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    You are here: Home / Everything Else / The Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

    LAST UPDATED: October 11, 2019 • FIRST PUBLISHED: October 11, 2019

    The Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Ball of Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with Measuring Cup, Rolling Pin and Tea Towel

    Making your own whole wheat pizza dough from scratch is easier than you think! A mix of flours, olive oil, and a touch of maple will give you the perfect crispy, tender, and flavorful crust that works with just about any pizza recipe.

    Ball of Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with Measuring Cup, Rolling Pin and Tea Towel

    You would never know this pizza dough was whole wheat! That's partly because I cheated. I used half whole wheat flour. Does that make this half wheat pizza dough?

    No, it doesn't. The "whole" in whole wheat refers to the use of the whole grain in the flour, as opposed to flour in which part of the grain has been removed, as is the case with white or all-purpose flour.

    In addition to whole wheat pastry flour, I used bread flour in my whole wheat pizza dough — that's the non-whole wheat half. Let's talk about why I chose each of these flours.

    Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

    Whole wheat pastry flour is my go-to flour when I'm looking to use a whole grain and add micronutrients and fiber to a recipe, with minimal impact on the texture.

    Whole wheat pastry flour use the entire grain, just like regular old whole wheat flour, but it's made from grains at a different stage of growth. Whole wheat pastry flour grains are younger and more tender than the hard winter wheat used to make regular whole wheat flour.

    The result? A fine grain flour that gives you more tender, less gritty baked goods.

    Bread Flour

    Bread flour is not a whole grain flour. What sets bread flour apart from all-purpose flour is its higher protein content. The extra protein is what gives your bread (or in this case, pizza crust) its texture and chewy quality.

    Finding a nice balance between these two flours gives you a pizza crust with just the right amount of texture, minimal graininess, and a nice bit of crunch.

    Can I Substitute Other Types of Flour?

    A Ball of Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with Measuring Cup and Tea Towel in the Background

    Yes, you can! Just about any variety of wheat flour will give you a decent pizza dough. It just might not be the best whole wheat pizza dough. Here are a few flour variations and what to expect.

    100% Bread Flour. This will give you a classic pizza parlor pizza crust that's quite chewy. It'll be delicious! The downside is that it won't contain any whole grains.

    100% Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. This will give you a very tender, delicate crust. Whole wheat pastry flour is low in protein, so your crust won't have a lot of chewiness to it.

    All Purpose Flour. You can make a crust out of 100% all-purpose flour, or swap out one of the and soft.

    Whole Wheat Flour. Again, you can use all or part whole wheat flour in your crust. The more you use, the grainier your crust will be. Whole wheat flour will add some chewiness. The dough should be pretty sturdy and easy to work with and you may find that you don't need to add quite as much flour while kneading. I usually find whole wheat 100% flour crusts to be lacking a tad in the crispness department.

    How to Make Pizza Crust

    Mix

    Start by heating up some water. Ideally, you want it heated to 110°F, and you'll want to check this temperature with a cooking thermometer. If you don't have one, just heat the water and test it with your finger — it should feel hot, but not enough to burn you.

    When in doubt, go cooler. Cooler water means your dough will take longer to rise, but water that's too hot could kill it!

    Whisk a packet of yeast and a teaspoon of sugar into your water.

    Wondering if you can skip the sugar? Nope! The sugar is in there to feed the yeast. Feeding your yeast gets it active, so it produces lots of carbon dioxide to make your crust rise. Let the yeast mixture sit for a few minutes — it should get foamy and start to smell yeasty. Now whisk some olive oil, maple syrup, and salt.

    Collage Showing Steps 1 and 2 for Making Whole Wheat Pizza Dough: Whisk Yeast and Sugar into Water, then Add Olive Oil, Salt and Maple Syrup

    Now it's time to make the dough. Stir your flours together in a large bowl, then pour in your yeast mixture. Stir the mixture until it starts to ball up and form a dough.

    Sprinkle some flour on the counter and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. By the time you're done it should be relatively smooth and stretchy.

    Collage Showing Steps 3-6 for Making Whole Wheat Pizza Dough: Mix Flours, Add Liquid Ingredients, Stir to Form Dough, and Knead the Dough

    Proof

    Oil a large bowl (to prevent sticking) and place your dough into the bowl. Cover it with a damp cloth and place it in a warm spot to rise until it's about doubled in size. This can take anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the temperature.

    Whole Wheat Pizza Dough in a Glass Bowl Before and After Rising

    I like to turn my oven on to the lowest temperature, then let it cool down a bit and place my dough in there to rise. Make sure the oven isn't too hot though! Normal cooking temperatures will kill the yeast.

    How to Use Homemade Pizza Dough

    Once your dough has risen, it's ready to use, or freeze for later.

    To freeze your dough, place it in a lightly oiled sealed container or bag. It'll be good for about three months.

    To make pizza with your dough, first divide it in two. Each half will make one medium-sized (12 to 14 inch) pizza. Roll it into a large circle, brush it with olive oil and bake it on a baking sheet or pizza stone. I usually bake mine at 450°F for about 15 minutes, but if you're using a pizza recipe, follow the instructions provided.

    Two Slices of Margherita Pizza on a Plate with Water Glass

    FAQ & Whole Wheat Pizza Crust Tips

    • Can this dough be made gluten-free? I'm afraid I have no idea, as I have very little experience with gluten-free yeast breads.
    • Can I substitute another type of flour for the bread flour our whole wheat pastry flour? Yup! Just about any variety of wheat flour will work. I've provided some details on what kind of results you can expect in the post above.
    • Need some vegan pizza recipes to make with your new dough? Try my Greek Pizza, Mexican Pizza or Barbecue Cauliflower & Chickpea Pizza.
    • Can this dough be made using a stand mixer? Absolutely! Just use the dough hook attachment.
    • Help! My dough isn't rising! This could be due to a few things:
      • First, did your yeast get frothy during step 1? If not, it's probably dead. Start over with new yeast.
      • Second, check to make sure you didn't leave out the sugar. Your yeast needs sugar to feed on so it can produce carbon dioxide.
      • Finally, did you place your dough in a warm location? While it will rise in a cool spot, it will take much longer.

    Whole Wheat Pizza Dough on a Floured Surface with Measuring Cup

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    Ball of Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with Measuring Cup, Rolling Pin and Tea Towel
    5 from 4 votes
    Print

    The Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

    Making your own whole wheat pizza dough from scratch is easier than you think! A mix of flours, olive oil, and a touch of maple will give you the perfect crispy, tender, and flavorful crust that works with just about any pizza recipe.

    Course Component
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
    Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
    Servings 12
    Calories 139 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups water, heated to about 110°F
    • 1 (¼ ounce) packet active dry yeast
    • 1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 ½ cups bread flour, plus more as needed
    • 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour, plus more as needed
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Place the water in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, and whisk in the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, until it becomes frothy and smells yeasty.

    2. Stir the olive oil, maple syrup, and salt into the yeast mixture.

    3. Stir 1 ½ cups of bread flour and 1 ½ cups of whole wheat pastry flour together in a large mixing bowl.

    4. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and stir to form a soft dough.

    5. Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface.

    6. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until it's smooth and elastic, working up to an additional cup of flour into it as you knead*.

    7. Rub the inside of a large mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough into the bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel.

    8. Place the bowl in a warm location in your kitchen and allow it to rise until doubled in size. This usually takes between 1 and 2 hours depending on the temperature.

    9. Cut the dough in half. Each half can be used to make one medium pizza crust.

    Recipe Notes

    *You can add either type of flour while kneading. I usually end up working about ½ cup in.

    This recipe makes about 2 pounds of pizza dough.

    Nutrition Facts
    The Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
    Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/12 of recipe))
    Calories 139 Calories from Fat 25
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 2.8g4%
    Saturated Fat 0.4g2%
    Sodium 388mg16%
    Potassium 32mg1%
    Carbohydrates 24.6g8%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 1.4g2%
    Protein 3.3g7%
    Iron 7mg39%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

     

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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Charlie says

      October 11, 2019 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      Good advice! I make my dough in a very similar fashion. Have made it for decades this way and it always works out.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 13, 2019 at 10:43 am

        Thanks Charlie! I've tried so many variations on pizza dough and this one is definitely my favorite!

        Reply
    2. Betty Yeo says

      October 13, 2019 at 7:59 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks can’t wait to try .

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 20, 2019 at 2:39 pm

        Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Collie says

      November 01, 2019 at 6:33 pm

      I REALLY recommend you look into the epoxy method for mixing whole wheat pizza dough. It's got game-changing results.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 02, 2019 at 10:55 am

        Thank you! I'll check it out!

        Reply
    4. Noel says

      November 05, 2019 at 11:19 pm

      64 year old male here, vegan 35 years, frugal due to unemployment. Looked at so many pizza recipes & 99%+ dont like using whole wheat flour. I cant afford anything but 20 kg bulk bags of whole wheat or all purpose flours on ssle at Costco. Did all purpose pizza dough for a while but decided to try 100% whole wheat to see why most disliked it. Horror of horrors? No, I loved it. Actually didnt find it any different in the recipe I was using. No weird taste or bad texture, great crust & pizza. Now that is all I use. Dad part is the All Purpose flour may go to waste. Not sure why the world wants bland, smooth textured dough for pizza or baking period. I dont get it. People losing their teeth I guess or no longer want to chew?

      Reply
    5. Jacqueline says

      January 21, 2020 at 9:02 am

      Can you freeze the dough?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 26, 2020 at 2:17 pm

        Yup! Just coat it with a bit of oil and stick it in a freezer bag. It should be good for 3 months or so.

        Reply
    6. Janet Oresick says

      March 23, 2020 at 11:24 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe looks great, and I would like to give it a try. Do you think I could use it in my bread machine? It has a pizza dough setting which I've used before with good results. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 24, 2020 at 8:50 am

        I think so! I haven't tried this with a bread machine myself, but I can't see why it wouldn't work!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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