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Recipes » Courses » Main Dish » Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

Posted on February 3, 2021 By Chef Billy Parisi

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If you’re a fan of a thinner crust then you will absolutely love this easy to prepare Italian homemade pizza crust recipe.

We obviously eat a lot of Italian food in our house and are always looking to try out new Italian recipes. If you’re in the same boat then definitely check out my Chicken Cacciatore or Spiedini.

whole thin crust pizza with fresh basil

Thin Crust Pizza

Thin crust pizza is innately Italian, and most people who think of thin-crust pizza think of New York style or Neopolitano.  This is the pizza that is thin in the center with a thick fluffy crust around the outside.  When I think of thin crust, I think of mid-west style pizza which is thin all the way around and may or may not have a little bit of a crust around the outside.

Thin crust pizza is great if you’re looking to consume a lot at one time since there is a lot less dough.  This pizza dough recipe is actually very similar to a New York style or Neopolitano except the proof time is much shorter.  In a thin crust, you don’t need a full proof which can last several hours, so the shorter time won’t allow the crust to rise that much, making it thin but still fluffy.

How to Make It

To make this tasty thin crust pizza recipe, follow along with these easy steps:

Whisk together some warm water, sugar, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer until combined and let stand for 5-7 minutes until a raft forms.

sprinkling yeast into a bowl of warm water

Next, add in the flour, semolina, and salt and knead at low to medium speed using the hook attachment for 10 minutes.

mixing pizza dough in a standing mixer

Transfer the dough to a container with a lid and proof in the oven only with the light on for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.  Make sure your oven is not on.

proofing pizza dough in a container

Remove the dough and place it on a clean surface and divide it into 3 dough balls.

separating pizza dough into 3 balls

Knead each dough ball for a minute and then cover with a towel and let stand for 15 minutes.

forming a pizza dough ball

Next, when you’re ready to use it, flatten out the dough on a clean surface dusted with flour until it’s about 12” to 15” in diameter.

forming and flattening a pizza dough

Feel free to add toppings such as pizza sauce, cheese, meats, etc., and then bake in a preheated pizza stone at 500° for 7-10 minutes or until browned and the cheese is melted and browned.

adding cheese and pizza sauce to a pizza crust

How to Get the Crust Crispy

The key to getting a pizza crust crispy is by cooking it on a preheated pizza stone and for the oven to be at high temperatures.  It’s important to watch the pizza while cooking because it can burn if not closely monitored.  The other option is to brush the outside edge and bottom of crust with a little bit of olive oil.

Can You Make Pizza Crust Thinner?

The secret to making pizza crust thinner is by rolling out as thin as you can without tearing the dough.  This can be achieved by using a rolling pin and about ½ to ¾ of 1 dough ball for this recipe.  If this is the route you’d like to go then it will also cook more quickly in the oven so start by cooking it for 5-7 minutes.

Recipe Chef Notes + Tips

Make-Ahead: Pizza is usually meant to be eaten right when it comes out of the oven.  If you want to make it ahead of time, you can make the dough up to 1 day before and keep it in the refrigerator.

How to Reheat: Place your cooked pizza on a preheated pizza stone at 350° and bake for 2-4 minutes or until hot.  You can also heat in the microwave until hot.

How to Store: Place the dough balls covered and in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  You can freeze them covered for up to 1 month.  Thaw the dough ball in the refrigerator for 1 day before using.  If you have already cooked your pizza, it will last up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.  Cooked pizzas do not freeze that well.

If you cannot find 00 flour, then substitute with bread flour.  If you don’t have bread flour you can use all-purpose flour, but you will need to decrease the amount of water by 5%.

You can absolutely make this recipe by hand, just use a regular bowl and whisk to active the yeast then mix everything by hand.

If you only have instant yeast, you can forgo the procedure of waiting for the raft to form.

The pizza stone needs to be preheated for about 30 minutes total.

thin crust pizza recipe on a pizza peel with mozzarella slices

More Italian Recipes

  • Gnudi
  • Wedding Soup
  • Frittata
  • Minestrone
  • Braciole

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

Video

whole thin crust pizza with fresh basil
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

If you’re a fan of a thinner crust then you will absolutely love this easy to prepare Italian homemade pizza crust recipe.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Proofing Time1 hr
Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 12
Calories: 185kcal
Author: Chef Billy Parisi

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cup warm water 115° to 118°
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons active yeast
  • 3 1/3 cup 00 flour
  • 1 cup semolina flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • pizza sauce
  • shredded mozzarella
  • sliced mozzarella
  • fresh basil leaves
  • dry oregano

Instructions

  • Add a pizza stone to your oven and preheat to 500°.
  • Add the water, sugar, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until completely combined, and let sit for 5-7 minutes until a raft forms on top.
  • Next, add the flour, semolina, and salt to the bowl and knead the dough with the hook attachment on low to medium speed for 10 minutes.
  • Cover the dough and keep it in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
  • Punch the dough down and transfer to a clean surface and divide into 3 dough balls.
  • Lightly knead for 1 minute and form into a ball. Cover with a towel and let sit for 15 minutes.
  • When ready to cook, stretch out a dough ball until it is about 12” to 15” in diameter. Transfer the rolled-out dough to a pizza peel or cutting board dusted with cornmeal.
  • Add on desired toppings and slide onto the preheated pizza stone and bake in the oven at 500° for 7 to 10 minutes. After 3-4 minutes rotated the pizza 180°.

Notes

Chef Notes:
  • Make-Ahead: Pizza is usually meant to be eaten right when it comes out of the oven. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can make the dough up to 1 day before and keep it in the refrigerator.
 
  • How to Reheat: Place your cooked pizza on a preheated pizza stone at 350° and bake for 2-4 minutes or until hot. You can also heat in the microwave until hot.
 
  • How to Store: Place the dough balls covered and in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can freeze them covered for up to 1 month. Thaw the dough ball in the refrigerator for 1 day before using. If you have already cooked your pizza, it will last up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator. Cooked pizzas do not freeze that well.
 
  • If you cannot find 00 flour, then substitute with bread flour. If you don’t have bread flour you can use all-purpose flour, but you will need to decrease the amount of water by 5%.
 
  • You can absolutely make this recipe by hand, just use a regular bowl and whisk to active the yeast then mix everything by hand.
 
  • If you only have instant yeast, you can forgo the procedure of waiting for the raft to form.
 
  • The pizza stone needs to be preheated for about 30 minutes total.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe was last modified: February 5th, 2021 by Chef Billy Parisi

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deb Richard says

    February 25, 2021 at 4:32 am

    Hi. My pizza stone recently broke (hubby didn’t know pizza stone rules). It was a gift, so I’ve never purchased one. What stone do you use? I didn’t see it listed in your list of kitchen essentials.

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Chef Billy Parisi says

      February 26, 2021 at 3:50 pm

      Here is the one that I use, this is an affiliate link that allows me to make a few $$ on the sale: https://amzn.to/3suNES1

      Reply
  2. Dave Gaunt says

    February 20, 2021 at 12:04 pm

    5 stars
    I have wondered how to get dough to rise in a cold kitchen. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. PATRICIA MALICOTT says

    February 08, 2021 at 1:30 pm

    how can i use this same recipe for a little thicker crust that my husband will like?

    Reply
    • Chef Billy Parisi says

      February 22, 2021 at 1:25 pm

      proof it for 4-6 hours or tripled in size. Then after rolling into a ball, proof if for another hour.

      Reply
  4. Rehab says

    February 03, 2021 at 7:48 am

    5 stars
    I love it❤❤❤❤❤

    Reply

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I’m Billy Parisi and thanks for checking out my site! I’m a culinary school grad that spent 15 years in the restaurant industry as a line cook, sous chef and executive chef. Now I write recipes, take pictures of’em, shoot some video, occasionally hosting on TV, checking out the latest fashion, hangin with my wife and daughter and watching a whole bunch of college sports. Hope you enjoy my twists on classics as well as new innovations! Read More…

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