King Arthur Pizza
Submitted by vorene
King Arthur pizza dough recipe yields crackling-crisp crust with a chewy middle. Classic hand-kneaded yeast dough for homemade pizza night, makes three to four 12-inch pies.
YIELD
1 pizzaPREP
40 minCOOK
20 minREADY
3 hrsThis is an old-school pizza dough built on simple pantry staples: flour, water, yeast, a whisper of sugar to feed the yeast, and olive oil for flavor and flexibility. The magic happens during kneading, where gluten strands tighten up and give you that coveted pull-and-chew bite. Don’t rush the rise. A full doubling in bulk is what builds flavor and airy pockets inside the crust.
When rolling, the dough will fight back. Let it rest a few minutes between passes so the gluten relaxes, then flip it and roll the reverse side for an even stretch.
A rip-roaring hot oven is the trick to getting that bottom browned before the toppings turn soupy. Keep toppings light so the crust stays crisp, and finish with a flurry of grated cheese right before it goes in.
Pro Tips
- Use bread flour if you have it for extra chew. All-purpose works fine, but the protein bump in bread flour gives you a sturdier crust.
- Activate your yeast in warm water around 110°F (43°C). Too hot and you kill it; too cold and it stalls.
- Brush the rolled-out dough with a light coat of olive oil before saucing. This barrier keeps the crust from going soggy.
- Freeze extra dough balls after the first rise. Thaw overnight in the fridge and they’re ready to roll.
Variations
- Swap 1 cup of flour for whole wheat for a nuttier, heartier crust.
- Stir dried oregano and garlic powder into the flour for a seasoned dough.
- Shape smaller rounds for personal pizzas and let the family top their own.
Ingredients
Directions
Dissolve in 2 cups warm water in this order: 1 tablespoon each of sugar, dry yeast and salt.
Blend in with a large spoon 5½ to 5½ cups of flour.
You can also add two tablespoons of olive oil for flavor.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and springy.
Clean and grease your large bowl, place the dough in it, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk (1 to 2 hours).
Preheat oven to 450℉ (230℃).
Punch down dough, divide into 3 to 4 pieces.
Roll out each piece on a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin into circles that fit into 12 inch pizza pans.
Let the dough rest several times to relax it and make it more cooperative.
Turn it over from time to time and roll the reverse side.
Brush on a bit of olive oil; spread pizza or spaghetti sauce lightly over the surface and add own toppings.
Sprinkle the top with grated cheese.
Bake for 15 mins.
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