Easy NYC Pizza Dough Recipe

Make NYC-style pizza dough at home with this easy recipe. The perfect crispy, chewy pizza crust!

Everyone knows that New York City pizza is the best! (No angry emails from deep-dish lovers, please. 😉) If it were up to me, the crust of every pizza I ate would be NY-style.

I only get to visit New York every so often and am not a fan of most of the so-called NYC pizzas here in LA. A few years ago, I started creating my own recipe for the dough. It has evolved over time into what I think is the perfect homemade version!

If you don’t normally work with dough or bake – please do not be intimidated! This pizza dough is very easy to make and a great place to start your home baking journey. Once you start eating homemade pizza crust you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing it your whole life!

What is NYC-Style pizza?

I would describe NYC pizza crust as having a thickness somewhere between thin crust and traditional hand-tossed. It should be chewy, but still, have a slight crunch when you bite into it. 

Ingredients

• Yeast – I use active dry yeast. I buy it in bulk and keep it in the freezer since we make so many pizzas. 
• Water – You’ll want to use lukewarm water (about 105°F). This will help activate the yeast. Using water that is too hot can damage and kill the yeast. 
• Sugar – Mix a little bit of white sugar in with the water. This will “feed” the yeast and make it bloom. 
• Flour – The secret to NYC style pizza dough is the amount of gluten in your flour. I mix bread flour, which is high in gluten, with all-purpose to get the perfect consistency. If you use only all-purpose flour, your crust will be too crunchy. 
• Salt – Just a small amount of table salt helps bring out the flavor of the dough.
• Olive Oil – You’ll need a little oil to grease the bowl that the dough will rise in. I like to use olive oil because of it’s neutral flavor. You can substitute non-stick spray if you would rather use that. 

Recipe Tips

• I highly recommend using a pizza stone rather than a pizza pan. Your pizza will cook more evenly and the crust will be the perfect amount of crispy.
• A stand mixer is ideal, but if you aren’t afraid to put some muscle into it this dough can be made with just a mixing bowl and a non-stick spatula. 

How To Make

Add the sugar and yeast to 2/3 cup of water that is around 105°F. Give it a quick stir together then let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it is foamy. 

Add both flours and the salt into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Mix until combined with a dough hook in the stand mixer or a non-stick spatula in the mixing bowl.

Pour in the yeast mixture, then mix together until a soft dough forms.

Lightly flour your hands, then form the dough into a ball.  

Place the dough ball into a clean mixing bowl that has been lightly greased with olive oil or non-stick spray. Cover with a clean dishtowel or plastic wrap and put it in a warm place to proof.

You want the dough to double in size. This usually takes between 45-60 minutes, depending on the temperature of your environment. 

Place the dough on a lightly floured flat surface like a marble pastry board or even a clean counter. Pat the dough down into a disk, then use a rolling pin to roll it out to about 12 inches in diameter.

I have found it helps to roll the dough out a bit, then let it rest for a few minutes, then roll it out a little more. 

Place pizza sauce, cheese, and other desired toppings on top of the dough. Bake at 450°F, until the crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Easy NYC Pizza Dough Recipe

• Author: Jessica Pinney

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Ingredients

2/3 Cup Lukewarm Water

1 tsp Sugar

1 1/4 tsp Yeast

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

3/4 Cup Bread Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

Olive Oil

Instructions

Add sugar to the water and stir to dissolve. Add the yeast and give it a quick stir to combine. Allow it to rest for about 10 minutes until it has foamed.

Combine both flours and salt in a large mixing bowl with a non-stick spatula, or with a dough hook in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture, then mix until a soft dough forms.

Coat a large bowl with some olive oil or non-stick spray. Lightly flour your hands, form the dough into a ball, and place it inside the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel or plastic wrap then put it in a warm place to proof.

Allow the dough to rise and double in size. This takes about 45-60 minutes, depending on the temperature of your environment.

Place the dough on a lightly floured flat surface like a marble pastry board or even a clean counter. Pat the dough down into a disk, then use a rolling pin to roll it out to about 12 inches in diameter. (I have found it helps to roll the dough out a bit, then let it rest for a few minutes, then roll it out a little more.)

Coat your pizza stone with a small amount of oil or non-stick spray, then place the pizza dough on it. Add your pizza sauce, cheese, and desired toppings.

Bake in the oven at 450F for 8-12 minutes, until crust is deep brown and cheese is bubbly.