Every once in a blue moon you stumble onto a recipe so simple, yet so versatile that it’s mind altering. This 5 minute pizza dough is one of those recipes. “Wait!” You say. “It’s pizza dough. Ok, so it’s 5 minute pizza dough, but what’s special about that? It’s for pizza, right?”
Yes. And at the same time, a definitive and resounding no.
Yes, this is a great pizza dough recipe, and it makes amazing, chewy pizza with a crisp bite, but it’s not limited to just pies. With no modification, this can be the heart of crazy good calzones, hot pockets, or cheesy bread. Let the dough rise a bit, and it makes insanely good focaccia and with just a little more time, becomes freaking awesome ciabatta, my personal favorite burger bun substitute. If left to rise in the fridge overnight, it’s perfect for bread sticks or garlic knots or…well, you get the picture.
One dough to rule them all. That’s what this is. And it only takes about 5 minutes to put together. No mixer. No special tools. Heck, you don’t even need a measuring spoon. (No tiny people or mythical beasts, either, for that matter.) What more could you want?
Once you’ve tried this, I’m sure you’ll be as hooked on it as my family is. So let’s get to it, shall we?
So to start on our 5 minute pizza dough adventure, we’ll need to gather our ingredients. Grab some bread flour (Or good old all-purpose, they both work here), some honey, some yeast, a bit of warm water, some salt and some olive oil (measurements are below). Get them all ready, this doesn’t take long.
The yeast goes in the bowl.
Then the honey.
Add the water, Mix, and pour a cup of coffee or something. You need to give the yeast about 3 minutes to get all foamy and active-ey. (I know. not technically a word, but bear with me here.) Add in the flour and salt and get to stirring.
This is the only tricky bit. This dough is very sensitive to humidity, and has a tendency to be finicky. Start with 2 1/2 cups of flour and mix. When done, everything should come together, be very pliable, but not sticky. If the dough is runny or sticky, add more flour a tablespoon at a time and keep mixing until it looks about like this. (If it’s too dry, add water a tablespoon a time and mix again until it gets to this consistency.)
See how it all pulls away from the side of the bowl and looks fairly firm and dry? That’s what you want.
Now shape it into a ball or two, or however many you want, clean the counter and grab your pizza toppings, because you’re done. All you have to do from here is roll it out and cook it at 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 C, Gas #8) for about 8 minutes on a pizza stone. Yeah. That’s it.
If you want to store this dough for later (and you should, oh yes, you should make extra!), just coat it in some olive oil and plop it in a zip top bag. It’ll keep in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for a few months, always ready to go when you are.
Now, the “official” printable recipe.
5 Minute Pizza Dough
The most versatile 5 minute pizza dough recipe ever. No kneading, no rise time, just make it and you're ready to start baking your pizza in 5 minutes. Also great for calzones, focaccia and ciabatta.
Ingredients
- 1 (.25oz) pkg active dry yeast (2¼ tsp from a jar)
- 2 Tablespoons Honey or one Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water (110ºF)
- 2½ to 3 1/4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (See notes)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- Cornmeal, for dusting pans, pizza peels, etc. (To keep the dough from sticking while being cooked.) - Optional if you're making the dough to use later
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450 degrees. If you've got a pizza stone, be sure to put it in the oven before you turn on the heat.
- In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in warm (110 degree F) water. Let stand a few minutes, until the yeast becomes frothy.
- Add the flour, olive oil and salt and stir with a wooden spoon (or mix by hand) until a soft dough forms. the dough should be fairly firm. If not, mix in additional flour a tablespoon at a time until it is no longer sticky. If it's too dry, mix in additional water a tablespoon at a time until it forms a good dough.
- Roll the dough into a ball (for a thick crust) or into two separate balls (For thin) or four separate balls (For extra thin pizzas or small individual pizzas.)
- Let the dough rest 3 to 5 minutes while you gather your pizza toppings. If desired, store dough coated in olive oil in a zip top bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Roll dough to desired thickness and shape. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for 8 to 10 minutes on a pizza stone dusted with cornmeal or a pizza pan dusted with cornmeal, or a baking sheet (Yes, still dusted in cornmeal.), or until just browned and toppings are bubbly. (Time will depend on the thickness of the dough and your oven. Keep an eye on the dough so it doesn't overcook!)
Notes
Finicky dough alert!
Baking cakes and pastries is a science, but bread making is magic. This recipe, while solid, is very sensitive to changes in humidity, so be ready with a little extra flour and a little extra water just in case. You'll find that the dough is too dry one day and way too loose the next time you make it, so you'll have to play with it just a little to get it right. But the time spent is oh-so-worth it.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 831Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 498mgCarbohydrates: 150gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 22g
What I would Have Done Differently
The options here are endless, guys. Mix in some herbs or spices, use more or less honey. Swap the honey out for sugar. Change the flavor by using infused olive oil (Garlic goes great). What you do with this dough from here is completely up to you. It’s going to be awesome. Trust me.
Other 5 Minute Pizza Dough (And Quick Dough) Recipes
- Simple No Knead Pizza Dough, from My Baking Addiction
- 5-Minute Pizza Dough, from in Jamie’s Kitchen
- No Knead Pizza Dough (With pizza Recipe), from Steamy Kitchen Recipes
In Closing – Credits, etc.
My great thanks and appreciation to Fellow Blogger, Texan and expert bread maven Marye Audet White, a.k.a. The Restless Chipotle, who helped me figure out just how to write the recipe for this 5 minute pizza dough. As I said, the dough is finicky. After the fifth try with different results each time, I swallowed my pride and asked for help writing the instructions. Marye, you’re the best!
So what do you think? Is this something you’re eager to try? You should be. And I want to know what you make with this dough, so please. PLEASE, whip some up and leave a comment with links to your recipes or a description. And let us know if you had any trouble. Remember, your comments help other people out, too. You’re a valuable part of all of this and we love to hear your input!