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Homemade Pizza Recipes for Kids
Making homemade pizza is a fun way for kids to practice cooking skills while creating a meal the whole family can enjoy. Start with homemade pizza dough, add your favorite sauce, cheese and toppings, or try one of the many easy pizza variations below.
This pizza recipe hub includes homemade pizza dough, deep dish pizza, white pizza, quick pizza crust ideas and creative ways to turn pizza dough into calzones, stromboli, pizza rolls and more. You'll also find plenty of pizza-inspired dinner ideas for an easy family pizza night.
Start Here: Make Your Own Pizza
- Make pizza from scratch: Start with our basic homemade pizza dough recipe.
- Try a different crust: Make deep dish pizza or use one of our quick pizza crust ideas.
- Change the toppings: Explore pizza topping and flavor ideas for a different pizza every time.
- Use pizza dough another way: Try calzones, stromboli or pizza rolls.
- Make pizza night an activity: Plan a kids homemade pizza party and let everyone build their own pizza.
Make Pizza Night a Math Lesson
Practice fractions while kids plan, build and slice their own pizzas with this hands-on pizza math activity.
Pizza Fractions Math & Cooking Activity
Combine cooking, fractions and hands-on learning with a pizza-themed activity for kids.
Pizza Recipes on This Page
Basic Homemade Pizza Dough
This easy pizza dough is a good starting recipe for family pizza night. Allow about an hour for the dough to rise before shaping it for your pizza.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, optional
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Pinch of sugar
Directions
- Add the yeast and a pinch of sugar to the warm water. Set aside for several minutes.
- Add the flour, salt, Italian seasoning and oil to a mixing bowl.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until the dough comes together into a ball.
- Knead the dough for several minutes.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover and let rise for about 1 hour.
- Press or roll the dough onto a pizza pan.
- Add pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and your favorite toppings.
- Bake at 425°F for 15–20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
Deep Dish Pizza Dough
This deep dish pizza dough makes a thicker crust that works well in two 8- or 9-inch round pans. Press the dough up the sides slightly before adding sauce, cheese and toppings.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- Pinch of sugar
Directions
- Add the warm water, yeast and a pinch of sugar to a measuring cup. Set aside for several minutes.
- Add the flour, salt, oil and eggs to a mixing bowl and blend together.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough for several minutes.
- Cover and let rise for about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough between two 8- or 9-inch round pans.
- Press the dough across the bottom and slightly up the sides of each pan.
- Add pizza sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings.
- Bake at 425F for 20-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Easy White Pizza
White pizza skips the traditional tomato sauce and uses a creamy cheese topping instead. Add vegetables and herbs to make your own combination.
Ingredients
- 1 prepared pizza crust or batch of homemade pizza dough
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Garlic salt, to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste
- Pizza toppings such as sliced tomatoes, chopped basil, spinach, parsley, onions or peppers
Directions
- Place the pizza crust or shaped pizza dough on a pizza pan.
- Spread the cottage cheese over the crust.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
- Season lightly with garlic salt and Italian seasoning.
- Add your favorite vegetables and herbs.
- Bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
Homemade Pizza Dough Tips
Pizza dough is forgiving and easy to customize. A few simple tricks can make homemade pizza night easier and help you prepare dough ahead of time.
Give Dough Time to Rise
For a lighter crust, cover the dough and let it rise for about 1 hour before shaping it. Starting the dough ahead of dinner gives the yeast time to create a softer, airier crust.
Try Whole Wheat Flour
You can replace part of the white flour with whole wheat flour. Starting with half white flour and half whole wheat flour usually keeps the crust easy to shape while adding whole grains.
Freeze Pizza Dough
Make a double batch and freeze one portion before it rises. Place the dough in a freezer-safe bag, freeze, and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Freeze a Shaped Crust
You can also let the dough rise, shape it on a pizza pan and freeze it until firm. Wrap the frozen crust well before storing. Thaw before topping and baking.
Pizza Sauce, Cheese and Topping Ideas
Once the crust is ready, kids can help build their own pizzas. Set out several toppings and let everyone choose a combination they like.
Start with a Sauce
Add Cheese
- Mozzarella
- Cheddar
- Parmesan
- Provolone
- Feta
- Italian cheese blend
Vegetable Toppings
- Bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Olives
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Fresh basil
Meat and Other Toppings
- Pepperoni
- Ham or Canadian bacon
- Cooked sausage
- Cooked chicken
- Cooked ground beef
- Meatballs
- Pineapple
Make It a Build-Your-Own Pizza Night
Divide the dough into smaller portions and let each child shape and top an individual pizza. This is also an easy activity for a kids homemade pizza party.
More Things to Make with Pizza Dough
Homemade pizza dough isn't just for round pizzas. Roll, fold, fill or braid the dough to make several kid-friendly pizza dinners and snacks.
Quick Pizza Crust Ideas
You don't always need homemade dough to make pizza. These ready-to-use bases are helpful for quick lunches, snacks and weeknight dinners, and they're easy for younger kids to top themselves.
English Muffins & Bagels
Split English muffins or bagels in half, add sauce, cheese and toppings, then bake or toast until the cheese melts. Try our English Muffin Pizzas for an easy individual-size pizza or a bagel for Pizza Bagels.
French Bread & Pizza Toast
Top sliced French bread or regular bread with pizza ingredients for a fast meal. Find more combinations in our Pizza Toast recipes.
Pita & Flatbread
Pita bread and flatbread make thin, sturdy pizza crusts with no dough preparation. Let everyone add their own sauce, cheese, vegetables and other toppings before baking.
Tortilla Pizza
Use a flour tortilla when you want an extra-thin, crispy pizza crust. Add a light layer of sauce and toppings so the tortilla stays crisp while baking.
More Fun Ways to Make Quick Pizza
Favorite Homemade Pizza Recipes
Once you have the basic pizza-making steps down, try changing the sauce, toppings or crust. These family-friendly pizza recipes give kids several different ways to build their own pizza dinner.
Taco Pizza
This taco pizza combines pizza night with taco night. A seasoned beef and refried bean mixture replaces traditional pizza sauce, then fresh taco toppings are added after baking.
Ingredients
- 1 prepared pizza dough
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 can refried beans or 1–2 cups homemade refried beans
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce, plus more if needed
- 1–2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings
- Chopped tomatoes
- Chopped lettuce
- Chopped onions
- Sliced or chopped olives
- Salsa or taco sauce
Directions
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet until fully browned. Drain excess grease.
- Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the refried beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning.
- Taste and add a little more tomato sauce or taco seasoning if desired.
- Let the meat mixture cool slightly while you shape the pizza dough on a pizza pan.
- Spread the taco-bean mixture over the crust.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted.
- After baking, add lettuce, tomatoes, onions and olives as desired.
- Serve salsa or taco sauce on the side.
Pizza Snack Cups
Recipe by Ed
Pizza Snack Cups turn biscuit dough or homemade pizza dough into individual muffin-size pizzas. They're easy for kids to fill and work well for lunch, snacks or a casual pizza dinner. Yield: 12 pizza cups
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 ounces) refrigerated biscuits or homemade pizza dough
- 1/2 pound ground beef or sausage
- 1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Press the biscuit dough or portions of pizza dough into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
- Cook the ground beef or sausage in a skillet until fully browned. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in the pizza sauce and heat the mixture through.
- Spoon the meat mixture evenly into the dough cups.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the dough begins to turn golden.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle each cup with mozzarella cheese.
- Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Let the pizza cups rest for about 5 minutes before carefully removing them from the pan.
More Homemade Pizza Ideas
Once you know how to make a basic pizza, change the sauce, toppings or crust to create a completely different dinner. Try one of these pizza variations when your family wants something beyond traditional pepperoni or cheese pizza.
Try a Different Pizza
- Barbecue Chicken Pizza: Swap tomato sauce for barbecue sauce and top with cooked chicken and cheese.
- Cheeseburger Pizza: Combine seasoned ground beef, cheese and favorite burger flavors on a pizza crust.
- Margherita Pizza: Keep it simple with tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil.
- Meatball Pizza: Top pizza with sliced cooked meatballs, tomato sauce and mozzarella.
- Grilled Pizza: Cook pizza on the grill for a crisp crust and a fun warm-weather dinner.
- Gluten-Free Pizza: Try a gluten-free crust as an alternative to traditional wheat pizza dough.
- Vegan Pizza: Build a pizza with vegetables and plant-based toppings for a meat- and dairy-free option.
- Heart-Shaped Pizzas: Shape pizza dough into hearts for Valentine's Day or a fun family pizza night.
- Zucchini Pizza Crust: Turn zucchini, cheese and familiar pizza flavors into an easy pizza-inspired dinner.
Pizza-Inspired Dinner Ideas
Pizza flavors can also be turned into casseroles, burgers, quiche, soup and other easy meals. Try one of these recipes when your family likes pizza flavors but you want to serve them in a completely different way.
Pizza Theme Worksheets and Activities
Pizza Activities for Kids
Pizza is also a fun theme for cooking lessons, parties and hands-on learning. Kids can practice measuring, fractions, gardening and meal planning while making pizza.
Turn Pizza Night into a Cooking Lesson
- Let kids measure flour and water while making pizza dough.
- Practice fractions by cutting pizzas into halves, fourths or eighths.
- Compare toppings and let kids create their own combinations.
- Practice safe chopping skills with vegetables and herbs.
- Talk about how yeast helps pizza dough rise.
Submit your favorite kids recipe
Do you have a favorite recipe your kids love to make? Or a recipe your kids ask you to make again and again? Share it with us!
Reader's Submitted Recipes
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Pizza Bowl
Pizza Bowl Don't want to use pizza crust? Try a pizza bowl instead. This easy recipe lets everyone create their own personal pizza packed with sauce, …
Cheeseburger Pizza
Cheeseburger Pizza Can't decide between burgers and pizza? This cheeseburger pizza combines the best of both favorites with seasoned ground beef, melted …
Bubble Pizza
Pizza Bread This easy pizza bread casserole combines biscuit dough, seasoned beef, pizza sauce, and plenty of melted cheese. It tastes like a cross …
English Muffin Pizzas
English Muffin Pizzas English muffin pizzas are one of the easiest kid-friendly meals to make. They work well for lunch, dinner, after-school snacks, …
Barbecue Chicken Pizza
Barbecue Chicken Pizza This easy barbecue chicken pizza uses a prepared pizza crust, cooked chicken, barbecue sauce, and mozzarella cheese for a quick …
Homemade Pizza FAQ
For the recipes on this page, let the dough rise for about 1 hour before shaping it. Giving the dough time to rise helps create a lighter, softer crust.
Yes. Kids can help measure ingredients, stir the dough, knead it, shape individual crusts and add toppings. Adults should handle the hot oven and any tasks that require advanced knife skills.
Yes. Pizza dough can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen. For freezing, place a portion of dough in a freezer-safe bag, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.
You can replace part of the white flour with whole wheat flour. Using half white flour and half whole wheat flour is an easy place to start while keeping the dough fairly light and easy to shape.
English muffins, bagels, French bread, pita bread, flatbread and tortillas can all be used as quick pizza crusts. These are especially helpful for individual pizzas and quick meals.
Try mozzarella, pepperoni, ham, cooked chicken, mushrooms, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes, pineapple, broccoli or fresh basil. Setting out several choices lets kids build pizzas with toppings they already enjoy.
Pizza dough can also be used for calzones, stromboli, pizza rolls and pizza braids or twists.
Prepare the dough and toppings ahead of time, then divide the dough into individual portions. Let each person build a pizza while the oven preheats. Quick crusts such as flatbread or English muffins can make pizza night even faster.
More Easy Main Dish Recipes
Pizza is just one way to get kids involved in preparing dinner. Explore more family meals and cooking ideas from Kids Cooking Activities.
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