Making your own pizza dough at home is not only easy but also incredibly rewarding. This herb-infused, cheesy pizza dough is packed with flavor, offering the perfect base for your favorite toppings. Skip the store-bought crusts and discover how simple it is to create a delicious, homemade pizza dough that’s sure to impress!
Ingredients for Homemade Cheesy Herb Pizza Dough
- 1 cup warm water, between 105–110°F (240 ml, 40–43°C)
- 2 tsp active dry yeast (6 grams)
- 1 tsp honey (7 grams)
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour, divided (300 grams)
- 1/4 tsp ground Himalayan sea salt (1 gram)
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (6 grams)
- 1 Tbsp dried rosemary (5 grams)
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder (3 grams)
- 1 cup shredded cheese, such as Monterey Jack Habanero (115 grams)
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (30 ml), plus more for the bowl
- Cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions for Making Homemade Cheesy Herb Pizza Dough
Activate the Yeast
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and honey. Stir gently and let the mixture stand for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is activated.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2 cups (240 grams) of the bread flour, salt, Italian seasoning, rosemary, garlic powder, and shredded cheese. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup (60 grams) of bread flour for later use.
Combine Ingredients in Stand Mixer
Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer. Pour the olive oil and the dry flour mixture into the yeast mixture, reserving the 1/2 cup of flour. Mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes. Gradually increase to speed 3 and add the reserved flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Increase to speed 4 and knead for 4 minutes.
Prepare for First Rise
Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and set aside. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and form it into a ball by folding the edges under. Place the dough in the prepared bowl, turning it to coat with oil. Cover with a tea towel and transfer the bowl to an unheated oven. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Deflate and Second Rise
Gently punch down the dough to deflate it. Form it back into a ball, fold the edges under, and return it to the bowl. Cover with the tea towel and let it rise for another hour in the same warm spot.
Shape the Dough
Once the dough has risen, punch it down again and transfer it to a floured work surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form each piece into a ball by folding the edges under. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one ball into a 14-inch (35 cm) circle.
Prepare and Bake the Pizza
Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). Place each rolled-out dough onto a cornmeal-dusted pizza pan. Spread pizza sauce over the dough, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) around the edges for the crust. Add your favorite toppings. Bake in the preheated oven for 7–12 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and crisp.
Bon appetite!
