Personal Pizza Crust

One of the most coveted birthday party invitations when I was a kid was to parties held at our local pizza place. There, each guest got to make their own personal pizza with whatever pizza toppings their heart desired. Such freedom and creativity! And with this simple recipe for personal pizza crust, you can easily relive your childhood or, even better, host your own personal pizza-making party. This dough recipe yields a dozen personal pizzas.

Personal Pizza Crust Ingredients

• Active dry yeast
• Warm water
• Canola oil
• Sugar
• Salt
• All-purpose flour
• Cornmeal

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add the oil, sugar, salt and 3 cups of flour. Beat until the mixture is smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface; cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Proof the yeast to ensure it is still alive before adding the flour and other ingredients.

Step 2: Parbake the crust

Divide the dough into 10 equally sized pieces. Roll each portion into an 8-inch circle. Prick each circle of dough several times with the tines of a fork. Transfer the dough to greased baking sheets lightly sprinkled with cornmeal, building up the edges of the dough slightly. Do not let them rise.

Bake the crusts at 425°F until they’re lightly browned, six to eight minutes.

Step 3: Add toppings and bake

Add your favorite pizza toppings, and bake the pizzas for 8 to 12 minutes longer.

How to Store Personal Pizza Crusts

Leftover pizza dough can be rolled into a ball, lightly oiled, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage, you can freeze the dough (see below). Leftover cooked crusts or pizzas should also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze single-serve pizza dough?

Yes! You can freeze pizza dough before or after baking it. To freeze the dough before baking, lightly brush each of the 10 dough balls with olive oil. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze them in the coldest part of your freezer for an hour, or until they’re hard to the touch. Wrap each ball tightly in storage wrap and place them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. For the best results, plan to use the dough within a month. Allow the dough balls to thaw overnight before rolling them out.

To freeze pizza crusts after baking them, first allow them to cool completely. Wrap each crust in storage wrap and place them a freezer-safe bag or storage container. Freeze the baked pizza crusts for up to three months. Thaw them overnight before using.

Personal Pizza Crust Tips

What is the best type of yeast to use for personal pizza crust?

The best type of yeast to use when making pizza dough is active dry yeast. This pantry staple is a fine, granular yeast that is activated by warm water. The activated yeast causes the dough to rise.

What are the best toppings for personal pizzas?

The best toppings for personal pizza crusts are, well, personal! Any combination works, whether you prefer a simple pepperoni pizza, a pineapple-covered Hawaiian pizza or one of our vegetarian pizza recipes.

How else can you use personal pizza crusts?

Instead of making individual pizzas, use this pizza dough recipe to make two 12-inch pies. You can also use it for pizza rolls or calzones like veggie calzones or sausage and spinach calzones.