Our Gold-Standard: 72-Hour Dough
Store-bought dough works in a pinch but when you have time, our slow-fermented 72-Hour Dough is the move. Longer fermentation means deeper flavor, better browning, and that light, open crumb you crave.
72-Hour Dough (recommended)
- Complex flavor + lighter texture
- Beautiful blistering & browning
- Flexible schedule (cold ferment)
Store-Bought Dough (in a pinch)
- Fast, convenient start
- Still great with proper handling
- Perfect for weeknights
Below: how to handle it like a pro.
Turning store-bought dough into restaurant-quality pizza.
Simple techniques. Honest ingredients. Perfect heat. Everything you need to make pizza at home feel effortless and extraordinary.
Sometimes the best pizza nights start simply with a ball of store-bought dough. With a few smart techniques, you can turn that dough into something that tastes like it came out of a world-class pizzeria. This guide walks you through the essentials: handling, shaping, topping, and baking like a pro. Just remember, even with store bough pizza dough, you will need it to rest for at least 3 hours before the stretch and bake.
Handle the Dough with Confidence
Start by removing the dough from the bag. Most store-bought dough comes in 1 lb portions (about 454 grams). I like to divide it in half each piece is roughly ½ lb, or about 227 grams the perfect size for a 10–12" pizza.
Store-bought dough tends to be stickier than homemade. That’s okay. A light dusting of flour is your best friend just enough to keep the dough from clinging to your hands and counter, without drying it out.
“If you need a little flour, sprinkle it lightly. That’s it.” — Andris
Remove the store-bought dough from its bag and prepare to divide into portions.
Create Tension for Better Structure
Balled dough has better structure, period. When you fold and press the dough a few times, you create surface tension. That tension helps the dough rise evenly, giving you a light, airy crust with just the right chew.
Click here for a quick refresher on how to ball dough
Once balled, place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover it, and let it rest. The oil prevents sticking, and the rest allows the gluten to relax making stretching effortless later on. Rest your dough for about 3 hours ideally at room temperature.
- Gluten relaxation: Resting lets the gluten strands unwind, so the dough isn’t tight or resistant when you stretch it.
- Better extensibility: Relaxed dough stretches more evenly without tearing, which is especially important for thin-crust pizzas.
- Improved texture: Resting helps create a softer, airier crumb in the final bake.
- Easier handling: Dough that’s rested won’t snap back or fight you when shaping.
Gently fold and press the dough to build surface tension — this gives you better rise and an airy crumb.
Heat Is Everything
Here’s the secret to pizzeria-quality crust: heat. Home ovens lose a lot of it fast, but a Baking Steel gives you the blast of heat you need for leopard-spotted perfection.
“Preheat your oven to 500°F with your Baking Steel on the top rack for at least 45 minutes.” — Andris
The steel stores and transfers the heat 20X better than stone, creating a crisp, evenly baked crust every single time.
Bake directly on a preheated Baking Steel for a perfectly crisp crust and even browning.
Stretch with Patience
Generously flour your work surface and gently press the dough into a small circle. From there, pick it up and let gravity do the work. Rotate the dough like a steering wheel, letting its own weight stretch it evenly.
“Knuckles tucked, gentle turns, no rushing.” Andris
Store-bought dough can be less forgiving than homemade, so slow, patient movements prevent tearing and help maintain its airy texture.
Top It Lightly
When it comes to toppings, less is more. Start with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce, spread it close to the edge but never over. Add your cheese and toppings with restraint you’re aiming for balance. My mantra is always less is more.
Classic combinations shine here: a simple Margherita, mushrooms with truffle oil, or pepperoni with a hint of fresh basil.
The Bake
Slide your pizza onto the preheated steel with a wooden peel dusted in flour and semolina they act like ball bearings, letting the dough glide effortlessly.
Two minutes in, open the oven and rotate the pizza 180 degrees. Bake for another two minutes, watching closely until the crust is blistered and beautifully golden.
“Always set a timer. Two minutes disappear faster than you think.” — Andris
Finish Strong
When the pizza comes out, admire the underside: a gorgeous, evenly baked crust. Slice, serve, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil or a few fresh basil leaves for that final touch of beauty.
The best part — sharing homemade pizza straight from the Baking Steel.
Great pizza doesn’t need complicated steps or custom dough. With a few tweaks and the right heat even a ball of store-bought dough can become something extraordinary.
Ready to make your best pizza yet? Start with the right foundation: Baking Steel.