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Homemade pizza is a dinner that your entire family will be thankful for. There are different ways to go about making homemade pizza. You can either get store-bought pizza dough that you just pop into the oven, or make dough from scratch.

The thing I love the most about making pizza dough at home is that I always have leftovers to enjoy pizza for another time.

Seems tempting, right? Well, you’re probably wondering whether you can use self-rising flour and yeast to make pizza dough.

Keep reading to find out whether self-rising flour and yeast are appropriate for homemade pizza, as well as learn some important tips for the perfect pizza dough.

You Can Use Self-Rising Flour and Yeast

You can use self-rising flour and yeast to make pizza dough at home. These two ingredients are the key to getting the perfect pizza dough every single time, like this one from Domestically Blissful.

You should make sure you’re using the appropriate ratio, though. Typically, each cup of self-rising flour requires one tablespoon of yeast.

Once you activate the yeast and mix the ingredients, you’ll be left with a shaggy dough. Then, it’s crucial to knead the dough on a floured, flat surface, until the dough is no longer sticky.

Using this recipe will allow you to have some control over the thickness of your pizza crust. After rolling the dough out using a rolling pin, or an alternative, you should let the dough rest for 10 to 25 minutes. If you want a thicker dough, let it rise for longer.

What Is Self-Rising Flour?

When I was a beginner, I found self-rising flour to be a lifesaver. So, it was especially surprising to learn that self-rising flour isn’t special at all. In fact, it was just all-purpose flour mixed with a couple of leavening agents.

Accordingly, if all you have on hand is all-purpose flour, you’ll have all the essential ingredients for pizza dough. However, if you’re a beginner, you might find self-rising flour easier to work with.

In this case, let me tell you about how I create my own self-rising flour. All you need to do is add one and a half teaspoons of baking powder and a quarter teaspoon of salt.

Whisk the flour and leavening agents until well combined. Then, store and use as intended in any recipe that calls for self-rising flour.

Self-Rising Flour vs. Yeast

Having said that, self-rising flour won’t eliminate the need for yeast. While it can make your dough rise, it won’t be sufficient for the distinct, airy texture of pizza dough. I find that using both self-rising flour and yeast yields the best results.

In particular, the flavor of the dough will differ if you don’t use yeast. You won’t have the distinct fermented taste by only using self-rising flour.

Gluten in Pizza Dough

The most important aspect in pizza dough is the tasty gluten. Well, the purpose of yeast isn’t just to form the tasty air pockets in the dough. Instead, yeast also aids in gluten formation.

To explain, gluten in the flour forms when the flour hydrates and stretches. The air pockets that the yeast forms further stretch the flour, creating a web of gluten.

In contrast, the leavening agents in self-rising flour don’t have enough rising properties to aid in gluten formation. You’ll only get a light and airy crust using yeast.

Best Flour for Making Pizza Dough

There are a lot of conflicting opinions on the best flour for pizza dough. Many deep-dish enthusiasts call for self-rising flour, as the dough would almost double in size in the oven.

Personally, I’m a fan of a fluffy pizza crust when it comes to deep-dish pizza. If I’m making traditional pizza and I have enough time to let the dough rest and rise, I’d go for other types of flour.

Bread flour will result in a denser crust. This flour also has a high amount of gluten, so the aroma of pizza made with bread flour will be more prominent.

Authentic Italian pizza lovers swear by using 00 flour, which is quite hard to find. I don’t know about you, but I’m only looking for some tasty homemade pizza dough that’s as easy as possible to make. So, this flour isn’t for me.

It’s Also Possible To Buy Pizza Dough

Now that you have all the information you need on making the ideal pizza dough, you might be discouraged as it takes a lot of time and energy.

Luckily, you can still enjoy tasty pizza while saving a couple of bucks on takeout. Additionally, you’ll dig into your favorite dinner much quicker, without any stress.

Grocery stores have various pizza dough options. This way, you get to use your favorite pizza sauce and toppings. In my opinion, this counts as cooking!

One of the most popular options is frozen pizza dough. Keep in mind that the dough will have to completely thaw out before you can get started on the toppings.

If you’re anything like me, your household wouldn’t function without pizza. For this reason, I just love keeping a couple of frozen pizza crusts on hand, for those nights when I’m feeling lazy.

You Have Sauce Options

One of the best parts of making pizza at home is that you choose the type of pizza you want. The sky’s your limit!

Aside from adding all your favorite toppings, you can alter the sauce, giving your pizza a significant upgrade.

Most restaurants, and people for that matter, stick with the standard tomato-based sauce. However, you might be surprised by the variety of sauces you can put on pizza.

If you want a unique kick, you can make a unique tomato sauce at home, adding some chili flakes for extra spice.

Alternatively, pesto sauce makes for an interesting homemade pizza. You can also go for bechamel sauce, barbecue sauce, or even add some ranch dressing instead of sauce.

Don’t get carried away, though! Some sauces simply don’t work with certain topping combinations. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way.

All in all, experimenting with different sauces will help you to come up with new flavor combinations that might become favorites in your family.

Get the Whole Family Involved

There’s no denying that pizza dough takes some time and effort to make. In particular, you’ll need to work up some muscle kneading the dough.

Well, why not seize this opportunity and turn your homemade pizza into a family bonding moment? Not only will this turn into a fun night, but you’ll also teach your children a bit about getting involved in the kitchen.

Your kids will definitely appreciate getting to choose the pizza toppings as well as placing the toppings on the pizza. If you have older children, they can contribute by taking turns kneading the dough.

Make sure your kids stay away from the oven and other sharp kitchen items. Still, they’ll feel like they’re part of the process by simply watching you prepare their favorite meal.

My family has started implementing homemade pizza into our dinner roster for that very reason. It’s a delicious meal that helps create precious family memories.

Final Thoughts

You can make pizza dough using self-rising flour and yeast. Generally, any type of flour will do when you’re making pizza, though the texture will be affected.

In contrast, it’s not a good idea to make pizza dough without using yeast. This important ingredient gives the crust its signature taste, as well as helps the pizza turn out light and airy.

If making pizza from scratch feels like too much effort for you, you can still enjoy precious family moments by purchasing ready-made pizza dough from the grocery store. Your kids can help you pick the toppings, and you can even experiment with the sauce, creating a different flavor every night!

Sarah Bridenstine

Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.