Cornmeal pizza dough makes homemade pizza crust that’s ready for toppings in 30 minutes, helping you create perfect pizzeria-style pizzas at home!
I learned early on that the easiest way to get dinner on the table was to invite the kids into the kitchen with me to help make the meal. Granted, inviting 8 extra hands to help with dinner preparations is not the most efficient use of time, nor are those hands necessarily the most adept at keeping a tidy work space. In fact, those extra hands are highly adept at creating messes. I go into it knowing that asking my boys to help make dinner will result in a colossal mess, and require about twice as much time to get anything in the oven. But that’s okay because they’re learning.
They’re learning how yeast behaves when stimulated with warm water. They notice the increase in yeastie activity upon adding a little honey to the mix.
They understand what happens when dough has too much flour added or not enough liquid, or is mixed too much or too little.
Perhaps most importantly, the Sons are learning what it means to come together as a family and work as a team in the creation of a meal. They’re learning that while necessary, cooking is also a time to commune with others–if only we’re willing make that time a priority–all of which is worth a little extra mess.
Recipes like this 30 Minute Cornmeal Pizza Dough make it easy to have my boys help prepare a meal, and still have us eating in a reasonable amount of time.
The use of instant yeast, along with a fair amount of cornmeal in the dough, produces the most wonderfully crisp and chewy pizza crust in a short period of time.
My favorite part of pizza night is that everyone can create their own pizza to their liking, so that I shouldn’t hear any complaints about dinner when it comes time to sit down to eat.
30 Minute Cornmeal Pizza Dough is also very versatile!
Not only does the recipe make fantastic pizza, but the dough can topped simply with olive oil, salt, and herbs, as flatbread or focaccia bread, or stuffed with various meats and vegetables for calzones or stromboli. Better yet, 30 Minute Cornmeal Pizza Dough freezes beautifully so it’s easy to stockpile extra dough in the freezer for when inspiration (or desperation) strikes.
In fact, I often keep extra pizza sauce, shredded cheeses, and other toppings in the same area of the freezer, so I’m always ready for an instant pizza party.
You should too–trust me!
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 2
Crisp and chewy pizza crust that’s ready for toppings in 30 minutes makes for perfect pizzeria-style pizzas at home.
35 minPrep Time
12 minCook Time
47 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 C. warm water (90-100 degrees F)
- 2 1/4 tsp. (1 envelope) instant yeast (Red Star Platinum is recommended)
- 2 Tbs. honey
- 1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil
- 4 3/4 C. bread flour
- 2/3 C. yellow cornmeal
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Once the oven reaches 200 degrees, set a timer for 10 minutes.
- Using a 4-cup capacity measuring cup, fill it with 2 cups of warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the warm water, and give it a quick stir, so that all of the yeast gets wet. Stir in the honey. Be sure to wipe any yeast sticking to the spoon back into the water. Let the yeast mixture sit for two to three minutes.
- Add bread flour, cornmeal, and kosher salt to the large bowl of a stand mixer, and stir a few times to mix.
- By this time, the yeast should have started to “bloom” or look fluffy on the surface of the water. If not, give it another minute or two. Add the olive oil into the yeast mixture, and stir it to combine a bit. The oil won’t completely mix with the water.
- Turn the mixer on to a medium low setting, and gradually pour the yeast and oil mixture into the flour. Once all the liquid has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium, and allow it to mix the dough for one minute. The dough will be sticky, but not gooey.
- Pour a little blop (about 1 teaspoon) of olive oil into a large, oven safe bowl. Take the dough from the mixing bowl, and roll it around in your hands to make a ball. Put the dough ball into the oil of the other bowl. Swirl the dough around in the oil, and turn it over to coat the dough completely.
- By now, the oven should have been heated to 200 degrees, for the requisite 10 minutes. Turn off the oven.
- Cover the bowl with the dough in it tightly with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the warm oven, and close the door. Now would be an excellent time to verify that the oven is indeed turned OFF. Let dough rise in the wrapped bowl inside the warm oven for 30 minutes, or until dough has doubled in bulk. Once the dough has doubled in bulk, remove it from the oven. Push down dough, and divide in half. (Or in 8 equal pieces, if you are making mini pizzas or calzones.) Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
- Freeze for later: At this point, you can put the balls of dough into individual zippered freezer bags, and freeze for later. To use, place frozen dough into a large, oiled bowl. Turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and allow to thaw and rise on the counter for at least 8 hours, or until doubled in bulk. I usually do this first thing in the morning, so it is ready to go by dinner time.)
- Make Pizza: Roll and/or stretch dough to cover a oiled baking sheet. Top with sauce and/or the toppings of your choice. We like to make one pizza brushed with olive oil, shredded cheese, and Italian seasoning, and one with leftover pasta sauce, shredded cheese and pepperoni. Boring, but tasty. If I am feeling sassy and want a grown-up pizza, I may put on shredded chicken, caramelized onions, and goat cheese. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven (preferably on a hot pizza stone) for 9-14 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and crust is golden brown.
- Make Calzone/Stuffed Pizza: Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, roll or stretch out into a 6 inch (ish) circle. Pizza toppings make great fillings, just use less “wet” ingredients, and more meat/veggies/cheese. (Some ideas include—browned sausage, cooked, diced potato, onion, and diced roasted red pepper. Cheese and pepperoni. Brie with thinly sliced apple and crumbled, cooked bacon.) Heat the filling, and place 1/3 cup of warm filling of your choice onto one side of the round, leaving 1/4 inch around the edges. Fold dough in half, over the filling, and press the edges to seal. Then, roll about 1/4 inch of the edge from the bottom, over the top, and press to seal. Brush the top with olive oil. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven (preferably on a hot pizza stone) for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Make Focaccia Bread: Roll and stretch dough onto a lightly oiled sheet pan. Brush the top with good quality olive oil. Sprinkle with a hefty pinch of kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning. Sprinkle with about 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese. You could also add a small amount of another topping, such as caramelized onions & crumbled goat cheese, or sliced black olives. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 12-18 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and bread is lightly browned.
If you love pizza as much as I do, then you’ll be happy to know that it’s Pizza Week! The Theme Weavers are back sharing all things PIZZA! Several of my friends are sharing their favorite pizza doughs, as well as a passel of fun and exciting pizza recipes.
Monday:
Carrie from Bakeaholic Mama – My Favorite Pizza Crust
Tuesday:
Kat from Tenaciously Yours – Zorbaz Taco Pizza
Me – 30 Minute Cornmeal Pizza Crust
Wednesday:
Mads from La Petite Pancake – Tangy BBQ Chicken Pizza
Megan from Wanna Be a Country Cleaver – Proscuitto and Pear Pizza
Thursday:
Beka from Kvetchin Kitchen – Clam and Bacon Pizza
Monica from Grommom – Gluten Free Roasted Veggie Pizza
Friday:
Lauren from Climbing Grier Mountain – Caramelized Onion, Sausage, and Barbecue Pizza with Ranch Dressing
Kirsten from Comfortably Domestic – Greek Pizza
Jeanne from Inside Nanabread’s Head – Pepporoni Rolls Made 2 Ways including a GOR-GEE-OUS braided stromboli!
Now that you know how to make cornmeal pizza dough, check out my recipe for Greek pizza. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!
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