How about pizza tonight? Homemade pizza nights should be fun and easy, and that’s where this pizza dough recipe comes into play. It’s ready in 15 minutes, start to finish. That’s a lot faster than delivery!
This quick pizza dough yields a crust of medium thickness that’s crisp across the bottom and a little chewy in the middle. It has a lovely, yeasty flavor with just a hint of whole wheat. I love this dough so much that I shared it in my cookbook, Love Real Food.
This dough doesn’t have the elusive, stretchy, chewy, sourdough texture that I crave in authentic brick oven pizza. This homemade dough is fantastic, though. A few reasons to love this recipe:
- It’s made from scratch with basic, wholesome ingredients.
- You can make it in your food processor (or by hand).
- This dough requires zero proofing time. You can make your pizzas right away.
- The dough requires minimal effort—just a couple of kneads and a few rolls with a rolling pin.
Let’s make some pizzas!
I searched to the ends of the internet to find a simple, foolproof, quick whole wheat pizza dough recipe. I went through a couple of bags of flour in the process and made quite a mess.
First, Jim Lahey’s no-knead dough failed me at least three times. I think it was because I was making it with whole wheat pastry flour. Lesson learned: Whole wheat pastry flour and yeast don’t get along.
I also tried Cook’s Country’s skillet dough, which turns out to be fried flatbread. No thanks.
Finally, I turned to one of my favorite bloggers and sweetest friends, Melissa of The Fauxmartha. She posted an adaptation of Cook’s Country’s quick grilled pizza dough. My version is a combination of the two and is made with 100 percent whole wheat flour.
Easy Pizza Dough Ingredients
This super quick dough recipe is made with simple, basic ingredients—though a couple may surprise you!
Flour
This pizza dough works well with a variety of flours. Here are your options (use the same amount regardless):
- Whole wheat flour yields dough with just a hint of nutty wheat flavor. I don’t find it distracting.
- White whole wheat flour, which is made with white wheat berries instead of red, yields 100 percent whole wheat dough with an almost undetectable amount of wheat flavor.
- All-purpose flour works well if that’s what you have on hand.
- Do not use whole wheat pastry flour; it doesn’t contain enough gluten to cooperate with yeast.
Here’s how to measure flour into cups using the “spoon and swoop” method:
- Gently stir your flour with a large spoon to loosen it up.
- Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop it in!).
- Level off the excess with a butter knife.
Warm Water
Dissolving the yeast in warm water eliminates any grittiness and allows it to mingle with the honey and olive oil.
Rapid-Rise or Instant Yeast
It’s important to use rapid-rise or instant yeast here because, as the names suggest, this kind of yeast gets to work very quickly. Once combined with the warm water, honey and olive oil, this yeast is ready to go in just five minutes.
Honey or Sugar
We’ll feed the yeast with one tablespoon of honey or sugar.
Olive Oil
Olive oil helps keep the dough tender and pliable.
Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan is simply a flavor enhancer. Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese. Alternatives include cheddar or part-skim mozzarella.
Salt
Salt is also a flavor enhancer. No pizza dough would be complete without a little salt.
Pizza Dough FAQ
I’ve received quite a few questions about this dough recipe over the years. In short, this dough is best made as directed and used right away!
Can I use regular active yeast? Can I leave out the yeast altogether? I don’t recommend it. This recipe is really designed for instant/rapid rise yeast. With regular active yeast, or without yeast altogether, the crust is more crisp and cracker-like with fewer air bubbles. Basically, it’s just not as good.
Can I omit the honey/sugar? I don’t recommend it. The sugar feeds the yeast and without it, the crust will not taste as pleasantly yeasty. The finished result won’t be as tender, and it will have fewer small air pockets.
Can I omit the Parmesan? Yes, you can. The Parmesan is just for flavor. Or you could substitute another firm cheese in its place, such as cheddar or part-skim mozzarella.
Can I make this dough ahead of time? Technically yes, you can refrigerate and bake it within a few days (wrap the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap). However, this dough is designed to be easy and quick. It’s ready in under 15 minutes and truly tastes best when it’s baked right away.
Can I freeze this dough? Yes, but it’s best when it’s used right away (see above). We wrapped the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap and placed them in freezer bags. Defrost the dough in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Can I grill this dough? Yes! See recipe notes.
Can I use this dough to make a calzone or stuffed bread (like garbage bread)? Yes, I’ve successfully made a calzone. Before baking brush the top lightly with olive oil and cut a couple of small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 10 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
What if I don’t have a food processor? No problem! Check the recipe notes for instructions on how to make this dough by hand. I imagine you could use a KitchenAid stand mixer as an alternative to the food processor.
How much does this dough weigh? This dough weighs a bit over 1 pound and yields two 11-inch pizzas. I’ve used this recipe successfully in recipes that calls for 1 pound of pizza dough—just remember that you’ll be making two smaller pizzas instead of one large.
Make This Dough & Enjoy These Pizzas
- Arugula-Almond Pesto Pizza
- Barbecue Pineapple, Jalapeño and Feta Pizza
- Broccolini Almond Pizza
- Brussels Sprouts Pizza with Balsamic Red Onions
- Butternut Ribbon Goat Cheese Pizza
- Greek Pizza
- Kale Pesto Pizza
- Strawberry, Basil and Balsamic Pizza
- Ultimate Veggie Pizza
Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 8 1x
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Whip up this 100% whole wheat pizza dough recipe in your food processor. It hardly needs kneading or rising time. You can make this pizza in less than the amount of time it would take for pizza delivery. Dinner is ready! Yields two medium (11″ diameter) pizzas.
Ingredients
Whole wheat pizza dough
- 1 cup water, heated to 110 degrees (very warm, almost too hot for comfort)
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons) rapid-rise or instant yeast
- 2 ¾ cups (345 grams) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
Toppings
- 1 cup pizza sauce or one 32-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand
- 2 to 3 cups shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
- Additional toppings, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
- Whisk water, honey, oil and yeast in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Allow yeast to proof for 5 minutes. It should puff up some by then.
- Pulse flour, Parmesan, and salt in food processor until combined. While running the food processor, slowly pour in the water mixture and process until a shaggy ball forms, about 1 minute.
- Dump the dough onto a floured work surface and quickly knead dough a few times until it comes together. Halve the dough.
- On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll dough into two rounds about 11 inches in diameter. For best results, roll the dough out about as thin as reasonably possible. Aim for even thickness rather than a perfectly round shape.
- Carefully lift and transfer one of the rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the outer 1-inch of the dough with a light coating of olive oil. Add half of the pizza sauce or crushed tomatoes (crush the tomatoes over the sink to get out as much liquid as possible). Sprinkle with half of the cheese and any other toppings you’d like to add.
- Bake on the top rack until the crust and cheese are lightly golden, about 10 minutes for cheese pizza and 12 minutes for pizza with additional toppings. Repeat with the remaining dough, then slice and serve. Leftover pizza will keep well in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Fauxmartha’s no-rise pizza crust and Cook’s Country’s quick grilled pizza dough.
Troubleshooting: In the unlikely event that the dough clings to your fingers and doesn’t hold its shape, add more flour, just 1 tablespoon at a time. Process briefly to blend again (or stir again, if making by hand).
Make it vegan: Omit the cheese. Use maple syrup or vegan sugar instead of honey.
Flour options: All-purpose flour will work well here, too (same amount). Do not use whole wheat pastry flour. I have not tried this recipe with any gluten-free flour blends; I’m not sure it will work with those.
Cheese options: The Parmesan is in this recipe for flavor. Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese. You can substitute mozzarella or cheddar if you’re out. The recipe will even work without cheese.
Pizza stone option: This crust turns out especially great if you bake it on a hot pizza stone or pizza steel (I have this one/affiliate link) instead of a baking sheet. I have always had good luck sliding the pizza with the parchment paper underneath onto the baking stone. The pizza will bake much faster on a hot surface, so keep an eye on it and reduce the cooking time accordingly.
Grill option: This dough works great on the grill. Lay it carefully on the grates and avoid touching for the first minute of cooking.
Individual pizzas: Divide this dough into quarters (instead of halves) to make 4 “personal pan” pizzas, each about 6 inches in diameter. Bake about 7 to 10 minutes (or less, if using a pizza stone), until the crust and cheese are lightly golden.
No food processor? Combine the flour, Parmesan, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then drizzle the yeast and water mixture into the bowl while stirring with a large spoon. Stir until all of the flour has been incorporated and the dough comes together, then proceed with the next step.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Avneet B.
Wow! I was skeptical at first thinking whole wheat no rising of the dough but this was amazing. So easy. My 11 month old loves pizza so I wanted a healthy alternative. He loved it as well as my husband who generally does not like “healthy” versions of food. Amazing recipe. You never fail to deliver!
★★★★★
Dhanya Tharakan
this looks great! can we omit the parmesan?
Kate
Hi, it may be ok. Let me know. I find the cheese helps with the flavor and how it bakes up.
Archana
I tried it without the cheese. Came out great! I did put in lots of Italian seasoning while making the dough.
Kal
Would using Cheddar instead of the Parmesan work, or should I omit?
Kate
Parmesan works great, but cheddar could be interesting. Let me know how it works for you!
Kal
Hi Kate, it worked really well! The “tang” of cheddar really added something extra.
★★★★★
Ana Zgombic
The worst recipe ever !! Your dough ruined my pizza. All I was looking for was a healthy recipe for whole wheat thin crust .. yours seemed easy enough but then it just didn’t puff up it didn’t even bake it just tasted like dough .. it made me so angry that I spent so much on fresh prawns fresh anchovy crab meat and this ridiculous dough was just the same when I put it in the pan to cook after 20 min still same gross flat dough. Disgusting !!!!
Leanna
Wow Karen, I mean Ana Zgombic. Just, wow.
And Kate, I’m super excited to try this crust for family pizza night this weekend! And if for some reason it doesn’t turn out as wonderful as I’m hoping it does, I will assume that I either missed a step or, I don’t know, it just wasn’t my cup o’ tea. Either way, thank you for the time and effort you went to in order to share a recipe that works well for you.
Kate
Thank you, Leanna. I hope you love it! Be sure to let me know what you think.
Kate
Hi Ana, I’m sorry you were disappointed with this recipe. Are you sure you used fresh yeast, non expired? That can cause issues and if it wasn’t proofed correctly. I appreciate your feedback.
Matthew
I was just about to say that if your dough doesn’t rise, your yeast might be expired. It has happened to me sometimes. If you’re prepping your yeast, it should look frothy a bit and if not, it might be expired. Hope this helped!
Cheryl
Well, always good to test something first before either investing a lot of additional money or having guests over…
Anastasia
I wouldn’t blame the recipe for the problem — I recently made my old, familiar, very dependable (white flour) pizza dough recipe, and for the first time, it didn’t work well at all. Even though the yeast wasn’t anywhere near the printed expiration date, it clearly wasn’t as active as it should have been. Point being, even yeast packaged with an expiration date well in the future could on occasion be from a bad batch. Next time, I’ll pay more attention to the behavior of the yeast during the proofing stage.
Regarding this recipe, being a big fan of white, whole-wheat flour, I can’t wait to give it a try! Thank you for the recipe!
Katie
LOVE this pizza recipe!!! Thank you so much for sharing it! By far the best and easiest crust I’ve ever made. Does the nutrition information include the toppings or is it just for the crust?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Katie! The nutritional information is for everything in the ingredients list. I hope that helps!
Aurae
So tasty and easy to make! My 5 year old loves it and my husband. We make one pizza and freeze the other half for another day. It thaws and cooks really well.
★★★★★
Gwen
Everything in the ingredients list, including the toppings? Or just crust? Thank you
Kate
Hi! Everything listed in the recipe, so toppings too.
Gwen
Thank you!!
Archana
This is so easy. I had to cook for 18min though, for the toppings
Freezing the other half. Let’s see how that turns out. I am going to top that with your marinara sauce. Another family favorite.
★★★★★
Sydney Sparks
I was wondering what the nutritional information might look like if I made it into a personal pan size! thanks again(:
Kate
Hi Sydney! I don’t have that information, sorry! If that is something you need, I would suggest entering in your specific ingredients. Or, estimate by cutting the serving information.
Aliya
Turnout great!! Kids approved!!But Next time I’ll use 2 cups of WW flower.
★★★★★
Shailee
Can I proof the dough for few hours? Will that make it even better?
Kate
Hi Shailee, this works great as written. You can let the dough set in the refrigerator longer if you need to.
Darian M.
When I did mine, the dought cannot really hard and was difficult to roll out. Was not saggy or doughy at all.
★
Hyma
I tried this recipe and it came out just as you mentioned. Just took 20 mins from start to end. Loved the taste and guilt free yumminess.
Thank you Kate!
Ursula Bielski
Absolutely delightful. I just made one large pizza instead of two. Nice and crunchy unlike most wheat crusts. I will always make this as our pizza crust in the future. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you loved it, Ursula. I appreciate you taking the time to review!
Olivia Trudeau
Hi Kate!
Is the parmesan optional?
Kate
Yes, it is!
Deb Hanson
Hi Kate. Have tried this recipe. It is wonderful! If I make in the morning to use for dinner should I refrigerate the dough?
Thank you.
Kate
Hi Deb, I’m glad you love it. Yes! You will want to refrigerate.
Jeanne Kazley
Kate,
Like much of America, I’ve been making meals at home and wanted pizza. My husband requested a whole wheat dough and yours was the recipe I decided to make. The results were great! I knew I was on the road to success when the yeast bubbled! I followed your measurements and directions and did add the Parmesan cheese. The crust didn’t taste cheesy, just very good.
I had recently viewed a Wolfgang Puck pizza video and made that pizza from dough made at a local grocery. The video had you hold dough in the air and pinch it while rotating it to get it thin.letting gravity help stretch it. Then place on floured surface and continue thinning with hands. I did that with your dough too and finished off with rolling pin. Perfect!
I put a little cornmeal on my pizza stone and baked as you directed. Did not ore-heat my stone. Topped my with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, yellow, green, red peppers and mushrooms. The veggies I had all pre-cooked and soft. Sprinkled a tiny bit, maybe a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on top.
Will make your dough, again, again and again.
Thank you! I’m very impressed how amazing this turned out.
Mission accomplished! You took the fear out of something I have been wanting to make at home.
★★★★★
Lisa
This pizza dough was delicious! I liked how I was able to make it come out thin and crispy. Also I baked mine at 550 F because I’ve seen videos explaining how you should use a very hot oven for pizza- as hot as possible. I don’t think I used 1/4 of a cup of Parmesan cheese just because I did not have a lot left so I probably used 1/8 of a cup and I added Italian seasoning as another commentor here suggested.
★★★★★
Lisa
Lovely recipe! I was quite skeptical as I hadn’t had the best experiences baking with whole wheat flour and also this recipe seemed too good to be true, but it works and tastes delicious! We also make home made pizza way more often as this recipe makes the whole process much easier, quicker and cleaner. Thanks Kate :)
★★★★★
dana
HI Kate, I have to limit my gluten intake, so regular flour is better than whole wheat for me- would this work the same with regular flour? Can’t wait to try this recipe. (PS – I visit your blog literally every single day. I just love it and everything turns out so well! Thank you!!)
Kate
Hi Dana! I wouldn’t know without trying it as all purpose flour can vary at times. I would suggest starting with the same amount.
Nimisha
Hi Kate,
I’d like to begin by saying I love your recipes and they have all by far turned out great for me.
I want to ask you about this pizza dough Recipe. Could I use the same recipe if I want to make a refined flour version? Or would the quantities of yeast change ?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Nimisha, I wish I could be more helpful. I wouldn’t know without trying it. Sometimes you can replace whole wheat flour with all purpose 1:1.
Nimisha
Okay thank you! :)
I’m trying this tomorrow, would update you.
WHITNEY STRICKLAND
Can you freeze half the dough?
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but a reader said they freeze half and it works well.
Lauren
I used this dough recipe to make some quick bread ciabatta style as a starter for family with some balsamic and oil… DELICIOUS
★★★★★
Namagiri Sridhar
Hi
How to modify this recipe to use original yeast not an instant one ? Thanks
Kate
Hi! Sorry, this one is designed as is. It would change the recipe and likely need more proofing prior to using.
Jessie
Hi Kate,
I love this recipe for whole wheat pizza dough! I have made it quite a few times for my family and they love it! Just one question: once I make the dough can I store it in the fridge? If so, how long can I store it in the fridge for?
Kate
Hi Jessie! This wasn’t meant to have a rest period, so I can’t be sure. It may rise too much. Let me know if you try it!
Nishu
Hi!!!
I love this pizza dough recipe of your and have made it numerous time but I’m running out of Parmesan cheese but I have processed mozzarella and cheddar cheese can I use that for
Making the dough.
Erin Casey Cone
I was interested in what you consider a serving size for your nutritional label. I’m guessing it would just be the yield divided into eight. So for two pizzas approximately 1/4 of one.
Joan G
I made this tonight with fresh ground local whole wheat flour and many vegetables from our CSA share. It was wonderful!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Joan! I’m happy you loved it.
Tara
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! It’s quick and easy and comes out perfectly every time! Best of all my whole family loves it! Tonight I subbed mozzarella for parm because I was out if parm. It was just as delicious as always. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Tara! Thank you for your review.
Maithri
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I proofed the base for abt 90 mins and did 50:50 apf:whole wheat. I also added some chilli flakes and dried basil to the dough. It came out absolutely yumm! And it was my first time making pizza from scratch. This is a keeper!
★★★★★
Anushree
Loved your recipe and it was easy and delicious.
Thanks for sharing
★★★★★
Lisa f
This is now my go to pizza dough recipe – it always works – and I need whole wheat for health reasons- thank you so much!!!
Marianne
Please send me resep for healthy pizza
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Marianne! I have some great pizza ideas on the blog. You may enjoyBroccolini Almond Pizza
Marc
Hi Kate,
Do you think this would work with almond flour or buckwheat flour?
I use your cookbook often, cheers!
Marc
Kate
Hi Marc! I wouldn’t suggest those flours here, that would require a different recipe. Sorry! I’m happy to hear you are enjoying my cookbook.
Hayley
This is my go to pizza dough. It’s so easy and flavourful. I actually use a storebought vegan Parmesan and it works perfectly. Sometimes I use honey and sometimes maple syrup – they both work well but honey is a bit better. This is probably one of my most remade recipes!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Hayley.
Gerry
Been fooling around with pizza dough for years, I made this immediately to try it out. It’s genius! Thanks so much Kate, another winner!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Gerry! Thank you for taking the time to comment and review.
Sarah
This crust was easy and delish! I might add a little sea salt next time to the crust when baking. Made a plain cheese one and dairy free with tomatoe sauce and roasted eggplant, red onions and cherry tomatoes. When I baked it, I added mushrooms and baby spinach. Could have made the crust a little thicker for those vegetables.
★★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t just love it, but happy to hear you will make it again! I love your toppings, too.
Joy M.
Hi Kate! The recipe looks great and I can’t wait to try it! I was wondering what brand of parchment paper you use with this recipe. Mine tops out at 385 degrees before it starts to burn.
Kate
Hi Joy! I’m sorry to hear that. I use a natural brand, so it’s brown paper. That may impact if it is bleached or not. Head to my shop page on the one I use!
Rick Wilson
Love your recipes Kate and your approach to healthy food and eating.
However, in the UK, as you know, we use either imperial or more likely now metric measurement.
Your method of measuring by volume ie cups rather than by weight makes using your recipes that bit more difficult.
If I’ve missed an option for metric measurement on your site, I apologise but I don’t think I have.
Maybe you could think about this option. Otherwise GREAT – keep it going !!
Annie
I have active dry yeast. Will that work? Confused if that’s the right type…
thanks!
Kate
Hi Annie! This one is meant for a quick rise yeast. It will say on the package.
marie e graf
Hi Kate,
Can I replace the whole wheat flour with gluten free flour?
Marie
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried it and not sure how the yeast would react to get you the result you are looking for. If you try it, let me know!
Kate Kayes
Please will you develop a great (easy) recipe for cauliflower pizza crust as you seem to be on a pizza roll ;)) I have recently bought two different crusts from the frozen section of the grocery store and liked them, but always prefer to make my own to be in control of what I’m eating. I know you can do it!
Thanks,
Kate
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Katie! I will take down your request, although I can’t make any promises.
Nomakeup.net
I’m trying this tomorrow, would update you.
★★★★★
Kate
I hope you love it!
Ruslana
I made it last night using active yeast even though I saw you didn’t recommend it( didn’t wanna run to the store just for new yeast) instead of instant, and it did have more of a cracker or thin crust texture, but everyone still loved it and it was delicious. I will try the instant yeast next time though, will probably be even tastier. Thank you! My first time making pizza at home and I think it turned out pretty good !
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy you were still able to enjoy it.
PJ Stewart
My husband and I LOVE this simple recipe!! We weren’t making pizza at home but since your recipe, we have homemade pizza several times a month!! Thanks!!!!
★★★★★
Merrilee Durrwachter
Could you please provide instructions on how to make with regular active dry yeast since any yeast is so hard to find these days? We tried the recipe with active dry yeast and it came out like a doughy flatbread, because it had so little rise time. We love all your recipes, so we are ready to try this one again!!
Kate
Hi Merrilee! I wish it were that simple, but would likely require a new recipe. I appreciate your feedback and sorry you are having trouble.
Beth
I’ve been making my pizza dough for the same way for years, so I was open to trying something different. I’m very happy with the results! I’ve never used instant yeast, so that was nice to not have to remember to start my dough earlier in the day. It was a very soft dough, so I might try to parbake my dough next time, near the bottom of the oven. It tends to make the bottom a little crispier. Thanks for getting me to try something new.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Beth!
Martha S
I forgot to add the cheese, but I thought the crust was exceptional! It’s going into my permanent cookbook for sure. delicious.
Jacquie Burrows
I have been looking for a whole wheat pizza recipe and I cannot believe that it can be so simple and taste so good. I am a huge fan of your recipes and I don’t even bother looking anywhere else now. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! I’m excited you loved it, Jacquie.
Joy
This was an excellent recipe! The crust was amazing. I honestly like the whole wheat crust better than crust made with white flour.
I was a little skeptical as I was rolling out the dough. It seemed dry. Don’t be scared ok? The addition of the Parmesan created a tender and flavorful crust once it was baked. This one is going in my recipe book as a favorite. ❤️
★★★★★