crispy crust thin pizza (Printable Version)

Thin, golden pizza featuring a crisp base, tangy sauce, and gooey melted cheese with fresh toppings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups bread flour
02 - 1 cup warm water
03 - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
04 - 1 teaspoon sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

07 - 1 cup crushed tomatoes
08 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Toppings

13 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Sliced pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, onions, basil leaves (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine warm water, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let rest for 5 minutes until frothy.
02 - Mix bread flour and salt in a large bowl. Create a well, then add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir until a rough dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth.
03 - Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
04 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, then let cool.
05 - Preheat oven to 475°F. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside to heat thoroughly.
06 - Punch down the dough and divide into two equal portions. Roll each into a very thin 12-inch circle on parchment paper.
07 - Spread a thin layer of sauce over each crust. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Add desired toppings.
08 - Transfer pizzas with parchment paper onto the heated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until crust is golden and crisp.
09 - Remove pizzas from oven, optionally top with fresh basil, slice, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust actually crisps up instead of staying chewy, which changes everything about how satisfying each bite feels.
  • You can have homemade pizza on the table in about an hour, faster than delivery and infinitely fresher.
  • The sauce is simple enough to taste homemade but seasoned enough that people won't believe you made it in a saucepan.
02 -
  • Thin crust is non-negotiable for crispiness—thick dough will stay soft in the middle no matter how hot your oven gets.
  • Preheating your stone or baking sheet matters more than any other single step because the thermal shock is what actually creates the crunch.
  • Less sauce and less toppings make better pizza, not worse, because every wet ingredient competes with your quest for crispiness.
03 -
  • If your oven has a broiler, run it for the last minute of baking to blister the cheese and edge the crust darker without drying it out.
  • Make your sauce the day before and let it chill so the flavors have time to fully develop and any sharp tomato notes mellow.
  • Keep parchment paper on your pizza until it comes out of the oven rather than transferring it mid-bake, which is when accidents happen.

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