thin crust pizza

Easy Thin Crust Pizza is thin but still perfectly foldable with a tasty and slightly crispy crust! A simple weeknight pizza dough made in 30 minutes!

Easy Thin Crust Pizza

Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast

Teaspoon Granulated Sugar

Cup Warm Water

Salt

Tablespoon Olive Oil

Cups All Purpose Flour

Cup Pizza Sauce

Cups Shredded Mozarella Cheese

Toppings As Desired

Tablespoons Butter

Teaspoons Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.&nbsp; Lightly grease a pizza baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer, mix together the yeast, sugar, and warm water and allow to sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture.&nbsp; Then, using the dough hook on your stand mixer, or a sturdy spoon if using a bowl, mix in the flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough has started to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

If using a stand mixer, mix the dough with the dough hook for 3 minutes on medium speed until the dough has completely pulled away from the sides and is smooth.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you are not using a stand mixer, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth.

Shape the dough into one ball, and slice in half evenly. At this point you can roll out both balls of dough for two 10 -12-inch pizzas. Or, store the remaining dough in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or the freezer for up to one month.

Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and transfer to prepared pan.&nbsp; Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.

While the pizza is in the oven, melt the two tablespoons of butter and stir in the garlic powder and salt.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with your favorite sauce, cheese, and toppings as desired, leaving 1/2 inch of the crust without toppings.&nbsp; Brush the 1/2 inch edge of crust with garlic butter.

Place the pizza back in the oven and continue baking pizza 10-15 minutes until crust is golden and crispy, and cheese is melted.

This recipe is published here on SE with the permission of Cook's Illustrated and originally appeared in the magazine's January/February 2011 issue (subscription required). For home cooks with little pizza experience, it's one of the easiest and surefire pizza recipes we've tried.

Cook's Illustrated's Thin-Crust Pizza Recipe

For the dough:

bread

sugar

yeast

water

vegetable oil,

table salt

For the sauce:

(28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded

olive oil

red wine vinegar

garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

black pepper

oregano

For the cheese:

Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)

milk mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups; see note)

For the dough: In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes.

Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.

For the sauce: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.

To bake the pizza: One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to second highest position (rack should be about 4 to 5 inches below broiler), set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Shape each half into smooth, tight ball. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray; let stand for 1 hour.

Coat 1 ball of dough generously with flour and place on well-floured countertop. Using fingertips, gently flatten into 8-inch disk, leaving 1 inch of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using hands, gently stretch disk into 12-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch. Transfer dough to well-floured peel and stretch into 13-inch round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by 1 cup mozzarella.

Slide pizza carefully onto stone and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat step 5 to shape, top, and bake second pizza.

This dough needs to be made a day ahead of time (though it can hang out in the refrigerator for another four days and in the freezer for a few months). The slow overnight rise in the refrigerator allows the dough to develop a complex flavor and improve its browning and crumb structure. Bread flour helps to give pizza that pleasing chewy texture, and instant yeast lets you skip the step you find in many recipes for proofing the yeast in water ahead of time. I strongly recommend applying your toppings with a light hand. I like baking pizzas on a baking steel, which is totally worth the investment, but you can also bake it on a baking sheet. This makes enough dough for two pizzas, which means you can have pizza again later in the week or you can tuck the extra dough in the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight the next time you want pizza.

Best Pizza Dough (for thin crust pizza with a chewy, puffy rim)

(3 3/4 cups) bread flour

(2 teaspoons) Diamond Crystal kosher salt

(1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast

(1 2/3 cups) cool water

olive oil,

Add the flour, salt, and yeast to a...

Add the flour, salt, and yeast to a large mixing bowl and stir. Add the water and stir until you don't see any dry flour. Then stir with a metal or wooden spoon for about 50 strokes (your arm should be getting tired and the dough should be shaggy but starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl as you stir). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour.

After about a 30 minutes of rising, gently...

After about a 30 minutes of rising, gently stretch and fold the dough over itself a few times. The dough should start to feel stretchier and sturdier. Cover again and let rise for another 30 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough over itself two or three more times. The dough should no longer look shaggy, but have a smooth appearance when pulled into a taut ball. Divide the dough in half and stretch each half into a ball. Coat lightly in olive oil and place each dough ball into a quart-sized zip top bag and refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. (If there is any dough you don't plan to use in 4 days, put it in the freezer now. When ready to use, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight and continue as directed.) 

On the day you plan to make the...

On the day you plan to make the pizza, pull the dough out of the refrigerator about an hour before you want to eat. If you have a baking steel or baking stone, make sure it's in the oven on the top rack. Preheat the oven as high as your oven will go (500°F or 550°F) about a half hour before you want to eat.

After the dough has been at room temperature...

After the dough has been at room temperature for about an hour, gently stretch the dough into a circle about 14-inches in diameter and place on a sheet of parchment paper set on the back of a baking sheet (if you feel comfortable using a peel you can, of course skip the parchment paper and build your pizza on a floured peel). Top the pizza lightly with whatever toppings you want. Slide the parchment paper and pizza onto your baking steel or stone (or if you don't have either of those, slide the whole inverted baking sheet into the oven on the top rack).

Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the dough...

Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the dough is deeply browned in spots. Slide the pizza onto a wire cooling rack and let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cutting board and slicing.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/wgvg2okx9lroynxx7tmw.mp4

The Best Pizza Dough Ever

The best homemade pizza crust, even better than any delivery pizza!

The Best Homemade Pizza Crust

active dry yeast (instant yeast will work fine too)

salt

½ cups flour, plus extra for kneading dough (see notes)

Cornmeal

parmesan cheese (the powdered kind)

parsley

In a large mixing bowl combine warm water,...

In a large mixing bowl combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let mixture stand for 5-10 minutes until completely dissolved and yeast is beginning to bubble.Stir in 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and olive oil with a wooden spoon. Then gradually add 2 more cups of flour until the dough starts to ball up. The dough should be soft and sticky. If the dough is too wet add another tablespoon or 2 of flour.

Tip the dough on to a lightly floured...

Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface and sprinkle flour on top. Knead for 5 minutes.

Coat your previously used bowl with olive oil....

Coat your previously used bowl with olive oil. Shape your dough into a ball and place into the bowl. Pull a large piece of plastic wrap out and spray it with cooking spray. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap (cooking spray side down). Place in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size (see notes).

After dough has doubled, knock the air out...

After dough has doubled, knock the air out of the dough. Knead a couple of times until the dough tightens up a little bit. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 balls. Place back into the bowl, recover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes. You can freeze one ball at this point if you’d like (see notes).

Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Take your...

Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Take your baking sheet or pizza stone and coat with cooking spray or olive oil. Sprinkle cornmeal over baking sheet or pizza stone (this gives the pizza an extra crunch and texture—don’t skip it!)

Tip dough on to lightly floured surface and...

Tip dough on to lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll pizza into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to baking sheet or pizza stone. Turn edge of dough in a bit and pinch to create a crust.

In a small bowl mix the ingredients listed...

In a small bowl mix the ingredients listed under “Olive Oil Mixture for Brushing Pizza.” Use a pastry brush (or a spoon if you don’t have one) and coat the pizza crust with the mixture. Then sprinkle with additional cornmeal. Prick the pizza crust with a fork a few times to prevent bubble from forming.

Add desired toppings to pizza crust and bake...

Add desired toppings to pizza crust and bake for 10-12 minutes

The best thin crust pizza dough. Cold rise, thin crust, crispy, perfect pizza. You will never need another pizza dough recipe.

Perfect Thin Crust Pizza Dough

(20.25 ounces, 574 grams) all purpose flour

(0.44 ounces, 12.5 grams) salt

(0.11 ounces,3.1 grams) instant yeast

(2 ounces, 59 milliliters) olive oil

(14 ounces, 414 milliliters) water (ice cold)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or...

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast. Add the olive oil and cold water and knead with the dough hook for 5-7 minutes, or 8-10 if kneading by hand.

The dough should be smooth and elastic, and...

The dough should be smooth and elastic, and clear the sides of the bowl (it will be fairly sticky, but as long as it clears the sides of the bowl that’s okay - if if doesn’t clear the sides, sprinkle in a little more flour).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and...

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray it with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured countertop and cut it into 4 equal pieces (or 6 if you want smaller pizzas).

Gently shape each piece into a ball with...

Gently shape each piece into a ball with floured hands and place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Mist the dough balls with spray oil and lightly cover them with plastic wrap.

Place the pan into the refrigerator overnight, or...

Place the pan into the refrigerator overnight, or for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze the dough balls at...

You can also freeze the dough balls at this point, by placing the oiled dough balls into individual freezer bags for up to 3 months, removing them to the fridge the day before using them.

The day you want to make pizza, remove...

The day you want to make pizza, remove the dough to room temperature 2 hours before making pizza.

On a floured counter, flatten the cold dough...

On a floured counter, flatten the cold dough into 1/2 inch thick disks, spray lightly with oil and then cover them to rest for two hours.

Preheat the oven 45 minutes before baking the...

Preheat the oven 45 minutes before baking the pizza to 500 degrees F.

With floured hands, stretch the dough out to...

With floured hands, stretch the dough out to 12 inch rounds, using the backs of your hands and your knuckles to do so. It will get quite thin without breaking. When it is stretched as large as you like, add the toppings you like (remembering it’s a thin crust so it’s best with fewer toppings!) and bake for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned.

I like to prepare my pizza on a...

I like to prepare my pizza on a sheet of parchment paper and then slide the paper with the pizza directly onto a hot pizza stone in the oven. If you don’t have a pizza stone, a cookie sheet turned upside down and heated in the oven works well too. Just place your stone or cookie sheet into the oven to heat when you turn on the oven.

Once cooked, slide the parchment with the pizza...

Once cooked, slide the parchment with the pizza back out of the oven onto a cutting board.

Wait 5 minutes before slicing for the cheese...

Wait 5 minutes before slicing for the cheese to set.

This thin crust pizza dough recipe is chewy, delicious, and super thin! Even better: it's easy to make at home. Here's a tutorial, with step-by-step video!

Thin Crust Pizza Dough (with Video!)

500 grams* Tipo 00 or all-purpose flour (3 1/3 cups)

8 grams instant or active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)

7 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)

338 grams warm water (1 1/4 cups + 3 tablespoons)

olive oil (1 tablespoon)

Semolina flour

For the toppings, refer to our Homemade Pizza Recipes

Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir to combine. Add the water and olive oil and stir until a raggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.

After the kneading is finished, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Using floured hands, gently shape each half into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Set each boule on a floured surface and dab the dough with a bit of olive oil to keep it moist. Cover all boules with a damp towel and allow them to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The dough can be used immediately. However for the best flavor, transfer the dough to separate sealed containers, large enough for the dough to double in size again, and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. (Alex and I don’t always do this, but we try when possible because it makes for a noticeably nutty, unique flavor that truly is the best homemade pizza dough you’ve ever had.) You can also freeze pizza dough you don&#8217;t plan to use the day of. 

**If you’re using the dough after refrigerating: 

The day of serving, remove the dough from the containers, place it on a lightly floured surface covered with a towel, and allow it to come to room temperature before stretching, 30 to 45 minutes.

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here’s the pizza oven we use).

Prepare the pizza toppings: refer the pizza recipe of your choosing.

When the oven is preheated, roll out the dough. Place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, adding a pinch of flour if it is too sticky. Then roll out the dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter, using just enough flour on each side to keep it from sticking. If the dough starts to resist rolling, wait for a minute or two, at which point it will roll out more easily.

Spread your pizza peel with semolina flour or cornmeal. Use your hands to carefully place the dough on a pizza peel spread. Top the pizza (refer to the pizza recipe instructions), then use the pizza peel to transfer the dough to the pizza stone. Bake about 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1569286191/ijmetbbxlop75f1e2vff.mp4

This thin crust pizza dough recipe is chewy, delicious, and super thin! Even better: it’s easy to make at home. Here are all our secrets!

Thin Crust Pizza Dough

If you’re a fan of a thinner crust then you will absolutely love this easy to prepare Italian homemade pizza crust recipe.

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

active yeast

00 flour

semolina flour

sea salt

pizza sauce

mozzarella

basil leaves

dry oregano

Add a pizza stone to your oven and preheat to 500°.

Add the water, sugar, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until completely combined, and let sit for 5-7 minutes until a raft forms on top.

Next, add the flour, semolina, and salt to the bowl and knead the dough with the hook attachment on low to medium speed for 10 minutes.

Cover the dough and keep it in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and transfer to a clean surface and divide into 3 dough balls.

Lightly knead for 1 minute and form into a ball.  Cover with a towel and let sit for 15 minutes.

When ready to cook, stretch out a dough ball until it is about 12” to 15” in diameter.  Transfer the rolled-out dough to a pizza peel or cutting board dusted with cornmeal.

Add on desired toppings and slide onto the preheated pizza stone and bake in the oven at 500° for 7 to 10 minutes.  After 3-4 minutes rotated the pizza 180°.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRx2wofxxgI

If you’re a fan of a thinner crust then you will absolutely love this easy to prepare Italian homemade pizza crust recipe. 

Thin crust pizza is innately Italian, and most people who think of thin-crust pizza think of New York style or Neopolitano.  This is the pizza that is thin in the center with a thick fluffy crust around the outside.  When I think of thin crust, I think of mid-west style pizza which is thin all the way around and may or may not have a little bit of a crust around the outside. 

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 2 1/4 cup warm water (115° to 118°) 510g 
• 2 teaspoons sugar 8g 
• 2 teaspoons active yeast 7g 
• 3 1/3 cup 00 flour 600g
• 1 cup semolina flour 150g
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1g
• pizza sauce
• shredded mozzarella
• sliced mozzarella
• fresh basil leaves
• dry oregano

Serves 12

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Proof Time: 60 minutes

Procedures:

1. Add a pizza stone to your oven and preheat to 500°.
2. Add the water, sugar, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until completely combined, and let sit for 5-7 minutes until a raft forms on top.
3. Next, add the flour, semolina, and salt to the bowl and knead the dough with the hook attachment on low to medium speed for 10 minutes.
4. Cover the dough and keep it in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
5. Punch the dough down and transfer to a clean surface and divide into 3 dough balls.
6. Lightly knead for 1 minute and form into a ball.  Cover with a towel and let sit for 15 minutes.
7. When ready to cook, stretch out a dough ball until it is about 12” to 15” in diameter.  Transfer the rolled-out dough to a pizza peel or cutting board dusted with cornmeal.
8. Add on desired toppings and slide onto the preheated pizza stone and bake in the oven at 500° for 7 to 10 minutes.  After 3-4 minutes rotated the pizza 180°.



Chef Notes:

Make-Ahead: Pizza is usually meant to be eaten right when it comes out of the oven.  If you want to make it ahead of time, you can make the dough up to 1 day before and keep it in the refrigerator. 

How to Reheat: Place your cooked pizza on a preheated pizza stone at 350° and bake for 2-4 minutes or until hot.  You can also heat in the microwave until hot. 

How to Store: Place the dough balls covered and in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  You can freeze them covered for up to 1 month.  Thaw the dough ball in the refrigerator for 1 day before using.  If you have already cooked your pizza, it will last up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.  Cooked pizzas do not freeze that well. 

If you cannot find 00 flour, then substitute with bread flour.  If you don’t have bread flour you can use all-purpose flour, but you will need to decrease the amount of water by 5%.

You can absolutely make this recipe by hand, just use a regular bowl and whisk to active the yeast then mix everything by hand. 

If you only have instant yeast, you can forgo the procedure of waiting for the raft to form.

The pizza stone needs to be preheated for about 30 minutes total.

This recipe is one of the best thin crust pizza recipe, which gives a crisp and light thin crust pizza base.

Best Thin Crust Pizza

water (or add as required)

whole wheat flour

all purpose flour

salt (or add as required)

bell pepper

onion

corn kernels

oregano (as required)

red chilli flakes (as required)

pizza cheese cheese

Pizza Sauce

olive oil (for brushing)

flour corn meal

In a mixing bowl take sugar and instant yeast.

Add water.&nbsp;mix well so that the instant yeast granules dissolve.

Now add whole wheat flour (atta), all purpose flour (maida) and ½ teaspoon salt or add as required.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil.&nbsp;Mix everything.

Then add the remaining ½ cup water.&nbsp;mix and begin to knead.

Knead to a smooth dough for 10 to 12 minutes. A slight sticky dough is also fine. The dough has to be kneaded very well. Do add more water if required while kneading.

Flatten the dough.&nbsp;spread some olive oil all over.

Cover the bowl with a cotton towel or lid. Let the dough leaven for 2 hours.

When the dough is leavening you can prep the veggies and keep them aside. I have used onions, capsicum and steamed corn kernels.

You can also make the pizza sauce which gets done in 15 to 20 minutes.

After 2 hours, punch a few holes in the dough and they should bounce back.

Divide the dough in three parts for a 10 to 10.5 inches round baking pan. Roll into balls. Keep them covered. If using a smaller pan, then divide the pizza dough into 4 parts.

making thin crust pizza dough

Take a round pan or a pizza tray. Grease it with some olive oil.

Sprinkle some flour all over. You can also use cornmeal (makai ka atta).

Take one dough ball and place it on the greased round tray.

With your fingers press and nudge the dough till the dough covers the entire surface of the pan or tray.

Keep the thickness uniform all over. The thickness of the pizza dough can be from 0.3 to 0.5 cm thickness. Since the dough stretches easily, its easy to spread it with your fingers.

Top 9 thin crust pizza recipes from across the web

The most viewed thin crust pizza recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Easy Thin Crust Pizza

Cook's Illustrated's Thin-Crust Piz...

Best Pizza Dough (for thin crust pi...

The Best Homemade Pizza Crust

Perfect Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Thin Crust Pizza Dough (with Video!...

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

Best Thin Crust Pizza

Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Top 9 thin crust pizza recipes from across the web

The most viewed thin crust pizza recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Easy Thin Crust Pizza

Cook's Illustrated's Thin-Crust Piz...

Best Pizza Dough (for thin crust pi...

The Best Homemade Pizza Crust

Perfect Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Thin Crust Pizza Dough (with Video!...

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

Best Thin Crust Pizza

Thin Crust Pizza Dough

The most viewed thin crust pizza recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine