Finally, a thin-crust pizza recipe that tastes just like you got it from your favorite New York Pizzeria. Come learn how to make the best pizza pie!
Remember that study done recently that shows American’s number one favorite pie as Apple pie? Well, can you guess what came in at number two? You got it, pizza pie! I was so surprised. I expected pecan or chocolate satin pie to take second place.
But I guess I really shouldn’t be that surprised. After all, I do pizza night every Friday with my kids because of our deep love of pizza pies! Wanna know what isn’t deep though? You got it again, this New York Style Pizza!
New York Style pizza is known for its thin crust. And oh boy, the thin crust with the chewiness of the thick outer crust gives me all the feels! To make this New York Style Pizza dough it does take a little planning the day before as the dough needs to sit in the fridge for 24 hours.
Preparing the dough the day before will make it that much easier to put it together and bake the next day. While I am making this recipe I like to sing, “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s Amore!” And then my kids laugh (at me) and start signing with me. Laughter makes the pizza taste that much better, I’m sure of it! I am also positive that you’ll be singing after you make this pizza, too!
3 elements that make thin-crust pizza amazing:
- The crust is SO flavorful with just the right amount of crispness
- The sauce is spot-on pizza parlor sauce
- The combination of whole milk mozzarella and a little bit of Parmesan completes the flavor profile.
NY Style Pizza Recipe Questions Answered:
What is New York-style pizza?
New York Style Pizza is traditionally known for being thin crust pizza. It is made with a thick outer crust that is soft and allows you to fold the pizza in half when you are eating it. This style of pizza was first created in New York in the early 1900s and is now popular throughout the US.
What does New York-style pizza look like?
NY style pizza is classically known for having large wide slices and a thin crust that is crispy but still allows you to fold it. The dough is typically topped with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and other toppings of your choice.
What is the difference between New York and Chicago Style Pizza?
These two pizza styles are completely different from one another. New York-style pizza has a thin crust with a thin layer of toppings and sauce. Conversely, Chicago Style Pizza has a thick crust with an inch-deep layer of toppings and sauce. Both styles are delicious!
Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links.
Cook’s Notes:
- This recipe uses some kitchen equipment that’s crucial to the outcome of the pizza: 14 x 16-inch Baking Stone and a 14-inch Aluminum Pizza Peel. {Click on the links to see the exact ones I have.}
- I have now made this recipe 4 times and if you want your pies to come out pizza parlor worthy, then you need to follow the directions to a T!
- Grating soft cheeses like whole milk mozzarella can bee a little tricky, to ease your shredding spray your grater with a little cooking spray and shredding should go a lot smoother!
- This recipe calls for ice water and YES, use ice water! It’s crucial to the chemistry of your dough (trust me, I know from experience…).
- The sauce recipe makes enough for 4 pizzas. You can either store extra sauce in the fridge and it’ll keep for a week, or in the freezer and it’ll keep for a month.
- Make sure you heat the oven for a full hour with the pizza stone in it before baking. Again, I know this from experience…………….
- Semolina flour is ideal for dusting the peel. If you don’t have any, then you can use cornmeal.
How to make NY Style Pizza:
NY Style Pizza
Ingredients
DOUGH:
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1 ⅓ cups ice water
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 3 Tablespoons semolina flour or cornmeal
PIZZA SAUCE:
- 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
REMAINING INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 1 ounce
- 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella 8 ounces
- 3 Tablespoons Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting the pizza peel
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH:
- Fit a food processor with a metal blade. Pulse the flour, sugar, and yeast until combined. Process on low while you slowly pour in the water through the feed tube. Continue to process until the dough comes together, about 5-10 seconds. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Add oil and salt to the food processor and process for 1 minute.
- Shape dough into a smooth ball and transfer the dough to a bowl lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours and up to 3 days.
MAKE THE SAUCE:
- Drain tomatoes in a fine-mesh strainer and place drained tomatoes into a blender, discarding drained liquid. Add the remaining ingredients and blend on high until completely combined about 30 seconds.
BAKE THE PIZZA:
- An hour before you bake the pizza, move the oven rack to the second-highest position, put a pizza stone on the rack, and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it in half. Shape each half into a smooth ball and place each on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover the dough balls loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let the dough stand for 1 hour.
- Flour countertop and one of the dough balls. Using your hands, flatten the dough ball into an 8-inch disk, and leave a 1-inch outer edge that is slightly thicker. Gently stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle. Move dough to a well
- Cover a pizza peel with 1 ½ Tablespoon of semolina flour and transfer the dough to the pizza peel. Stretch the dough to a 13-inch circle.
- Spread ½ cup of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.
- Distribute ¼ cup Parmesan cheese evenly over sauce, and then with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella.
- Open the oven door, and quickly shake the pizza onto the hot stone. Cook until the pizza is beginning to brown and the cheese is bubbly about 10-12 minutes. Remove pizza and let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Repeat with the remaining dough, ½ cup sauce, cheese, and semolina flour.
Notes
Nutrition
This post first appeared on Food Folks and Fun on July 12, 2013. I have since updated the pictures and some of the originals are below.
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Anna Lawrence
This pizza looks great, good job! I think I might have to either make or get some pizza tonight after seeing this.
Veda
On ATK site it says the correct measurement of sugar is 2 Tbs. not 2 tsp,
Jillian
Thanks for catching my mistake, I updated the recipe!
Veda
Don’t feel badly that you had the incorrect measurement for the sugar, because every site that I checked for this recipe had the incorrect measurement. It was only when I went to ATK’s website that they pointed out that the video was incorrect and that the correct measurement was 2 tablespoons sugar and not 2 teaspoon. However your site was the only one that I mentioned this. So you are probably the only site besides ATK that has the correct information
grannyamoose
Wow, this looks awesome! I cook my pizza on a Pampered Chef Stone and it does pretty good but your pizza looks great. I also bake my cookies on my rectangle stone and they always come out perfect. I love cooking on stones and yes, I always preheat my stones along with my ovens so they preheat at the same time; otherwise, you have to add time to your cooking times because your stone will have to heat up (that takes a while).
christina p
Thanks for the post. I got a peel for my birthday, but haven’t tried to make pizza on it yet. I will definitely try this!
Shannon
OK, now I want pizza. That looks amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Tina Louise
I love this recipe. we love thin crust. we love NY pizza.
Jillian
It’s a great recipe. Enjoy!
The Semisweet Sisters
This recipe looks & sounds amazing! I’ve been searching the internet for a good New York Style Pizza Dough Recipe because I have yet to make a good pizza. Can’t wait to try your recipe out!
Jillian
It’s a great recipe. Being from back east where the pizza is ah-mazing, this recipe satisfies all of my NY-Style pizza cravings!
Sarah
Hi, I’ve tried the recipe twice but I can’t seem to get a nice smooth ball in just 30-60 seconds. I tried leaving it longer but it still hasn’t worked. It’s so sticky. Any advice on what i must be doing wrong?
Jillian
Hi Sarah,
It sounds like your dough needs a little bit more flour. I live in San Diego and some days when I make this dough I have to add more flour and some days I don’t, it all depends on how humid it is. If this happens again add 1/4 cup of flour, and mix for 30-60 seconds. Repeat until enough flour is added to the dough so it clears the sides of the mixer and it forms a satiny, sticky ball. I hope this helps!
arathi
Could you please let me know what kind of bread flour. In the store i see unbleached bread flour and whole wheat bread flour by king Arthur and gold medal. not sure which one to buy. i leave in CA
Jillian
Hi! Use unbleached bread flour, either brand will do (but I favor King Arthur). Enjoy!
arathi
Thank you jillian.. made it yesterday it came out really good. Only thing that was hard was to slide the pizza on to the stone.. Can I reduce sugar.. i felt the pizza was slightly sweet.. will it affect the yeast reaction..
Jillian
I am SO glad you liked the recipe. The key is to load up your pizza peel (or whatever you’re using to get the pizza onto the pizza stone with) with LOTS of cornmeal or semolina flour!
As far as your sugar question, I’m not sure. I’ve never tried this recipe with less sugar, but I do know that sugar is needed to feed the yeast. I say give it a try and let me know what your thoughts are!
The Right Crust
Your tip about shredding mozzarella is great! Thanks!
Jillian
You bet! Thanks for stopping by!
Katherine
Oh yes! This is the PERFECT NY style pizza! Thank you.
Jacqueline Debono
I’ve never had US style pizza (thin or deep crust) but I do prefer thinner pizzas. Yours looks delicious. I’d love to try your recipe. Here in Italy there are also different types of pizza crusts and pizza is probably the no 2 favourite dish here as well, after pasta!
Candice
I love making homemade pizza, but am always nervous to get the crust this thin. Your step-by-step photos and tips make me feel like I can finally take it on… thank you so much for sharing. Can’t wait!
Jane Saunders
Amazing pizza – the addition of parmesan to pizza is new to me but so tasty.
Sapana
I’m a huge fan of thin crust pizza and this recipe just hit it out of the ballpark! So perfect and delicious – thank you!
Heidy L. McCallum
My husband’s favorite pizza is New York-style, he is totally going to love this I bet. Saving for later.
Jillian
Awesome, I hope he likes it!
Jennifer Lohndorf
Oh Jillian, you have hit it outta the park with this one! You have upped my pizza quality 10 fold. The sauce is amazing. I started with your older crust recipe and just tried this one. I have my own pizza oven just by using my own home oven. Keep up the great recipes!
Jillian
Jennifer, I am THRILLED that you loved this recipe! You totally made by day! 🙂
Melissa
Hi! So I found your recipe on Pinterest, and of course it was one of those things I pinned and never actually got around to trying. I did tonight and I had to come back here to tell you how *amazing* this pizza is!!! I’ve made homemade pizza in the past but nothing compared to this. The sauce is perfection. The crust is perfection. I will never use another pizza recipe – ever!! We have 6 kids, I should have doubled the recipe. It went very fast! Thanks so much for an awesome recipe!!
Jillian
Melissa, your comment made my day! I am thrilled that you and your family loved the recipe!