I make pizza from scratch more nights than I care to admit — it’s that comforting, reliably good meal that feels special without drama. This version uses the air fryer for quick prebakes and finishes, so you get a crisp edge and a melty top in under 15 minutes of active baking time per pizza. The dough is simple and hands-on, and the topping split works whether you want a fluffier, thicker crust or a thinner, crispier one.
I’m practical about kitchen time. This recipe keeps ingredient counts small and steps straightforward. You don’t need fancy flours, long fermentation, or a wood-fired oven. Just measure, mix, proof, shape, and air-fry — and you’ll have a pizza that hits the familiar notes: tender interior, crisp rim, bubbly cheese, and pepperoni that curls a little and gets just a touch crisp.
Below are the full ingredients, the exact step-by-step directions to follow, and the why, equipment notes, and troubleshooting tips I use in my own kitchen. Follow the steps exactly where amounts matter; use the extra notes to adapt where your air fryer or tastes differ.
What Goes In
Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm water (not hot) — hydrates the yeast and flour; warm to the touch but not hot so yeast wakes, not dies.
- ¼ teaspoon sugar — feeds the yeast for a reliable foam in the proofing step.
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast — the leavener; creates lift and flavor in the crust.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour — the structure of the dough; measure by spooning into a cup and leveling for consistency.
- 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided — adds tenderness and flavor; 2 teaspoons go into the dough during mixing and 1 teaspoon is reserved to oil the bowl.
- ½ teaspoon salt — seasons the dough; added during mixing for even distribution.
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes — the base sauce; divided among your pizzas so each gets a thin layer.
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning — dried herb mix for the sauce; split across pizzas to taste.
- ½ teaspoon salt — additional seasoning for the sauce; use this with the Italian seasoning and pepper when finishing the sauce.
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper — brightens the tomato; divide evenly across pizzas.
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese — melts and gives that classic stretchy bite; divided among pizzas.
- ¼ cup shredded gouda cheese — adds a slightly smoky, creamy note; divided among pizzas.
- 18 to 20 slices of pepperoni — the topping that crisps and flavors the cheese; arrange evenly so each slice bakes consistently.
Step-by-Step: Air Fryer Pizza from Scratch
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together ¾ cup warm water (not hot) and ¼ teaspoon sugar until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons active dry yeast over the surface, stir a few times, and let sit until foamy (about 10 minutes).
- Add the 2 cups all-purpose flour to the yeast mixture in ½-cup increments: add ½ cup flour, stir until smooth, then repeat until all flour is incorporated. As you mix the flour in, add 3 teaspoons olive oil divided: add 2 teaspoons to the dough during mixing and reserve 1 teaspoon.
- Add ½ teaspoon salt to the dough while mixing with the flour. If the dough is very sticky, you may lightly dust the work surface with flour when you turn it out.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead briefly—just enough for the dough to come together (about 5 to 6 turns).
- Wash and dry the bowl you used, pour the reserved 1 teaspoon olive oil into it and swirl to coat the bottom and a little up the sides. Place the dough back in the oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (lightly flour the side that will touch the dough), and set in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size.
- Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 2 pieces for a fluffier crust or into 3 pieces for thinner crusts.
- Cut pieces of parchment paper to fit your air fryer basket (about 8″ diameter for reference). Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.
- Roll one dough piece into a circle that fits the parchment and place the dough on the parchment. Pre-bake the crust in the air fryer on the air fry setting for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce and toppings. Use the 1 cup crushed tomatoes divided among your pizzas (if you made 2 dough pieces, use about ½ cup per crust; if 3 pieces, use about ⅓ cup per crust). Season the sauce using the remaining dry seasonings from the ingredient list: ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper—divide these seasonings evenly across the pizzas (half on each if making two, or thirds if making three).
- Spread the appropriate portion of crushed tomatoes over the prebaked crust, sprinkle the portioned Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, then top with the shredded cheeses and pepperoni. Divide the cheeses (½ cup shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup shredded gouda) evenly among the pizzas (half on each if making two, or thirds if making three). Arrange the 18 to 20 slices of pepperoni evenly across the pizzas and press them lightly into the sauce and cheese so they stay in place in the air fryer.
- Return the topped pizza on its parchment to the air fryer and bake 4 to 5 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden to your liking.
- Remove the pizza from the air fryer, slice, and serve. Repeat steps 8–11 with the remaining dough pieces.
Why It Works Every Time
This method leans on a few reliable techniques. First, activating the yeast in warm (not hot) water with a pinch of sugar gives you a predictable, foamy start — a clear sign the yeast is alive and ready. Measuring the flour into the wet mix in increments avoids overworking and helps you keep the dough workable without needing extra water or flour.
Short, gentle kneading is intentional: you want the dough to come together and develop just enough gluten for structure without becoming tough. The brief pre-bake in the air fryer sets the base so your sauce and toppings don’t weigh down the dough, and the high, even heat of the air fryer crisps the exterior while keeping the interior tender. Dividing the dough into 2 or 3 pieces gives you control over thickness and texture without changing the basic formula.
International Equivalents
Here are common metric equivalents to help if you use grams and milliliters. These are approximate conversions commonly used in kitchens:
- ¾ cup warm water — about 180 ml.
- ¼ teaspoon sugar — a scant 1.25 ml (pinch to 1/4 tsp).
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast — about 10 ml total.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour — roughly 250 g (depends on how flour is measured; spoon and level for accuracy).
- 3 teaspoons olive oil — about 15 ml total (10 ml during mixing; 5 ml reserved).
- ½ teaspoon salt — about 2.5 ml (used in the dough and again for the sauce).
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes — about 240 ml.
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella — roughly 56 g.
- ¼ cup shredded gouda — roughly 28 g.
Equipment Breakdown
Keep this simple. The recipe needs:
- A countertop bowl large enough to mix and proof the dough.
- An air fryer with a basket that fits approximately 8″ parchment rounds (adjust parchment size to your model).
- Measuring cups and spoons for accurate quantities.
- Parchment paper cut to fit the basket so pizzas lift easily without sticking.
- A rolling pin or your hands for shaping; a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough.
Troubles You Can Avoid
Cold environment: If your kitchen is cool your dough will take far longer to double. Find a warmer spot (near a warm oven, on top of a fridge) or briefly preheat the oven, turn it off, and set the covered bowl inside.
Dead yeast: If the yeast doesn’t foam within ~10 minutes, your water was likely too hot or the yeast is old. Start over with fresh yeast and water that feels warm but not hot.
Soggy center: Don’t overload with sauce or skip the prebake. The 3–4 minute prebake sets the crust so toppings don’t make it heavy.
Burning edges: Air fryers vary. If the rims brown too quickly, reduce the finishing bake by a minute and check for doneness. You can also lower the temp by 10–20°F in future batches.
Better Choices & Swaps
If you want to tweak the finished pizza without changing the recipe’s structure, consider these general swaps:
- Cheese: Use other melting cheeses in place of gouda (same style cheese works best) — keep the overall cheese layer similar for melt balance.
- Sauce: If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend the crushed tomatoes briefly, but use the same total volume divided across the pizzas.
- Toppings: Spread your chosen toppings so they’re even and not piled high; high-moisture vegetables should be pre-cooked or patted dry to avoid a soggy crust.
Cook’s Notes
Dough Handling
Work quickly after the dough comes together. The goal is a cohesive, slightly tacky ball. Over-kneading in a small-batch recipe like this makes the crust dense. Five to six turns on the counter is enough.
Shaping
When rolling or stretching, start from the center and push outward to preserve an airy rim. If the dough resists, let it rest five minutes to relax the gluten and try again.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
Leftover pizza keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or a skillet to restore crispness — a minute or two at air fryer temps will warm through and re-crisp the crust.
For dough, you can refrigerate a wrapped ball for up to 24 hours for a slower proof and slightly more developed flavor. To freeze dough, wrap it tightly; thaw in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before shaping. When freezing baked pizza, wrap slices tightly; reheat from frozen in the air fryer until warmed through and the cheese bubbles again.
Popular Questions
How many pizzas does this recipe make? The recipe instructs dividing the dough into 2 pieces for a fluffier crust or into 3 pieces for thinner crusts — so plan for 2 medium or 3 smaller pizzas.
Can I make this without an air fryer? Yes, you can bake on a preheated pizza stone or baking sheet in a very hot oven, but the pre-bake and final times will change. The air fryer gives a short, intense heat that crisps fast; replicate by using a hot oven and monitoring closely.
Can I double the recipe? You can, but proof dough in a larger bowl and cook pizzas one at a time or in batches that fit your air fryer basket.
Make It Tonight
Set aside 10 minutes for the yeast start and mixing, then let the dough rise until doubled. The active bake time per pizza is short — a 3–4 minute prebake and a 4–5 minute finish — so you can enjoy fresh pizza the same evening without fuss. Follow the exact ingredient list and steps above for consistent results, and use the notes here to tweak texture and timing to your air fryer and taste.
Grab a cutting board and a good knife, slice while it’s hot, and serve. No fancy tools, no waiting days for flavor — just a reliable, from-scratch pizza that comes together in a few practical steps.
Air Fryer Pizza from Scratch
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Parchment Paper
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic wrap or kitchen towel
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3/4 cupwarm waternot hot
- 1/4 teaspoonsugar
- 2 teaspoonsactive dry yeast
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoonsolive oildivided
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 1 cupcrushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoonItalian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 1/4 teaspoonblack pepper
- 1/2 cupshredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cupshredded gouda cheese
- 18 to 20 slicesof pepperoni
Instructions
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together ¾ cup warm water (not hot) and ¼ teaspoon sugar until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons active dry yeast over the surface, stir a few times, and let sit until foamy (about 10 minutes).
- Add the 2 cups all-purpose flour to the yeast mixture in ½-cup increments: add ½ cup flour, stir until smooth, then repeat until all flour is incorporated. As you mix the flour in, add 3 teaspoons olive oil divided: add 2 teaspoons to the dough during mixing and reserve 1 teaspoon.
- Add ½ teaspoon salt to the dough while mixing with the flour. If the dough is very sticky, you may lightly dust the work surface with flour when you turn it out.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead briefly—just enough for the dough to come together (about 5 to 6 turns).
- Wash and dry the bowl you used, pour the reserved 1 teaspoon olive oil into it and swirl to coat the bottom and a little up the sides. Place the dough back in the oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (lightly flour the side that will touch the dough), and set in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size.
- Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 2 pieces for a fluffier crust or into 3 pieces for thinner crusts.
- Cut pieces of parchment paper to fit your air fryer basket (about 8" diameter for reference). Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.
- Roll one dough piece into a circle that fits the parchment and place the dough on the parchment. Pre-bake the crust in the air fryer on the air fry setting for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce and toppings. Use the 1 cup crushed tomatoes divided among your pizzas (if you made 2 dough pieces, use about ½ cup per crust; if 3 pieces, use about ⅓ cup per crust). Season the sauce using the remaining dry seasonings from the ingredient list: ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper—divide these seasonings evenly across the pizzas (half on each if making two, or thirds if making three).
- Spread the appropriate portion of crushed tomatoes over the prebaked crust, sprinkle the portioned Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, then top with the shredded cheeses and pepperoni. Divide the cheeses (½ cup shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup shredded gouda) evenly among the pizzas (half on each if making two, or thirds if making three). Arrange the 18 to 20 slices of pepperoni evenly across the pizzas and press them lightly into the sauce and cheese so they stay in place in the air fryer.
- Return the topped pizza on its parchment to the air fryer and bake 4 to 5 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden to your liking.
- Remove the pizza from the air fryer, slice, and serve. Repeat steps 8–11 with the remaining dough pieces.
Notes
If you like the crust fluffy, divide the dough into 2 parts to make 2 pizzas; if you prefer your crust thin and crispy, divide the dough into 3 parts to make 3 pizzas.
To reheat leftovers, set the temperature to 350 degrees F and the timer to 3 minutes. Check the pizza and cook for a minute or two more if needed.
Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
