When Is Pizza Dough Ready?

Last updated on September 22nd, 2022 at 08:33 pm

It’s great to be able to order pizza and pick it up or have it delivered to your front door, but here is just something about making your own pizza at home. It’s tedious work but the end result will be delicious. 

If you are attempting to make this Italian dish homemade, one question may cross your mind. When is pizza dough ready?

Pizza dough is ready to rest and begin rising when it is completely smooth after kneading it. Pizza dough is ready to bake when it has fully risen.

Eaten at many parties or for a quick dinner, pizza is one of America’s favorite foods. It is easy to customize and can be made with a variety of toppings. Pepperoni is the most popular choice. 

Since pizza is a favorite food, it can be bought at many different restaurants. You can order online or on their app and pick it up for a quick meal. You can even have pizza delivered to your home. 

If you feel a little more adventurous, you may decide to make your own pizza. You grab a recipe and get to kneading the pizza dough. During this process, you wonder, when is the pizza dough ready? 

When the dough isn’t bumpy or lumpy anymore, then the pizza dough is ready.

How Long Does It Take For Pizza Dough To Be Ready?

Layers of sauce, cheese and meat top a pizza crust. When making a pizza, you have to knead the dough to get it ready to be set aside to rise and then to be baked. 

So, how long does it take for pizza dough to be ready?

Pizza dough will be lumpy to begin with but after kneading it, it will become smooth. There isn’t a set time for this to happen, just until the dough is thoroughly kneaded. After this, it is ready to be set in the fridge to rise.

Kneading the dough can be a little tedious. There isn’t a certain amount of time it takes so just do it for as long as it takes the dough to become smooth instead of lumpy. 

After you have thoroughly kneaded the dough, then it is time to let it rise.

How Long Should You Let Pizza Dough Rise?

Pizza dough needs to rise in order to be good and ready to bake. It is the foundation for the pizza and can make or break the way you homemade pizza tastes. 

So, how long does it take for the pizza dough to rise?

It  takes about an hour or two for pizza dough to rise after it has been thoroughly kneaded. But, you can also let the pizza dough rise in the fridge overnight for up to 24 hours. Just take it out of the fridge about 20 to 30 minutes before you want to use it and let it come to room temperature.

It is recommended to let pizza dough rise in a warm place for a few hours. If you plan on making the pizza later you can then store it in the fridge. It only takes a couple of hours for the pizza crust to rise and then you can store it for a few days if needed. 

What Happens If You Don’t Let Pizza Dough Rise?

Making homemade pizza can be fun. It may even make it taste better since you have spent time creating it. After you have gotten the dough ready by kneading it and letting it rise, you may wonder, what happens if you don’t let it rise?

If you don’t let pizza dough rise, it won’t have a good texture and will be dense and rubbery. Pizza dough that has not risen will also be less flavorful. So, if you want a good tasting crust, then let the pizza dough rise before baking it.

Another tip to a delicious pizza is to pre-bake your homemade pizza crust for about 5 to 6 minutes before adding on all of the toppings. This will give you a crispy outside and a soft and airy inside. Then bake with the toppings. 

If you don’t let the pizza crust rise, it won’t have a good texture or flavor.

How Long Can Pizza Dough Sit At Room Temperature?

Pizza dough is fine to leave out to rise. In fact it is encouraged to let it rise for a few hours in a warm environment. But, after a while, it will need to be refrigerated. 

Saying this, you may ask, how long can pizza dough sit at room temperature?

Although it will make it flat, pizza dough can sit out for about 18 hours. If your pizza crust contains any dairy, egg or other perishable products, then it will need to be refrigerated and cannot be left out for more than 4 hours. 

Be sure to refrigerate pizza dough that contains any perishable products that can go bad at room temperature. But, regular pizza dough can sit out for a while. After about half a day, you will want to refrigerate the dough to save it for wherever you are going to be baking your pizza. 

Final Thoughts

Pizza dough is ready to set aside to rise when it has been kneaded until it is completely smooth. After the pizza dough has risen, which can take about an hour or two, it is then ready to bake. 

It is recommended to let pizza dough rise in the fridge overnight or for about 24 hours. 

Try pre-baking your homemade pizza dough for a few minutes to get a good textured crust for your pizza. If you don’t let pizza dough rise, it won’t taste as good or have as good of a texture. 

So, it’s important to let the pizza dough rise so you get the most out of your homemade pizza. If you are thinking about setting the pizza dough out at room temperature instead of in the fridge, you can for up to about 18 hours. But this will make it flat. 

So your best option is to let it rise at room temperature and then place it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. 

All that to say, pizza dough is ready when it has been kneaded all the way until it is smooth and then risen all the way. Then you can bake your pizza with all of the toppings you want for a delicious meal.