Anyone can bake pizza at home, provided they have the right ingredients and tools.
The baking process becomes easier and uncomplicated when the baker knows how to make homemade pizza with store bought dough.
When the process of making pizza at home is appropriately followed, the end result is always fascinating.
The best homemade pizza with store bought dough delivers an irresistible taste.
Thanks to the dough’s ability to provide cheesy, nutritious, and enjoyable pizza in the comfort of the home.
Store Bought Dough
The pizza dough is the main ingredient that anyone needs to make/bake pizza at home.
It forms the surface/base for ingredients such as mushrooms, cheese, sauce, toppings, meat, caramelized onions, and other desired options, allowing the baker to customize the pizza to their taste.
Making homemade pizza with store bought dough ensures convenience. It saves time and eradicates the stress of making the dough from scratch or independently.
For instance, making the pizza from scratch (including the time it takes to make the dough from scratch at home to complete baking) takes about 120 minutes (about two hours).
When an individual settles for a store-bought pizza dough of their choice, it cuts down the time drastically, encouraging a faster and easier process of making your favorite meal.
This saves up to 90 minutes (about 30 minutes or half an hour to prepare the dough and bake/make the pizza).
Why is Store Bought Dough Popular For Homemade Pizza?
Although store bought dough has gained wide popularity among individuals who prefer and enjoy making their pizza at home for several enticing/important reasons.
On top of the list is the convenience it assures by reducing the preparatory timeframe by over an hour and thirty minutes (1:30hr).
Individuals who do not have enough time to spare, especially if engaging in the baking process from scratch, seem unachievable or don’t seem interesting or fun.
A store bought dough is a top alternative that could be considered to eliminate these concerns.
It simplifies the baking process by getting rid of the tough tasks that come with making the dough at home, allowing every baker to put their baking skills to test while having fun at it.
The store bought dough allows the baker to skip some steps.
It takes/moves the baker from the position of creating their own dough to the preparatory stage (unpacking the dough and rolling it to a desired size, shape, and thickness) to ensure it comes out the way you want or delivers on desired/expected taste.
Interestingly, knowing how to use store bought pizza dough is not a tough task, thanks to its features.
For instance, it can be rolled out with ease to the baker’s preferred/desired size (large or small), thickness (thin or thick), and shape (square or round/circle).
Whatever the variations anyone intends to achieve or settle for, the store bought dough makes it achievable.
Preparation of How To Use Store Bought Pizza Dough
Pre-Baking Steps For The Perfect Pizza Shape
01. Give The Dough Enough Time To Rise
Do not rush the baking process. A major mistake many people make is getting to work immediately after the dough is taken out or removed from the storage system (freezer or fridge).
Getting the best result (delicious/tasty pizza) depends not only on the quality of the toppings.
In addition to how good the ingredients (sauce and toppings) are, the dough’s quality also plays a great role.
Hence, it should be given a similar level of consideration and importance as the ingredients.
Once the dough is removed from the storage system (fridge/freezer), or for someone who intends to bake immediately after purchasing the dough from the store/supermarket.
Take the dough out of the park and place it inside a neat or well-cleaned bowl.
Once this is done, apply a few drops of olive oil and cover/wrap the bowl with a stain-free and uncontaminated kitchen cloth/towel.
A plastic wrap is a solid alternative to the use of a towel. Give it some time (between 30-60 minutes) to rise or achieve twice its initial size.
The trapped air bubbles encourage or allow easy rolling, stretching, and shaping. Not only that, the pizza turns out better (more delicious/tastier).
02. Stretching and Shaping The Dough
After being kept/stored at room temperature within the stipulated timeline (30-60 minutes).
The dough is expected or believed to be ready for the next phase/stage leading to baking.
As we stated earlier, making pizza at home is fun and exciting when the baker or the individual involved gets the process right.
One of the fun-filled stages or phases of the baking process is dough shaping. To begin, prepare the flat surface where the stretching and shaping will be done.
Adding/sprinkling a few quantities of flour to the surface eliminates stickiness, ensuring a smooth process and avoiding a messy situation.
In some cases, the flour added to the surface before the molding/rolling, stretching, and shaping may not be adequate, hence the need to apply more as the process continues.
Placing a small container filled with flour very close or within reach makes a lot of difference.
The baker can then remove the dough from the bowl/container, placing it on the prepared surface. Press/roll it against the surface until it flattens out.
For individuals who desire a crispy crust, we advise that the dough’s outer sides that form the crust should be rolled until it’s thin.
Once it has been prepared to the desired level. The dough (middle part) can then be stretched or designed to the desired thickness and size.
03. Shaping The Dough
If the process of shaping the dough using your hands seems impossible or difficult to handle. A top alternative that may be considered is using a rolling pin.
Before the pin is applied or used on the dough, do not forget to sprinkle or add a few drops of flour to it to avoid stickiness.
List of Ingredients For Pizza
- Store bought pizza dough
- Flour
- Olive oil
- Sauce
- Onions (pickled red and caramelized)
- Meats (pepperoni chicken, ham, sausage, bacon, etc.)
- Peppers (Banana, green, black, red & bell)
- Herbs & spices (thyme, basil, paprika, garlic, etc.)
- Cheese (mozzarella, fontina, gorgonzola, bleu, smoked gouda, cheddar, provolone, or goat)
- Fruits & Vegetables: (Apple, Pineapple, Pears, Roasted cherry,Tomatoes, Sundried tomatoes, Black olive, Canned artichokes, Spinach, Fresh spinach, Mushrooms)
Tools Needed
- Rolling pin
- Bowls
- Towel
- Plastic wrap
- Oven or air fryer, etc.
Time Required
As we stated earlier, making pizza at home using the best store bought dough assures convenience by simplifying the process and reducing the timeframe drastically.
It takes about 10 minutes average to prepare (stretching and shaping) and bake the dough.
This timeframe doesn’t include the 30-60 minutes required to allow the dough to rise after taking it out of the fridge/freezer. On average, the preparatory stages/steps last about ten (10) minutes.
The cooking/baking takes about a quarter an hour (15 minutes), and you may decide to leave the dough in the oven for an extra five (5) minutes to achieve more golden/brown edges.
How To Make Homemade Pizza With Store Bought Dough (Step-By-Step Guide)
Now that you have a better idea/understanding of how to use store bought pizza dough (preparing it to deliver a more delicious/tastier pizza).
The next stage is to find out how the prepared pizza dough can become ready for baking.
01. Preparing The Baking Sheet
The first step for a homemade pizza is to prepare the baking sheet. The best conditions for baking a pizza can be ensured by sprinkling a few drops of olive oil across the baking sheet.
Olive oil enhances the taste as well as makes it easier to remove the pizza after the baking process is completed.
02. Placing The Pizza Dough on The Baking Sheet
The dough should be set under extreme conditions or handled carefully to avoid unnecessary stress/damage.
While trying to ensure the dough fills up the sheet, the baker is advised to use their fingers properly when pushing outward and be careful while at it.
The steps leading to when the dough eventually sits in the oven count towards achieving the best baking outcomes.
Poking the dough using a fork creates tiny holes that eliminate bubbles, a common problem experienced by individuals trying out homemade pizza for the first time using store bought dough.
03. Pre-Baking Step
The baking sheet (with the dough on it) should be placed inside the oven, maintaining a temperature of about four hundred and fifty (450) degrees Fahrenheit.
The dough is expected to stay in the oven between 3-4 minutes, during which the crust is expected to have achieved a firm texture.
04. Add Your Preferred/Desired Toppings
Once the par-baking is done, take the dough out from the oven and allow it to cool.
Once the cooling process is complete, the next stage is to add the topping combinations that deliver on desired taste.
There are various combinations/options to choose from or try out. Do not hesitate to explore.
While preparing or adding the toppings, it is important to adhere to the proper process.
For instance, the sauce is the first ingredient that goes into the dough, forming the base for other ingredients or holding them together.
05. Baking
The pan should be set appropriately, preferably on the lower third, to ensure evenness.
Also, the importance/significance of high temperature can’t be overemphasized when it comes to achieving the best baking experience or outcome.
Temperatures between four hundred (400) and five hundred (500) degrees Fahrenheit are excellent. On average, the dough stays in the oven for up to 15 minutes.
06. Preparing The Pizza For Slicing
After the baked pizza is taken out of the oven, it should be allowed to cool down to a warm temperature.
Then different ingredients like sauces, mayonnaise, and extra cheese can be added as required. Finally, the pizza is ready for cutting into adequate pieces.
Different Topping Ideas For Homemade Pizza
01. Pepperoni
Over the years, pepperoni has been able to cement its place/position as one of the most popular toppings among pizza lovers in the United States of America.
Some people believe that pepperoni appears in or is added to about 40% of pizzas consumed yearly, based on its popularity.
02. Cheese
Cheese is another popular addition that many people enjoy in their pizzas. This says a lot about why many huge fans/lovers of pizza do not hesitate to add extra cheese than the usual when baking.
Hardly would you see anyone turn down a pizza with extra cheese.
A top cheese option is mozzarella. It has been able to retain the huge popularity it enjoys for its melty, delicious, and satisfying taste.
03. Mushrooms
The popularity it enjoys today as one of the go-to toppings is attributed to its excellent combination with both meat & veggie pizzas.
Irrespective of other topping combinations or ingredients added to the pizza, mushrooms’ flavor can’t go unnoticed.
04. Onions
Onions also go so well with pizza, irrespective of the type (meat or veggie). It adds an irresistible fresh aroma and taste to the meal.
05. Sausage
Sauage combines well with other ingredients that make up the pizza toppings. For instance, it can be mixed with bacon, meatballs, black olives, diced meat, and green peppers.
06. Green Peppers
Green peppers make a great combination or mix with meat toppings. A popular combination is “sausage, pepperoni, and green peppers.”
07. Pineapple
According to most bakers, pineapples are highly regarded and considered a worthy addition to pizza because of their ability to stand alone (pineapple pizza) or combine excellently with other ingredients such as cheese (savory), bacon, diced meat, ham, and a few others.
How Much Does a Store Bought Dough Cost?
Top List of Store Bought Pizza Dough Brands
| Brand Name | Weight (KG) | Price (Average Price) |
| Papa Sal’s | 0.45 | $1.00 |
| Pizza Buddy | 0.45 | $1.00 |
| Trader Joe’s | 0.45 | $2.00 |
| Pepe’s Bakery (All Natural) | 0.45 | $2.12 |
| Wewalka | 0.22 | $2.58 |
| King Arthur | 0.52 | $7.00 |
| Williams Sonoma | 0.515 | $21.00 |
When choosing the store bought dough to go for or pick up for your pizza baking activity, it is important to put quality into consideration.
Since there are several brands in the market, picking a high-quality and nutritional option could be hard, especially for individuals who haven’t purchased a store bought dough before.
To get the best out of the baking process, below is a list of brands anyone can buy to achieve a satisfying and easier pizza baking/making experience at home.
These brands spread across various prices, ranging from low to high.
Where Can You Get Store Bought Dough?
Store bought dough is not hard/difficult to come by. Anyone can find or get a brand of choice from supermarkets or groceries around or close to their home.
It is mostly stored in the fridge/freezer to ensure the dough retains its freshness and is safe for consumption.
An ideal place to check or search for the dough in the grocery store or supermarket is the refrigerated area/section. This is where premade food stuff or pastries are usually arranged or placed.
Besides the supermarkets and grocery stores, other places where it is most likely to get a store-bought, or ready-to-bake pizza dough include:
- Italian specialty stores
- Pizza restaurants
- Local bakeries, etc.
Benefits of Making a Pizza With a Store Bought Dough Vs Homemade Dough
- The convenience and ease it delivers eliminate excessive timelines by cutting down the number of minutes required for the preparatory stages by more than half (ready-to-use or ready-to-bake).
- It’s undeniably a straightforward approach, technique, or method that anyone can embrace to enjoy homemade pizza. The baking won’t appear like a difficult task or chore since the tough job of creating the dough from scratch is removed.
Instead, it makes it look fun and exciting by allowing the baker to enhance their creativity and as well improve their culinary skills.
- Available in various brands and prices. Good enough, some pretty affordable brands do not compromise quality and taste.
- Supports more than a single use. The remaining dough can be stored appropriately, most preferably by keeping it inside the freezer to retain its freshness and safe consumption properties within the stipulated expiry date.
How Many People Can be Served From a Pack of Store Bought Dough?
The answer to this question isn’t fixed or specific, considering that each brand of store bought dough has its particular weight.
Nevertheless, we can rely on the most popular weight (0.45kg) to arrive at an answer. A dough with an average weight of about 0.45 kilogram is enough/sufficient to prepare a 10-inch pizza.
A ten inches pizza is enough to serve up to two individuals.
How To Preserve Store Bought Dough For Later Use? (How Many Days it Can be Kept in The Freezer or Refrigerator)
As we have indicated earlier, store bought dough is prepared to last for a particular period (expiry date). Nevertheless, if the dough is not properly stored.
It becomes impossible for it to remain in a good state for the number of days indicated on the pack.
Hence, the dough must be stored/kept in a cooling system (fridge or freezer) to retain its nutritional value and remains safe for consumption throughout its shelf life.
The freezer enhances the shelf life, delivering better preservation than the fridge offers.
Fridge-preserved store-bought dough can retain its quality for days (2-5 days on average) when stored after the first use, irrespective of the expiry date.
On the other hand, a freezer stored/preserved store-bought dough can retain its quality for months (up to 3 months on average) when stored in the freezer after the first use.
However, the expiry date is an important factor that as well contributes to how long it can stay in the freezer.
For instance, a dough less than three months before it expires must be taken out of the freezer and used before the expiry date.
Tips For Making The Perfect Pizza At Home
- Ensure the dough is of high quality. We have discussed/identified some of the top brands that anyone can pick for the best pizza baking experience, ranging from low to high prices.
- Ensure the dough hasn’t passed its prime (remains within the expiry date).
- Do not roll the dough immediately after it’s removed or taken out from the fridge. Allow it to stay inside the bowl for up to half an hour at room temperature before making any attempt to roll it. Adhering to this tip makes the process as easy/smooth as possible.
- Before the dough is placed on a flat surface, that will be used for rolling, stretching, and shaping. It is advised to sprinkle a few drops of flour across it to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface.
Whenever the dough seems sticky during the preparatory stages, do not hesitate to sprinkle more flour until the desired outcomes are achieved.
- The dough should be baked/cooked at least two times. The first time is after the dough preparation process is complete (once it has been rolled and molded into the desired size, free of toppings), lasting for about four (4) minutes.
The second time is when the necessary ingredients have been added, leaving it for an average of fifteen (15) minutes in the oven to allow the cheese and toppings to be properly cooked.
- Irrespective of how firm the crust is, it is important to apply the right combination of ingredients to avoid a soggy/extremely soft bottom crust. An excellent way to start is the addition of sauce.
The sauce forms the base, allowing the other ingredients or toppings to sit well.
- In the absence of minced beef, a well-cooked sausage can be used instead.
- For a healthier and more nutritional pizza, one key consideration is the removal of excess fat and oil.
One of the numerous ways to reduce oil and fat is by blotting the pepperoni in case the baker desires to make it a part of the toppings.
- Once the necessary ingredients have been integrated, meeting the baker’s satisfaction or preference. It is a great time to include some fresh herbs such as oregano. Basil leaves make a great alternative.
Common FAQs
Why is Wheat Flour Considered/Regarded As The Best Flour For Pizza Dough?
Wheat flour’s popularity in making pizza dough is attributed to its high gluten.
As a result, the gluten content ensures the dough has all it takes to sustain or withstand the amount of carbon dioxide the yeast discharges/releases.
This attribute assures smother/easier preparation of the dough (rolling, stretching, and shaping).
What Important Detail Should I Check /Confirm When Picking a Store Bought Dough?
Once the baker has chosen or picked a dough that meets their specifications and needs (brand, weight, and price). It is important to keep an eye on the expiry date. Ensure the expiry date allows reuse.
For instance, if the dough is enough to last more than one baking session. It is important to ensure the expiry date leaves enough space to accommodate reuse during the next baking session.
How Can I Store My Pizza Dough?
As we stated earlier, pizza dough is stored or kept in the refrigerated area/section of the store or supermarket.
The storage technique/method ensures it retains its freshness and is safe for consumption throughout its shelf life.
While the store-bought pizza dough can be stored/kept in the freezer or fridge. The former (freezer) delivers improved preservation, delivering a longer/better shelf life than the fridge.
How Much Dough Do I Need To Bake/Make a Pizza At Home?
The number/amount of dough that is required depends on a few factors. These include the size and the number of pizzas an individual decides to bake.
Nevertheless, a dough is more than enough for a pizza, especially if the size is within 10-inch
However, an individual still trying to get a grip of the process or wants to experiment by trying various methods may need more than dough to achieve the desired outcomes.
Where Can I Purchase or Get The Required/Necessary Ingredients From?
Just as we have announced earlier when discussing the places where store-bought dough is sold for homemade pizza (supermarkets and grocery stores).
Other ingredients that complete the baking process can as well be purchased from these places.
What is The Most Popular Sauce Used For Homemade Pizza?
Pizza sauces are available in various types, giving every baker the chance/opportunity to be creative when making their pizza at home.
The sauce can either be made/prepared independently or purchased from stores.
Considering the long list of sauces that can be added/applied to the pizza dough (pesto, barbeque, olive oil & garlic, red, Alfredo, etc.).
The red sauce has been able to hold down its position as the widely used option.
What is The Most Common Cheese Used For Homemade Pizza?
When it comes to the baking of pizza at home, a popular and well-trusted cheese type is mozzarella.
Mozzarella is available in stores and supermarkets where other pizza ingredients are sold.
Other preferable options or solid alternatives include parmesan cheese, provolone cheese, and cheddar cheese.
How Can I Prepare Pizza Sauce From Scratch (At Home)?
As we explained earlier, pizza sauce could be purchased from grocery stores or supermarkets or made at home.
Pizza sauce can be made/prepared at home without difficulties or turning out as too much of a task.
Depending on how the baker wants the sauce to taste, the ingredients that deliver the desired taste can be picked and mixed together in a food blender/grinder/processor.
Top ingredients include onions (powder or fresh), Italian seasoning, herbs, tomatoes, salt, and many other options/suggestions.
What is The Most Ideal Trick To Stretch Store Bought Pizza Dough?
To get the job done easier and faster, the flat surface where the stretching will take place should be lightly sprayed with olive oil.
Once the application is achieved, the dough can be placed on it to commence/start the pulling and pushing. Continue the movement until you can see the dough stretching out.
The activity should be restricted to the use of hands to get the best outcomes. This means leaving out the need/use for rolling pins or other associated/related tools.
The process of stretching the dough with the aid of the fingers not only assures the best results but also simplifies the task and makes it fun-filled.
Ultimately, the baker will enjoy the ideal atmosphere/experience of making a pizza at home.
How Can a Baker Achieve a Crispy Pizza Crust?
The stages/steps leading to this outcome are straightforward. A crispy pizza crust is what every baker can achieve, provided they follow the right process.
The baker needs to use a preheated pan for the baking process. The primary duty of the pan is to generate additional heat.
How Can a Bland Homemade Pizza be Corrected/Fixed?
If the pizza doesn’t turn out as envisaged (a bit bland), fixing or correcting such an issue shouldn’t be difficult.
To address the unappealing taste, the baker can collect a few fresh parmesan kinds of cheese and spread them across the pizza surface/top.
Final Words
If you are a great/top pizza lover, knowing how to bake this tasty/refreshing meal at home is very important. Anyone can make their own pizza, provided they follow the steps involved.
Good enough, the recipes/ingredients are easy to find, and the process doesn’t require special baking skills or tools.
To get the best baking outcomes one should simplify the process for a more enjoyable/fun-filled experience.
So far, we have provided numerous ideas around store-bought dough for homemade pizza, including the tips every baker must adhere to for the best experience.
Irrespective of the need for a pizza (refreshment, dinner, or celebration) and the number of individuals to be served.
We hope the information in this article is rich enough to provide the help/assistance every baker needs to make a tasty and safe-to-eat pizza.
