How to Stretch Pizza Dough

Key points

• Start with room-temperature dough — cold dough springs back.
• Flour your work surface and hands lightly.
• Press the dough ball flat with your fingertips, working from center outward.
• Leave a 1-inch border for the crust — don't press the edges.
• Lift the dough and let gravity stretch it, rotating as you go.
• Use the back of your knuckles to gently stretch further if needed.
• Avoid using a rolling pin — it pushes out air bubbles and makes dense crust.
• If dough resists, let it rest 5 minutes and try again.

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