Easy Pizza Dough

By RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Cooking Light)

A simple and delicious pizza dough recipe with a little bit of honey sweetness added in.

Prep: 25

Cook: 18

Rising Time: 30

Total: 1 13

Servings: 1 ball of dough (enough for 12-inch pizza)

Save Pin Print

Ingredients

▢ 2 teaspoons honey
▢ 1 package (about 2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
▢ ¾ cup warm water (100° to 110°)
▢ 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces), divided
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ 2 tablespoons cornmeal

Instructions

Dissolve honey and yeast in ¾ cup warm water in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes or until it begins to bubble. Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes (or use dough hook on your stand mixer); add enough of the remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly sticky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)
Roll dough into a 12-inch circle (about ¼-inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a rimless baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim. Lightly spray surface of dough with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap. Place the dough in refrigerator for up to 30 minutes.
To prepare pizza immediately, preheat a baking sheet or baking stone in the oven (on lowest rack) to 500 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap from the dough; discard and brush 2 teaspoons olive oil on the dough. Use spatula to slide dough onto preheated baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Then spread sauce and desired toppings onto the pre-baked crust. Move to the middle rack and bake for about 10 more minutes, until crust is golden & cheese melts.

Notes

To simulate a warm place for rising, turn on your oven briefly (30 seconds) and turn the oven light on too. Turn off the oven, place the pizza crust inside the oven & close the door. The oven will be warmer than your kitchen.
To freeze dough: Follow the recipe through the 1st rise, then punch the dough down (to expel gas & redistribute the yeast). Form the dough into a ball, lightly dust it with flour, and seal it in a heavy-duty zip bag. Freeze for up to 2 weeks. To use, thaw dough overnight in refrigerator; remove it from the fridge, and allow it to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before rolling it out and proceeding with the recipe as directed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ball of dough, Calories: 1146kcal, Carbohydrates: 241g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1170mg, Potassium: 382mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 14mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.