Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Dough

Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Dough

The Spruce / Loren Runion

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Rise Time: 45 mins
Total: 87 mins
Servings: 4 to 8 servings
Yield: 4 small pizzas

Chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is famous for creating a lot of great food, but one item that he is particularly well known for is his delicious pizza. Puck has done creative and interesting things with pizza while keeping it appealing for a mainstream American clientele. 

But you don't need to visit one of his restaurants to have great pizza. Make his signature pizza dough recipe at home and add your favorite toppings for a fun family meal. The recipe calls for standard ingredients and makes four small pizzas.

Ingredients

  • 1 package dry active yeast

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 1 cup water, 105 to 115 F, divided

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping the dough

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for seasoning

  • Tomato sauce, cheese, vegetables, or cooked or cured meats, optional toppings

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Dough ingredients

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  2. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup of the warm water.

    yeast, honey and water in a bowl

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  3. Combine the flour and the salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Alternatively, combine in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook.

    flour and salt in a food processor

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  4. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and mix until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides and forms a ball.

    dough in a food processor

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  5. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand for 2 or 3 minutes. The dough should be smooth and firm.

    dough on a counter

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  6. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled.

    dough in a bowl covered with a towel

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  7. Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 F.

    dough pieces in a bowl

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  8. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times.

    dough pieces on a counter

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  9. On a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining balls. At this point, the dough balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

    knead the dough pieces

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  10. To prepare each pizza, dip the ball of dough into flour and shake off the excess. Place the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface and start to stretch the dough. Press down on the center, spreading the dough into an 8-inch circle with an outer border a little thicker than the middle.

    dough rolled out into a round disk

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  11. Lightly brush the inner circle of the dough with oil.

    dough brushed with oil

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  12. Arrange toppings of your choice over the oil. Using a lightly floured baker’s peel or a rimless flat baking tray, slide the pizza onto the hot baking stone and bake until the pizza crust is nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

    pizza dough with sauce and cheese on top

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

  13. Transfer the pizza to a firm surface and cut it into slices with a pizza cutter or very sharp knife. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough. Serve immediately.

    pizza made with Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Dough

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

Tips

  • Remember that the oven and pizza stone are hot, so be careful as you place the pizza into and out of the oven.
  • If you don't have a pizza stone, preheat a flat metal baking sheet instead. You may want to lay parchment paper on top or dust it with cornmeal just before baking to keep the pizza from sticking.
  • The pizza dough can be frozen for later use; oil the balls of dough, wrap well in plastic wrap, and store in a zip-top bag. The dough is best used within 3 months.
  • You can substitute 00 flour for the all-purpose if you prefer.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
191 Calories
2g Fat
37g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 191
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 59mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)