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 whole wheat pizza dough recipe yields a crust of medium thickness. It’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!
Watch How to Make Pizza Dough
Recipe Development Notes
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). Wrap 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. This pizza dough also turns out great when baked in an Ooni pizza oven.
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: Cookie and Kate
- 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 extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- 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, oil, honey 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.
emily
is the parm necessary in the dough? we do not eat dairy, but make DF pizza a lot, and i’ve been looking for a good whole wheat crust. if i leave the parm out, should i sub something else?
Kate
Hey Emily, good question. I think the parmesan mostly just adds some flavor. You should be fine without it. You could add some herbs or garlic to the dough if you’d like to mix things up.
Wally
Agree no need for cheese !
dixya
I am always up for trying new pizza variations too tempted to try it already.
Hillary
I’ve been waiting for (too lazy to research) an easy recipe for whole wheat pizza dough to use for monkey bread (made with maple syrup). Can’t wait to try! Thanks for doing all the work! You are my new favorite blog, BTW. :)
Kate
Hey Hillary! Please let me know how the monkey bread comes out! Glad to know you’re reading. :)
In the woods
Disregard my comment vision disability. Nutrition plain as day.
Vicki @ WITK
I love baking, but I really dislike rolling things out. I think my apartment is always too hot and everything sticks to the counter!
Kate
I also despise using a rolling pin! Truly though, this dough is remarkably easy to work with. You can do it! If all else fails, you could probably use your hands to spread it onto the pan.
Caroline
I hate rolling things out as well… so I can’t be bothered to buy a rolling pin. So I just use an empty wine bottle with parchment paper to cover the dough! Works like a charm ;)
Can’t wait to try this recipe for Friday pizza night!
Angela@eatspinrunrpt
Ahh this sounds so good! But now that you’ve mastered it, I’ve got a new challenge for you…can you make me a gluten free version!?! ;)
Kate
Oh man! I need to take a break from pizza for a while first. :)
Joanne
As a proud smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder addict, I can say with confidence that this smoked salt is going to become a staple in my life! And on my pizzas.
Kate
I’d amazing. You need some in your pantry!
Ruthy @ Omeletta
this is such perfect timing- I’ve been playing around with pizza doughs and have yet to find a great one! I don’t have a mixer so this looks like something I can actually do at home; can’t wait to try it. (and smoked salt! #swoon)
Kate
Thanks, Ruthy! I wanted to find a recipe that doesn’t require a mixer. Hope you’ll give it a try soon!
Tieghan
I am always game for a new pizza dough recipe! This look so good and I love how easy it is. Easy is so good these days! :)
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I’ve been on a homemade pizza kick lately and this one looks so tasty! Bummer about Jim Lahey’s dough failing you – I just made pizza with it over the weekend (though I didn’t use whole wheat flour). Love the smoked salt!
Kate
I’m definitely going to try Lahey’s dough again with white wholewheat flour. Somehow I didn’t know that whole wheat pastry flour would be such a bad choice! My dough was a gooey glob of a disaster.
Beth
I know I’m a couple of years late to the party, but I wanted to share something. Pastry flour has less protein, which is why it’s generally not used in bread making. Your flour didn’t have the gluten strength to hold itself up when made with the pastry flour. Still, I can’t wait to give this recipe a shot! Kate, your recipes never give me any trouble. :)
Sarvani (baker in di
Ohh yess.. I’ve been waiting for a whole wheat pizza dough recipe for a while.. thank you.. should try it this week itself!
dana
a pizza pie
a pizza pie
I come to your house
you make pizza pie.
OK?
p.s. I’m in Italy right now and I bet you they don’t have whole wheat crust here, just sayin’.
claire
Def. will be searching out smoked salt. Sounds perfect!
Tammela
That’s a great-sounding dough. I make a hybrid white-whole wheat-cornmeal pizza dough — it does have to rise for 2 hours, but it’s worth it:
http://taplatt.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/recipe-homemade-pizza/
Chelsea@TableForOne
Ohh! This pizza dough looks so easy and perfect for pizza nights with friends.
Sophie
I will try every new pizza dough recipe I read about (at least, the ones as exhaustively researched by bloggers such as you and Deb Perelman, et al) because I am never satisfied with what crusts come out of my oven. But experimenting is half the fun! All-whole-wheat? That is what I’m talking about! Can’t wait to try! All ovens and atmospheric humidities are different so I will be happy to report back my results with your version :)
Kate
Please do ket me know what you think of the dough, Sophie! :)
Sophie
This crust is awesome, Kate! I’m so pleased you shared with us. While it has a more crumbly texture than my usual Jim-Lahey chewy type, I have to say it is miles easier to work with as far as shaping. It was a breeze, and cooked into a sturdy, well-browned crust that didn’t flop under the weight of the toppings. It was delicious! It yielded two mediums-sized pizzas with a medium-thick crust, just perfect…. I added minced garlic to the dough along with the Parm, it made the house smell so good! I used your topping ideas too. Thanks for lunch :)
Kate
Sophie, thanks so much for getting back to me! I’m delighted to hear that you enjoy the crust so much. You’re right, the sturdiness of the crust is a big selling point. I’m adding garlic to my dough next time for sure!
Christiane ~ Taking
Smoked salt. What an amazing notion. I love it and can only imagine how amazing it would make the pizza taste.
honeywhatscooking
I’m so intimidated to make homemade pizza… I have to first figure out where to buy yeast and give it a shot.
Thanks for sharing.
Kate
I am totally confident that you could make this homemade pizza dough! Look for yeast in the baking aisle.
Jordan Little
This looks great! I made a whole wheat pizza dough the other night that was good, but not great. I will be trying this one ASAP at gingerlockskitchen.com!
SoFitSoGreen
In bed right now reading this and suddenly cravvvinngggg pizza!! looks amazing! Did you use an S blade in the food processor to make the dough? Thank you :)
Kate
Yes, that’s the blade I used! Enjoy the pizza.
Claire
Hello, I just came across this recipe and it looks great! However, I don’t own a food processor. Any other suggestions?
Thanks!
Kate
Hey Claire, I think you could mix the wet ingredients as directed, then whisk together the dry ingredients in another bowl. Pour the wet into the dry, stir until well mixed and proceed from there. Pretty sure that should work! Please let me know if you give it a try.
Bryan C
Amazon Does have dough hooks for electric hands mixers that can be bought or they come with the mixer when bought as a kit with the mixer.
Sini
I love baking and the whole process of it. For me, it’s one of the most comforting things. But I’ll keep this recipe in mind for those moments when I want to have a homemade pizza ready in half an hour! These quick and easy recipes are often the ones that safe your evening after a stressful day at work. I also love that it’s 100 % whole wheat. Thanks, Kate!
ela@ it's better...
Pizza is always the “food of choice” for me and this one looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Allison
Could you make this with regular rise yeast?
Kate
I’m sorry, I’m not sure. I’m guessing it wouldn’t rise as much as the rapid rise dough.
Anna
I tried with regular yeast tonight — would definitely recommend the rapid rise, as the regular rise didn’t have a chance to rise at all.
ayna
this is amazing…looks yummy!
Belinda @themoonblus
I love smoked salt! Have you tried black salt? has the best crunch. Simply love the ease of this crust, you are genuis
Kate
I have tried black salt! You’re right, that crunch is pretty awesome. I bet it would be good on roasted potatoes.
Mike D
It’s in the oven right now:
1) My grocery store only sold 28 oz cans of whole tomatoes . . . makes sure you buy an extra 14 oz can if this is your case too as 28 oz isn’t enough.
2) 2 cups of cheese! Woah! That’s a lot of cheese per pizza.
3) I had to use two seperate baking pans for my pizzas. I wonder if you could just make one big one?
Otherwise super easy and I’m looking forward to digging in.
Thanks!
MD
Kate
Thanks for your feedback, Mike! Good point on the canned tomatoes. The cheese was a rough estimate. You might be able to make one big pizza. I’ve read that with big pizzas, you have to watch out for soggy crust in the middle. Often corn meal is used to help reduce sogginess. This dough gets so firm, though, that I’m not sure it would need any at all! Please let me know if you give it a try.
PetiteFromage
Mmmm this looks absolutely mouth watering! I know what I’m trying next weekend!
Which gluten free flour would you suggest as a replacement for wheat flour?
Thank you so much!
Petite xx
Kate
Hi! I’m sorry, I’m not sure what kind of gluten-free flour to suggest. The original recipe specified all-purpose flour so I think an all-purpose GF substitute might work.
PetiteFromage
I will try an all purpose GF flour and let you know how it goes for any other people who may ask! :)
Thank you again! x
Kate
Thank you! Hope it works well for you!
Sweetphi
Oh, this look delicious! I’ve been looking for a whole wheat pizza dough to make, and this one definitely looks like the one i’ll be making! Thanks for posting!
Aggie
I also turn away at rolling pins and yeast. And my mixer looks real pretty on the counter :)
I have been trying to successfully make a whole wheat pizza dough for as long as I can remember it seems, yours looks delicious and sounds easy enough! And I’m going to be on the look out for smoked salt!
Kate
Hope you’ll give this dough a shot soon, Aggie! It’s really SO easy.
WV Cook
If you like smoked salt, it is easy to “make”. When I am smoking something for long periods (like a pork butt), I often add some other items to smoke on the shelf above in my simple, Weber water smoker–not a fancy set-up.
That something has been tofu, cheeses, and even kosher salt. Just put it in a small pie plate, not real deep, maybe 1 inch of salt at most. I use foil ones so they can bend and I can fit more stuff on the rack. Low sides mean more smoke swirling. Just be sure to shake/stir it over time. Easy. Let cool and store. Then you can tell friends it is your own version of locally smoked salt.
Kate
That’s great to know! Thank you. I think my friends have a smoker so I will pass your tip along to them.
Skye
Oh no – you absolutely must salvage your Kitchen Aid from the dirty socks. I can’t be bothered with fussy recipes either, but I use mine all the time. I absolutely adore it – it makes baking so much easier, and looks so pretty on your kitchen top…
Thank you for the wholemeal pizza recipe, by the way – it looks delicious and I’m always looking for ways to make pizza a little more wholesome… I think I know what I will be having for dinner tomorrow night now…
Dmarie
LOVE this recipe, so adaptable. I substituted some ground flax for some of the white whole wheat. So QUICK and EASY. thank you, thank you, thank you.
Kate
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe. Ground flax sounds like a great addition!
Aly
Can you make the entire recipe, split it and then instead of using both at the same time freeze half of it?
Kate
Aly, yes, I think you could!
amanda june
hi! made this tonight — love that it’s 100% whole wheat and doesn’t require rise time. i eyeballed the size of the pizzas and must have underestimated 11 inches, because the crust turned out super-thick and breadlike. (i also didn’t put it on the very topmost rack in the oven, which probably added to the consistency issue — no crispness). fortunately, i LOVE almost all dense carby things and husband is easy to please (plus, this was my first pizza dough from scratch so extra grace!) so we still really enjoyed it! might give it a try some other time and roll it out thinner, because it really was an absolute breeze to put together (though i worried that it would be dry because it was a bit crumbly). anyway — thanks!
Kate
Hey Amanda, I’m glad you enjoyed the pizza, but I’m sorry it didn’t turn out just right. You need to roll out the dough about as thin as you can make it because it puffs up quite a bit. It also shouldn’t have been crumbly. Maybe you were packing more flour into the cups than I did—I always use the spoon and swoop method of measuring flour.
Kate
Also, just to be sure we’re on the same page—the dough should have yielded two 11-inch pizza crusts.
amanda june
thanks for your reply, kate! yes, i did get two (what i thought looked like!) 11-inch pizzas, but next time i will roll them out super-thin and be more careful with the flour. :) thanks again!
Erica
Thank you, thank you….THANK YOU!!! Tonight was make your own pizza night. I forgot to make the south ahead of time and the kids were getting antsy.
I ued to own a rolling pin but it disappeared when we moved so I missed out the dough in a pizza pan I got from the dollar store and pressed it out until it reached the ends. My previous attempts at homemade whole wheat pizza dough left the kids press than excited to try yet another one, but the yummy smells quickly won them over. They devoured it! We now have a staple in this house. Thanks again!
Erica
Oh. Typos! I hate that.
South= dough
Ued= used
Missed out= put
Press= less
Typing on a cell phone from my kitchen. Lol.
Kate
Ha, no worries! I’m just glad your family enjoyed the pizzas! Thank you for commenting, Erica.
LAbird
Eating my pizza now, yum! Thank you for sharing this awesomely easy pizza dough. I am super lazy and usually buy store dough but I decided it might be easier to make it just this once.
I replaced the yeast with baking powder, and the parmesan with thyme. It was forgiving and still turned out great.
Dough was crumbly so don’t even try to stretch it out, I mashed it out with my palms.
Thank you!
PAM
What was the substitution ratio for your baking powder VS yeast?
Lacie
Wow! Totally delicious and super easy! All the recipes I found for whole wheat flour pizza dough kept calling for all purpose flour. My family and I are trying for 80% clean eating and 20% real life…(I loved and borrowed that line from Melissa at blessthismessplease.com). I typed in 100% wheat flour pizza dough in Google and yours came up so I gave it a shot! Super impressed, I found my dough! I used fresh mozzarella that I placed in the freezer for a bit to make easier to slice and lots of veggies!! Ok ok, I did add some turkey pepperoni. I know that’s not healthy but remember I’m trying to convert my family! We all loved the dough! My 8 yr old even commented on how much he loved the crust! Do you think it would be possible to replace the sugar with honey and have you ever tried to mix up the dough and freeze just to keep on hand?
Kate
Hey Lacie, I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner! I’m so glad your family loved the dough. The sugar in the recipe activates the yeast. You might be able to substitute honey, but I’m not totally sure. I bet it would freeze well, but I haven’t tried! Please let me know if you give it a try.
Tim
Have you tried this dough on the BBQ. I’m looking for a good whole wheat dough to use on the grill. I like to toast one side over indirect heat and then flip that side up and put my sauce and toppings on it then place back on a stone on the grill to finish it off.
Kate
Tim, I haven’t tried. The recipe was adapted from a dough designed for the grill, so I think it would work really well. Please let me know if you try it!
Tim
Well I made the dough and server it tonight. It worked great on the grill. It had great flavor and texture. Give it a try some time.
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Tim! I can’t wait to try it.
Cindy
Have you ever frozen the dough? I used to make pizza dough but got lazy and buy the deli made dough at my grocery store. I like how easy your recipe is and if I could make a couple and freeze them, it would be awesome!!We have homemade pizza every Sat
Kate
Sorry, I haven’t tried! Let me know if you do. The food processor method really only takes about 10 minutes.
Cindy
I just wanted to let you know how much we loved your pizza dough! I did freeze the second one and it turned out great! Neither one of them really rose much, more like a thin crust, but it was still awesome and I’ll be making it again on pizza night.Thanks!
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Cindy! I think the crust is best when rolled out as thin as possible. I have started baking mine on a pizza steel and then it gets really bubbly!
Ann
I never comment online but I felt I needed to just this once to thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe. My grocery store carries a whole wheat pizza crust in the refrigerated deli section but they are often out of it and it takes forever for a new shipment to come in. So, I decided to try my hand at making my own. I picked your recipe because so many others used white flour with the wheat flour instead of all wheat flour like yours. Simply put, it couldn’t have been easier to make and it tasted delicious. My husband and I both loved it and it will now be our go to pizza dough. Thanks again for sharing.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Ann. I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
Aria
Great recipe. I tried making it without the oil, salt or sugar and it came out fine! Even healthier! :)
Kristin
This recipe was extremely easy and delicious. The whole family enjoyed this. I did let the dough sit in the fridge for close to two hours while my sauce simmered, Made 6 mini pizza’s from this recipe. Thanks for posting. Will make again!
Kate
Hooray! Glad to hear it, Kristin. Thank you for letting me know!
gloria Spiridigloizzi
I don’t have one of those gadjets to pulse the dough,can I do it by hand?
Kate
Gloria, I’m sorry I didn’t answer your question sooner. I think you probably could mix together the ingredients with a big spoon. The dough might require some extra kneading to make it come together.
Felly
I am always scared of trying new recipes because we don’t know if what I think is good is the same as what the person whi created the recipe. Always scared of coming out bad and having to throw away food (and money too).
But I am willing to try this or find any recipes for a good and healthy pizza because my bf can eat pizza for a whole month straight (I don’t get how and why lol) and we are also trying to live healthier. So definitely hope this will turn out good and of course will give update :) cheers!
Kate
Felly, I hope your pizza turned out well!
Tania
My boyfriend an I have made 12 or more of your recipes. After making this crust we knew we had to comment. Every recipe has been fantastic, keep up the great work! Ps, my boyfriend had a dog named cookie for 21 years growing up!
Kate
Hi Tania! Thank you for your sweet comment! I’m so glad you’re both enjoying the recipes. I ******hope***** my Cookie lives to be twenty one!
Shira
Fantastic dough. I made a whole wheat crust once before and DH did NOT appreciate it. But this recipe is fantastic: filling, easy, with great results. This time DH LIKED IT, and I like it too! Thanks so much.
Kate
Hooray! Glad to hear it. Thank you, Shira.
Cherry
Made this last night with some homemade pizza sauce, it was GREAT!!! I sprinkled garlic salt on the oiled crust. I will use this dough recipe again and again. Thank you!
Kate
That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you, Cherry!
Josephine
This could most likely be the best and easiest pizza I ever made! I just felt that the least I could do was to let everyone know!
Kate
Hooray, thanks Josephine!
Andrea
I just made this pizza dough tonight and wow is it ever good!
I usually make a dough with all purpose flour only which tastes good, but I’ve wanted to try a whole wheat crust and this one is amazing! Thank you!!!
I will be making this dough from now on!
Kate
Thank you, Andrea! Glad you found my recipe!
Paula B.
This is the best, easiest, no-fail pizza dough recipe I’ve ever tired. I gave up on making pizza dough because I hadn’t tried this one, yet…. obviously! I made half a batch yesterday for a four-cheese pizza, and it was the most beautiful, professional-looking pizza to come out of my kitchen EVER. I actually made it for my food-allergic son, and it was HUGE. The rest of my family picked up a frozen pizza and ended up eating most of his between yesterday and today. I’m off to get more cheese to make another.
Kate
Awesome! Really happy to hear that, Paula. Thank you for commenting to let me know!
Jeniflower
Thoughts on making two batches in advance of a gathering at which the dough would have to sit around for a 1 – 1.5 hours before use? Keep it in a ball covered in Saran wrap? Or shape and cover with Saran wrap until ready to top and cook?
Kate
Hi! This dough really is best if you make it right before your roll it out, but if you can’t do that, I think that keeping it in a ball, covered in Saran wrap, would be your best bet!
Noki
I learned a cool trick from a chef for pizza and other stuff but to get a somewhat brick oven pizza at home you can. Go purchase unglazed quarry tiles and line your top and bottom shelves with them. Crank the oven to almost max and place your pizza on the bottom shelf that’s layered with the tile. And bam! Enjoy
Andrej
With those ingredients, how big was the pizza (say, what was the diameter)?
Kfawne
I am allergic to dairy, would the above be okay without the cheese? Should I substitute it for something else?
Kate
Yes, I think it would be just fine without the cheese! As far as I can tell, it just adds some extra flavor. You could mix in some pizza-friendly dried herbs if you’d like.
Claire
Thank You!! FINALLY a whole wheat pizza that even the children loved. Puffed up nicely around the edges, and everything about it was perfect!
Froze it too and it turned out just as good (just defrosted it at room temp for a few hours).
Kate
Excellent! Thank you, Claire!
Kristin
Love this recipe! So delicious and super easy!!!
Kate
Thanks, Kristin!
Melissa
Thank you for this recipe! I’m trying to convert my family to more whole wheat/grain foods and this is perfect. I packed this in my girls’ lunches and they loved it. Now I can give something they love without a ton of mother guilt. Thanks again!
Kate
Thank you, Melissa! Delighted to hear that you all are enjoying these pizzas. All of my recipes call for whole grains!
jitha
I made this pizza today and we all loved it. As someone mentioned in the comment i added some garlic also and the aroma was wonderful.
I baked with lot of veggies and my picky eater daughter also loved it it very much!!
Thanks again for the recipe. I guess i will be making a whole lot of pizzas now!!
Kate
Thank you, Jitha! Glad you all enjoyed the pizzas!
Ania
Can you tell me if I can make the dough earlier in the day and let it sit until we are ready to make pizzas a few hours later or since this is a no-rise recipe, does that mean you NEED to bake the dough right away after it’s made? I’d like to prep everything earlier in the day and have the kids roll the dough out and top their pizzas later on but not sure the dough can sit. Or can/should I refrigerate the dough?
Kate
Hey Ania, this dough is best immediately after it’s mixed. It requires very little prep. If you want to save some time, you could measure out the flour, etc. in advance.
Tom
Thank you! Turned out perfect for Superbowl dinner!!!
Kate
Excellent! Thanks, Tom!
Pete
1st pizza didn’t last long enough to take a picture of!
2nd pizza…. Veggie white. Going fast!
Cameron
First time I made this was last weekend and it was fantastic ! I’ve had other wheat pizza dough recipes off of other sites that were either BLAH or not TRUELLY whole wheat recipes that included white flour to the mix. This recipe is the real deal. Thin crust that you won’t feel guilty about eating, smells aromatic and IS delicious ! Thank you so very much !!
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Cameron!
Jessica
This is the easiest and yummiest recipe for whole wheat pizza that I could find. I have made it 4 times already and thought I was doing something wrong because I needed more water for that amount of flour to come together and then felt it was too soggy cause it never hardened like regular pizza after I baked it. It was all soft, until today that I decided to read carefully the recipe and noted I wasnt using the corn meal. I guess this is why it was so soft before. Oh my god, what a difference it made!! Still, to make it work I used two tablespoons of oil and only 2 cups of flour and had to add a little bit more water to make it come together. I also add some garlic powder to the flour. So yummy! Thanks for posting!
Andrea
Could this work without yeast ?? Dying to try it
Kate
Hey Andrea, I’m really not sure but I’d love to know if you try it! It would probably do best if you placed the rolled-out dough, very carefully, onto a hot surface, like a pizza stone or even a large preheated cast iron skillet.
Andrea
I just made this and OH MY GOD IT IS SOOOO GOOD! Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Victory!!! Thanks, Andrea!
Mary
Hey! Just wanted to let you know that I am testing this dough recipe out tonight and featuring it on my blog!
:)
Kate
Hope it turned out well!
M
It did! It was super easy. I made one with pesto and mozzarella and one with brie and maple cream, they were out of this world.
https://daytodaywithmanda.wordpress.com/2015/03/29/sunday-night-a-pizza-recipe/
Kate
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the dough.
Anastasia
I would give this recipe 5 stars if it included some rise time. The first pizza I popped into the oven and the crust was really dense and cracker like. We did not like it. The second pizza I kind of forgot about and it sat on the counter about 30 minutes before I baked it. It didn’t taste like the first pizza at all! The crust was so good! So I recommend letting it rise a half hour before popping it into the oven.
I shall had to keep adding water until it was a soft and kneadable dough. I live in a really dry area, but I would recommend adding your flour slowly so the dough doesn’t before too dense.
Kate
Thank you for your feedback, Anastasia. I’m not sure why your first pizza didn’t turn out well. I never let mine rest and they are never cracker-like!
Anastasia
Haha I’m super embarrassed because I think I used regular active dry yeast! That’s probably why mine needed some time to rise! I just made this recipe again tonight and noticed it said rapid rise. I normally use active dry. So my bad!
Kate
Aha, that would explain it! Thanks for letting me know, Anastasia! :)
Allex
LOVE LOVE LOVE this pizza. I will never order pizza again, it just can’t compare. I made a sauce with crushed tomatoes and a bit of balsamic and layered a bit of spinach under the cheese, and used mozzarella, aged cheddar, and parmesean and it made my night!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Allex! Your pizza topping combo sounds epic.
Kelly
Kate, thanks for sharing this great recipe! (You need to dig out that Kitchen Aid because it worked great for making this dough)! :) I skipped the parmesan cheese but added some minced garlic and italian seasoning to the dough and it was wonderful. I ended up letting it rise for about 30 minutes while we prepared toppings, but I love the idea that I can skip that part, if I need to.
Each family member rolled their own dough and we ended up with 3 good size YUMMY pizzas. This will definitely be my “go to” pizza crust recipe.
Patti
I do not have a food processor. How would I make this easy pizza dough without one??
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Patti, that’s a great question. Since it doesn’t require much manipulation, I suspect you could mix it all together in a bowl. Might take some muscle, but I think it would work! Please let me know if you try.
Kelly
Patti,
Do you have a Kitchen Aid? If so, it works great using the dough hook.
Kate
Thanks for letting us know, Kelly! So glad you are enjoying the dough!
Christeen
This is my go-to pizza crust recipe and it’s delish! Recently I started using only 2 cups whole wheat flour + 3/4 cups milled flaxseed for the extra health benefits and it’s still amazing. Thanks for the great recipe :)
Kate
That’s a great idea! Thank you, Christeen!
Sugandh
Hi, thanks for the great recipe. I look forward to recreating this in my kitchen. But i have Dry Yeast.. Could u tell me if it would work the same way as instant yeast?
Kate
Hi, instant yeast is also dry yeast. I’m really not an expert when it comes to yeasted goods, so here’s a resource that might help!
Jade
I tried this today, but instead of parmesan I used shredded carrot. Worked out really well!
Kate
Interesting!!! Thanks, Jade!
Vicky
tried this, turned out great, will use again and again
Kate
Hooray, thanks Vicky!
Kathy
Great recipe. Love the ease. I added ground flax and chia seed to mine. Used this recipe for pizza waffles and a BBQ chicken pizza. Both were fantastic.
Kate
Thank you, Kathy! Glad you enjoyed the dough!
Ann
Hello! Wonderful dough! Have you tried freezing it? I wonder if I can “make ahead” and save some time later on.
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Ann, glad you’re enjoying the dough! I haven’t tried freezing it myself. Would love to know how yours turns out if you do!
Tom
Made this over the weekend and it turned out just about perfect. I’ve tried several whole wheat recipes over the years but this one may just be the best. Thanks for sharing, loved it.
Kate
Really glad to hear it, Tom! Thank you!
Linda
Oh my goodness, I have not been able to eat pizza because of white crust in like 15 years I am a diabetic. Gave up all white lost 65 pounds but miss my pizza like crazy… I’m am tired of calling around for 100 percent whole wheat everybody looks at you crazy. Tonight in the time it took my husband to go to store for cheese the dough was done and round out. Let me tell you thank you from the bottom of my heart….. This pizza was the best and now I can have pizza again thank you it’s crazy how whole wheat keeps my blood sugar steady. I had 3 pieces too. This is a go to on Friday night…. Love it so much flavor I put garlic in crust and the cheese to die for. Thank you linda
Kate
Linda, I’m so glad you found this recipe! I have a tendency to get hypoglycemic, and I also find that whole wheat flour makes all the difference, so all of my recipes are 100% whole grain! Hooray for eating pizza again!!!
Linda
Oh by the way aim going to try this with rye flour oh yea.
Tanya
If you only need to use one pizza crust, could you freeze the other?
Tanya
Scratch that! Read through some comments :)
Carol Joffe
I have made this many times — it is fast and fabulous– we love it! No planning necessary except to have the yeast and mozzarella in stock.
Kate
Happy to hear it. Thanks, Carol!
Tina
I use ground cashews as a substitute for Parmesan all the time and simply did the same with this recipe. It turned out fantastic.
Kate
Thanks, Tina! That’s a great idea.
Carie Stephens
Made this tonight for my large family of pizza lovers and it was phenomenal. Have tried MANY whole wheat crust recipes and this is by far the easiest, tastiest and perfect-est of them all! Used my stand mixer with great results. A house full of teens, tweens and a toddler thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Kate
Hip hip hooray! Thank you, Carie!
Steve
Hi Kate, Just wanted to say the crust came out great. Very happy. I’ve had to watch my foods due to sugar levels in the past couple of years. I used to make a wonderful homemade regular white crust. I’ve tried a few recipes that I’d be allowed to eat, but all mixed white with whole wheat etc. Nothing came out great or something I could eat regularly anyway. Tried this, not expecting much and it was a great surprise and I’m very pleased. I have a healing support website on Facebook An Invitation to Heal ,where I share various related topics . I will refer anyone who wants to eat healthier your site. I’m a vegetarian as well so this comes in handy. All the best, Steve
Kate
Thank you, Steve! Glad this one turned out well for you!
James
Another stroke of genius – Excellent recipe!
A Sicilian friend of mine taught me to add a little Anise seed to the tomatoe sauce,which goes well with this crust…(as well as a glass of red wine !).
Kate
Thanks, James! Love your suggestions. :)
Lauren
So yummy! Thanks for the great recipe. I have four kids under the age of 10, and all but one loved it!
Kate
Thanks, Lauren! Seventy-five percent approval rating, I’ll take it! :D
Isabella Andersen
This looks great, but parmesan isn’t vegetarian unless it’s made without rennet, and at that point it isn’t parmesan anymore.
Kate
Hi Isabella, Whole Foods actually sells a great Parmesan made with microbial rennet that is vegetarian.
Kimberly
My husband and I love this pizza dough! I like that it is quick and easy but still uses yeast which makes it still a little light and fluffy. I made the mistake of making it the second time around with whole wheat pastry flour. Needless to say, I learned my lesson. This has become a family staple.
Kate
Thank you, Kimberly! I’ve made the same mistake with pastry flour before, that’s a no go!
Erica Smith
I just came across your blog when I googled a healthy pizza dough recipe. I’ll definitely be visiting more often! I have a question about the pizza servings: will this recipe be enough for 4 adults? You said it makes two medium pizzas, but about how many inches across is each pizza? (I know it varies, but just an estimate to get an idea.) Thanks in advance and I can’t wait to try out this recipe!
Kate
Hi Erica, so sorry for the late reply. The pizzas are about 10-11″ in diameter. I think they would be just right for 4 adults.
Susan
How many calories are in your Easiest Whole Wheat Pizza Dough?
Kate
Hi Susan, I’m sorry, I don’t provide nutritional breakdowns because recipes are so variable when they’re made at home. My Fitness Pal offers a handy nutrition calculator that lets you input the URL for any recipe. Here it is: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/box (you’ll have to create a free account to use it). Hope that helps!
Susan
Thank you
Melanie
Another great recipe from you! Fast food pizza has nothing on homemade pizza so I enjoy making my own from scratch. Thin crust is my personal fave and this whole wheat pizza crust did not disappoint. It is a little different upon first biting into a slice (because pizza dough isn’t typically whole wheat) but the delicious flavor and texture make it good-different!
I dislike having to wait for dough to rise and thankfully I didn’t need to with this recipe. I skipped out on food processing the dough and mixed it all by hand. I added a few more teaspoons of warm water to help it smooth out and it turned out well. All that was needed was some arm strength to knead and roll out that dough ;) Thanks for this easy and healthy recipe, Kate!
Kate
Thank you, Melanie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the dough. Yay!
maidita
amazing
Kate
Thanks! :)
michelle
Delicious crust and so easy. I did let mine rise but only because I had the time.
Kate
Thank you, Michelle!
JHeezy
Can you use this recipe to make Calzones or Pizza Pockets? I might try to make it this evening.
P.S. — I instantly winced when I read the KitchenAid comment. I’m the complete opposite of you. I love baking and flour and yeast and fussy pastries.I just don’t have the time on a weekday night to wait for breads/dough to rise, which is why I am here. The blue KitchenAid I desperately want is just too expensive of a purchase to make right now — I just got married last May and DH and I are saving and eliminating debt to buy a house. I registered for one, but I didn’t get it — plenty of other great stuff that I use everyday, but not that. This is an older post, so I hope that you’ve gotten more use out of the mixer — it’s a treasure in my eyes! :)
Nanette
I made your whole wheat pizza dough. It was a breeze and so easy to work with. Thanks for figuring it out. Any thoughts on how to make a 100% whole wheat coffee cake or biscuits? They always come out heavy. Would love to cook with only whole wheat. (I grind my wheat into flour just before using it.)
Deepthi
Yum. ‘Nuff said.
Ash
This is the best pizza dough recipe I have ever come across. And I just love, LOVE, the fact that it’s whole wheat. Thanks for coming up with it and sharing!!
Theresa Stegemann
WOW! This was the best recipe for making homemade pizza dough! I used my Vitamix 7600 blender and it worked perfectly. I just borrowed blending directions from the Vitamix pizza dough recipe which I found online. Variable 10 for 5-sec to blend the dry ingredients. Variable 6 with short pulses while slowly adding liquid until ball forms, then an additional 30 pulses after scraping sides.
Your recipe will definitely be in my permanent rotation.
Thanks so much Kate!
Jade
I have grumbled much lately that pizza, arguably a food group itself, is becoming impossible because I’m OFF the white flours. Then I found this recipe. I have a cast iron pan that works for all manner of things so I tried it with this. I usually run from “rolling pin” recipes, but this one was minor rolling pin intensive. I can my own pizza sauce without salt and used it. I added more cheese because I think the cheese is most of the pizza. I cannot tell you what a wonderful pizza I had. The crust was uniformly thin and crisp to crunchy, and chock full of flavor with the Parmesan(I use a mix of Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheeses) and I thought smoked salt was my secret but you’ve made it the world’s now so I’ll never be able to buy it again because everyone will get there first :). Thank you for a recipe that did not scare the tar out of me and made the best pizza I’ve ever made!
MARWA
such an AMAZING and TASTY recipe :)
thank you