8-inch Cheese Pizza Recipe
Make 8-inch Cheese Pizza Recipe in just 1h 35m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Dough
Sauce
Cheese & Finish
Method
Dough
- 1
Activate yeast
In a small bowl, combine warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C), sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit until foamy, 5–8 minutes. If mixture doesn't foam, the yeast may be inactive—start again with fresh yeast.
- 2
Mix dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the foamy yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- 3
Knead
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead on low speed with a stand mixer and dough hook for 4–5 minutes.
- 4
First rise
Form dough into a ball, lightly coat with a few drops of olive oil, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 45–60 minutes.
- 5
Shape
Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. For an 8-inch pizza, portion out approximately 8–9 ounces (roughly the entire batch will make one personal pizza here). Flatten and gently press into an 8-inch circle, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. If the dough resists, let it rest 5–10 minutes and continue.
Sauce
- 6
Prepare sauce
In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and optional sugar. Stir until smooth and taste; adjust seasoning if desired. For kids, keep seasoning mild.
- 7
Spread sauce
Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) and place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in the oven to heat for at least 20 minutes. Lightly dust a pizza peel or baking sheet with flour or cornmeal. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sauce evenly over the shaped dough, leaving the outer crust bare.
Cheese & Finish
- 8
Add cheese
Evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the sauce, leaving about 1/4-inch edge of crust. Sprinkle the grated parmesan on top of the mozzarella for added flavor.
- 9
- 10
Bake
Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or inverted baking sheet and bake at 475°F (245°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating halfway through if necessary, until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Baking time will vary with oven and thickness of the dough; check at 8 minutes for doneness.
- 11
Finish & serve
Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle dried basil if using, slice into 4–6 slices suitable for kids, and serve warm.