Skip the overpriced dough ball and keep this Pizza Dough Mix in the pantry instead. It takes just three dry ingredients to make a make-ahead mix that turns into enough dough for two 12-inch pizzas, which makes pizza night a whole lot easier on your wallet.
Once the mix is jarred up, all you need later is olive oil, warm water, sauce, cheese, and a hot oven. The long rise does the heavy lifting for flavor and texture, so you get a chewy crust without turning your kitchen into a full-scale pizzeria.
Ingredients for Pizza Dough Mix
For the dry mix, you only need bread flour, active dry yeast, and salt. That simple base stores well and gives you a dependable dough with enough structure for hand-shaped pizza crust.
- 2 3/4 cups bread flour
- 1 package active dry yeast, about 1 tablespoon
- 2 teaspoons salt
To turn the mix into pizza, you’ll also need olive oil, warm water, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and oregano. Bread flour helps build a chewier crust, while the yeast and long rise time give the dough its lift and flavor. If you want a refresher on why bread flour behaves a little differently, King Arthur Baking’s yeast baking guide explains the basics nicely without making it sound like homework.
How to Make the Mix
- Combine the bread flour, active dry yeast, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir until the mixture is evenly blended.
- Transfer the mix to an airtight container and seal tightly.
Label the container so you know exactly what it is and how to use it later. One batch of mix makes enough dough for 2 twelve-inch pizzas.
How to Use the Mix
When you’re ready for pizza night, this mix comes together with just a few extra ingredients. The dough is easy to knead by hand and flexible enough for either thin or thicker crust.
- 1 package Pizza Dough Mix
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon crushed oregano
- Place the Pizza Dough Mix in a bowl, then add the olive oil and warm water.
- Beat until the mixture forms a ball.
- Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and let it rise for 90 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half and pat each portion into a 12-inch circle.
- For thin crust, top and bake immediately.
- For a thicker crust, let the shaped dough rise an additional 30 to 45 minutes before topping.
- Top with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, and any other toppings you like.
- Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
If you’d like more homemade pizza inspiration, this dough works nicely with Pizza Hut Sauce and Toppings, or you can keep things simple and serve it alongside 2 Ingredient Pizza Dough for a fun side-by-side pizza night.
Pizza Dough Tips
Use warm water, not hot water. You want it comfortably warm to the touch, not scalding, because yeast is helpful right up until you accidentally cook it.
Don’t bury the dough in extra flour while kneading. A lightly floured board is enough. Too much added flour can leave the crust heavy instead of pleasantly chewy.
For a crispier bottom crust, bake the pizzas on a preheated pan, pizza stone, or steel if you have one. If not, a regular baking sheet still gets the job done just fine.
Pizza Dough Variations
Use the dough for more than standard round pizzas. You can press it into a sheet pan for a thicker family-style pie, shape it into breadsticks, or turn it into calzones with the same basic dough.
If you want to branch out, this mix also gives you a solid starting point for experimenting with a Boboli Pizza Crust style base or topping it like Ranch Chicken Pizza.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store the dry mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry. A conservative estimate is 6 months for best quality, since the yeast is the shortest-lived ingredient and gradually loses strength over time. If your kitchen runs warm, use it sooner.
Once the dough is mixed, cover it and use it the same day for the rise-and-bake method given here. After baking, refrigerate leftover pizza within 2 hours and use it within 3 to 4 days. Wrap slices well or store them in a sealed container so the crust doesn’t turn into sad cardboard.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these pizzas with a simple salad, raw veggies, or fruit if you want an easy weeknight meal that doesn’t feel too heavy. For a pizza-night spread, cut each 12-inch pizza into 8 slices for appetizer-style portions or 4 slices for heartier servings.
This dough also works well for DIY topping bars. Set out sauce, shredded cheese, cooked meats, and chopped vegetables, then let everyone build their own half. It keeps dinner moving and cuts down on the eternal debate over mushrooms.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Pizza Dough Mix
Ingredient |
Walmart Item |
Pkg Price |
Amount Used |
Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bread flour |
$2.96 |
2 3/4 C. |
$0.43 |
|
Active dry yeast |
$5.24 |
1 package ≈ one standard packet |
$0.32 |
|
Salt |
$0.62 |
2 t. |
$0.01 |
|
Olive oil |
$5.94 |
2 T. |
$0.35 |
|
Warm water |
– |
1 C. |
$0.01 |
|
Tomato sauce |
$0.38 |
1 C. |
$0.41 |
|
Grated mozzarella cheese |
$1.97 |
1/2 C. |
$0.49 |
|
Freshly grated Parmesan |
$2.78 |
1/3 C. |
$0.41 |
|
Crushed oregano |
$1.24 |
1 t. |
$0.05 |
💸 |
Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Batch Cost |
$2.48 |
👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving |
$0.16 |
📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pizza Dough Mix
You can, but the crust will usually be a little softer and less chewy. Bread flour has more protein, which helps the dough build stronger structure, so if all-purpose is what you have, use it 1 for 1 and expect a slightly more tender crust.
Not necessarily, especially if your yeast is fresh, because this mix is designed to be stirred right in with the dry ingredients. If your yeast has been sitting in the pantry long enough to remember flip phones, proofing it in a little warm water first can save you from a flat batch.
The usual culprits are old yeast, water that was too hot, or a chilly kitchen. Give the dough the full 90 minutes, keep it in a draft-free spot, and make sure your warm water feels comfortably warm rather than hot enough to make tea.
Absolutely. Instead of dividing the dough, shape it into one larger crust on a sheet pan or pizza pan, then watch the bake time closely because thickness and pan size can shift it a bit. You’ll still use the same batch of dough, just in one piece rather than two.
Bake it on a thoroughly preheated pan, stone, or steel if you have one. A thinner layer of sauce also helps, because too much moisture on top can leave the center soft while the edges brown nicely and mock you.
Yes, that works well. Coat the dough lightly with oil, seal it tightly, and freeze it after the first rise or right after mixing, then thaw it in the refrigerator before shaping so the gluten can relax and the dough is easier to stretch.
Let the dough rest for a few minutes if it keeps springing back, then pat and gently stretch it instead of yanking on it. Dough that fights you usually just needs a short rest so the gluten can loosen up.
Yes, you can swap it 1 for 1 in the mix. Instant yeast usually works a bit faster, so start checking the dough before the full 90-minute rise instead of wandering off and assuming time stands still.
For the two-pizza version here, divide the sauce and cheese evenly between both crusts so they bake more evenly. Piling on too much topping sounds generous, but it often gives you a soggy center and a crust that never quite catches up.
Use it for breadsticks, calzones, cheesy bread, or a simple flatbread. Since the dough is fairly basic, it handles savory add-ins well and gives you one pantry mix that can cover several cheap dinners.
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Did you make this recipe? Tell us how you used it and what toppings made the cut in your kitchen. Leave a comment and share what worked, what you changed, or what you’d make with it next time.
🖨️ Print-Friendly Pizza Dough Mix
Pizza Dough Mix
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups bread flour
- 1 package active dry yeast about 1 tablespoon
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp crushed oregano
Equipment
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the bread flour, active dry yeast, and salt.
- Stir until evenly mixed and transfer to an airtight container.
- To prepare the pizzas, place 1 package Pizza Dough Mix in a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil and warm water, then beat until the mixture forms a ball.
- Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and let it rise for 90 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half and pat each portion into a 12-inch circle.
- For thin crust, top immediately with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, and desired toppings.
- For thicker crust, let the shaped dough rise an additional 30 to 45 minutes before topping.
- Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
Prep time is estimated from mixing the dry mix, kneading, shaping, and topping.
Cook time uses the upper end of the stated 20 to 25 minute bake for complete timing.
Dry mix shelf life estimate: up to 6 months in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry for best quality.
Refrigerate leftover baked pizza within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days.
i made this pizza dough,yesterday and put in freezer for a quick meal on another evening…..can’t wait to see how it bakes and taste….
going to try this dough out for bread sticks
i tried adding italian seasoning to the flour; it added a nice little zap!