I’m sure you know the health benefits of whole wheat. Did you also know that whole wheat adds a nutty flavor and hearty texture to a pizza? This post is about making whole wheat pizza dough; it’s up to you to add your favorite toppings. The topping part is your specialty.
By opting for whole wheat, you’re making a nutritious choice without sacrificing the deliciousness of a homemade pizza.
As I am cooking for two, a 12-inch pizza is topped with 2 different options. My husband likes a ‘Hawaiian pizza’, while I prefer to change it up; sometimes vegetarian, sometimes traditional, sometimes meaty. I know that a pizza with pineapple is controversial for many, but that half is what my husband likes, so that’s what I make for him – it’s that simple.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe and Alternatives
- Whole wheat flour – or plain white flour is you prefer.
- Instant dry yeast
- Warm water
- Sugar – for activating the yeast. Honey will do the trick as well.
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Corn meal – for dusting. Not a must, just adds a crunch to the bottom and prevents pizza from sticking to baking sheet.
How to Make Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Step 1 – Activate the yeast. Add warm water (not hot) to a bowl and add the instant dry yeast and a pinch of sugar. The sugar is added to ‘feed’ the yeast. After about 5 minutes you’ll see a frothy surface, this is called blooming of the yeast.
Note: Add yeast to water, not water to yeast.
Step 2 – Combine flour and salt in a bowl, add the activated yeast and olive oil.
Step 3 – Mix the ingredients until you’ll have a dough. Knead the dough; it is a little sticky. Poke the dough with your finger and when it bounces back slowly, your dough is ready to rise.
Step 4 – Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil or cooking spray in the same bowl you made the dough in, and cover the inside with the oil. Add the dough and turn it to cover all sides.
Step 5 – Cover the bowl with a wet towel or aluminum foil and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
I always use my oven, by turning it on at the lowest temperature (mine is 95 degrees F). Turn it off when it reaches that temperature and place the covered dough inside and turn the oven off. Don’t open the door until 1-1.5 hours into the rising.
Step 6 – This is what risen dough looks like. Now it is time to form the pizza bottom.
Step 7 – Lightly flour your surface and form the dough by pounding the dough on the outside ring. Leave the inside alone.
I am always using the same flour for dusting my surface as I use in the the pizza bottom – in this case it is whole wheat flour.
Step 8 – Stretching of the dough. Leave the outside ring untouched and slowly stretch the dough, making little steps and turning the dough.
Step 9 – When you have created a 12-inch circle or 2 smaller ones, place it on a baking sheet that you dusted with cornmeal. Add your toppings and bake for about 15 minutes in a oven of 425 degrees F. Baking times may vary depending on your toppings.
Enjoy!
Other Pizza recipes
- Green Garden Pizza with Ricotta and Tofu
- White Spinach and Three Cheese Pizza
- Pear Brie and Prosciutto Pizza with Honey Drizzle
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 7 grams dry instant yeast 1 package
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 pinch sugar
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- cornmeal for dusting baking sheet
Instructions
- The first step is to activate the yeast. Add warm water (not hot) to a bowl and add the instant dry yeast and a pinch of sugar. The sugar is added to ‘feed’ the yeast. After about 5 minutes you’ll see a frothy surface, this is called blooming of the yeast. (NOTE 1)
- Combine flour and salt in a bowl, add the activated yeast and olive oil.
- Mix the ingredients until you’ll have a dough. Knead the dough; it may be a little sticky. Poke the dough with your finger and when it bounces back slowly, your dough is ready to rise.
- Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil or cooking spray in the same bowl you made the dough in and cover the inside with the oil. Add the dough ball and turn it to cover all sides.
- Cover the bowl with a wet towel or aluminum foil and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1hour or until double in size.
- Sprinkle some cornmeal on a baking sheet. Your pizza will be placed on this, so it will not stick to the baking sheet.
- Prepare your pizza toppings, while you stretch your pizza.
- Add sauce, cheese and topping, however you would like to build your pizza.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the pizza for approx. 15 minutes in an oven of 425 degrees F. (NOTE 2)
Notes
- You can use sugar or honey. The sweet addition is only to ‘feed the yeast’. Important: Add yeast to water, not water to yeast.
- The exact baking time will very much depend on the type of topping and the amount of topping you will use.
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