This Italian pizza dough made with freshly milled flour creates a soft, chewy crust using hard white wheat and yeast, ready to stretch and top for a homemade pizza night. It comes together the same day, no long fermentation required, so it fits right into a regular weeknight or a weekend with the family gathered around the counter. Plus, you can make several ahead for meal prep and freeze them.
Hard white wheat gives the dough the gluten strength it needs to rise and stretch without tearing, while still keeping a mild, familiar flavor. A short hydration rest lets the freshly milled flour fully absorb the water before kneading, which is the step that makes this dough smooth and easy to shape instead of stiff and hard to stretch.
If you are new to yeast baking with freshly milled flour, Bread Flour from Freshly Milled Flour and How to Bake with Freshly Milled Flour walk through how hard wheat and autolyse (hydration) work together. For a longer-fermented crust, my Cast Iron Sourdough Discard Pizza is the sourdough discard version.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Variations & Add-Ins
Recipe Tips
Let the flour hydrate first – Rest the shaggy dough for 20 minutes before kneading. This gives the bran time to soften, so the dough comes together smooth instead of stiff.
Keep the dough soft – The finished dough should feel soft and slightly tacky. Too much added flour makes for a dry, dense crust.
Watch the dough, not the clock – Let it rise until doubled. Depending on your kitchen, that can take closer to 1 hour or closer to 2.
Preheat the oven completely – A fully heated 475 degree oven is what gives the crust its quick rise and golden, chewy edge.
Use instant or active dry yeast – Instant yeast can mix directly into the flour with no bloom needed. Active dry yeast needs to bloom in the warm water with the sugar for 5 to 10 minutes first.
How To Make Pizza Dough with Freshly Milled Flour
- Mill the flour – Mill the hard white wheat berries on the finest setting.
- Mix the dough – If using instant yeast, combine the freshly milled flour, yeast, sugar, and salt directly in the bowl of a stand mixer (and the garlic powder and Italian seasoning, if using). Add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then mix with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms. If using active dry yeast instead, stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water first and let it stand 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, then combine the flour and salt in the mixer bowl and add the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
- Rest the dough (autolyse) – Cover and let it rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes so the freshly milled flour can absorb the water.
- Knead – Knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and only slightly tacky. Add extra flour a teaspoon at a time only if the dough is truly sticky.
- Let it rise – Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours depending on your kitchen.
- Preheat the oven – Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C). If using a pizza stone or baking steel, place it in the oven now to preheat.
- Shape the crust – Stretch the dough into a 13 to 14 inch round on a lightly floured surface. If it springs back, let it rest 10 minutes before continuing.
- Top the pizza – Brush the exposed edge with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add sauce, cheese, and your toppings.
- Bake – Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling. Let the pizza cool 3 to 5 minutes before slicing.
Freezing and Storage
- Countertop – If you’re baking the same day, the dough can rest at room temperature through its first rise, up to about 2 hours, before shaping.
- Refrigerator – After kneading, cover the dough and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours for a slower rise and deeper flavor. Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour before shaping.
- Freezer – Freeze the dough after its first rise in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before shaping.
Did you know you can convert your favorite recipes to freshly milled flour? Learn how to convert recipes and find more fresh flour guides at The Cottage Mill.
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Pizza Dough Made with Freshly Milled Flour
Prep:15 minutes Cook:15 minutes Resting Time:20 minutes Total:50 minutes Equipment
- Pizza pan or baking steel
Ingredients
- 3 cups hard white wheat berries, milled fresh 360 grams
- 1 cup warm water 236 grams (105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 7 grams
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 8 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 6 grams
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 40 grams (2 tablespoons for the dough, 1 tablespoon for brushing)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder *optional
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning *optional
Instructions
- Mill the flour – Mill the hard white wheat berries on the finest setting.
- Mix the dough – If using instant yeast, combine the freshly milled flour, yeast, sugar, and salt directly in the bowl of a stand mixer (and the garlic powder and Italian seasoning, if using). Add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then mix with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms. If using active dry yeast instead, stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water first and let it stand 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, then combine the flour and salt in the mixer bowl and add the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
- Rest the dough (autolyse) – Cover and let it rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes so the freshly milled flour can absorb the water.
- Knead – Knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and only slightly tacky. Add extra flour a teaspoon at a time only if the dough is truly sticky.
- Let it rise – Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours depending on your kitchen.
- Preheat the oven – Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C). If using a pizza stone or baking steel, place it in the oven now to preheat.
- Shape the crust – Stretch the dough into a 13 to 14 inch round on a lightly floured surface. If it springs back, let it rest 10 minutes before continuing.
- Top the pizza – Brush the exposed edge with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add sauce, cheese, and your toppings.
- Bake – Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling. Let the pizza cool 3 to 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Emily Rider
Home miller since 1999 with fresh-milled flour & sourdough experience. Sharing from-scratch recipes and traditional kitchen skills, rooted in the seasons and inspired by everyday cottage living and seasonal rhythms.
