Thin Crust Pizza Dough for the Bread Machine – 1 Step Recipe! (2024)

Since we like to make pizza at home more than ordering delivery, I came up with a perfect thin crust pizza dough comparable to the delicious, thin, and crispy NY style pizza I grew up eating.

It's really tough to develop the perfect thin crust pizza dough, but this recipe is comparable to a restaurant dough and is better than any packaged store bought container.

And while we love thin crust pizza, we also love this homemade thicker dough also made in the bread machine and a Neapolitan dough topped with basil and mozzarella. Both styles of dough make a delicious veggie packed Mediterranean pizza, pepperoni pizza, margherita pizza, or whatever kind of pizza is your favorite.

1. Using a pizza stone. If you want that true NY style pizza with a crispy crust yet softer bread under the cheese and toppings, use a pizza stone.

Before purchasing this pizza stone, I made my pizza with this dough on a big round non-stick pizza pan. But once I made it on the pizza stone, there was no going back to the pan.

Using a pizza stone turned this 5 star thin crust pizza dough into 10 stars. It was truly like eating Italian restaurant quality pizza. If you don't have a pizza stone and must use the pan, your dough will still turn out fantastic. But I still suggest investing in that pizza stone if you make homemade pizza often.

2. Preheating the pizza stone (or pan). Whether you use the pizza stone or pan, it is important to preheat it and then add your dough to make the pizza. It can be tricky to shape pizza dough on a heated pan, so it's important to shape the dough prior to placing it on the pan.

With this method, the dough is shaped into a small circle and then is allowed to rest for 10 minutes. Then it's spread out again using a rolling pin until it's about 16 inches wide.

Once the dough is completely spread, it's transferred to the preheated pan.

2. Poking holes in the spread dough. The first few times we made thin crust pizza dough, the crust was uneven and lumpy. It had risen like a hill in some places and was completely flat in others.

To help it rise evenly, poke holes all around the dough with a fork.

The dough function on my Cuisinart bread machine takes 90 minutes. Once the dough is ready, follow the instructions below for cooking your pizza.

You should always check the dough about 15 minutes into it. The dough should be tacky to the touch but not too sticky. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. Or, if it's too dry, add a little more warm water.

I highly recommend investing in a good bread machine. While my Cuisinart bread machine is pricey, it is very well worth it. I have made all sorts of bread, dough, croissants, and jams in the bread machine. It has saved me endless amounts of money as I am not constantly buying bread. If my machine is out of your budget, you can opt for this one.

By Hand Instructions

You can also make this thin crust pizza dough by hand, and believe it or not it's actually quicker to do it this way! So if you don't have a bread machine, here is how to make it.

First, fill a large bowl with the warm water and sprinkle in the yeast.

Second, add the sugar, salt, and flour. Mix with a spatula until the ingredients are mixed and the dough is crumbly.

Then lightly flour the counter and knead the dough for 7 minutes. If you're unfamiliar with kneading dough, Youtube has lots of videos to show you.

Now form the dough into a ball and put into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a heavy cloth and put in a warm place to rise. I put mine in the microwave or oven.

Let the dough rise for 30 minutes. The dough will not double rise, but will rise slightly. It's also okay to let it rise for longer than 30 minutes, if you lose track of time.

Then follow the instructions below for cooking your thin crust pizza dough.

First, preheat the stone or pan at 450 degrees F. While the pan preheats, spread the dough into a circle. It will be small, about half the size of the finished pizza. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Then use a rolling pin to spread it out til it's about 16 inches wide.

Next, transfer the dough onto the warmed stone carefully. Reshape and fix any holes if necessary. Poke holes all around with a fork. Bake the plain thin crust pizza dough for 5 minutes.

After it bakes for 5 minutes, layer with about 1 cup of sauce, 1-2 cups of cheese, and your choice of toppings. Our favorite pizza is a white pizza with tomatoes and basil.

Put back in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes more, until the cheese starts to brown and bubble.

Pizza dough will keep well in the fridge wrapped in oiled plastic wrap for about 2 days. It can be stored in the freezer for 6 months. To store in the freezer, wrap in foil in addition to the oiled plastic wrap.

I like to make this thin crust pizza dough in my bread machine while I am hanging around the house, even when it's not pizza night. I love to have dough in the freezer ready to go! It defrosts fairly quick on the counter or overnight in the fridge.

Bread Machine Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Kristina Tipps

Bread Machine Thin Crust Pizza Dough is perfect for you if you want a crispy thin crust that is still chewy underneath the toppings! Throw all ingredients in the bread machine and let it do the work for you. Ready to cook in 90 minutes.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 147mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg