Chewy Artisan Pizza Dough Recipe

Introduction

This chewy artisan pizza dough creates the perfect base for your favorite toppings. With simple ingredients and a slow rise, it develops great flavor and a satisfying texture that rivals pizzeria-quality crusts.

Ingredients

• 500g (3 ¾ cups plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 375g (1 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp) warm water, divided
• 1g (¼ tsp) active dry yeast
• 10g (1 ½ tsp) fine salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the flour and all but 1 tablespoon of the warm water. Stir until just combined, then cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
2. Step 2: In a separate bowl, dissolve the yeast in the remaining warm water. Let sit for a few minutes to activate.
3. Step 3: Sprinkle salt over the surface of the dough. Stir the yeast mixture into the dough and fold to incorporate. Wet your hands lightly to avoid sticking. Pinch and fold several times until the dough becomes shaggy.
4. Step 4: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
5. Step 5: After resting, wet your hands lightly and fold the dough by stretching a section and folding it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4-5 times until the dough forms a ball. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, seam side down. Cover and let rise 5-6 hours or until doubled in size.
6. Step 6: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and cut in half. Shape each piece into a ball by stretching and folding the edges into the center, then tighten by cupping and pulling the dough toward you. Place balls on a greased plate, oil the tops lightly, cover, and rest 1 hour.
7. Step 7: Preheat oven to 500°F (or highest temperature). Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and heat for at least 45 minutes.
8. Step 8: On a floured surface, flatten each dough ball into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a floured pizza peel or lightly greased cast iron pan. Add toppings as desired.
9. Step 9: Slide pizza onto the preheated stone or steel and bake for 5 minutes. For a crispier crust, broil 2-4 minutes until golden and bubbly.
10. Step 10: If using a cast iron pan, bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for the last few minutes. Enjoy your delicious artisan pizza!

Tips & Variations

• Use bread flour instead of all-purpose for an even chewier texture.
• Letting the dough rise overnight in the fridge can improve flavor and make preparation easier.
• For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend designed for bread making.
• Adding a tablespoon of olive oil to the dough can enrich the flavor and make handling easier.

Storage

Store any leftover dough tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To use, let it come to room temperature for about 1 hour before shaping. The baked pizza is best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or on a skillet to restore crispness.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough up to the point of the first rise and refrigerate it overnight. This slow fermentation develops flavor. Just bring it to room temperature before continuing with shaping.

What if I don’t have a pizza stone or baking steel?

An inverted baking sheet works well as a substitute and should be preheated in the oven to mimic the effect of a stone or steel for a crisp crust.

Chewy Artisan Pizza Dough Recipe

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4.8 from 124 reviews

This Chewy Artisan Pizza Dough recipe creates a deliciously tender yet chewy base perfect for homemade pizza. Made with simple ingredients and a long fermentation process, the dough develops great flavor and texture. The high-temperature baking on a pizza stone or steel produces a crisp, golden crust that is ideal for a range of toppings.

• Author: Marco
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10-25 minutes
• Total Time: 7 hours
• Yield: 2 medium pizzas (12-inch each) 1x
• Category: Pizza Dough
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

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Dry Ingredients

• 500g (3 ¾ cups plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 1g (¼ tsp) active dry yeast
• 10g (1 ½ tsp) fine salt

Wet Ingredients

• 375g (1 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp) warm water, divided

Instructions

1. Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour and all but 1 tablespoon of the warm water. Stir until just combined to form a rough mixture, then cover and let it rest for 20 minutes to hydrate the flour.
2. Activate Yeast: In a separate small bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in the remaining warm water. Let it sit for a few minutes until bubbling to activate the yeast.
3. Combine Yeast and Salt: Sprinkle the salt evenly over the surface of the dough. Stir in the yeast mixture, then fold the dough repeatedly using wet hands to incorporate everything evenly. Continue pinching and folding until a shaggy dough forms.
4. First Rest: Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour to begin fermentation.
5. Develop Gluten: After resting, wet your hands and perform a series of stretch-and-folds by stretching a section of the dough and folding it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4-5 times until the dough forms a cohesive ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl seam-side down, cover, and allow it to rise for 5-6 hours, or until doubled in size.
6. Shape Dough Balls: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide it into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a tight ball by folding edges toward the center, cupping it, and pulling the dough towards you to tighten the surface. Place dough balls on a greased plate, lightly oil the tops, cover, and let rest for 1 hour.
7. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 500°F (or the highest temperature your oven allows). Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and allow it to heat for at least 45 minutes to ensure a very hot baking surface.
8. Shape and Bake: On a floured surface, gently stretch and flatten each dough ball into a 12-inch diameter circle. Transfer the shaped dough to a floured pizza peel or lightly greased cast iron pan. Add your desired toppings.
9. Bake: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or steel and bake for 5 minutes. For a crispier crust, broil the pizza for an additional 2-4 minutes until the crust is golden and toppings bubbly. If using a cast iron pan, bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for the final few minutes for a crispy finish.
10. Enjoy: Remove the pizza from the oven, slice, and serve your delicious chewy artisan pizza fresh and hot.

Notes

• Use warm water around 95°F (35°C) to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
• Resting and folding the dough helps develop gluten structure for a chewy texture.
• Preheating the baking surface is critical for a crisp crust and artisan-like texture.
• Experiment with toppings but avoid overloading the pizza to ensure even cooking.
• For best results, allow dough to ferment slowly at room temperature for a fuller flavor.

Keywords: artisan pizza dough, chewy pizza crust, homemade pizza dough, easy pizza dough, Italian pizza crust