Easy New York Pizza Dough Recipe You Can Make at Home

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Growing up outside of Boston, Mass., I ate New York-style pizza. What is this kind of pizza? This style is distinguished by its thin, hand-tossed crust, generous amounts of cheese, and signature sweet-tangy sauce. It is also known for its iconic foldable slices that are easy to eat on the go. The combination of these characteristics set New York-style pizza apart from other pizzas. You can make this at home with this easy New York pizza dough recipe.

New York-Style Pizza Dough Essentials

The key ingredient for this style of pizza is the base—the dough. It should be light and fluffy with that classic chewy texture we all love. This recipe ensures that the dough comes out perfectly each time by using active dry yeast to make sure it rises properly and gives those characteristic air bubbles we expect from New York-style pizza crust. With this recipe as your guide, you’ll soon be able to recreate restaurant-quality pizzas right at home!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-timer or a seasoned pro — anyone can make delicious homemade pizza with this tried-and-true recipe. So let’s get cooking; gather up your ingredients, roll up your sleeves and prepare to impress everyone around the dinner table!

NY Pizza Starts with High-Gluten (and High Protein) Flour

High-gluten flour is a key ingredient for making great New York-style pizza dough. This type of flour has a higher protein content than regular all-purpose flour, so it can withstand the vigorous kneading required to create a chewy, light crust. It also gives the dough more elasticity and structure, resulting in a crispy crust that doesn’t collapse when loaded with toppings.

I love using All Trumps Flour. I have also used Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached Artisan Bread Flour and had good results.

Why You Want a High-Protein Flour

So why should you seek out this special kind of flour? Because if you want to make a delicious NY-style pizza, you’ll need high-protein flour. (This is true for all types of pizza.)

High-protein flours are essential for making a chewy crust and stretchy pizza doughs that rise up nicely. The higher protein content helps create gluten strands which give your dough structure and strength – something we definitely need when it comes to thin crust pizzas.

Other Ingredients for NY-Style Pizza

In addition to high-gluten flour, you’ll also need a few other ingredients: active or instant dry yeast, fine sea salt, granulated sugar, olive oil, and warm water. The yeast helps the dough rise and gives it its signature airy texture. (Some people create a yeast mixture of the water, sugar, and yeast and then add that to the flour.)

The salt adds flavor and helps keep the dough from becoming too sticky. The sugar is what gives the crust color in a home oven. Oil adds flavor as well as acting as a browning agent in your oven at home. (Neapolitan pizza dough does not need sugar or oil because the pizza is cooked in high heat, usually around 700 to 900 degrees F, and they will brown nicely from the heat.)

Why This Pizza Recipe is Easy

This dough is easy because I will show you some secrets that will make the dough-making process more efficient.

The magic of pizza is that it uses simple ingredients: Flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil. However, trying to combine them in the right percentages can be a challenge. But I hope you will find this a foolproof recipe that produces a chewy and crisp crust.

One trick from the Dough Doctor Tom Lehmann is to put the water, sugar, and salt in the bowl first. Then add the flour and yeast (and later the oil) on top. This makes it easier for the flour to hydrate, and it does not inhibit gluten development.

Another trick I learned from the Dough Doctor is “delayed oil.” Add the oil after the flour is hydrated.

Also, you do not need a stand mixer to make good pizza. Want proof, see my Old Skool Pizza video.

Knead Dough by Hand or a Stand Mixer?

I confess, I love my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. If I have a choice, I will use the stand mixer every time. I usually start out mixing on low and when it comes together, I increase to medium speed. However, you can start making your dough in a stainless-steel mixing bowl.

Hand kneading requires more elbow grease, but you will knead the dough the same amount of time: 10 minutes.

To hand-knead pizza dough, start by pouring your liquid ingredients into a bowl. Then add the dry ingredients on top and mix with a spoon or a rubber spatula until the dough is well combined. Once the mixture comes together, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes.

If, while you have kneaded for a while, you still have a sticky dough, sprinkle additional flour over the dough a little bit at a time.

Kneading involves using your hands to press down and fold over the dough as you rotate it in a circular motion.

Bulk Fermentation and Final Shaping

Once your dough is kneaded, you will need to let it ferment before you shape it into pizza. This process is known as bulk fermentation or proofing. To do this, place your dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Or, you can place it in a glass or plastic airtight container. Plastic wrap and tea towels have served me well.

Some pizza makers let the dough rest for an hour or two on the counter before letting it ferment overnight in the refrigerator. It is best to wait 24 to 48 hours before using your dough.

If you want to use your dough the same day, consider letting it rise on the counter for four to eight hours.

A little bit of patience will do wonders when it comes to achieving perfect pizza dough that bakes evenly and tastes amazing– no matter whether you choose hand-kneading or stand mixing methods.

Is There Really Something in The New York Water?

There’s a lot of talk about the New York water being special, and how it affects pizza dough and bagels. Is there really something to this? The short answer is “No.”

My Easy New York Pizza Dough Recipe

When it comes to pizza dough, the New York style is legendary. I love this style pizza dough recipe. Making a delicious crust just like they do in The Big Apple can be tricky, but with this easy recipe you’ll have a tasty slice on your plate in no time! You will definitely kick pizza night up a notch.

I weigh out the flour and the water on a digital scale.

Ingredients

16 ounces / 453 grams of bread flour (or All Trumps)

1 1/2 tsp / 5 grams instant yeast

2 tsp / 89 grams sugar

1 tsp / 6 grams salt (I use sea salt, but you can use Kosher salt)

10.5 ounces / 298 grams of lukewarm water (some people prefer cold water)

1 Tbsp / 14 grams extra virgin olive oil

Your favorite sauce (I like Gia Russa Pizza Sauce, but I add a little sugar and oregano)

Mozzarella cheese

Recipe Instructions

Making the Dough

Note: If you look at my “Making New York Style Pizza at Home” video, you will notice I put the flour in the bowl first. I no longer do this.

Put the water in your bowl. Add the sugar and salt.

Add the flour and drop the yeast on top.

If you are mixing by hand, use a wooden spoon to bring everything together. When the flour is fully hydrated add the oil. Knead for a total of 10 minutes.

If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment and mix on low for a couple of minutes. Add your oil and mix on either Speed 1 or 2 for another eight minutes.

Divide the dough into two equal balls. Make sure the skin on the dough is tight and you have a smooth ball. Place dough in oiled bowls, cover with plastic and let it ferment overnight in the fridge. If you want to use the dough the same day, let it rise on the counter for four to eight hours. (Typically, you want the dough to double in size.)

Making the Pizza

If you let the dough ferment in the fridge, bring it out two to three hours before baking your pizza.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down gently (de-gas the dough) before shaping into two 12-inch pizzas on a lightly floured surface.

Now you’re ready to top them off with your favorite pizza toppings. My favorite is cheese pizza. However, pepperoni and bacon are good, too.

The cheese I use is deli-sliced mozzarella. Go to your favorite deli and have them slice it for you. Stay away from pre-packaged shredded and sliced cheeses.

Pre-heat the oven at its highest temperature for about an hour before you are ready to bake your pies.

If you are able, build your pizza on the counter and slide it onto a pizza peel before launching it in the oven. I use a pizza steel and a pizza stone (also called a baking stone).

If you do not have a peel, you can build your pizza on a pizza screen. If you use a screen, slide the pizza off the screen after a few minutes. (I do not like using a baking sheet.)

Depending upon how hot your oven is, it might take 5 to minutes for your pizza to cook. Look for the crust to get a deep, golden brown.

When you take it out of the oven, let it cool for a couple of minutes, then get yourself a slice of pizza.

You Can Make Great New York-Style Pizza at Home

Well, I hope y’all have enjoyed learning about this easy New York pizza dough recipe. It’s a classic that everyone should know how to make! Now you can enjoy delicious pizzas with no hassle.

So don’t be intimidated by making homemade pizza dough anymore – just grab some ingredients, follow this simple recipe and soon enough you’ll be serving up slices like a pro! Trust me – you won’t regret it!