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! You can easily relive your childhood or, even better, host your own personal pizza-making party, with this simple recipe for personal pizza crust. 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 yeast in warm water. Add oil, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a floured surface; cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

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

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 rise. Bake at 425°F until lightly browned, six to eight minutes.

Step 3: Add toppings and bake

Add pizza toppings, and bake 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. To freeze the dough before baking, after forming the dough into individual balls, lightly brush each ball with olive oil. Then place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze in the coldest part of your freezer for an hour, or until hard to the touch. Wrap each ball tightly in storage wrap and place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. For the best results, plan to use the dough within a month. When ready to make pizzas, allow the dough to thaw overnight before using.

To freeze crusts after baking, first allow the pizza crusts to cool completely. Then wrap each crust in storage wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or storage container. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw 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 make 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 a calzone recipe like veggie calzones or sausage and spinach calzones.