Pizza Dough Recipe (Vegan)

This Pizza Dough Recipe is my absolute favorite and makes the best homemade pizza! It's vegan, makes a thick and chewy crust with perfect edges and makes 2 pizza doughs. It only takes 1 hour to rise, can be made in advance, and can be easily frozen!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (about 1 packet)

1 cup warm water (between 100°F to 120°F) (not hot - warm to touch) 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour + extra ⅓ cup while kneading

2 teaspoons granulated sugar, maple syrup or agave

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder (omit if for sweet pizza)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

In a bowl, the flour, sugar, yeast, garlic powder and salt. Whisk the ingredients together. 

Create a well in the centre of the flour. Slowly add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients, and then mix together with a spatula until just incorporated. The dough should look shaggy. 

Flour a clean surface, and then pour/add the dough onto the surface. Flour your hands and fold the dough together. Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes with your hands and knuckles. The dough will be sticky at first, but you add up to 1/3 cup flour while flouring and kneading to make it easier to manage. I usually add that entire extra ⅓ cup amount. You want the end dough ball to be smooth, with slight dimples. 

Lightly grease the ball of dough with some oil and place back into the bowl in a ball. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it sit for at least 1 hour on the counter in a warm area. If your kitchen is too cold, you can place it in your OFF oven with the pilot light on which will provide enough residual heat for it to rise. The dough should rise and double in size. You can allow your dough to rise up to three hours or up to overnight in the fridge.

Punch down the dough and fold over. Divide the dough into two balls, they make two 10inch pizzas. You can make both or wrap one and place it in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it. 

On your floured surface, shape your pizza dough into a circular shape.  I use a well floured rolling pin and roll it out in all directions to form a circle. It should measure about 10 inches diameter. Create a crust by lifting the edges to create a sort of heightened rim. 

Use it in your favourite pizza recipe, and enjoy!