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I stumbled across a recipe on TikTok that claimed to be “the easiest, no-knead pizza dough ever”—and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. With just a little patience and a handful of simple ingredients, we created homemade pizzas that tasted better than delivery and felt like magic in the making.

The First Try 

For my first batch, I divided the dough and made two pizzas—one with classic pepperoni and another topped with pepperoni, spinach, and strips of red, orange, and yellow bell peppers. Since I didn’t own pizza pans at the time, I improvised: the pepperoni pizza baked in my trusty cast iron skillet while the veggie one browned beautifully on a cookie sheet. Both came out bubbling, golden, and absolutely delicious.

I even posted the results on my YouTube channel, and it was such a hit that just a few days later, we decided to make it a full-blown family pizza night.

Pizza Night With the Kids 

This time, I prepped the dough ahead of time, rolled it into balls, and lined up the counter with toppings, rolling pins, and parchment paper. Each of our kids got to create their very own pizza from start to finish.

Watching them work was such a joy—each had their own little technique, whether it was piling on cheese, carefully arranging toppings, or rolling the dough thinner than I would have dared. When their pizzas came out of the oven, their pride was written all over their faces. They didn’t just eat pizza—they made it. And that’s a memory I know we’ll all carry with us.

Budget-Friendly Pizza Pans 

The first time, I didn’t have official pizza pans and made do with what I had. But for round two, I decided to level up. While browsing Ace Hardware, I spotted some shiny pizza trays priced at $20 each. Tempting—but instead, I went the thrifty route and grabbed pizza pans at the dollar store. And honestly? They worked perfectly! Sometimes the best kitchen tools don’t need to break the bank, and I love a good dollar store find.

More Than Just Food 

There’s something healing about spending time in the kitchen. For me, it’s grounding—a little spark of my “kitchen witch” energy that reminds me food is more than fuel. It’s love, creativity, and comfort all rolled into one.

Homemade pizza nights like this aren’t just cheaper than ordering out (though they definitely are); they’re an opportunity to bond, laugh, and create together. Sure, the dough requires some resting time, but it’s worth every second for the magic that happens once you gather around the table.

 No-Knead Pizza Dough Recipe

This dough is simple, forgiving, and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups (437 g) all-purpose or bread flour
• 1 ⅓ cups + 1 tbsp (338 ml) lukewarm water
• 3 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 ¼ tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar

Method

1. Mix the base: In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast.

2. Add the dry: Stir in flour and salt until a sticky dough forms. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

3. Stretch & fold: Three times every 20 minutes, wet your hands, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, fold it over the center, rotate the bowl, and repeat 3–4 times. Cover after each round.

4. Rest: Let the dough sit 1–1.5 hours until it puffs up.

5. Divide & rest again: Transfer to a floured surface, divide into 4 balls, cover, and rest another 20–30 minutes.

6. Preheat: Set your oven to broil and place a tray, cast iron, or pizza stone inside to heat up.

7. Shape & top: Flatten a dough ball on parchment, then add sauce, mozzarella, garlic cream cheese, pepperoni, veggies, or whatever toppings you love.

8. Bake: Slide the parchment and pizza onto your hot tray/pan/stone. Bake until bubbly and golden brown.

Final Thoughts 

If you’re looking for an easy, affordable, and fun way to spend time with your family, I can’t recommend this recipe enough. Turn on some music, roll up your sleeves, and get your hands a little messy—you might just find that the best pizzas aren’t bought, but made together.

 Want to see how ours turned out? Check out the full video on my YouTube channel by clicking here.

Psst… you’ll notice some of the ingredients and tools above are linked. Those are Amazon Associate links, which mean I may earn a small commission if you shop through them (at no cost to you). Every little bit helps keep the magic alive here on LexTalk.