "farina integrale" in Italian).
Because it's so finely milled, 00 flour requires less water to form a well-hydrated dough than typical American flour like all-purpose, bread, or whole grain flours.

Not to further confuse things, but in Italy, 00 flour is also milled and marketed for making specific types of recipes.
For instance, you'll find varying bags of 00 flour at the grocery store that are labeled according to their best use which also corresponds to how much protein they contain. A higher protein 00 flour like Caputo Pizzeria (red bag) with 12.5% protein allows for longer fermentation times like when you're making authentic Neapolitan pizza.
Whereas a lower protein 00 flour like Caputo Pasticcieria (pink bag) is typically used for desserts like biscotti, crostata, etc. when a lower gluten flour and chemical leavening (baking powder or baking soda) is required. But, technicially you can still use this to make doughs and breads with shorter leavening times.
Beyond these types of 00 flours, other common flours in Italy include farina manitoba (bread flour), farina integrale (whole grain flour), semola (semolina hard wheat flour), semolina rimacinata (twice milled semolina flour with a finer texture than regular semolina).
3 Most Common 00 Flour Options You'll Find in Italian Grocery Stores
1. 00 Flour "per tutti preparazione" (for Every Preparation)
This flour (blue bag above) usually has around 11% -11.5% protein. This is what I use as a substitute for all-purpose flour in most of my baking and cooking recipes including homemade fresh egg pasta dough recipes. I also use it for this basic 00 pizza dough recipe (with its relatively short 2-hour leavening time).
Note that all-purpose flour is often made up of a mix of both soft and hard wheat or only hard wheat whereas 00 flour uses only "grano tenero" or soft wheat.
2. 00 Flour "per impasti tradizionale" (for Traditional doughs)
This flour (red bag above) usually has around 12.5% protein. I use this flour for Neapolitan pizza dough which has a longer 24-hour leavening time which requires a higher protein % to hold up to the yeast feeding on the carbohydrates in the flour over this extended period of time.
3. 00 Flour "per dolci" (for Dessert) or "per dolci e frolle" (for Cakes and Shortcrust Pastry)
This one (pink bag above) usually has around 11% protein and is very similar to the other 00 flour used "for every preparation" mentioned above.

Can I Substitute All-Purpose or Bread Flour for 00 Italian Flour?
Yes, you can absolutely substitute a high-quality all-purpose flour or bread flour for the 00 flour used in this recipe and still make a great-tasting pizza. Especially because the crust is rolled out so thinly and it's not being hand-tossed (where we'd notice the shortcomings of using an all-purpose flour over the 00 flour).
I've made excellent thin-crust pizza dough using this exact recipe but substituting King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (which has 11.7% protein) for 00 Italian flour. That said, 00 Flour pizza dough compared to all-purpose flour pizza dough in a side-by-side comparison tastes better to us and has a better texture.
Bread flour (like King Arthur's or Hecker's) makes an even better substitute than all-purpose if you have it.

How Do I Know If This Pizza Dough Recipe Is For Me?
You'll definitely want to make this simple 00 thin-crust pizza dough if...
- You've previously failed hard at making good homemade pizza (we've all been there!)
- You want to make pizza that's healthier and more digestible
- You want to make pizza without a bready, dense, or heavy crust
- You want to be able to afford pizza night for your family without breaking your monthly food budget
- You're looking for no-fuss easy dinner recipes for family night
- You want to have full control over what's going into the pizza you're eating
- You want to be able to choose the highest-quality pizza topping ingredients

Can I Make Pizza If My Oven Doesn't Reach 500°F/288°C or Higher?
Yes, you can make great homemade pizza even if your oven doesn't reach 500°F/288°C! In fact, I'll show you precisely how to make perfect homemade pizza even if your oven only reaches upwards of 475°F-482°F/250°C (as is the case with my current European Whirlpool oven), and even if you only own a toaster oven.
One of the keys to making the absolute best homemade pizza crust: Preheat your oven with the pizza stone or steel (or my best pizza stone and pizza steel substitutes outlined below) for at least 30 minutes at the highest temperature your oven will go (even better if you can preheat it for 45 minutes).
That said, as with any good (or great) homemade pizza, there is science involved with baking. And the taste and texture of this 00 pizza dough are even better the higher you can crank the oven. Not only will the pizza crust have more "oven spring", but the pizza cooks faster creating a better overall texture. So, if you're lucky enough to own an Ooni pizza oven, an outdoor brick oven, or a Kettle Pizza Weber grill converter kit, you should definitely bake this pizza recipe in them!

What to Expect When You Make This 00 Pizza
This is not a pizza dough that's ready from start to finish in 30 minutes or even an hour. Because while it only takes 15 minutes to prep and fully knead, it still requires adequate hands-off proofing time to achieve its best flavor and texture.
If you want to make and eat this pizza on the same day (which we often do), you'll need to set aside about 2 ½ to 3 hours from start to finish (when you want to be sitting down eating the pizza). Since this basic 00 dough is made with yeast, it needs time to rise (proof or prove).
Here's Why Properly Proofing Pizza Dough Matters:
There are lots of "quick and easy pizza dough recipes" online promising to make "the best pizza recipe ever" often referring to almost "zero kneading and just 30 minutes of total rise time".
I can't get behind this concept because yeast pizza dough needs the proper amount of time to proof, or it inevitably lacks in both flavor and texture (not to mention it will also be less digestible). In fact, pizza dough actually tastes better when you prep a day or two in advance!
If a speedy, great-tasting, cracker-like magic pizza crust is what you're after, I recommend trying this delicious (no-yeast) St. Louis-Style pizza dough recipe instead↓. It's quick and easy (20-minutes) and will fill every pizza craving you're having but with just about zero effort and no rising time needed!

Homemade Pizza Timeline
Below is a schedule for how long each step of this homemade pizza-making process takes:
- 5 minutes to measure and mix the ingredients
- 10 to 12 minutes of kneading the pizza dough (by hand or in a stand mixer)
- 1 ½ hours for the first rise
- ½ hour for the second rise
- 5 minutes to roll, sauce, and top each pizza
- 8 minutes to bake
Why does pizza dough need to rise or proof? Any dough made with yeast (commercial or natural starter yeast) needs time to build a strong gluten network (for good texture), and for the yeast to have ample time to feed on the carbohydrates in the flour which helps develop the best pizza crust flavor and also makes pizza easier to digest.
In fact, for Italians, the digestibility factor of pizza is of equal importance to the quality of whole tomatoes used for the pizza sauce and the ingredients used for pizza toppings.

Homemade Thin-Crust 00 Pizza Dough Ingredients
All Homemade pizza dough includes 4 basic ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, and water. However, there are very good pizza-science reasons (outlined below) as to why you should also add extra virgin olive oil (or even vegetable oil) and sugar to your dough.
In fact, pizzerias across Italy (and in the States) typically don't add sugar or oil to the dough because it's not necessary since these pizzas are cooked in commercial or wood-burning brick ovens with temperatures reaching up to 800°F/425°C.
These pizzas cook much faster which means the science behind the ingredients and how each of them affects the dough as it bakes are very different from that of pizza cooked at lower temperatures for longer in a standard home oven.
However, sugar and oil are ingredients that even world-renowned Italian pizzaioli (plural for "pizza chefs") recommend adding to pizza dough when baking them in a home oven where temperatures may only reach between 450°F/232°C and 500°F/288°C.
Below is an overview of the ingredients used in this traditional pizza dough and what each of them adds in terms of flavor and texture when baked in a home oven (or toaster oven):
Yeast: I use SAF Instant Yeast and Red Star Instant Yeast. These are high-quality yeasts (SAF Instant is what we used in the commercial restaurant kitchen I worked in and is the preferred yeast in most commercial kitchens).
With instant yeast, you don't have to bloom it first in warm water (which is a 10-minute time-saver). Instead, it's added directly to the flour. You'll need 2 teaspoons (or just ¼ teaspoon less than one packet of yeast) for this pizza dough).
Flour: 00 Italian flour with 11 to 11.5% protein (or in a pinch substitute King Arthur's unbleached all-purpose flour with 11.7% protein). High-quality flour equals a better pizza crust.
Water: Use gently heated warm water between 110°F-115°F (43°C-46°C). Yeast will die at temperatures of 130ºF (54°C) or higher so if you don't have a thermometer, think of the temperature as needing to be just slightly warmer than milk would be for feeding a baby.
Salt: Every good pizza dough contains salt because, without it, it just won't taste great. That said, if you need to make a low-sodium pizza you can simply use less salt than this recipe calls for. In fact, I did this for my Mom so I know it's still delicious! FYI, I've used Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt in this recipe.
Sugar: I've added 2 teaspoons of sugar to this pizza dough to help with color without affecting the flavor of the dough at all. As mentioned above, sugar is not an ingredient found in typical pizzeria dough.
And while you don't have to add it (and you can even substitute honey or maple syrup), when cooking a pizza in the home oven, adding sugar helps improve the color of the pizza (see photo comparison below). You don't need to add a lot of sugar because flour already contains the natural sugars glucose and maltose which also help with coloring.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Most pizzerias in Italy making traditional pizza don't use oil in their pizza dough, but for pizza made in the home oven, we add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. And contrary to what most people think, oil isn't added to pizza dough for extra flavor, but rather to provide the necessary fat for a well-textured dough.
In fact, just about any vegetable oil will work if you don't have EVOO. However, if you're drizzling oil over the top of the fully assembled pizza just before baking (which I recommend) it does add extra flavor so do not use anything but extra virgin olive oil for this. Drizzle a #6 pattern over the assembled pizza like a real Neapolitan pizzaiolo does.


What is Dough Point and Why It Matters
In Italy, you'll often hear pizza chefs refer to the "dough point". So what is it? The dough point is the time when you decide three things: The elasticity, the softness, and the hydration of the dough.
Being able to identify the dough point is important because oftentimes we're just using a recipe we found online but the pizza turns out different than we'd expected -- it may be hard or doesn't leaven well.
If we're able to determine the dough point instead of solely relying on measurements, we'll have a much better result even if we follow a recipe exactly and weigh all of the ingredients. The more dough and yeast bread you make, the better you'll be at determining this.
You'll know the dough has reached the dough point when after you've kneaded it long enough, you start to see that the dough is no longer moist looking. At this point, start feeling the dough and if it's smooth, silky, soft, has the right elasticity, and is well-hydrated you've reached the dough point (see above photos and also watch the dough point video in the recipe card).
PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH POINT VIDEO
Check out this few-second video to see what the perfect dough point for this pizza dough looks like (so you'll never have to guess if you've kneaded your pizza dough long enough)!



Overview: Thin-Crust 00 Pizza Dough in 7 Easy Steps
Here's an overview of how to make this thin-crust 00 pizza, but you'll find the full recipe instructions in the recipe card or watch the pizza video that shows how to make it!



Step 1. Make the dough: Mix the dough ingredients together by hand or using a stand mixer. Do this in the order described in the recipe card.


Step 2. Knead the dough: Knead by hand or with your mixer. I like doing this by hand for 10 to 12 minutes unless I'm making a double batch to meal-prep dough balls for freezing.


Step 3. Let the dough rise (1st rise): Place dough into a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover tightly, and set aside to rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.


Step 4. Deflate the dough and form the dough balls: Punch down the dough to remove air bubbles and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a uniform ball, and place them onto a lightly oiled baking pan, then brush them lightly with a little oil, and cover the dough with sustainable cling film, OR place them onto a lightly floured baking pan, dust them with a little more flour and cover them with a clean lint-free kitchen towel.

Step 5. Let the dough rise (2nd rise): Allow the covered dough balls to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm environment (like the oven with the light turned on in the colder months or simply on the countertop in the warmer months).


Step 6. Roll out the pizza dough: Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured work surface or non-stick baking mat to ⅛ inch thick (about 12-13 inches in diameter). Trim the dough using a pizza cutter if desired. If you don't have a pizza peel dusted with semolina flour to hold the pizza crust, use the rolling pin to transfer it to a piece of parchment paper and place a cutting board or flimsy placemats underneath it for support while you top it.


Step 7. Top the pizza and bake the pizza: Top the pizza with your favorite store-bought or homemade pizza sauce, add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan or Grana Padano), add mozzarella cheese, then your favorite pizza toppings, and drizzle the pizza with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Bake pizza for about 8-10 minutes in an oven that has been preheated for at least 30 minutes (better for 45 min to 1 hour) at 482°F/250°C (or at the highest temperature your oven goes). Bake a few minutes longer if you're baking pizza at a lower temperature like 450°F/232°C. If you don't have a pizza peel, gently slide the entire sheet of parchment paper with the pizza off onto the baking stone (both options shown in above photos).


Best Pizza Toppings (With Photos)
Are you looking for the best pizza toppings and pizza dough recipes? Can't decide between vegetarian pizza, meat lovers pizza, or maybe even a supreme pizza?
You'll find it all in this Ultimate Homemade Pizza Guide. Whether you're looking for creative pizza toppings or authentic Italian pizza toppings, below are some of our favorites. Mix and match to make your pizza stand out or for a little make-your-own pizza bar inspiration!

A good rule of thumb when topping a pizza is to not add too much sauce or toppings. Add too much sauce and the dough won't cook like it's supposed to and it will be soft and maybe even soggy. Add just about ¼ cup of sauce or crushed fresh peeled whole tomatoes per pizza.
Also, slice any vegetables as thinly as possible and pat them dry to help remove excess moisture (a mandoline is one of my all-time favorite pizza tools to slice pizza toppings super thin like onions, mushrooms, etc.).
I know from personal experience it can be really hard to limit toppings when you have so many delicious ingredients to choose from. But if you can refrain from overloading your pizza, I promise you'll be rewarded with pizza perfection.
- Fior di latte (fresh cow's milk mozzarella), Mozzarella di Bufula (buffalo mozzarella), burrata cheese, or Ricotta
- Sun-dried tomatoes or roasted tomatoes in Olive Oil & Herbs
- Black Olives and Green Olives
- Romesco or purple, orange, green, or white cauliflower
- Pioppini mushrooms
- Shaved button or cremini mushrooms
- Sliced onions or shallots
- Artichoke hearts in oil
- Zucchini (julienned or shaved ribbons)
- Roasted Red, yellow, or green bell peppers
- Fresh Red, yellow, or green bell peppers
- Fresh basil (add a little before you bake the pizza and just after it comes out)
- Pesto (basil, spinach, or kale varieties)
- Sweet fresh pineapple tidbits
- Abruzzese Ventricina
- Spicy Italian Salami Piccante
- Pepperoni slices
- Sopressa or Sopressata
- Speck di Asiago (it may be added "in cottura" meaning before you bake the pizza, or just after the pizza comes out of the oven)
- Prosciutto di Parma (add it to the pizza just after the pizza comes out of the oven)
- Prosciutto cotto (or Canadian bacon)
- Italian salsiccia (or sweet or hot Italian sausage)
- Bacon
- Chashu Pork


(PHOTO LEFT: 00 pizza dough without sugar & PHOTO RIGHT: 00 pizza dough with sugar)
Why You Should Add Sugar To Pizza Dough When Cooking in a Home Oven
Adding Sugar Versus Not Adding Sugar in Pizza Dough: (see photo comparison above). As previously mentioned, when making 00 pizza dough at home you can choose to add the 2 teaspoons of sugar called for in this recipe or omit it altogether.
It won't affect the taste of your baked pizza, but it will affect the color as shown in the above photo comparison above. It's delicious either way so if you're not on a low-sugar diet, I recommend adding sugar for extra color. You can also substitute honey or pure maple syrup for the sugar for a less refined sugar option.


Equipment: The Best Tools For Making Pizza
Here are my favorite useful tools for making pizza at home:
- Kitchen scale: I highly recommend a scale because it provides consistency and precision, but if you don't have one, be sure to use the "scoop and level" method when measuring flour. To do this, use a large spoon to scoop flour and add it to a measuring cup until you have a heaping mound that overfills the cup. Use the back side (straight side) of a butter knife to scrape the excess flour off so you're left with a full cup of flour (as seen below).

- Mandoline slicer: for slicing ultra-thin vegetables which cook up faster
- Pizza stone: Emile Henry is what I've used for this post, but a refractory pizza stone would be even better
- Good pizza pans: (as outlined below) perfect for making hand-stretched or hand-tossed pizza
- Pizza peel: (or sub parchment paper)
- Rolling pin: for making thin-crust pizza
- Pizza cutter: for cutting the pizza
- Ladle or large soup spoon: for spreading out pizza sauce
Pizza Pro Tip: Best DIY Substitutes for a Pizza Stone or Pizza Peel
If you're wondering "Can I make homemade pizza without a pizza stone or pizza peel?", the answer is a resounding yes! In fact, you can make excellent pizza even if you don't own a pizza stone or peel.
Outlined below are my 2 favorite DIY baking stone substitutes and how to use them to get a really crispy and thin pizza crust:

My favorite substitute for a pizza stone is a large 12 or 15-inch cast iron skillet.
Turn it upside down and place it in the hottest part of your oven (for me this is the oven floor) and preheat it on your oven's highest setting for at least 30 minutes (or up to 45 minutes to 1 hour) before baking the pizza right on top (in above left photo).

My 2nd favorite substitute for a baking stone is a heavy-duty metal (not non-stick) sheet pan, or the grill pan that comes with your oven.
Place the baking pan in the hottest point of your oven (for me, this is the very bottom on the oven floor) and preheat the oven with the baking pan in it on your oven's highest setting for at least 30 minutes (or up to 45 minutes or 1 hour) before baking the pizza in the pan (in above right photo).
To use either of these two baking stone substitutes, it's best to place the rolled-out pizza dough onto a sheet of parchment paper before adding pizza sauce and toppings. Parchment paper is the perfect solution and substitute for a pizza peel when making homemade pizza!
Double up on the parchment paper if needed to ensure the bottom of the pizza dough is fully covered. The parchment paper acts as a substitute for a pizza peel. Place a cutting board or other flat surface under the parchment paper with assembled pizza to support it when you're ready to transfer it to the oven.
Gently, tug at the corner or the edge of the parchment paper to pull the whole parchment sheet (with the pizza still on it), onto the cast iron skillet or gently slide it off onto the preheated baking pan.

The Best Pizza Pizza Pans & Cooking Surfaces (Stones, Steels, Pans)
Besides baking pizzaa directly in my Ooni 12 Volt, my favorite way to bake pizza is directly on a well pre-heated pizza stone or pizza steel in my regular home oven. You'll get the best results when you allow the pizza stone to preheat for at least 45 minutes (even better for 1 hour) at your oven's highest temperature and in the hottest part of your oven.
I own a flame-proof Emile Henry stone↓ which allows me to place it directly on my oven floor (the hottest spot in my oven) without it breaking. Be careful of other types of stones that don't hold up well to super high heat because they can break.

A preheated heavy duty grill pan or heavy-duty aluminum ½ sheet pan also works well for making crispy thin pizza↓.

NOTE: If for some reason you don't want to preheat the pizza pan before baking the pizza, then go ahead and add a little olive oil to the pan before adding the rolled-out pizza dough directly to the pan and assembling the pizza.
It will help with browning. You may also sprinkle a little cornmeal on the pan after adding the oil to help prevent the pizza dough from sticking. The crust won't look like the ones in this post, but it will still be good.
Blue steel↓, carbon steel↓, and cast iron↑ also make excellent pans for baking pizza because of their even heat distribution and ability to retain heat.

Best 4 Ways to Meal Prep Homemade Pizza Dough
You can make pizza dough ahead of time and refrigerate it, or freeze it - and here's why you should! Making dough 1 to 3 days in advance and refrigerating it allows it to cure through a process known as cold-fermenting giving it superior flavor and texture to a pizza made the same day.
In fact, this is my favorite method for making better-than-average pizza whether I'm hand stretching the dough or rolling it out. Not to mention it's a huge time-saver for quick weeknight meals.
Depending on your schedule here are 4 ways to refrigerate homemade pizza dough:

Option 1: (My preferred option) Refrigerate the Just-Portioned (not yet risen) Dough Balls
Refrigerate portioned dough balls BEFORE they are allowed to rise for the second time. Lightly oil the inside of a large freezer bag being sure to cover the entire surface area inside. Place the dough balls an equal distance apart leaving room in between them as they will slightly expand.
Squeeze out all the air, seal them, and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Bring the dough balls to room temperature (see instructions below for how to temper refrigerated pizza dough balls) Then proceed with recipe instructions.
Option 2: Refrigerate Dough Balls Immediately After Forming
Refrigerate the dough just after kneading it to allow it to fully cold ferment (rise slowly in a cold environment) overnight or for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, portion it into 4 equal dough balls, brush them lightly with oil, cover them, and allow them to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Then proceed with recipe instructions.
Option 3: Refrigerate the Whole Dough After its First Rise
Refrigerate the dough just after its first rise (about 1 ½ hours in the winter and just 1 hour in the summer). Wrap it well and place it in the refrigerator overnight and for up to 3 days.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, portion it into 4 equal dough balls, brush them lightly with oil, cover them, and allow them to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Then proceed with recipe instructions.
Option 4: Refrigerate the Dough Balls After the 2nd Rise
Refrigerate the dough balls just after they've risen twice. Lightly oil the inside of a large freezer bag being sure to cover the entire surface area inside. Place the dough balls an equal distance apart leaving room in between them as they will slightly expand.
Squeeze out all the air, seal them, and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Bring the dough balls to room temperature (see instructions below for how to temper refrigerated pizza dough balls) Then proceed with recipe instructions. *This is my 2nd preferred method for making homemade pizza dough!
How to Temper Refrigerated Pizza Dough
If you've refrigerated individual pizza dough rounds, you'll need to allow them to come up to room temperature before rolling them out, or hand stretching them.
To properly warm (temper) refrigerated pizza dough, remove the sealed, lightly oiled dough balls from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature (keeping them in the sealed bag for 30-60 minutes before handling).
This crucial step allows the gluten to relax, making the 00 flour dough easier to stretch without tearing. For homemade pizza dough using Caputo or Italian 00 flour, this resting period ensures the perfect texture and elasticity that professional pizzerias achieve. Don't rush this step for best results.

How to Freeze Homemade Pizza Dough
Freezing pizza dough is so easy, and here's why you should! Since it's not recommended to refrigerate pizza dough past 3 days (at which point the dough begins the process of breaking down), the next logical step is to freeze any unused pizza dough.
In fact, it works so well, I usually scale the dough recipe (doubling or tripling it) and freeze half of the dough balls to use for easy pizza nights.

To freeze homemade pizza dough, lightly oil the inside of a large freezer bag covering the entire inside surface area. Place the dough balls an equal distance apart leaving room in between them. Squeeze out all the air, seal the bag, and place the pizza dough into the freezer for up to 3 months.
There are no negative effects of freezing pizza dough which is why I use this method to meal prep pizza regularly to make quick and easy pizza dinners anytime we're in the mood.


How to Thaw Frozen Pizza Dough Quickly
As seen in photos above, the best way to thaw frozen pizza dough quickly and effectively without damaging the dough, is to place the sealed bag of dough in a bowl of hot tap water for 20 minutes, then flip and soak another 20 minutes. The dough will be thawed but cool after 40 minutes total—let it rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before using.
Alternatively, transfer frozen dough to the refrigerator overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping.
For a hands-off method, place the frozen dough bag on the counter for about 8 hours in the winter and less in the summer. All methods yield perfect homemade pizza dough texture without compromising the authentic Italian quality.

The Best Ways to Reheat Leftover Pizza
Here are 4 easy ways to reheat leftover cold pizza:
- Emergency: Place it on a paper towel-lined plate and microwave (not recommended, but sometimes you need pizza fast).
- Oven Broiler Place the pizza in the oven under a preheated broiler for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
- Regular Oven: Place pizza on a baking sheet covered loosely with foil and add it to a preheated 375°F/190°C for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Skillet: Place pizza in a dry skillet and cover with a lid or foil and heat over medium-high heat for about 4 to 6 minutes (cast iron & carbon steel pans are my favorite pans for this).

More Uses for Homemade Pizza Dough
Here are just some of the many ways you can use this homemade pizza dough beyond making pizza with it:
- Calzone
- Stromboli
- Garlic breadsticks
- Garlic knots
- Homemade ham and cheese or pepperoni hot pockets
- Homemade Pepperoni pizza rolls
FAQs
You can make pizza dough ahead of time and refrigerate it, and here's why you should! Making dough 1 to 3 days in advance and refrigerating it allows it to cure through a process known as cold-fermenting giving it superior flavor and texture to a pizza made the same day.
In fact, this is my favorite method for making better-than-average homemade pizza whether I'm hand stretching the dough or rolling out. Not to mention it's a huge time-saver for quick weeknight meals.
Yes, you can freeze pizza dough, and here's why you should! Since it's not recommended to refrigerate pizza dough past 3 days (at which point the dough begins the process of breaking down), the next logical step is to freeze the pizza dough instead. In fact, it works so well, I usually double the recipe and freeze half of the dough balls. Check out the How to Freeze Homemade Pizza Dough section above for full instructions!
To thaw frozen 00 flour pizza dough effectively, place the sealed dough bag in a bowl of hot tap water for 20 minutes, then flip and soak another 20 minutes. The dough will be thawed but cool after 40 minutes total—let it rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before using. Alternatively, transfer frozen dough to the refrigerator overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping. For a hands-off method, place the frozen dough bag on the counter for about 8 hours. All methods yield perfect homemade pizza dough texture without compromising the authentic Italian quality.
The 4 easiest ways to reheat leftover cold pizza are, Emergency: Place it on a paper towel-lined plate and microwave (not recommended, but sometimes you need pizza fast). Oven Broiler: Place the pizza in the oven under a preheated broiler for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until warmed through and the cheese is melted. Regular Oven: Place pizza on a baking sheet covered loosely with foil and add it to a preheated 375°F/190°C for about 6 to 8 minutes. Skillet: Place pizza in a dry skillet and cover with a lid or foil and heat over medium-high heat for about 4 to 6 minutes (cast iron & carbon steel pans are my favorite pans for this).
To properly warm (temper) refrigerated pizza dough, remove the sealed, lightly oiled dough balls from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature in the bag for 30-60 minutes before handling. This crucial step allows the gluten to relax, making the 00 flour dough easier to stretch without tearing. For homemade pizza dough using Caputo or Italian 00 flour, this resting period ensures the perfect texture and elasticity that professional pizzerias achieve. Don't rush this step for best results.
Blue steel, Carbon Steel, and Cast iron make the best pizza pans to bake pizza in because of their heat conductivity and ability to disperse heat evenly and hold the heat longer than other metals which equals better more uniformly cooked pizza crust with nice browning. Pre-heated pizza steels and flame-proof pizza stones are perfect for baking any pizzas on, but especially for thin-crust pizzas. The key to getting the most out of your steel or stone is to preheat them for a minimum of 45 minutes at your oven's maximum heat. Preheating for the right amount makes all the difference.
When making pizza dough at home you don't have to add sugar, but there's a great reason why you should! Adding sugar doesn't affect the taste of your baked pizza, but it will affect the color as shown in my photo photo comparisons. This is because sugar helps with browning during baking and helps give homemade pizza a really nice golden brown color. It's delicious either way so if you're not on a low-sugar diet, I recommend adding sugar for enhanced color and overall appetite appeal. You can also substitute honey or pure maple syrup for the sugar for a less refined sugar option.

Looking For More Easy Pizza Recipes?
Below are a few of our favorite pizza recipes including a regional Italian fried pizza, thick crust pizza, bread flour pizza, no-yeast St. Louis-Style pizza (aka magic pizza with whole wheat option), pumpkin focaccia pizza, and naan pizza. Plus, all the best sides to serve with pizza!
- Best Pizza Toppings & Pizza Dough Ultimate Guide w/Real Photos
- Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (With Video)
- Best Thick-Crust Pizza Dough Recipe (Using 00 Flour)
- Best Thin-Crust Pizza Dough Recipe (Using Bread Flour)
- Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe (For Thin Crust Pizza)
- Best 20-Minute Thin and Crispy St. Louis-Style Pizza (No-Yeast )
- Easy 20-Minute Thin & Crispy St. Louis-Style Whole Wheat Pizza
- 20-Minute Valentine's Day Heart-Shaped Pizza


You can also find these non-traditional pizza crust base recipes which make a great way to repurpose homemade bread recipes for quick weeknight pizza dinners for your kids!
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Print📖 Recipe

Best 00 Flour Thin Crust Pizza Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 ( 12 to 14-inch) Thin-Crust Pizzas 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This easy 6-ingredient 00 flour pizza dough is one of our favorite pizza recipes to make! A basic Easy 00 pizza dough that takes just 12 minutes to mix and fully knead and is so versatile that it can be used to make thin and crispy pizza or a thicker crispy, soft, and chewy classic hand-stretched pizza. The best part -- your oven doesn't need to reach 500°F/260°C to make it!
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 480g 00 Italian flour (about 4 cups)*
- up to 300g warm water (between 110°F-115°F) (10 ⅝ fluid ounces)
- 2 teaspoons Red Star Platinum instant yeast (9g) (sub active dry yeast)*
- 2 teaspoons sugar (9g) (sub honey or pure maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (8g)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (30g) (sub other vegetable oil)*
For Working the Dough
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (for oiling the dough bowl and dough balls)
- 1 tablespoon of 00 flour (for incorporating into the dough while kneading it)
Toppings
- ¼ cup pizza sauce per pizza
- 1 cup to 1 ⅓ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Grana Padano (sub Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- toppings of your choice
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling over the top of assembled pizza before baking)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and pizza stone/grill pan. Turn the oven on to its highest setting (in my case this is 482°F/250°C) and allow it to preheat with the pizza stone or baking pan in (it in the hottest part of your oven) for at least 30 minutes (and up to 45 minutes or 1hr).
- Make the pizza dough. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook) combine the 00 flour, instant yeast, and sugar and whisk well to combine. *If using active dry yeast, see recipe notes for instructions. Add the olive oil and salt and slowly start adding the warm water just until the dough starts to come together and you can form a ball that's not wet and sticking to your fingers. *I rarely use all of the water - depending on the humidity of your environment and the absorption potential of the flour you're using, you may not need all of the water, or you may need just a teaspoon or two more if the mixture is too dry. See the video below for what the dough should look like at this stage.
- Knead the pizza dough and let it rise (1st rise). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it for 10 to 12 minutes until it's soft, smooth, and pliable. Add a sprinkle of flour every now and again if needed to keep the dough from sticking to the countertop as you knead, but be careful not to add too much. Place the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 2 hours in the oven with the light turned on, or at room temperature (70°F/21°C) until doubled in size.
- Portion and shape the dough. Punch down the risen dough to remove air bubbles and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and roll them each on the countertop to seal the bottom and create a uniform dough round.
- Let the dough balls rise (2nd rise). Place the dough balls onto a lightly oiled baking pan, brush them lightly with oil, and cover the dough with sustainable cling film, OR place them onto a lightly floured baking pan, dust them with a little more flour, and cover them with a clean lint-free kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes, or until they become puffy and hydrated looking.
- Roll out the pizza dough: Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured work surface or non-stick baking mat to ⅛ inch thick. Sprinkle the surface and the rolling pin as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper (as you would with pie crust) and place a cutting board underneath it for support while you top it. *If using a pizza peel, sprinkle a little semolina or cornmeal on it and transfer the pizza dough to the pizza peel.
- Top pizza and bake: Top the pizza with sauce, sprinkle with grated Grana Padano (or parm), and top it with grated mozzarella and the toppings of your choice. Drizzle the pizza with a little extra virgin olive oil and transfer it to the oven to bake for about 8-10 minutes. Bake a few minutes longer if you're baking pizza at a lower temperature like 450°F/232°C., and bake it a couple of minutes less if your oven is at 500°F-550°F, and Enjoy!
Notes
- If you want to make only 2 pizza doughs instead of 4, scale this pizza recipe down by half to make just 2 pizza dough rounds.
- If substituting instant yeast with active dry yeast, bloom the yeast first. To do this, add the sugar and about ½ of the warm water called for in the recipe to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer if using). Sprinkle the yeast over the top and allow it to bloom for about 10 minutes to make sure the yeast is working. You can skip this waiting period and use the mixture right away if you're not concerned about whether the yeast is active or not. It's a gamble some are willing to take. When you see the yeast is active, add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture and stir to combine using a fork or your hand. Continue adding water as needed until you have a shaggy, well-hydrated dough that's not sticky and can be formed into a ball (see photos in the main post). Knead the dough as instructed and proceed with the remaining instructions.
- If you don't have extra virgin olive oil, substitute any vegetable oil instead (grape seed oil, canola oil, etc.), but DO NOT drizzle anything but extra virgin olive oil on the top of the pizza before baking because this is solely for adding extra flavor.
- 2 teaspoons of yeast is equal to 1 packet of yeast minus ¼ teaspoon. A regular packet of yeast contains 2 ¼ teaspoons of yeast. If you want, you can simply add the whole packet but it's not necessary and the pizza in this post only uses 2 tsp. I use bulk yeast, so I never have to worry about what to do with leftover yeast from individual packets.
- I highly recommend using a scale to measure the pizza dough in grams vs using measuring cups because it's more accurate and it's consistent every time. However, if you don't own a scale, I've provided measurements in approximate cups, etc. For the flour, just be sure to use the "level and scoop" method when measuring flour instead of digging the measuring cup down into the bag of flour and scooping (which will make you end up with way too much flour). Instead, use a spoon or a scoop to add flour to the measuring cup (adding way more than you need to make a mound). Then use the back of a butter knife to level the top and remove the excess flour. This still won't be as precise as using a scale but will get you closer to the correct measurements.
- Less is more when it comes to toppings even if it's really hard to hold yourself back (believe me, I know!). Too much sauce, cheese, and toppings make for a soggy (and often undercooked pizza).
- Slice vegetables as thinly as possible and pat them dry to help remove excess moisture (a mandoline is one of my all-time favorite pizza tools to slice pizza toppings super thin like onions, mushrooms, etc.).
- To achieve the crispiest thin-crust pizza, always preheat the pizza stone or grill pan or ½ sheep pan for at least 30 minutes (or even up to 45 minutes or 1 hr) before baking the pizza. Check out the main post for why you shouldn't skip this step!
- If you're cooking this pizza in a wood-fired brick oven, Ooni pizza oven, or Kettle Weber converter grill kit, you can omit the sugar in this recipe. These ovens bake pizza at much higher temperatures than a standard home oven and therefore, you won't need to add sugar for extra color.
3 WAYS TO REFRIGERATE PIZZA DOUGH:
Making pizza dough 1 to 3 days in advance and refrigerating it allows it to cure through a process known as cold-fermenting giving it superior flavor and texture to a pizza made the same day.
-
- Refrigerate the dough just after kneading it and allow it to fully cold ferment (rise slowly in a cold environment) overnight or for up to 3 days. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, portion it into 4 equal dough balls, brush them lightly with oil, cover them, and allow them to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Then proceed with recipe instructions.
- Refrigerate the dough just after its first rise (about 1 ½ hours), and place it covered in the refrigerator overnight and for up to 3 days. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, portion it into 4 equal dough balls, brush them lightly with oil, cover them, and allow them to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Then proceed with recipe instructions.
- Refrigerate the dough balls just after their 2nd rise (after about 2 hours), lightly oil the inside of a large freezer bag being sure to cover the entire surface area inside. Place the dough balls an equal distance apart leaving room in between them as they will slightly expand. Squeeze out all the air, seal them, and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Bring the dough balls to room temperature (see instructions below for how to temper refrigerated pizza dough balls) Then proceed with recipe instructions. *This is my preferred method for making homemade pizza dough!
- To freeze this pizza dough, lightly oil the inside of a large freezer bag covering the entire inside surface area. Place the dough balls an equal distance apart leaving room in between them. Squeeze out all the air, seal them, and place pizza dough into the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat pizza: There are 4 easy ways to reheat leftover cold pizza:
- Emergency: Place it on a paper towel-lined plate and microwave (not recommended, but sometimes you need pizza fast).
- Oven Broiler Place the pizza in the oven under a preheated broiler for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
- Regular Oven: Place pizza on a baking sheet covered loosely with foil and add it to a preheated 375°F/190°C for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Skillet: Place pizza in a dry skillet and cover with a lid or foil and heat over medium-high heat for about 4 to 6 minutes (cast iron & carbon steel pans are my favorite pans for this).
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Rise or Proofing Time: 120 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 (12-inch) pizza
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