Skip the oversized pizza dough recipes. This small batch pizza dough recipe is perfect for two, with all the tips you need for success.
At a Glance:
- What it is: A same-day homemade pizza dough with a chewy, airy crust that's perfect for two
- Perfect for: weeknight pizza nights, date nights, or when you don't want leftover dough
- Cooking for two: This recipe makes one 10 to 12 inch pizza, perfect for two people. Need more? Double the recipe, or try my stand mixer pizza dough or hand-kneaded pizza dough for larger batches.
- Skill level: Beginner-friendly
Jump to:
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bread flour: Gives the dough its chewy texture. You can use all-purpose flour, but the crust will be softer
- Instant yeast: Helps the dough rise quickly. If using active dry yeast, bloom in warm water with sugar before mixing
- Warm water: Helps activate the yeast. Use warm, not hot, water
- Kosher salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. If using table salt, reduce the amount
- Sugar: A small amount feeds the yeast and helps the crust brown beautifully
(See the recipe card below for exact amounts.)
How to Make Small Batch Pizza Dough
- Mix the dough
In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, and instant yeast. Pour in the warm water and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Sprinkle the salt over the dough and continue mixing until all of the flour is incorporated. The dough may get sticky as you go, and that's normal. - Rest the dough
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 5–20 minutes. If the dough isn't very sticky, 5 minutes is enough. If it's very sticky, let it rest closer to 20 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate, making the dough easier to work with. - Knead the dough (bowl fold and slap fold)
Lightly wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking. Using a combination of bowl folds and slap folds, work the dough for about 3–4 minutes, or until it's smooth and elastic. I like doing this right in the bowl to avoid dirtying the countertop, but you can knead it on a lightly floured work surface if you prefer. - Let the dough rise
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Mine took about 45 minutes in a warm kitchen, but the exact time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. - Shape the crust
Lightly dust your work surface with semolina flour or all-purpose flour. Starting in the center, gently press the dough outward while pushing any large air bubbles toward the edges. Then lift and gently stretch the dough until it forms a 10- to 12-inch round. - Add toppings and bake
Transfer the dough to a pizza pan or pizza stone. Add your favorite toppings and bake at 450°F for 12–15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Tips & Troubleshooting
I like using a rubber spatula because the sticky dough clings to it less than a wooden spoon. A fork works well too, especially during the initial mixing.
Bowl folds are simply stretching one side of the dough and folding it back over itself while rotating the bowl. Once the dough starts to come together, slap folds help develop the gluten by lifting the dough, gently slapping it onto the bowl or work surface, and folding it over itself.
I first learned this technique while making sourdough bread, and it's especially helpful for sticky, high-hydration doughs like this one. If you're interested in baking sourdough, check out my Sourdough recipes and guides to learn more.
This recipe uses 1½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which may seem like a lot. Don't be tempted to reduce it. The salt gives the dough the flavor it needs, so it tastes like pizza dough instead of bland bread. If you're using table salt, reduce the amount to ¾ teaspoon, since it's much finer and saltier by volume.
This recipe uses a little more yeast than a traditional pizza dough because it's designed to be ready the same day. The result is a chewy, airy crust with a finer crumb rather than large, open air pockets. If you're looking for a more open, artisan-style crumb, try my Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough, which has a longer fermentation.
Resist the urge to add more flour. Pizza dough is naturally sticky, especially after all of the flour is incorporated. Instead, let the dough rest for 5–20 minutes so the flour has time to fully hydrate. The dough will become much easier to handle. Wetting your hands before bowl folds and slap folds also helps prevent sticking.
The rise time will vary depending on how warm your kitchen is. Instead of watching the clock, wait until the dough has doubled in size. If your kitchen is cool, place the covered bowl in a draft-free oven (turned off) with a bowl of hot water. The warm, humid environment helps the dough rise more quickly.
The dough is ready when it has roughly doubled in size and looks puffy. Gently press it with a lightly floured fingertip. If the indentation slowly springs back, it's ready to shape. If it springs back immediately, let it rise a little longer.
If the dough keeps shrinking while you stretch it, let it rest for 5–10 minutes before trying again. This gives the gluten time to relax, making it easier to stretch into a 10- to 12-inch pizza.
Yes! Once the dough has completed its first rise, you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours or freeze it for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then let it come to room temperature before shaping.
Yes! I developed this recipe using a pizza pan, but a baking sheet works well too. For the crispiest crust, bake the pizza on a preheated pizza stone or baking steel for at least 30 minutes before baking.
More Pizza Recipes to Try
Pizza recipes
- Pesto Tomato Pizza: Fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, basil pesto, and fresh basil (recipe coming up)
- No-Cook Pizza Sauce: A quick, flavorful pizza sauce made with pantry staples
- Spinach and Mushroom White Pizza: Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with vegetables
- Sausage, Pepper, and Onion White Pizza: A hearty white pizza with Italian sausage and colorful peppers
- Detroit-Style Pizza: A thick pan pizza with a light, airy crumb and crispy cheese edges
More pizza dough recipes
- Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough: A great way to use up sourdough discard with either a same-day or overnight rise
- Easy Stand Mixer Pizza Dough: Perfect for making pizza for a crowd
- Hand Pizza Dough: A larger batch recipe that's easy to make without a stand mixer
Small Batch Pizza Dough for Two
This small batch pizza dough makes one chewy, airy pizza that's perfect for two. It's ready the same day with simple ingredients and no stand mixer required.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rise Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 - 15 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 1 pizza (10-12 inches) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 9 ounces (255 g, about 2 cups) bread flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 6 ounces (170 g, ¾ cup) warm water
- 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¾ teaspoon table salt)
- Semolina flour or all-purpose flour, for shaping
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, and instant yeast. Pour in the warm water and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Sprinkle the salt over the dough and continue mixing until all of the flour is incorporated. The dough may become sticky, and that's completely normal.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 5 to 20 minutes. If the dough isn't very sticky, 5 minutes is enough. If it's very sticky, let it rest closer to 20 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate, making the dough easier to work with.
Lightly wet your hands to prevent sticking. Start with bowl folds by grabbing one edge of the dough, stretching it upward, and folding it back over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat several times until the dough starts coming together.
Next, switch to slap folds by lifting the dough, gently slapping it back into the bowl (or onto a lightly floured work surface), then folding it over itself. Repeat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Mine took about 45 minutes in a warm kitchen, but the exact time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Toward the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 450°F.
Lightly dust your work surface with semolina flour or all-purpose flour. Starting in the center, gently press the dough outward while pushing large air bubbles toward the edges. Lift the dough and gently stretch it into a 10- to 12-inch round.
Transfer the dough to a pizza pan, baking sheet, or preheated pizza stone. Add your favorite toppings and bake at 450°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Notes
- This dough is naturally a little sticky. Resist the urge to add more flour, and let it rest longer if needed.
- Wet your hands before doing the bowl folds and slap folds to help prevent sticking.
- Rise time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size.
- If the dough springs back while shaping, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before stretching again.
- I developed this recipe using Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using table salt, reduce the amount to ¾ teaspoon.
- For more tips on sticky dough, rising, shaping, and make-ahead instructions, see the Tips & Troubleshooting section above.
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