You need The Best Homemade Pizza in your life! I’ve made lots of pizza crust recipes and reworked them to come to the ultimate version that produces the best texture and taste! I’m sharing all of my secrets for a pizza that will be devoured and requested time and time again!
Who doesn’t love pizza? I think it’s a dish that is widely appreciated and enjoyed often. When the kids are having a party, our go-to is pizza. When it’s 4:00 and we don’t know what to make for dinner, our go-to is pizza. When I’m planning the menu and ask the kids what they want to eat this week, they say pizza.
I shared a recipe for Professional Pizza here on the blog years ago. It’s the one my mom makes. Every time we visit, we beg for it. She makes it so perfectly. She definitely has the magic touch for pizza. Yet, when I make it her way, I often struggle to get the crust texture to be spot on. Sometimes it was almost soggy and I felt like it was missing something that could put it over the top. So I’ve perfected it and I’m sharing the recipe and tips today! You’re not going to want to miss this!
It’s not hard to make, it just has quite a few steps. Trust the process! This is what will yield amazing results! You’ll thank yourself with every delicious bite! First, you’re going to make the dough and while you’re making it, you’re going to preheat your pizza stones or round metal pans in the oven until it’s up to temperature.
Next, you’ll roll out the crust and then carefully transfer it to the pizza stones or pans, quickly fold over the crust edges, then spread a coating of olive oil all over (don’t go crazy with it) and sprinkle it with garlic salt (just make sure it’s all over, but don’t over-do it). Then, you’ll bake just that part for a short while. This is what makes the crust’s texture perfect!
Next, you’ll spread the pizza sauce on, add the cheese and any toppings you’d like, then bake it for another span until the crust is golden brown and amazing! I prefer to use pizza stones (I just like that they bake the crust so consistently), but this also works just about as well with round metal pans.
We like to add hot honey on for the last minute or so while it’s baking. It’s simply made with a combo of honey and sriracha sauce (as much as you’d like). Don’t add it before then or the sugar in the honey causes it to burn.
I know you’re going to be head over heels for this pizza recipe! It originally came from my aunt, who got it from someone who owned a pizza parlor. I tweaked it a little bit and it’s absolutely amazing! My family requests it on-the-regular. I save it for a night when we don’t have much else going on, which usually equates to Friday or Saturday. I love that you can customize pizza with whatever toppings you love. We enjoy diced green chiles and pepperoni. Sometimes I’ll throw pineapple on there. We also love sausage and mushrooms.
If you’d like a tasty variation on traditional pizza, be sure to try this Loaded Mushroom and Feta Alfredo Pizza or this Skillet Pizza Pasta. We love pizza in any form! I can’t wait for you to try today’s recipe on your next pizza night at home!
A perfect pizza strikes the balance between having a delicious crust texture, flavor and yummy sauce too. And of course it has yummy toppings. But the crust is key! No one wants a soggy crust! This method will ensure that doesn’t happen! You’ll essentially bake it in two short segments, without and then with toppings. Trust me, you want to do this!
Just look at that amazing crust! It has an incredible chewy texture with just the right amount of crispness. A perfect pizza starts with a perfect crust! Don’t skip any of the steps in this recipe or it just won’t be the same!
Christine of I Dig Pinterest
Yields Makes one large pizza

Ingredients
- Cornmeal (for sprinkling the pizza stones), optional
- 1 c. milk, warmed
- 3 T. granulated white sugar
- 1/3 c. warm water
- 1 T. yeast
- 1/2 tsp. garlic salt (course ground), plus extra for sprinkling on the crust
- 2 1/2 – 3 c. flour
- olive oil
- Your favorite pizza sauce (homemade or store-bought). Our favorites are Classico and Prego.
- Lots of freshly-grated cheese! (we use Mozzarella)(at least 2 cups)
- Your favorite toppings
Instructions
- Place your pizza stone or round metal pizza pan in the oven and preheat your oven to 400. You want your stone or pan to preheat in the oven (i.e. get up to temperature with the oven).
- If your stone isn’t “seasoned” or worn in well enough, sprinkle some cornmeal on it to ensure that the dough won’t stick.
- Proof your yeast in the warm water (i.e. let it get frothy). To do this, sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir it gently and then put a plate or lid on top of the bowl to trap in the warmth and make a nice place where the yeast can activate.
- In a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, heat the milk for 40 seconds, then add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the yeast mixture AND 1/2 tsp. garlic salt to the milk mixture.
- Next, add 2 c. flour and stir. Add another 1/2 c. flour and stir as best as you can, then start kneading by hand. Add up to 1/2 cup more flour slowly, kneading in between. The finished dough should still be slightly tacky, but if it’s too sticky after 2 1/2 c. flour, add a little more flour about a Tablespoonful at a time, kneading in between.
- Let the dough rest and raise in the bowl while you grate the cheese and prepare the toppings.
- Generously flour your counter top. Roll dough out in a big circle. You don’t want the dough to be too thin, but you’ll want it to overlap about an inch over the edge of the pizza stone.
- When your pizza stone or pan has preheated with the oven, use an oven mit to remove it from the oven and carefully place it on another hot pad on the counter. Carefully transfer the rolled out dough onto your stone. It will start baking as soon as it touches the stone, so work quickly. Fold the dough over onto itself all around the edge of the stone and press to form the outer crust.
- Brush olive oil over all the dough, including the edges (but not in excess). You don't want it to puddle at all. Sprinkle garlic salt over all (not too generously or it will be too salty), even the edges.
- Place it in the oven and bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Baking the crust by itself first is what creates the perfect texture!
- Remove it from the oven and then spread the sauce out evenly, then sprinkle with cheese and your preferred toppings.
- Return it to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes more, or just until the crust is golden brown on top and underneath, but not burning.
- Enjoy! If desired, you can add hot honey on for the last minute of bake time. Don't add it any earlier or it will burn because of the sugar. To make hot honey, simply stir together honey and sriracha sauce (as much as you'd like).
Try it this week for family pizza night and let me know what you think!