Homemade Freezer Pizza Dough

The most delicious freezer pizza dough you’ll ever have! It’s super easy to make and ready in your freezer for homemade pizza anytime. Made with just six ingredients – most of which you already have in your pantry. This recipe turns any night into pizza night.

The beauty of pizza is in its simplicity. With the most basic ingredients, you can create a dinner everyone loves and agrees on. Pizza is simple to make. The most time-consuming part is preparing the dough for the crust. This recipe shows you how to do it in advance, making your life a little easier and a lot more delicious.

This freezable pizza dough recipe is one of my favorite make-ahead meals. With a few batches of dough in my freezer, I am always ready to feed my little army, my kids’ friends, their teammates, or anyone else who ends up at our house around dinner time. Freezing pizza dough is not only handy but economical. Each pizza dough costs just pennies to make. Add some sauce and cheese, and we’re not only eating cheap, but we’re also eating fresh as well as homemade.

Having one night a week designated as pizza night really helps with meal planning. Plus, our grocery bill gets a little relief by having pizza in the meal plan. I like that I’m in control over things like salt and preservatives. Pizza isn’t quite health food, but you can still make it in a healthy way – and that starts with the crust. 

INGREDIENTS – WHAT YOU NEED

This dough is made with active dry yeast, granulated sugar, water, olive oil, salt, and flour 

HOW TO FREEZER PIZZA DOUGH

Combine yeast, sugar, and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.

Mix on low for about 30 seconds until just combined. Turn off the mixer and let stand for 5-10 minutes; the mixture should bubble to show the yeast is working. 

Add oil, salt, and flour to the mixer bowl. Mix on low until well combined. Increase speed to high and knead for 5 minutes. Gradually add up to ½ cup more flour, as needed, until the dough just comes away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be just slightly sticky.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil or cooking spray. Add dough to bowl and turn dough over to coat opposite side in oil.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes until doubled in size.

MAKE YOUR PIZZA NOW

Place a pizza stone into the oven and preheat it to 500 degrees on the middle rack for 30 minutes. 

Stretch the dough or use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a circle about 12-14 inches, depending on how thick you want your pizza dough. This is the time if you’d like to try tossing and spinning your dough.

Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment a little bigger than your pizza. Gently poke pizza all over with the tines of a fork to avoid bubbles.

Top with pizza sauce and cheese, and toppings.

BAKE IT NOW

Slide the pizza on the parchment paper onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake pizzas one at a time for 8-10 minutes or until the crust starts to get golden, the toppings are hot, and the cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

MAKE DOUGH & FREEZE IT

First method: 

Divide the unrisen dough into half, then place each half into a gallon-sized freezer bag, each coated with a tablespoon of olive oil. Seal bags, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw and cook, place a bag on the counter for 2-3 hours until the dough thaws rises, and doubles in size. Follow the shaping and baking directions in Make your pizza now. 

Second method:

Slide rolled-out pizza dough on the parchment paper onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake pizza for 3-5 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Top with pizza sauce and cheese, and toppings.

Flash freeze pizzas by placing them on a baking sheet and add to the freezer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours or until frozen solid.

Remove pizzas from the freezer, wrap each tightly with plastic wrap, then wrap with aluminum foil. Label each pizza with flavor, oven temperature, and time. 

Pop them back in the freezer and freeze them for up to 3 months!  

When you’re ready to bake them, place them on your 425 degrees preheated pizza stone or pan, and place them in the oven for 13-20 minutes until the crust starts to get golden, the toppings are hot, and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS DOUGH BY HAND?

This recipe uses a stand mixer to knead the dough, but I realize not everyone owns one of these machines. I love using mine because it simplifies things and frees me up to do other prep work while the dough is being kneaded. But you can always do it the old-fashioned way – by hand.

Some other great pizza-related dishes include Homemade Hot Pockets and Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Pizza.

CAN I FLAVOR MY CRUST?

Dried herbs and seasonings added to the dough give your pizza an artisan touch. Rosemary, marjoram, garlic powder, basil, thyme, chives, sage, and fennel seed make excellent choices. Choose one or two of these and use restraint. One teaspoon of herbs mixed into the dough is a good starting point.

IS PIZZA DOUGH VEGAN?

Yes and no. It’s generally considered vegan because yeast is part of the fungi family. Ultra-strict vegans, however, might not agree because yeast is a single-cell living organism. 

CAN I USE PIZZA DOUGH TO MAKE CALZONES?

Yes, you can! This pizza dough makes wonderful calzones, strombolis, and other Italian entrees. 

DO I NEED TO SPIN MY PIZZA DOUGH?

Tossing or spinning your pizza dough helps stretch it out, but it requires some extra time, practice, and space. It’s not a requirement for this recipe, but it can actually be pretty fun to toss and catch your dough. Be sure to manage potential hazards like an ever-watchful dog ready to pounce or kiddos underfoot.

Here’s a video to help teach you the dough-tossing technique. If you’re planning to freeze your uncooked dough, save the tossing and stretching until it’s time to make the actual pizza.

PRO TIPS/RECIPE NOTES

If you are making this dough just one day ahead, add it to the oiled bowl, cover it, and place it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then on the following day, bring the dough out of the fridge, and let it come to room temperature.

Make-your-own-pizza night has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. Everyone gets his/her own pizza dough to customize and top. Bowls of sliced pepperoni, crumbled sausage, chopped peppers, and sliced mushrooms are set out, along with sauce and cheese. 

Kiddos learn the basics of food preparation while making something delicious. This concept also works for grown-up parties. I like to get a little fancy with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and pancetta.

If you’d like to make this recipe “extra,” make garlic your friend. Sprinkle a little garlic powder or garlic salt atop your pizza when it comes out of the oven. Or brush some garlic butter over the crust for the last two minutes of baking your pizza. Simply remove the pizza from the oven, brush on the garlic butter and return your pizza to the oven.

WHAT OTHER PIZZA DISHES CAN YOU MAKE?

• Use this crust to make Homemade Freezer Pizza
• Top with this Homemade Pizza Sauce
• Serve this delicious Easy Pizza Pasta Pinwheel Bites
• Prepare this easy-to-make Easy Pepperoni Dip Appetizer
• Make this 4 Ingredient Pizza Pocket Recipe
• Create this Easy Keto Chaffle Pizza Recipe

The next time you make this dough, I would love to see it! Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #happymoneysaver and tagging me @happymoneysaver!

The post Homemade Freezer Pizza Dough appeared first on Happy Money Saver.