California Pizza Kitchen-Style Pizza Dough Recipe： Easy, Tasty, and Authentic

Alright, now, you’re hankering for some real good homemade pizza, huh? I got ya covered with this here California Pizza Kitchen-style pizza dough recipe. Now, I ain’t got no fancy chef words or whatnot, just the straight talk to get this dough done right. This here recipe’s gonna give ya that nice chewy crust, just like the one you’d get out at a fancy pizza joint. Trust me, it’s good enough to make at home, and you don’t gotta be some big-city chef to pull it off.

Ingredients:

2 cups bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (not hot, just warm like a bath)
2 teaspoons sugar or honey (I like honey for a little extra flavor)
1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil (just enough to make it nice)

Steps to Make Your Dough:

1. Get That Yeast Going: Now, ya start by mixing the warm water and that little bit of sugar or honey in a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast in there and let it sit a good 5-10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks all foamy and bubbly. That’s the yeast waking up and getting ready to work its magic.

2. Mixing the Flour: While the yeast does its thing, grab a big mixing bowl and put in the bread flour and all-purpose flour. Now, I mix bread flour with regular flour ’cause it makes the dough nice and strong but still light enough for that California pizza style. Add the salt in here too.

3. Bringing It All Together: Pour that foamy yeast mixture right into the flour. Add the olive oil in too. Now, use your hands or a big spoon to start mixing it all up until it comes together into a dough. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle a bit more flour in there. If it’s too dry, add just a tad of water.

4. Knead That Dough: Now, ya gotta knead this dough for about 5-10 minutes. Just push it down, fold it over, and keep going until the dough feels smooth and a bit springy. It should feel kinda like a baby’s cheek when it’s done – soft but with a little bounce back.

5. Let It Rise: Pop that dough in a bowl with a light coat of olive oil (so it doesn’t stick), cover it with a damp cloth or some plastic wrap, and let it sit for a good hour or so. Find a warm spot in the kitchen – it’ll help it rise up nice and big.

6. Shaping the Dough: After an hour or so, your dough should be about doubled in size. Punch it down a bit to get rid of extra air, then cut it into two balls if you want smaller pizzas, or keep it as one big piece for a larger pie.

7. Rollin’ Out: Use a rolling pin or even just your hands to spread that dough out. Aim for about a quarter-inch thick if you want it crispy. For a California-style thin crust, keep it nice and thin – this here ain’t no deep dish!

Cooking the Pizza:

1. Preheat Your Oven: Get that oven real hot – about 475°F. If ya got a pizza stone, pop it in there while the oven’s heating up, or use a baking sheet if that’s what you got. The hotter the better for a good crust!

2. Add Your Toppings: Put on whatever you like – tomato sauce, cheese, veggies, meats, or even something fancy like artichoke hearts if you’re feeling like that California style. Don’t go too heavy on toppings though, since this is a thin crust.

3. Bake It: Slide that pizza in the oven and bake it for about 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. Keep an eye on it, ‘cause every oven’s a little different.

Tips for the Perfect Dough:

Use bread flour along with regular flour – it makes the crust chewier but not too tough.
Warm water helps the yeast do its job, but if it’s too hot, it’ll kill the yeast, so just lukewarm is best.
A little honey gives the crust a slight sweetness and helps it brown nicely.
Letting the dough rise enough makes it light and airy.

And there ya go, a homemade pizza crust just like California Pizza Kitchen! This here dough recipe is one of them simple but tasty ones that works for any kind of toppings you like. Give it a try, and you’ll see – making pizza at home is pretty easy once ya get the hang of it!