Create the perfect homemade pizza with this easy plain flour pizza dough recipe! Enjoy consistently delicious pizza bases that are simple to make and the perfect texture. Give this straightforward dough a try on your next pizza night!
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I used to rely on my bread maker for pizza dough, as making it by hand felt a bit daunting. However, it's actually quite simple! This easy pizza dough with plain flour has become my go-to.
In the UK, plain flour is a pantry staple, often more readily available than strong bread flour, which is typically used for pizza dough. This makes it a convenient choice for whipping up delicious homemade pizza any time
👩🍳 Love pizza? Try my easy pizza bianca - a white pizza with no tomato sauce.
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Easy pizza dough recipe.
- Makes 1 large pizza or 2 smaller pizzas.
- Uses plain flour.
- Double the recipe to feed a crowd.
- The dough can be frozen.
'I've just used this recipe and what a great outcome. My 10 yo loved it. Thanks for sharing. Ps. I kneaded that dough for about three minutes for a lighter texture!'
- AR
🛒 Ingredient notes
Plain Flour - Regular white plain flour is used in this easy pizza dough, providing a soft and tender base. If you prefer a chewier texture, you can substitute it with strong white bread flour, which contains a higher protein content.
Yeast - 7g sachet of fast action dried yeast is ideal for this recipe. This type of yeast activates quickly, ensuring a light and airy dough.
Salt - A pinch of salt enhances the flavour of the dough.
Caster Sugar - A small amount of caster sugar is added to feed the yeast, promoting better fermentation and a slightly sweeter taste.
Olive Oil - Adds richness to the dough but also helps to improve its texture and makes it easier to handle.
Water - Use tepid (lukewarm) water to help activate the yeast. The warm temperature encourages the yeast to rise effectively without killing it.
🔪 How to make pizza dough with plain flour
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Place the plain flour, dried yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and mix with a spoon.
Two: Add the olive oil and tepid water and mix with a spoon, then bring the dough together with your hands.
Three: Knead the dough for 1 minute on a lightly floured work surface before placing it back in the bowl (covered with clingfilm or plastic wrap) to prove for 45 minutes at room temperature (you could speed up proving by putting the bowl in a warm place like an airing cupboard).
💡 Pro Tip - you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough (on a low speed setting), but I like doing it by hand.
Four: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface or cutting board to roughly 30 cm diameter and place on a pizza stone or baking tray. Leave to rest for 5 minutes whilst you get the toppings ready.
Five: Spread the base with pizza sauce.
Six: Sprinkle over your chosen toppings. I love a meat feast pizza with ham, pepperoni and pancetta!
Seven: Top with grated mozzarella.
Eight: Bake in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Top Tips
- Instead of using a rolling pin, gently stretch the pizza dough by hand on your pizza stone or baking tray for a more authentic texture.
- For a rustic pizza base, sprinkle a bit of coarse semolina onto the baking tray or pizza stone before placing the dough on top. This adds a delightful crunch and prevents sticking.
- Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the dough before baking to enhance flavor and create a luxurious finish.
- For an extra crispy crust, use a pizza peel to transfer your pizza directly onto a preheated pizza stone or baking tray in the oven.
- This recipe yields one large pizza (30cm in diameter), or you can easily divide the dough to make two smaller pizzas if you prefer.
- Bake the pizza immediately after assembling to ensure the best texture; avoid letting it sit on the countertop for too long.
- Feel free to double the ingredient quantities if you want to make a larger batch of dough.
- Be mindful not to overload your pizza with too many toppings, as this can result in a soggy bottom crust. Stick to a balanced amount for the best results!
🍴 Serving suggestions
Top the pizza base with your favourite toppings and serve with sides of dough balls, cheesy chips, and sweet potato fries.
Some of my favourite toppings include;
- Ham and Pineapple
- BBQ Chicken and Bacon
- Garlic Mushrooms
- Ricotta and Pancetta
- Pepperoni
Check out these 45 easy side dishes to serve with pizza!
📖 Variations
You can replace the plain flour with either strong white bread flour or 00 flour.
Vary the toppings to suit your own taste!
🥡 Storage
The pizza dough can be made ahead and frozen until needed. Shape the dough into a round disc and wrap in cling film or plastic wrap.
Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost thoroughly in the fridge before rolling out to make your pizza.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can! Due to the lower protein content of plain flour, the texture of the pizza dough will be slightly different, but still as tasty!
Yes, it is. Plain flour is the term used in the UK, whereas all-purpose flour is the term used in the US.
😋 More recipes you might like
- Pizza Bianca
- Spicy Chicken Pizza
- Meat Lovers Pizza
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Easy Focaccia
- Scone Pizza
- Chorizo Mozzarella Pizza
- Naan Bread Pizza
Tried it? Let me know what you think and rate it ⭐️ below. Tag me @effortlessf00d-I'd love to see! Don't forget to subscribe for more recipes.
Recipe
Easy Plain Flour Pizza Dough
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Equipment
- Baking Tray or Pizza Stone
Ingredients
- 270 g Plain Flour
- 7 g Fast Action Dried Yeast
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Caster Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 160 ml Tepid Water
For the topping
- 3 tablespoon Pizza Sauce
- 150 g Mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 240°c (220 fan).
- Place the plain flour, dried yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and mix with a spoon.270 g Plain Flour, 7 g Fast Action Dried Yeast, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Caster Sugar
- Add the olive oil and tepid water and mix with a spoon, then bring the dough together with your hands.2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 160 ml Tepid Water
- Knead the dough for 1 minute on a lightly floured work surface before placing it back in the bowl (covered with clingfilm or plastic wrap) to prove for 45 minutes at room temperature (you could speed up proving by putting the bowl in a warm place like an airing cupboard).
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface or cutting board to roughly 30 cm diameter and place on a pizza stone or baking tray. Leave to rest for 5 minutes whilst you get the toppings ready.
- Spread the base with pizza sauce.3 tablespoon Pizza Sauce
- Top with your chosen toppings and sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese.150 g Mozzarella
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Notes
- Instead of rolling the pizza dough out with a rolling pin, place the dough on your pizza stone or baking tin and stretch it out with your hands.
- For an authentic rustic pizza base, sprinkle a little coarse semolina onto the baking tray or pizza stone before placing the dough on top.
- A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil before baking gives it an extra luxurious feel.
- For an extra crispy base, use a pizza peel (paddle) to transfer the pizza to the oven and place it directly on a preheated pizza stone or baking tray.
- The ingredients quantities in this recipe make 1 large pizza (30cm diameter) or you could make 2 smaller pizzas if you prefer.
- Make sure you bake the pizza immediately, don't leave it sitting on the countertop for too long.
- The pizza dough quantities can easily be doubled.
- Avoid overloading the pizza base with too many toppings. This can lead to a soggy bottom crust!
Delyth Bradshaw says
Wow, absolutely fabulous, my go to recipe for the future. Highly
Recommended.
SY says
Very simple recipe to follow. Pizzas turned out perfectly
AR says
I've just used this recipe and what a great outcome. My 10 yo loved it. Thanks for sharing. Ps. I kneaded that dough for about three minutes for a lighter texture.
Jess says
We make pizza dough every Friday night. This dough turns out perfect every single time!
Heidy says
This Easy pizza dough was a cinch to make and came out outstanding. I can't wait to use this recipe again!
Beth says
I'm so excited to try this! I've been trying to find a good pizza dough for so long, and they never live up to their hype. I love the simplicity of this one. That's always the best.
Suja md says
This looks really delicious and fairly simple to make! Can't wait to try it out! thanks for the recipe 🙂
Shadi Hasanzade says
I was looking for a reliable pizza dough recipe to use this Friday and here it is! I cannot wait to try this tomorrow!