Love Thin Crust Pizza? Try this Thin Crust Pizza Dough Recipe

Thin Crust Pizza (also known as Fancy Bread with Cheese) is a staple in our family. When we go out, my daughter orders thin crust pizza, when I ask her what she wants for dinner, the answer is always thin crust pizza and when I am making her school lunch, you guessed it – she wants thin crust pizza.

This is the reason why I keep a couple of prepackaged thin crust pizza shells in the freezer because in a pinch, it’s a quick dinner on the days when we are zipping off to lessons and it’s the only school lunch I know won’t come home half-eaten (and really, how much different is leftover pizza from a cheese sandwich?).

The cost of prepackaged thin crust pizza shells adds up after a while so I decided to figure out how to make my own. After searching online, I stumbled across this basic recipe for thin crust pizza dough for the bread maker from AllRecipes.com. A few modifications here and there, and we had the perfect substitute for our favorite prepackaged thin crust pizza shells from the store!

Thin Crust Pizza Recipe for the Bread Maker

1 cup flat club soda

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 ½ cups all-purpose or bread flour

2 ¼ tsp yeast

Olive oil

Fresh Asiago or Parmesan cheese

#1: Put soda, butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the bread machine in the order recommended by the bread machine manufacturer.

#2: Select Dough setting and press START.

#3: Remove dough from bread machine when cycle is complete.

#4: Divide into 2 or 3 equal-sized balls and roll or press dough onto a prepared pizza pan or pizza stone. Note: the success of your thin crust pizza depends entirely on how thin you roll the dough!

#5: Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with cheese.

#6: Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

#7: Bake in a 400-degree oven for 12 minutes.

#8: Remove and add toppings and bake an additional 12 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbly.

Note: If freezing to use as premade thin crust pizza shells, bake for 12 minutes and then store in a freezer bag. When you are ready to use them, top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake as per the instructions.

Yield: 1 large thin crust pizza shell, or 2 to 3 small thin crust pizza shells.

Creative (Kid-Friendly) Uses for Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Thin Crust Pizza Plain Jane Style

1 premade thin crust pizza shell

1 dollop of pizza sauce

1 generous sprinkling of favorite shredded cheese blend

#1: Swirl pizza sauce on the thin crust pizza shell.

#2: Top with shredded cheese.

#3: Bake in a 400-degree oven for 12 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbly.

Thin Crust Pizza Bread Sticks

1 premade thin crust pizza shell

Olive oil

Grated Parmesan cheese

#1: Cut premade thin crust pizza shell into wedges.

#2: Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

#3: Bake in 400-degree oven for 12 minutes or until the bread sticks are lightly browned.