Ina Garten Pizza Dough Recipe
Love homemade pizza nights? This Ina Garten Pizza Dough Recipe makes the crispiest and chewiest crust ever. Perfect base for any toppings! I've tested many doughs.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups warm water 105-115°F
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Cornmeal for dusting pizza peel
Instructions
Activate the Yeast
- Pour warm water into large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Add honey. Stir gently. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. No foam? Start over with fresh yeast.
Mix the Dough Base
- Add flour, olive oil, and salt to yeast mixture. Mix by hand or dough hook on low speed. Dough forms shaggy ball. Sticky but manageable. Don't add extra flour yet.
Knead Until Smooth
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 8-10 minutes until silky smooth. Or mixer medium speed 5 minutes. Dough springs back when poked. Elastic perfection!
First Rise Magic
- Coat large bowl with olive oil. Place dough inside. Turn to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise warm spot 1-2 hours. Doubles in size beautifully.
Shape and Second Rise
- Punch down dough gently. Divide into 2 equal balls. Cover loosely. Let rest 15-20 minutes. Ready to stretch or roll. Handles like dream now.
Bake to Golden Glory
- Preheat oven to 500°F with pizza stone inside. Stretch dough on floured surface. Dust peel with cornmeal. Add toppings. Slide onto stone. Bake 12-15 minutes until crisp.
Notes
- Warm water crucial—too hot kills yeast, too cold slows rise.
- Honey feeds yeast better than sugar.
- Don't over-flour counter—dough needs slight stickiness.
- Variation: Add 1 tsp Italian seasoning to dough.
- Whole wheat: Swap 1 cup flour for whole wheat.
- Gluten-free: Use 1:1 GF flour blend.
- Thinner crust: Divide into 3 balls.