Are you tired of making homemade pizza that tasted underwhelming? The secret to a great pizza is a great crust, and many pizza restaurants are able to make crispy, flavorful crust because they let it rise overnight rather than for the hour or two that most homemade crust recipes specify. The next time you make homemade pizza, plan ahead and use this overnight dough recipe—you'll be amazed at the results.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water (115–120 degrees F)
• 3 1/2–4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine 1/2 cup of the water with the yeast and sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is fully dissolved. Add 2 cups of flour and the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Mix on low until a soft dough forms, and then mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

Slowly add an additional cup of flour to the bowl, and keep mixing until it is entirely incorporated. Switch your mixer to the dough hook attachment. Turn the speed to low and knead for 6 minutes, slowly adding the remaining 1/2–1 cup of flour to the bowl. Stop adding flour when the dough no longer appears to be sticking to the side of the bowl. The exact amount you'll need will depend on the humidity that day.

If you do not have a dough hook for your mixer, you can knead this dough by hand for 10 minutes, slowly adding the 1/2–1 cup of flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

Place the finished dough in a greased, large bowl with plenty of extra space. Place the bowl in the fridge overnight for at least 12 and no more than 24 hours.

Remove the bowl from the fridge about 2 hours before you're ready to use the dough. Push the air out of the dough, and divide it into 3 to 4 balls, depending on the size of your pizzas. Let the dough balls rest and warm at room temperature for 1 hour, and then proceed making your pizzas as desired.

Notes:

• The yeast measurement in this recipe (1/2 teaspoon) is correct. This is less than most pizza crust recipes call for, but since the dough is allowed to rise overnight, it's all you need.
• When you remove the dough from the refrigerator and punch it down, it may have a bit of a shimmery, sleek look. This is normal—it does not mean your dough has spoiled or been contaminated.
• If you do not want to use all of this dough right away, you can wrap the rest in plastic wrap and freeze it until you're ready to use it. Remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge about 12 hours before it's needed.

If you want pizza tonight, save this recipe for later and find a restaurant like Chicago Deep Dish Pizza to satisfy your cravings.