Easy Garlic Pizza Dough

This easy garlic pizza dough recipe is simple to make and seriously the best-tasting pizza dough ever!

I was so excited that my tomato plant actually produced this year! I mean seriously excited. 

The last two times I have planted tomatoes have been complete and epic fails.

I spent so much time outside pruning them, watering them, talking to them. I did everything short of holding them in my arms and rocking them like babies!

So when it came time to harvest I had to come up with things to make sure the little beauties didn't go to waste. I decided that I would make pasta sauce and pizza sauce, but not just any pasta and pizza sauce. I wanted to make Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pizza and Pasta sauces. Those recipes will be coming soon.

But back to the pizza, I knew that sauce would be special so I wanted to make sure it had a great dough. We all know that it doesn't matter how good the sauce is really, it is just part of the supporting cast of characters right? You can have the best sauce and freshest topping but if the crust doesn't work, well it is all just a plate of yuck.

Now if you have followed me for any amount of time, you know that I have had some epic fails when it comes to bread of any kind. But I have now made this dough 3 times with complete success, so I am going to say this has to be a no fail recipe!!

I realized part of my issue with bread is that my house stays so cold in the fall and winter (drafty old house). Sooooo I put my thinking cap on and BING it hit me, put the bowl in the living room close to the fireplace. It works beauuuuuuuuuuuutfully and the dough comes out fantastic!

This time I added a few things to the dough, and it smelled so good. Kevin came in to smell it and wanted to eat it raw right off the cutting board!

On an even better note, and adding more "oomph" to the fact that this dough is fabulous, is that Kevin told me that my pizza was better than the pizza from his favorite pizza place. The place that we drive 30 minutes to go to instead of eating at the pizza places here in town. 

He has been eating there since he was a kid folks!! Holy....you know what!!

Another great thing about this dough is that it refrigerates well. This recipe makes enough dough for two regular sized pizzas, so I cut it in half and placed the second half in a ziplock bag and tossed it in the fridge. That was last Saturday and we made the second pizza last night. I took the dough out and placed on a floured cutting board, covered it with a towel and placed close to my fireplace. Once it warmed up I went about the task of making the pizza.

It came out just as good as the first night!!

BIG WINNER!!!

Easy Garlic Pizza Dough 

makes 2 regular pizzas

1 1/8 cup warm water
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter




In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and dried basil, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour (you don’t need to use all if it is not needed) in to the dough, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Allow the oven to heat for an hour. If you have a pizza stone, place it inside. I used a flat cooking sheet, so I left it on top of the stove to heat up a bit.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface, cut in half. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes. While the dough is rising again, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Mix it with the last teaspoon of garlic powder.

Bring the dough back out and using a spoon or pastry brush, apply the butter and garlic mixture to the outside edges of the crust.
Using your hands begin to work the dough into a circle. Then use a rolling pin to reach the thickness you desire. Slide your dough on to the pizza peel or the baking sheet. Spread three spoonfuls of your pizza sauce on the dough, beginning in the middle and working out to the edges in a circular pattern. Top with your favorite toppings. Brush the crust with the garlic butter, and place in the oven to bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing it.

ENJOY!!