Garlic-Herb Pizza Crust (100% Whole Wheat and No-Knead!)

 This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. You can find my full disclosure policy here.

Homemade pizza has to be one of the most-requested meals at our house. It's a crowd-pleaser, and making this treat at home is definitely more frugal than ordering from the local pizzeria.

For the longest time, I made pizza with the master recipe from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day (my go-to dough for almost anything), but it had its drawbacks. Most specifically, the long rise time (2 hours) and the way the dough would shrink back when I tried to roll it out.

So when my mother-in-law made this pizza dough, I was inspired. It was 100% whole wheat, only needed to rise for about a half-hour, and it didn't have the spring-back problem. My only issue was that it was a bit bland, so I decided to punch it up. And this Garlic-Herb Pizza Crust was born!

This crust is delicious, and really easy. I've made it several times to make sure it was perfect before I shared it with you, and in the process, I discovered some tricks to help make a delicious pizza.

Tips for A Great Homemade Pizza:

• Use A Pizza Stone. This will give you a crispy, pizzeria-style crust. I'll give you more details on how to use the pizza stone below.
• Par-bake The Crust. By pre-baking the crust before adding sauce and toppings, you avoid a soggy pizza.
• Use Whole Milk Mozzarella or a bagged Pizza Blend. In an effort to eat more real/whole food, I've been grating my own cheese. When I tried using low-fat mozzarella, the melted cheese had a really rubbery texture, especially as it cooled.
• Sprinkle a little Parmesan Cheese on top. This definitely punched up the flavor, especially when I used plain ol' mozzarella instead of the pizza cheese blend.
  

Whole Wheat Garlic Herb Pizza Crust 

(Makes 2 Crusts)

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups whole wheat flour (I use White Whole Wheat)
• 2 packages (4.5 teaspoons) yeast (Active Dry and Instant both work well)
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 2 cups hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If using pizza stones , place them on the oven racks before pre-heating.
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients, and stir in wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl and allow to rise 30 minutes while you prep your pizza toppings. 
3. After 30 minutes, divide the dough in half and either roll the dough out on floured parchment (if using pizza stones) or press into greased pizza pans. Poke holes throughout the crust with a fork to prevent large bubbles.
4. Bake for the crusts for 8-9 minutes. If using parchment and pizza stones, slide the crusts onto the stones using an overturned cookie sheet.
5. Remove the crusts from the oven and top with sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings. To kick it up a notch, brush the crust with a mixture of 1 Tablespoon melted butter, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon or so of Italian Herb Seasoning. Delish!
6. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. 
7. Remove the pizza from the oven, cut into slices, and serve!

The Verdict:

This is definitely our new go-to for homemade pizza! We love the flavor, and Kiddo even likes it. The first time we tried the recipe, he turned to me and said, "I like it! This crust is good for me." For a kid who usually gives his crust to Hubby, this was a big accomplishment.


Do you ever make homemade pizza? What's your favorite topping?

I link up at these fabulous link parties.