Bity
Friday night in our house runs on bread machine pizza dough, because it takes ten minutes of attention and the machine handles the rest. I tip six things into the pan at about four o’clock, press Dough, and by six there is a soft, stretchy ball waiting on the worktop.
No stand mixer, no sticky worktop, no arm ache. Meanwhile the long machine knead develops more gluten than I ever manage by hand, which is why the crust puffs properly at the edges instead of staying flat and cracker-like.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love This Bread Machine Pizza Dough
- Six ingredients. Water, oil, flour, sugar, salt, yeast. That is the whole list.
- Ten minutes of work. Because the machine kneads and proves, you are free for the 90 minutes in between.
- A puffy, chewy edge. So it eats like a proper pizzeria base rather than a biscuit.
- It freezes. In fact I usually make a double batch and freeze half for the following week.
- One 12 inch pizza. Meanwhile doubling it gives you two, which is what a family of four actually needs.
Ingredient Notes
- Bread flour. Three cups. The extra protein is what gives you chew and a rim that inflates. All-purpose works, but the result is softer and less structured. For a nuttier base, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics makes a good case for swapping in white whole-wheat flour, which behaves far better than standard wholemeal.
- Warm water. About 110F. Too cold and the yeast dawdles, too hot and it dies before the cycle starts.
- Olive oil. Two tablespoons, which keeps the crumb tender and helps the base brown.
- Sugar. One tablespoon, and it is there to feed the yeast rather than to sweeten anything.
- Salt. A teaspoon. However, keep it away from direct contact with the yeast in the pan.
- Yeast. One sachet, or two and a quarter teaspoons. Bread machine yeast and active dry both work.
Which Machine Cycle to Use
Dough, every time. It mixes, kneads and runs a single rise, then stops without baking. On most machines that is about 90 minutes from start to beep, and it is all the attention bread machine pizza dough ever asks for.
Check the ball roughly five minutes in. It should be smooth and slightly tacky, pulling away from the sides in one piece. So if it looks dry and cracked, add water a teaspoon at a time. If it smears around the pan instead of forming a ball, add flour the same way.
The Oven Temperature That Actually Matters
Hot. As hot as your oven honestly goes. I bake at 475F with a stone or a steel on the middle shelf, preheated for a full 45 minutes before the pizza goes anywhere near it.
That stored heat is what sets the base in the first minute so it never goes soggy under the sauce. Without a stone, use an upturned heavy baking tray and give it the same long preheat. As a result the bake takes 10 to 14 minutes, and you are looking for browned spots on the cheese and a crust with real colour.
How To Make Bread Machine Pizza Dough
1. Load the pan. First pour in the warm water and olive oil, then add the bread flour, sugar and salt. Make a small well in the flour and add the yeast last.
2. Run the Dough cycle. Next press start. When it finishes the dough should be soft, stretchy and slightly tacky to the touch.
3. Shape the round. Then turn it onto a lightly floured surface and gently stretch it into a 12 inch circle, leaving the outer inch thicker for a puffy rim.
4. Preheat properly. After that transfer the base to parchment or a floured tray, and heat the oven to 475F with the stone or steel inside.
5. Sauce and top. Spread the marinara to within an inch of the edge, lay the mozzarella slices over it, then brush the rim with olive oil and add a pinch of salt.
6. Bake and finish. Finally bake for 10 to 14 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling with browned spots, then scatter the basil over and drizzle with a little more oil before slicing.
Why the Crust Comes Out Tough
Usually too much flour. Bread machine pizza dough comes out of the pan soft and slightly tacky, and every dusting you add while shaping stiffens it. A dry dough bakes hard. Use the lightest possible sprinkle and work quickly.
The other cause is fighting the dough. If it springs back as you stretch, the gluten is tense, so cover it and walk away for ten minutes. It will relax and stretch without tearing. In addition, rolling with a pin flattens the air out of the rim, so press and stretch with your fingertips instead and leave the outer edge alone.
Tips for the Best Bread Machine Pizza Dough
- Dust the peel or tray with semolina or cornmeal. It works like tiny ball bearings under the base.
- Go light on the sauce. Half a cup is plenty for 12 inches, and more than that steams the middle of the base.
- Let the ball sit at room temperature for ten minutes after the cycle ends. Bread machine pizza dough stretches far more willingly once it relaxes.
- Pat fresh mozzarella dry first, because it carries a surprising amount of water.
- Brush the rim with olive oil before baking for a glossier, crisper edge.
- Let the baked pizza sit for two minutes before slicing so the cheese sets enough to cut cleanly.
Storing and Freezing Bread Machine Pizza Dough
- Fridge. Oil the ball lightly, cover it, and keep it for up to 24 hours. A cold rest actually improves the flavour.
- Freezer. Bread machine pizza dough freezes for up to 2 months. Wrap the ball tightly, then thaw overnight in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before shaping.
- Baked slices. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating. A dry frying pan over medium heat for three minutes beats a microwave every time, since it crisps the base again.
Variations and Substitutions
- Thinner and crisper. Divide the bread machine pizza dough in two and stretch each half to 10 inches. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Garlic and herb. Work a teaspoon of dried oregano and a little garlic powder into the flour.
- No machine. Knead by hand for 10 minutes and prove until doubled, which is how my hand-kneaded pizza base is made.
- Different toppings. Pepperoni, mushrooms, or whatever is in the fridge. Cooked tomato sauce is worth using generously, and Harvard’s Nutrition Source has a useful primer on the carotenoids that tomatoes bring with them.
- Stuffed edge. Lay a ring of mozzarella around the rim and fold the dough over it, as in my homemade pizza rolls.
What to Serve With Homemade Pizza
Something sharp and cold, to balance all that melted cheese. A simple green salad with a lemony dressing does the job, and so does a bowl of creamy coleslaw if you want crunch.
For a bigger Friday spread, add baked mac and cheese for the children and a basket of soft dinner rolls to mop up the sauce that escapes the crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Machine and Method
Does a bread maker make good pizza dough?
It makes excellent dough. The long, consistent knead develops gluten better than most of us manage by hand, which is exactly what a chewy crust needs.
Which cycle should I use?
Dough only. It kneads and proves, then stops. Any baking cycle would turn the ball into a loaf instead of leaving it ready to shape.
Can I use bread machine yeast?
Yes, and active dry works just as well. Use one sachet, added last in a well in the flour so it stays clear of the salt and water.
Can I make it without a machine?
Of course. Mix, then knead by hand for about 10 minutes and prove until doubled. The recipe is simply optimised for the machine.
Shaping, Baking and Storage
Why does my dough keep springing back?
The gluten is tight. Cover it and rest it for ten minutes, then try again. It will stretch without fighting you or tearing.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Refrigerate it for up to 24 hours after the cycle ends, then let it come back to room temperature before shaping. The flavour improves.
What oven temperature is best?
475F with a preheated stone or steel. The stored heat sets the base immediately, which is what stops the middle turning soggy under the sauce.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm water about 110°F
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast
Margherita-Style Toppings
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce jarred or homemade
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
- fresh basil leaves to finish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for brushing the crust
- salt a pinch
Instructions
- Add the dough ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order recommended by your manufacturer, with the yeast last.
- Select the Dough cycle and start the machine.
- Once finished, the dough should be soft, stretchy and slightly tacky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Gently stretch it into a 12-inch round, leaving the edges slightly thicker for a puffy crust.
- Transfer the dough to parchment paper or a lightly floured baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 475°F, placing a pizza stone or baking steel inside if you have one.
- Spread the marinara sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Arrange the mozzarella slices evenly across the surface.
- Lightly brush the crust edges with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly with browned spots.
- Remove from the oven and immediately add the fresh basil leaves.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil before slicing.
