Two balls of pizza dough rest on a wooden cutting board with fresh herbs scattered around. Nearby, there is a bowl of shredded cheese, a mortar and pestle with basil leaves, a small jar of honey with a wooden dipper, and a checkered napkin—perfect ingredients for an irresistible pizza dough recipe with honey.

Homemade Cast Iron Pizza Dough Recipe with Honey

If you are new here, pizza is hands down my favorite food! Like by a landslide and I believe almost everything has the potential to become a pizza 🙂 I make homemade pizza every weekend and after experimenting with many from scratch dough recipes, I no longer like takeout pizza at all. This easy homemade cast iron skillet pizza dough recipe with honey is a great beginner dough recipe with a shorter rise time and it can be baked in a normal oven. It has a flavorful crust perfect for dipping!  You can top it with your favorite toppings or be adventurous and try one of my unique combinations. Either way, this simple dough recipe will definitely be your gateway drug into a homemade pizza addiction. Full recipe card below.

Two dough balls rest on a wooden surface, surrounded by fresh basil and a small bowl of shredded cheese. A jar of honey with a dipper is nearby. Overlaid text reads, "HOMEMADE Honey Pizza DOUGH RECIPE www.GarrisonStreetEats.com."

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Why Homemade Pizza Dough?

If you know, you know and there is no going back. Great pizza starts with good dough.  But if you are new to pizza making, I know it may seem daunting, but I promise you it is easier than you think! Homemade dough tastes nothing like the imitation store bought pizza and contains real ingredients you can actually pronounce. Just don’t get mad at me when you become a pizza snob like me 🙂

Why I Love This Recipe

This is a very beginner friendly homemade pizza dough and doesn’t require any fancy tools to make it. And unlike pizza oven pizza dough, it requires less rise time as it is a high-hydration dough at 72%. This means it can be made only a few hours before eating because the yeast works faster with more water. This pizza crust recipe is full of flavor and bakes really well in a cast iron skillet.

Pizza Dough Ingredients

Most pizza dough recipes have a few basic ingredients that are consistent across the board and simply vary in quantities. I will break down what I use and why and give you a few alternatives for substitutions.

A kitchen counter displays various baking ingredients, including containers labeled "flour" and "sugar," a measuring cup, a stick of butter, yeast, a jar of honey essential for a delicious pizza dough recipe with honey, and a bottle of olive oil. All items are neatly arranged against a gray background.

Flour  – For this recipe I always use all purpose flour. Believe it or not, different flour contains different levels of protein which impacts how much gluten is formed when combined with yeast. Higher protein equals more gluten formed and once you pass about 13% protein level in flour (like whole wheat flour) the result will be very dense. So while I sometimes use bread flour or 00 flour for pizza oven dough, it isn’t the best choice here. Since this a fast rise dough with a lot of yeast and those flours have a higher protein content, too much gluten develops making the dough tough not to mention the flavor becomes overly yeasty. For best results with this recipe, stick to plain Jane all purpose flour.

Yeast  I always use active dry yeast because I buy it in bulk, but instant yeast will work here as well. You can use them interchangeably in a 1:1 ratio as long as the yeast is being dissolved in water. Active dry yeast needs to be activated in water where instant yeast does not need water to activate. Either way, yeast is a required ingredient here.

Sugar – Sugar helps activate the yeast mixture and adds a little sweetness to the dough.

Melted Butter – This adds a rich buttery flavor to the pizza dough and helps it crisp up on the edges in the oven. It is best to use real, unsalted butter. You can use margarine, but it will not taste the same since margarine is made from vegetable oil and actual butter is made from churned milk or heavy whipping cream. I melt mine in the microwave.

*** Pro tip – cut each tablespoon of butter into quarters and microwave in increments of 10 seconds. The butter will melt faster when its smaller and anything longer than 10 seconds and you will be cleaning the inside of your microwave instead of making pizza.

Honey – There is truly nothing better than a little bit of honey in dough or cornbread! I normally buy honey in bulk at Costco and get raw honey. This type of honey is more potent and has a bit sweeter of a taste. If you are not using raw honey you may need to use a little more to arrive at the same flavor. You can also try adding maple syrup if you do not have honey.

*** Pro Tip – When measuring honey spray your measuring spoon with cooking spray first. The honey will slide right off.

Salt – To offset some of the sweetness you always want to add a bit of salt.

Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil in two ways in this recipe. I add a little bit to the dough itself and a small amount of olive oil to coat the pizza dough while it rises so it stays hydrated and doesn’t dry out.

Pizza Toppings – Add your favorite pizza toppings and sauce or try one of my pizza creations.

Dipping – Next to eating the pizza itself, dipping the crust is my favorite! If you haven’t tried it yet, try dipping your pizza crust in Mike’s Hot Honey! It is spicy but oh SO good! Dipping pizza crust in honey is a Colorado thing but I promise it’s not as weird as it sounds. And if honey isn’t for you, creamy ranch dressing or garlic butter are great dippers too!

Pizza Equipment – Being pizza aficionados, we own a lot of tools and gadgets for pizza making. You definitely don’t need anything more than a cast iron skillet, a pizza stone, or a pizza pan. I DO NOT recommend making this pizza dough in a high heat pizza oven. Because it is a honey pizza dough it contains too much sugar for the high heat and will burn easily in a pizza oven.

Making the Pizza Dough

First you will need to prepare the yeast mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add warm water and the yeast. Make sure you use warm water not hot because you do not want to kill the yeast. Let this sit for a few minutes. The water mixture should look a bit foamy and cloudy.

Close-up of a mixing bowl containing yeast being activated in warm water. The liquid appears frothy as bubbles form on the surface, a perfect start for your pizza dough recipe with honey.

Now you are ready to combine all the ingredients except the salt into the bowl of your stand mixer. Once the flour mixture is combined with the yeast, add the salt and mix again. Adding the salt directly to the yeast mixture can cause your dough to be weak or tough.

Mixing Kneading Options

If you do not have a stand mixer, you can use an electric hand mixer with dough hooks or you can knead the dough by hand. I find hand kneading very tiring so I always use my stand mixer with the dough hook. You want to be careful not to overwork the dough though. The dough is ready to rise once it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and is no longer sticky. It should have some elasticity but it should not bounce back when you poke it.

A ball of raw dough with a small indent in the center rests on a white, marble-patterned surface. In the background, a white and black striped fabric is partially visible. The corner features the text "Garrison Street EATS," hinting at a pizza dough recipe with honey.

The Dough Rise

The dough rise is the most important step and like in most pizza recipes it cannot be skipped. While this recipe has a short rise time because of the hydration and how much yeast it contains, it still needs to rise for at least an hour and a half at room temperature. This recipe uses a bulk rise which means the entire ball of dough rises at the same time rather than balling it up into individual dough balls.

A metal mixing bowl filled with dough covered in plastic wrap sits on a marble countertop. Behind the bowl is a folded checkered kitchen towel draped over a sink ledge. The dough, part of a pizza dough recipe with honey, appears to be rising beautifully.

You can rise it in a warm place like the oven (100 degrees) or on proof mode if your oven has that or you can rise it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap on the counter. I have done both methods and don’t think there is a huge difference between the two. You just don’t want to rise this dough in the fridge. Before I start the rise, I ball up the dough and spray it with a little olive oil in my Misto. This helps keep the dough from drying out during the rise.

Baking Pans

I always make this recipe in my 12 inch cast iron skillet. It makes a thick crust and puffs up the dough nicely. If you do not have a cast iron skillet you can also use a pizza pan without holes or a pizza stone but the cooking time may vary a little. You could also make your own personal pizzas in small cast iron skillets if your family has a hard time agreeing on toppings.

To shape the pizza, I lay the dough out in the center of the cast iron pan and work it into the edges of the skillet with the palm of my hand. I do not recommend using a rolling pin because it flattens the dough too much and takes all the air away which is what gives you a puffy thick crust.

A round, unbaked pizza dough rests in a black cast iron pan on a white marble surface, with a black and white checkered cloth draped in the background. This is the start of our special pizza dough recipe with honey.

Once the dough covers the entire base, I use my fingers to create a ring of crust around the outer edge. You don’t have to do this part, but I like having at least an inch of puffy crust on my pizza to season in the next step.

A cast iron skillet containing an evenly spread pizza dough recipe with honey sits on a marble surface. In the background, a black and white checkered cloth is draped, adding contrast to the light gray wall behind. The dough is ready for toppings before baking.

Buttery Seasoned Crust

My favorite part of this pizza dough is the crust it develops. It is perfect for a little garlic butter seasoning. I melt a little bit of margarine (not butter) in a small bowl or ramakin and add garlic powder, salt, pepper, and some Italian seasoning and brush it onto the crust using a basting brush. This part is definitely optional but it makes the BEST crust!

Two balls of pizza dough sit on a wooden board, part of a delightful pizza dough recipe with honey, surrounded by fresh basil, a mortar and pestle, a small jar of honey with a dipper, and a bowl of shredded cheese. A black and white checkered cloth is in the background.

* Note to my readers. I strive to bring home cooks reliable recipes you can count on. Every recipe on this site is tested and made by me personally in my own kitchen and given to my harshest recipe tester critics for invaluable feedback. This site does not review its own recipes or participate in paid reviews nor does it purchase recipes and photos from third parties. Photos are taken of each recipe and not artificially generated. All reviews are real trustworthy reviews and if you make a recipe and have feedback, please feel free to contact me. 

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Two balls of pizza dough rest on a wooden cutting board with fresh herbs scattered around. Nearby, there is a bowl of shredded cheese, a mortar and pestle with basil leaves, a small jar of honey with a wooden dipper, and a checkered napkin—perfect ingredients for an irresistible pizza dough recipe with honey.

Homemade Cast Iron Pizza Dough Recipe with Honey


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  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: Two 12 inch pizzas 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Make pizza night your favorite night of the week with the best homemade pizza dough in a cast iron skillet! This easy from scratch dough is a great beginner recipe with a shorter rise time and it can be baked in a normal oven. It has a rich buttery crust with a slight sweetness from the honey, perfect for dipping! Simply add your favorite pizza toppings and bake! Even though it feels like fancy pizza, it’s a simple recipe with tons of flavor. You will think you are dining at your favorite pizza joint!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/3 cups of Warm Water
  • 2 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Melted Butter
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 1/2 cups of Flour
  • 3/4 tsp Salt

 

Garlic Crust Topping

  • 1 tbsp Margarine
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste (a few shakes of each)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the active yeast with the water and let set for a few minutes. The water mixture should look a bit foamy and cloudy.
  2. In the same bowl add in the sugar, melted butter, honey, olive oil, and the flour one cup at a time. Mix on low speed with a dough hook. You can also kneed your dough manually.
  3. Once the flour is combined, add the salt. Do NOT add salt until the dough is completely combined.
  4. Mix/kneed only until the salt is completely combined to avoid tough or weak dough.
  5. The dough should be stretchy but not bounce back when poked with a wooden spoon or your finger.
  6. Coat the dough with a small amount of olive oil and bulk rise the dough in a covered bowl on the counter until it doubles in size (at least a 1 1/2 hours but no more than 3).
  7. After an hour and a half, divide dough into two equal sized pizza dough balls. This recipe will make two 12 inch skillet pizzas.
  8. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  9. Place each dough ball into the center of a cast iron skillet, pizza stone, or pizza pan and slowly stretch each ball pressing it outward in a circular motion with the palm of your hand being careful not to rip the dough.
  10. Top with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings.
  11. In a small, covered bowl, melt the margarine and seasonings in the microwave in 10 second intervals.
  12. Using a basting brush, brush the crust with garlic butter seasoning mixture.
  13. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Notes

This recipe makes two 12 inch pizzas.

I prefer margarine for the butter mixture for the crust. It bakes better and tastes better in my opinion, but you can use real butter if you prefer.

Do not let the dough sit for too long with toppings prior to baking or it may get soggy in the middle.

Bake within 4 hours or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

  • Prep Time: 10
  • Rise Time: 90
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Category: Pizza
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American, Italian

Two round, uncooked pizza dough balls rest on a wooden board, surrounded by fresh herbs and a honey dipper. A small jar of honey, a marble mortar with basil leaves, and a bowl of grated cheese are visible in the background. This setup hints at an enticing pizza dough recipe with honey.

Storage

The best way to store leftover pizza dough is in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days after making it. If you cannot use it within three days, you can freeze it in a zip-lock freezer bag or use a vacuum sealer and freeze the dough for up to 3 months. This recipe will make two 12 inch pizzas. I usually make one and freeze the second dough for future use. When you want to make pizza next time, thaw the dough in the fridge and put it on the counter an hour before making. Frozen dough keeps for about three months but don’t forget to date the bag in case you forget when you made it last.

When to Make Homemade Pizza Dough

For me the answer is every week! There is nothing quite like the taste of homemade pizza and cooking it can be a fun family affair. Every Friday night we put on some music, open a bottle of wine, and make pizza. Even if this is your first time making homemade pizza this recipe is simple enough to make whenever you have a craving, for a pizza party, family gatherings or your next pizza night. No matter the occasion, this is the best pizza dough recipe for a beginner and it will quickly become one of your family favorites!

Looking for more pizza ideas? Try my white garlic goat cheese pizza, pad Thai crescent roll pizza, Hawaiian pineapple and pepperoni pizza, buffalo chicken pizza, or lemon ricotta pizza. Looking for a homemade pizza sauce? Try my red tomato paste pizza sauce or white garlic pizza sauce.

A close-up of a lemon ricotta pizza on a dark surface, garnished with fresh herbs. The pizza has a thick, golden-brown crust made from a pizza dough recipe with honey, and slices of lemon and melted cheese are visible. In the background, there are halved lemons, a bowl of grated cheese, and a checkered cloth.

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A honey skillet pizza with slices of lemon and herbs is shown in a black skillet. The top half of the image displays the whole pizza, while the bottom half highlights a close-up of a sliced piece of the pizza. The text reads "Homemade pizza dough recipe with honey.

This post, Homemade Cast Iron Pizza Dough Recipe with Honey, appeared first on Garrison Street Eats.

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