Quick Pizza Crust

In our house, Halloween day is a flour-dusted battle for pizza perfection before the trick-or-treaters arrive. My husband swears by his hamburger and onion, but I know that my luxurious mushroom and goat cheese pizza is the winner.

Pizza is our traditional meal during Halloween. So this easy pizza crust recipe is perfect for quickly getting a pizza pie out of the oven and snacking throughout the night while handing out candies to the kiddos.

• Yields: 2 personal-sized pizzas (8-10 inches)
• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Rise time: 15-60 minutes (depending on desired crust thickness)

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoons (or 1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water (40-45 Celsius)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Combine Liquids: In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the warm water and olive oil together. Set aside.
2. Mix the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), whisk the flour, yeast, and salt until combined. Attach the dough hook and begin mixing on low speed. Slowly pour in the water and oil mixture until a shaggy dough forms.
   1. Note: You may not need all the water. Stop adding once a cohesive ball forms.
   2. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, no dry flour remains, and it springs back slowly when poked.
3. Knead the Dough: Continue to knead with the dough hook on low speed for 6 minutes. Alternatively, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. First Rise: Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, place it in the bowl, and turn to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place. The rise time determines your crust thickness:
   1. 15 minutes for a Thin Crust
   2. 30 minutes for a Medium Crust
   3. 60 minutes for a Thick Crust (or until nearly doubled in size)
5. Preheat Oven and Stone: At least 60 minutes before baking, place a pizza stone or baking sheet on the lowest rack of your oven and preheat to 550°F (or your oven’s highest temperature).
6. Shape the Dough: Gently punch down the dough and divide it into two equal pieces. On a generously floured surface, gently stretch one piece of dough with your hands into an 8-10 inch circle, about ¼-inch thick.
   1. If the dough shrinks back, let it rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten, then continue stretching.
   2. Watch YouTube videos for how to shape a dough.
7. Dock the Dough: Use a fork to prick the surface of the dough all over. This “docking” prevents large air bubbles from forming during baking.
8. Par-Bake the Crust:
   1. Carefully slide the dough onto the preheated pizza stone using a pizza paddle, cutting board, or back of any cookie baking sheet.
   2. Par-bake for 3 minutes, or until the crust looks set and a few dark brown spots appear.
9. Add Toppings and Final Bake:
   1. Remove the par-baked crust from the oven.
   2. Add your desired sauce, cheese, and toppings.
10. Return the pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.