I’ve tried more pizza dough recipes than I can count. Sourdough starters, overnight ferments, fancy Italian flour blends — you name it, I’ve attempted it. And after all that, I kept coming back to this one. Bob’s Red Mill’s Perfect Pizza Crust is, hands down, the best homemade pizza dough I’ve ever made. Simple ingredients, reliable every time, and it produces a crust that actually tastes like pizza. And for someone who likes to think they’re a good cook (who might not be the *best* when it comes to baking), this recipe is nearly fool-proof.
Full credit to Bob’s Red Mill — this recipe is pulled directly from their site and printed right on their bag. Although, I made some *slight* modifications on timing and one extra dough ingredient (mentioned with * below).
Need some topping suggestions? Here’s some of our favorites:
The White Pizza: Ricotta base, fresh mozzarella, a drizzle of good olive oil, cracked black pepper, and a handful of fresh basil after it comes out of the oven. Simple and perfect. Add a little lemon zest if you’re feeling it.
The Prosciutto & Fig: Olive oil base, fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced prosciutto added after baking (so it stays silky, not crispy, unless you prefer that), sliced fresh figs or a drizzle of fig jam, and a handful of arugula. Finish with a balsamic glaze. This one is a showstopper.
The Spicy Italian: Crushed San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, soppressata (thin sliced), fresh chili flakes, and a drizzle of honey straight out of the oven.
The Burrata Moment: Olive oil and garlic base, cherry tomatoes, fresh burrata torn on top after baking, fresh basil, flaky sea salt.
The Lemon Arugula White Pizza: Ricotta base, fresh mozzarella, baked until golden. The second it comes out of the oven — pile on a generous handful of wild arugula, hit it with fresh lemon juice and a heavy drizzle of really good olive oil, finish with shaved parmesan and flaky salt. The heat from the crust barely wilts the arugula and the lemon cuts through the richness of the cheese in the best way.
The Classic Done Right: San Marzano crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, good olive oil, and nothing else. Let the crust and the sauce do the work.
Ingredients
(Makes two 10-inch pizzas, or *one* 9×13 rectangle pizza)
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar * (my addition – speeds up process)
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour
- 1½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky — about 5 minutes. If it’s too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. (Dough can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days.) While the dough rises, preheat your oven to 500°F.
- Oil two 10-inch pizza pans or *one baking sheet pan (my personal choice). If making two round pizzas, divide the dough and press each piece into a disk, working from the center outward. If using the sheet pan, roll the dough out to cover the entire sheet.
- Here’s my biggest tip: roll it paper thin. I mean it. Thinner than you think. This is the secret to a truly crispy crust — don’t leave any bulk in the middle.
- Top with a light layer of your sauce and toppings.
- For 2 round pizzas – bake 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Make sure to use a spatchula and take a peek under the pizza – should be slightly golden brown.
- For a sheet pizza – Ive found that 15-20 minutes gives my pizza the perfect golden crisp. My personal trick: start the pizza on the lower oven rack, then move it to the top rack for the last 2–3 minutes to really crisp things up. Every oven runs differently, so keep an eye on it and don’t be afraid to let it go a little longer than the recipe says.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
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