The best thing about making pizza at home is that everyone can make their own pizza and top it any way they want. I like to add roasted garlic and sun dried tomatoes to mine, but the kids rarely stray from good old pepperoni and cheese. Another great reason to make pizza at home is it’s easier to make it a healthier. We use a lot less cheese and I add whole wheat flour to the crust.
I adapted this recipe from a pizza dough recipe I found online at A Year In Bread. I have tried others, but keep coming back to this one. The dough stretches easily and the honey and olive oil give it a great flavor. You can make it crispy or chewy depending on how thick you roll out the dough. This will make two 12 inch pizzas, but I usually make four individual 8 inch pizzas.
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough and Homemade Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water between 95º and 115º
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cup bread flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons 1 US package instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons [vital wheat gluten]
- ½ teaspoon salt
Homemade Pizza Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes in rich puree
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Whisk together the honey, warm water, and oil in a small bowl. The water should be about 95 to 115°. It should feel very warm, but not hot.
- Mix 1 cup bread flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour, yeast, wheat gluten, and salt in mixing bowl, using the paddle attachment, mix on low for about 30 seconds.
- With the motor running on low, pour in the liquids. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough begins to form. Clean off paddle and switch to dough hook. Mix in the remaining cup of bread flour a little at a time, to make a moderately stiff dough. Adding more or less flour as needed.
- Knead for eight minutes. The dough should completely clear the sides. If it is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more flour is needed. If the dough seems too dry, spritz with water from a spray bottle a couple of times, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more water is needed. You'll find the dough wraps itself around the hook, so every 2 minutes, stop the machine, scrape the dough off the hook, and then continue kneading.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times by hand to be sure it's tight and elastic. Form the dough into a tight ball.
- Wash and dry your mixing bowl then mist it with oil. Place the dough, seam-side down, in the bowl and lightly mist top of dough with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size–45 minutes to an hour.
- Heat the oven to 450F. (If you are using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat while the dough is rising.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Set one aside and cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
- Shape the other portion into a round by hand. Place the rolling pin in the center of the round and push outward. Rotate the dough ¼ turn and repeat. Continue until dough is about 12 inches across. Alternatively, you can stretch the dough by hand, which I do. The dough is quite elastic and will want to shrink, so don't rush it. Pause every now and then while shaping (whether by hand or with a rolling pen) to allow the dough to relax.
- Once dough is shaped, place on a sheet of parchment paper and top pizza as desired with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Using a pizza peel, transfer pizza on parchment to a pizza stone in the oven. (You can trim the parchment so it is only slight larger than your pizza.)
- Bake 8–10 minutes, or until crust is golden browned and cheese is brown and melted. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting.
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- In a small saucepan, sauté garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness. Sauce may be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
Yay for versatility!! I love it 🙂 This looks delicious.
Reeni
I have been looking for a good whole wheat dough Barbara, haven't had much luck with the ones I've tried. I will give this one a go. These look delicious! I love garlic on mine too.
Bridgett
I always think making your own pizza dough is too time consuming, but it really isn't and the results are always worth the effort…what little effort it even takes! Your photos have me craving a slice or two.
Julia @Mélanger
I love making homemade pizza. It's so easy and much cheaper than buying out. I have invested in a small pizza stone to make that crust even more delicious. Didn't even think about the flexibility of toppings as you point out. But I've not tried a whole wheat dough. Will have to give that a shot next time!
Chow and Chatter
wow this looks wonderful would be good in a cookbook LOL
steph
Looks great – pizza is my favorite food. I haven't quite conquered making it at home yet. I'll have to try your recipe next time.
Heavenly Housewife
Ah yes, after just coming back from NY I'd just love some delicious pizza daaaaahling, and of all people, I bet you could made a wonderful one. I love the sound of your dough.
*kisses* HH
shaz
Mmm, pizza! The addition of honey in the dough sounds really good (I already use olive oil for my pizza). Will try this next time 🙂
rebecca
here in northern jersey there are several pizzerias per town, but most don't have a whole wheat option. this looks fantastic, and i most definitely have to get the vital wheat gluten- thanks for that link. i guess i need the peel and stone too! lol.
Grumpy and HoneyB
I love homemade pizza here – the recipes sound great too, I will have to give your dough a try out!
Nale
I like this pizza and this looks great! Come and see how my pizza looks like:)
April
Oh, this looks great!!! Adding to my weekly menu!! Hope you are doing well!
Lynda
Mmmmm, your pizza looks great Barbara-I love making pizza at home too.I can't wait to try your whole wheat crust.
Tawny
I just found your site, we've actually made a lot of the same recipes! Your pizza looks great and I can't wait to try some of your other recipes as well.
Juliana
Wow, your pizza looks awesome, professionally done…love the idea of homemade dough 🙂
Cristie
Homemade pizza just can't be beat! I love the whole wheat version of your dough. I'll have to make some up and give it a try on my grill.
Natalie...
Wow this looks so good, I would love to have a go at making homemade pizza it looks so fun 😀
bake in paris
I have dreamt so long about making home made pizza… throwing in everything that we like and that is good for us…
Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
Sawadee from bangkok,
Kris
Cakelaw
I agree – there's nothing like homemade pizza.
FabFrugalFood
Beautiful, Barbara! Do you think this crust would work as a grilled pizza?
Donna