Copycat Publix Pizza Dough
Make homemade Publix pizza dough in your own kitchen whenever you want. Simply add your favorite toppings to create a delicious homemade pizza!
When we lived in Florida, Publix was our favorite grocery store. They offered weekly specials, BOGO sales, and tons of fresh fruits and veggies.
With that being said, nothing beat the Publix pizza dough from the deli. The crust was crispy on the bottom and soft and chewy on the inside.
Kim and I would create all sorts of pizzas using their dough and our easy homemade tomato sauce.
However, there were a few times when the pizza dough was sold out. So, Kim decided to create a copycat Publix pizza crust.
It took a little time and a few modifications, but I think her recipe is the perfect substitute!
How to make homemade Publix Pizza Dough:
Prepping the Yeast:
First, start by using a microwave or pan to heat your water to 110-115ºF to activate the yeast.
- Be very careful with the yeast because if it gets too hot, it will kill the yeast and the crust won’t rise.
Now, add the sugar and yeast to the warm water and use a fork or whisk to quickly mix the ingredients.
After that, let the yeast sit for about 5-10 minutes to activate. The water should begin to bubble and become murky.
Dry Ingredients:
While the yeast rises, place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a whisk to combine everything if your mixer won’t reach them at the bottom of the bowl.
Making the Dough:
Then, carefully pour the activated yeast mixture into the bowl with the flour.
Afterwards, using a dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 5 to 6 minutes until a smooth, elastic ball forms.
- It might be necessary to add additional flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky.
Let the Dough Rest:
At this point, you want to let the dough rest and rise (also known as proofing).
Additionally, I would recommend drizzling some olive oil into your mixing bowl. So, remove the Publix pizza dough from the mixer and place it in your prepped mixing bowl.
Go ahead and cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free area.
Then, allow the homemade pizza dough to rest and double in size. I usually let my dough rest for about an hour.
- One thing you can do while you wait is prep your toppings. That way, you’ll be ready to build your pizza once the resting time is completed.
Also, towards the end of the rising process, preheat your oven to 400ºF.
Final Preparations:
After the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and place it on a well-floured surface.
Now, knead it 3 to 4 times by hand and divide it into two equal portions. That’s right, this recipe makes two pizza crusts. You can use the extra one for garlic knots.
After that, pick up one of the pieces and carefully begin to stretch it out. Start from the center and work your way out pushing the dough to the outer edge as you go.
Once the dough reaches about 6-7 inches in diameter, place it on a greased pizza pan and continue stretching it out the rest of the way.
Toppings and Bake:
Top the homemade pizza dough with your favorite toppings and place it in an oven preheated to 400ºF. The amount and type of toppings will determine how long the pizza needs to bake.
The more toppings you have, the longer it will take to bake. My one topping (not pre-baked) pizza takes 15-20 minutes to cook.
A pizza with multiple toppings that has been pre-baked only takes 10-15 minutes. When we say pre-baked, that means baking the crust for 5-10 minutes in the preheated oven without any toppings.
Once your homemade pizza is done, remove from the oven and serve. That’s it, your homemade pizza is done!
Kim and I hope you enjoy the Publix pizza dough and wish you all the best 🙂
Tips for our Publix Pizza Dough Recipe:
- The Publix pizza dough can be made without yeast, however, it will not rise.
- Additionally, go ahead and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom bowl when you let the dough rise. It will keep it from sticking to your bowl.
- We wouldn’t recommend freezing this dough because we’ve never done that and cannot tell you whether it works or not.
- When using multiple toppings, be sure to bake the dough for 5-10 minutes before you add the toppings. For example, a Supreme or Meat Lover’s style pizza has too many toppings for the pizza to bake without precooking the crust a little bit.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast, instant yeast also works
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat water to 110°F to 115°F. Add yeast and sugar to water and stir to mix. Set aside and allow yeast to activate.12 ounces water1 teaspoon active dry yeast1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Place flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Once activated, add yeast mixture to the flour.4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Using a dough hook, mix the flour and yeast on medium speed for 5-6 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour a tablespoon at a time.
- Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm, draft-free place and allow the dough to double in size (at least 30 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- After dough has doubled, place it on a well-floured surface. Knead it 4-5 times and divide in half.
- Take one piece and begin stretching it by hand starting in the middle and pushing the dough outward. Once the dough is 6-7 inches in diameter, place on a greased pizza pan and continue stretching until the dough covers the pan.
- Add your favorite toppings.
- Place the pan in preheated oven and bake until the crust is golden brown.
Wonderful pizza crust
Thank you!
Great recipe… made both dough balls, the first, I did not go for thin and it was great. The second, I did thinner… both excellent… thanks for sharing!
Glad to hear you enjoyed the pizza crusts Wade! Thanks for commenting, have a great weekend.
Hey i loved this recipe the only thing is you dont say what degrees to use f° or c° so i bothched the firt batch
Hi Melissa!
Thanks so much for comment. I’ll update the recipe card to show fahrenheit. It looks like it’s in the post but didn’t make it into the recipe card. Thanks again!
Can you let the dough sit in the fridge overnight (after it’s proofed?) and use it the next day?
Thank You
Hi Chris!
Yes, that should be fine. Although, I’d recommend not leaving much longer than 8 hours because the refrigeration time counts as a second proof. If the dough is chilled for too long, it can overproof. Hope that helps! Have a great week! 🙂
So i made this and the pizza dough was too dry, i’ve been working with yeast for in a couple different recipes and my dough always seems to be dry. could you tell me what im doing wrong?
Hi Brittney!
Is it too dry as you’re mixing it? If so, try adding less flour to start and only add more if needed. Humidity and weather can play a big role with yeast dough, as can elevation. It can vary from day to day. Hope this helps! 🙂
@Kimberly, Thank you!
You’re very welcome! 🙂
Really good pizza dough. FYI, I froze the dough for 2 months, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator, let it get to room temperature and cooked it as you suggested. It turned out really good
Thanks so much for coming back to comment, Ebony! That information will be really helpful to our other readers. We’re glad you enjoyed the pizza dough and hope you have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
@Ebony, same here, always freeze extra dough to have on hand. Works great every time.
@Ebony, I came here to ask if anyone had frozen the dough before because I recently started milling my own flour and was looking at making things ahead of time. Thanks!
Doesn’t sound like enough yeast for 4 cups of flour. It’s not a typo?
Hi Sandy!
Nope, it’s not a typo. That’s the correct amount. 🙂
I made a double batch tonight. I made 3 pizza’s and garlic knots. I pre-baked the crust before putting on the toppings. It was a big hit with the family. Definitely going to make again. No more store bought dough, as this was easy.
Good Morning Carolee, that’s wonderful! Kim and I are glad you like the pizza dough. Have a lovely day 🙂
I made this dough yesterday and it came out so well I made it again just to give away to friends.
It’s so easy there’s no excuse not to have some in the fridge all the time. Tonight I’ll turn some into garlic knots!
Thank you M! Kim and I are thrilled you liked the pizza dough. We appreciate you coming back to comment on and rate the recipe card. Thank you again and have a lovely day 🙂
Thank you, Aarika! I hope you love it 🙂
Thank you, Cameron! It’s nice to try a new recipe from time to time and if you don’t like it, you will always have your go-to recipe to fall back on 🙂
I am gluten free and normally buy a pizza dough mix. I may try this recipe with a gluten free blend. I am guessing that would work.
Thank you, Willow! Give it a try. Do you have any recommendations of gluten-free mixes? I have an intolerance to gluten; however, I haven’t been able to find a mix that I can tolerate lol! So, I have been stuck eating tiny portions of breads and other foods with gluten and suffering through the symptoms. My G.I. Specialist is always on me about it but I have a hard time eating gluten-free foods. Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated! 🙂
I really like Pamela’s Pizza Mix because I can make calzones and bread out of it too – not just pizza. I also like Namaste Pizza Mix, but I am not sure if you could make it into bread because the consistency is different. With Pamela’s you have to let it rise since it has yeast. Namaste you just mix and bake. My intolerance is so bad that even the smallest piece of bread gives me a stomach cramp for a whole day. I am always on the lookout for good gluten free products as well. Luckily, there is a Farmer’s Market that sells really good spinach amaranth tortillas, because I am tired of the brown rice tortillas falling apart. One of these days I will start making my own bread products…
Thank you for all the good information on different gluten-free mixes. I understand what you mean when it comes to the intolerances. It’s terrible and when combined with all the other health issues I have, it can put me down for a few days too. I try to be careful, but there are days when I just want a sandwich on soft, fluffy, pieces of bread. But ever since I got sick almost 2 years ago, gluten and certain preservatives seem to make the joint pain, organ pain, headaches, joint swelling, and digestive issues so much worse. My medications help, but one cupcake and bam, I am the couch in terrible pain until it passes from my system. It kind of sucks because a lot of the things we make for the blog, I can’t eat, especially today’s post :(. So, it’s become imperative that find more gluten free products and avoid foods laden with preservatives. Well, I have rambled on long enough lol! Thank you again for responding and for the recommendations. I will check out Publix, Fresh Market, and Whole Foods to see if I can locate these brands 🙂
Thank you, Mallory! I am glad you liked the recipe and hope you get an opportunity to make it some time 🙂
Thank you, Jessica!! Cheers to the pizza makers as well lol!
Thank you for commenting, Rachel! Give it a try some time, you may love it 🙂
Thank you for commenting! In regards to pizza sauce, we have a simple tomato sauce that can be slightly modified with a little garlic salt. It makes a pretty tasty pizza sauce. For store bought, I prefer to use a marinara with a low sugar content of 3 grams or less per serving. (Mezzetta Homemade Marinara makes for a great pizza sauce) I too am a veggie pizza lover and feel your pain. Kim only likes pepperoni, onions, and garlic on her pizza. So, we usually separate the dough into smaller think crust pizzas with different toppings lol! Thanks again for commenting 🙂
Oh I’ll bet those are good!
It’s pretty tasty lol! Kind of like a chicken (ham), bacon, ranch sandwich. It can also work in strombolis. Kim makes the dough and I make the fillings. Since she is allergic to mozzarella, we make separate dishes. But, it works for us 🙂