Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Name: Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Prep time: 16 min
Total time: 136 min
Ingredients: 1 cup warm water; 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1 tablespoon honey (or sugar); 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour; 1 1/4 cups bread flour (give or take 1/2 cup, depending on heat and humidity)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough | A Healthier Alternative

While I love a classic pizza dough, sometimes its nice to change it up and go for a healthy alternative. Whole Wheat Pizza Dough is just that!

The main difference between Whole Wheat Pizza Dough and Regular Pizza Dough is that the whole wheat version uses a combination of whole wheat flour and bread flour whereas the regular pizza dough simply uses bread flour. Whole wheat flour adds more dietary fiber and protein and the bread flour adds that extra gluten to create that chew that all pizza crust has.

The biggest complaint people have about a whole wheat pizza crust is the taste and texture being off (read: gross). Whole wheat pizza crusts made entirely with whole wheat flour are going to be heavier and taste a little different. It’s the exact reason why I only use 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and make up the difference with bread flour. Using two kinds of flour is the key to delicious whole wheat pizza dough.

yeast proofing in a glass bowl with honey and warm water

Main Ingredients Needed

You are going to need a lot of the same ingredients you’d use with classic pizza crust for this whole wheat pizza dough. Here’s what you’ll need:

Warm Water, Yeast + Honey – these three come together to create the perfect environment for yeast to activate.
Olive Oil – you could also use canola oil here. The main difference is the taste.
Salt – to season the dough and add some flavor.
Whole Wheat Flour – this flour is a whole-grain product which means it contains more dietary fiber than regular flour. This is a much healthier option that helps with digestion and gut health but, don’t worry, this dough still has a killer texture and taste.
Bread Flour – this flour specifically has more gluten in it, yielding a chewier crust. In a pinch, you can also use all-purpose flour, but you just need to knead the dough a little longer. King Arthur Flour is my favorite bread flour.

A Note About Whole Wheat Flour

You’ll probably notice a lot of similarities between this recipe and my original pizza dough recipe. They are essentially the same, but I use less overall flour in this recipe. Why? Because whole wheat flour soaks up more water because it’s a whole grain. It’s heavier, too, so you don’t need as much overall flour. It’s also another reason why I don’t recommend using ALL whole wheat flour for your pizza dough.

Can I Use All Whole Wheat Flour?

For best results, I recommend using a combination of bread and whole wheat flour.

While you absolutely CAN use 100% whole wheat flour for this recipe, you will use about 1/4-1/2 cup less overall flour than the recipe states, simply because it’s a heavier flour and it will soak up more of the moisture in the dough (like I mentioned above). You might want to consider also adding in an extra tablespoon of olive oil to help with the texture of your dough as well.

adding bread flour to the stand mixer bowl

How to Make Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

For full details on how to make whole wheat pizza dough, see the recipe card down below 🙂

1. Proof Yeast

In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit until bubbles form and the mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking.

What if my yeast didn’t bloom?

If the yeast didn’t bloom (bubble or foam up) this means that your yeast is dead. This could be because it was old or because the water was too hot. To fix this, toss the yeast mixture down the drain and start again (preferably with fresh yeast and warm water).

2. Create the Dough

Pour in salt, olive oil, and all the whole wheat flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding bread flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it, it doesn’t stick to your hands.

3. Knead

Once you reach this stage, knead on low for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be mostly clean! {*This is the point when you could freeze your dough!)

4. Rise + Use as Desired

Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Once pizza dough has risen, you can use as desired.

Can I Freeze Whole Wheat Pizza Dough?

Yes, you can freeze this whole wheat pizza dough recipe! Here’s how to do it:

Freezing Instructions

Simply follow the directions all the way stopping after you knead the dough. Divide into portions, place into freezer bags, seal, removing all air, and freeze for up to three months.

How to Defrost Pizza Dough

Remove from the freezer and place the frozen dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it defrost, then rise until it has doubled in size. This process can take anywhere between 3-6 hours, depending on how warm or cold your kitchen is. Once dough has risen, use as desired.

whole wheat pizza dough ball in a glass bowl

whole wheat pizza dough spread out on a baking sheet

Can I Grill This Dough?

The beauty of this whole wheat dough is that you can use it however you use regular pizza dough. So, long story short, yes, you can grill this dough. Here’s my how-to on how to grill pizza!

Try These Pizzas with Whole Wheat Pizza Dough!

pepperoni pizza made with whole wheat crust

Loved this Whole Wheat Pizza Dough? Check out these other recipes:

So if you’re looking for a new healthier pizza dough to try, try this one! I promise it won’t dissapoint 🙂

The printable recipe card is below, enjoy!