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This is the perfect beginner’s guide for making wood-fired pizza dough! Pizza expert Chef Brandon Price taught me how to make authentic homemade pizza, and now you get to learn, too!
Start planning a pizza night with friends because you will learn how to master wood-fired pizza dough! Serve your pizzas with this popular salad, this antipasto salad, and these breadsticks.
Reasons to Make This Pizza Dough
- Tastes Authentic: Chef Brandon knows his pizza dough and this recipe is legit. It tastes so authentic!
- Perfect Pizza Oven Dough: Pizza ovens are all the rage! If you’re looking for the perfect dough to use in your pizza oven, this is the one!
- Step-By-Step: I walk you through every step to help you feel confident making wood-fired pizza dough.
The BEST Wood-Fired Pizza Dough
There is NOTHING like wood-fired pizza dough because it makes the world’s best pizza! And the only way to learn how to make it is from a true professional. It was a privilege to have my friend, Chef Brandon Price, teach me how to make wood-fired pizza dough. You will love his pizza dough recipe because it tastes so authentic! It’s light and airy with perfect crispy edges. Chef Brandon has worked in the restaurant industry for over 20 years and has a diverse culinary background. After owning and operating numerous successful restaurants, Brandon ultimately found his passion with pizza! He now shares his passion and expertise with the world, teaching pizza classes. His mission is to inspire others to create their own pizza masterpieces, and we are so lucky to have learned from the best of the best!
Even though this wood-fired pizza dough is SO amazing, feel free to use my quick and easy pizza dough recipe if you prefer. Pizza ovens are all the rage right now, and I love my Gozney pizza oven. Check out my other top picks for portable pizza ovens!
Ingredients Needed
It couldn’t get any more simple than this wood-fired pizza dough recipe. The dough, sauce, and toppings are simple and absolutely delicious. Chef Brandon highly recommends using ’00’ Flour because it creates an airy and crispy pizza crust.
Pizza Dough
- Pizza Flour: Find ’00’ flour at most grocery stores or online. All-purpose flour can be used, but your crust will have a chewy texture.
- Cold Water: Cold water is best to help mix the pizza dough because it helps prevent the flour from clumping.
- Salt: Regular table salt works great.
- Yeast: I used active dry yeast, but you can also use rapid dry yeast.
- Sourdough Starter: I have a great recipe if you choose to use sourdough starter in your pizza dough, but it is completely optional!
Pizza Toppings
- Canned Tomatoes: Cento brand are high-quality tomatoes produced in Italy and they have an authentic flavor that is perfect for this wood-fired pizza!
- Fresh Mozzarella: Fresh is a MUST! Pull off pieces of mozzarella to add to the pizza.
- Pepperoni: Use good-quality pepperoni slices.
- Fresh Basil: Top the finished pizza with fresh basil leaves!
Let’s Make Wood-Fired Pizza Dough
Follow the step-by-step instructions that Chef Brandon taught me! You’ll find the pictures super helpful, and I’m so excited to pass along his knowledge of pizza dough. He has mastered this recipe,e and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Pizza Dough
- Combine: Add the flour, yeast, salt, and sourdough starter (if using, if not, add an extra gram of yeast) to a large bowl, then stir to combine. Create a “well” in the center of the flour and pour in the water.
- Add: Pour the water into the flour mixture, then mix using your hands until a dough forms. Knead the dough a few times before you cover it and rest it!
- Let it Rest: Cover the dough with the bowl and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Make Dough Balls: Divide the dough evenly into 6 balls, about 200 grams each, then cover and refrigerate the dough overnight or for up to 3 days.
- Remove from Fridge: Remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before using.
Shape the Pizza
- Turn Over: Turn the risen dough ball over on the counter.
- Push Dough: Push the dough out from the center, moving outward.
- Flip Dough: Flip the dough over, then continue to push and spread the dough out to be a 12″ round. Remember which side is the bottom of the crust.
Pizza Toppings
- Break up Tomatoes: Pour the canned tomatoes into a medium bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the tomatoes and use your hands to help break up the tomatoes. Yes, your hands! Simply squeeze and break down the whole tomatoes into small pieces.
- Add Sauce to Dough: Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce onto the pizza round.
- Add Toppings: Place pieces of fresh mozzarella on top of the sauce, followed by the pepperoni slices.
Cook the Pizza
- Prep Oven: Preheat the pizza oven to 900 degrees Fahrenheit according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Slide: Gently lift the edge of the assembled pizza, then quickly slide the pizza spatula underneath the entire pizza.
- Cook: Use the pizza spatula (aka pizza peel) to slide the pizza into the pizza oven using short and fast motions. The pizza cooks in less than 1 minute, so stay close by and work quickly.
- Rotate: After about 30 seconds of cooking, use the pizza spatula to quickly turn and rotate the pizza in the oven to cook all sides evenly.
- Garnish: Once the pizza is cooked through and slightly darkened, remove it from the pizza oven. Then top with fresh basil, slice, and enjoy!
Wood-Fired Pizza Tips and Variations
The best part about homemade pizza is that you can add any toppings or garnishes that you want! This wood-fired pizza dough is great for parties because everyone can personalize their own pizza.
- Prep the Dough: Remember to make the pizza dough ahead of time! Plan for 24 hours or up to 3 days in advance because the dough will need time to rest.
- Oven Option: If you don’t have a pizza oven, that’s okay! An alternative cooking option would be to use your oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and then cook for about 8 minutes. The high oven temperature will achieve similar results.
- Garnishes: A drizzle of honey, balsamic glaze, or red pepper flakes would be delicious! Grated parmesan cheese is also a tasty finishing touch. Try my hot honey for a little kick!
- More Pizza Topping Ideas: Prosciutto and arugula are a delicious combination! My boys also love to add salami or sausage for more protein. Check out my white pizza sauce, too! It would be an amazing sauce option for this type of pizza.
Storing Leftover Pizza
Who doesn’t love leftover pizza? Especially this incredible wood-fired pizza. Here is how to store your leftovers for later or for lunch the next day.
- In the Refrigerator: Store your leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: If you don’t like cold pizza, then you can reheat it in the microwave until warmed through. Another option is to reheat the pizza in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until warm.
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Wood Fired Pizza Dough
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 8 cups '00' Flour (1000 grams)
- 2 ¾ cups cold water (650 grams)
- 4 teaspoons salt (25 grams)
- ½ teaspoon yeast (2 grams)
- sourdough starter (200 grams), optional
Pizza Toppings
- canned tomatoes (Cento brand)
- fresh mozzarella
- pepperoni slices
- fresh basil
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- Add the flour, yeast, salt, and sourdough starter (if using; if not, add an extra gram of yeast) to a large bowl, then stir to combine. Create a 'well” in the center of the flour and pour in the water.
- Pour the water into the flour mixture then mix using your hands until a dough forms. Knead the dough a few times to help it come together.
- Cover the dough with the bowl and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Divide the dough evenly into 6 balls, about 200 grams each. Cover and refrigerate the dough overnight or for up to 3 days.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before using.
Shape the Pizza
- Turn the risen dough ball over on the counter.
- Push the dough out from the center moving outward.
- Flip the dough over and continue to push a spread the dough out to be a 12" round. Remember which side is the bottom of the crust.
Pizza Toppings
- Pour the canned tomatoes into a medium bowl.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to the tomatoes and use your hands to help break up the tomatoes. Yes, your hands! Simply squeeze and break down the whole tomatoes into small pieces.
- Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce onto the pizza round.
- Place pieces of fresh mozzarella on top of the sauce, followed by the pepperoni slices.
Cook the Pizza
- Preheat the pizza oven to 900 degrees Fahrenheit according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Gently lift the edge of the assembled pizza and quickly slide the pizza spatula underneath the entire pizza.
- Use the pizza spatula to slide the pizza into the pizza oven using short and fast motions. The pizza cooks in less than 1 minute, so stay close and work quickly.
- After about 30 seconds of cooking, use the pizza spatula to quickly turn and rotate the pizza in the oven to cook all sides.
- Once the pizza is cooked through and slightly darkened, remove it from the oven.
- Top with fresh basil, slice, and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If not using sourdough starter, how much active yeast should be used? Additionally, 200 grams of starter would increase both the flour and water content of this recipe. By omitting the starter, should other alterations be made to this recipe? I make sourdough bread with 50 to 100 grams of starter so this seems like a significant amount to omit if just using active yeast.
Hi Sonnya, you can add an extra gram of yeast if you don’t use the starter.
“Flip the dough over and continue to push a spread the dough out to be a 12″ round. Remember which side is the bottom of the crust.”
Can you explain why that matters? I have never heard of this before.
I don’t have a wood fired pizza grill, but I have a pizza stone especially for grills. Will it work for this recipe? It gets quite hot. It works on charcoal and gas. could I use wood chips on the charcoal side?
This dough will work with a pizza stone on the grill! I can’t speak to using wood chips on the charcoal side of the grill because I have never tried that before!