Thin Crust Pizza Dough for the Bread Machine

This 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.

Jump to:

• 🍕 Tips for the Best Dough
• 🔪 Bread Machine Instructions
• 🔪 By Hand Instructions
• 👩‍🍳 Cooking the Crust
• 📖 Recipe
• 🍲 Serving and Storing
• 🥧 Related Recipes
• 💬 Reviews

I come from a land of pizza snobs, where New York style pizza is the norm, and the expectation when ordering pizza. Since we like to make pizza at home more than ordering delivery, I needed to come up with a perfect thin crust pizza dough comparable to that delicious, thin, and crispy NY style.

It's really tough to develop the perfect thin crust pizza dough! Especially when you are used to true Italian NY crust. But I think I have finally done it (and I hope you do to). Yippee!

🍕 Tips for the Best Dough

One thing I've learned about pizza dough is that there are many ways to make it. I've also discovered two other very important steps when it comes to baking your thin crust pizza dough, 3 things that greatly impact the outcome.

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 like pictured. 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 have the pan, your dough will still turn out fantastic. But I still suggest investing in that pizza stone and giving it a try when you can, you will love it!

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. This can be tricky when using the pizza stone. My trick is to shape and spread the dough prior to putting it on the stone. Then I put it on the preheated stone and if there are any rips or misshapes, I fix them. If using the non-stick pan, you can shape the dough on the pan completely after it preheats. Either way, be careful handling the hot 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! I've since learned that to help it rise evenly, poke holes all around the dough with a fork, like in the picture below.

🔪 Bread Machine Instructions

It's super simple to make thin crust pizza dough in the bread machine. Put all ingredients in the pan of the machine in the order listed (or the order your machine suggests), set to the dough function, and let the machine do all the work for you. The dough function on my Cuisinart bread machine takes 90 minutes.

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 water.

I highly recommend investing in a good bread machine. While my Cuisinart bread machine is pricey, it is very well worth it. I 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, you can see how to here.

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!

When you're ready to make your pizza, roll out the dough. Then follow the instructions below for cooking your thin crust pizza dough!

👩‍🍳 Cooking the Crust

This thin crust pizza dough recipe makes one 16-18 inch pie. You can also divide it to make individual 10 inch pizzas too. Spread the dough in a circle until it's about ⅛-1/4 inch thick. Feel free to make a rectangle pie if that's your preference! Or even different shapes for younger children. When my daughter was going through a particularly difficult picky eating phase, I made her dough into a star and a moon. I've also made my baby a mini pizza!

First, preheat the stone or pan with the warming oven at 450 degrees. While the pan preheats, spread the dough into a circle.

Next, transfer the dough onto the warmed stone carefully. Reshape and fix any holes if necessary. Poke 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.

Put back in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes more, until the cheese starts to brown and bubble.

Enjoy!

Feeling tired of the same old pizza? Change things up with these Margherita and Spinach and Feta flatbread pizza recipes. You can easily replace the na'an with this thin crust pizza dough. You should definitely try them. They are really quite delicious!

📖 Recipe

🍲 Serving and Storing

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.

And that's all there is to making this delicious dough. If you've made this pizza dough, let me know in the comments below.

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🥧 Related Recipes

• Easy Thin Crust Pizza Dough
• Homemade Spinach Pasta Dough for the Bread Machine
• The Best Pepperoni Pizza Bread
• Bread Machine Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts and Cranberry
• Flatbread Pizza in 15 Minutes