Last weekend, I went on a frenzy in the kitchen. Batch cooking, cooking, bread making…so while I had the bread machine out, I decided to go ahead and run another dough cycle for pizza dough. I would then freeze the unbaked crusts in these little mini-deep dish pie plates…for when we need a quick dinner to the table. Plus, I recently bought some dairy-free, soy-free cheese that I can use for the boys’ pizzas!
We might just have to alter the February meal plan…and have these this week!
- Freezing pizza dough works best between the first and second rise.
- So if you are making the dough in your bread machine, that’s really the first rise. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Add a little cornmeal to the flour if you want to give it that extra pizza flavor. Once rolled, form it into the shape that you want it. If freezing into a large rectangle or circle baking sheet, then be sure that you have a freezer baggie that is large enough to hold it. If you don’t, you could wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and/or foil once it has frozen.
- And if you are making the dough by hand (click here for step by step instructions), then place it on to the cookie sheet after rolling it out after the first rise.
- Place the dough in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer baggie.
Can you freeze the dough that has already been baked?!
Absolutely! Bake the crust for 6-10 minutes, depending on the thickness and then set out to cool on a cooling rack. Once completely cool, add it to a large plastic freezer baggie, or wrap with plastic wrap and/or foil.
I love these deep dish mini-sized pans! Steve and I can each have one pan’s worth along with a side or some veggies…and the boys will usually eat half of one of these, leaving just enough for lunch the next day!
(And yes, I realize that in no time, they will be able to eat all for of these pans…each!)
Have you frozen homemade pizza dough before?! What tips or tricks have you found that work for you?!
Several people have asked me where I got my pans from and I actually bought them at Williams Sonoma with a gift card! But, you could absolutely use mini cake pans like these on Amazon (this brand has a TON of different sizes that would meet any family’s needs!)
Lynn says
I am curious where you found the mini pizza pans? Something like that would work well in my house where some are gluten free and some are not. Personal size pizza pans would work really well.
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
Lynn,
I got them with a Christmas gift certificate to Williams-Sonoma! My family knows I love fun kitchen stuffs, so it’s a no brainer about what to get me 🙂
And yes, would work perfectly for your sitch!
Erin
Erika says
Another inexpensive place to get these at most Dollar General/Dollar Tree stores. My local dollar tree has them (and of course they are a $1) They are perfect for freezing, I use a small round cake pan I bought there for deep dish pizza and I love it!
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
Thanks for sharing Erika…good find!
Erin
SHARONA says
for gf pizza dough, which is incredibly sticky, I use the bread machine on dough setting, spray oil on cookie sheets, and on a baggie fit on my hand. Then, I spatula out an individual portions onto the cookie sheets, pat flat with the baggie on my hand, and bake for 6 minutes. Allow to cool and place in freezer bags, separated by wax paper. Have found that thin is best because gf breads are so heavy, and make you full much quicker. Use whenever you want a quick meal, pile toppings on the frozen crust.
Sarah (Frontier Kitchen) says
Have you tried freezing it in balls after it’s risen one time? I’m curious to know how well it works for thaw it, shape it, allow it to rise a bit and then bake it…I guess I’ll just have to experiment this weekend. Oh darn. 🙂
danielle says
this was my question as well 🙂
Jen says
We like to throw home made dough on the grill to cook it and then freeze it. Such an easy and yummy weekday dinner later…..now, if only the snow would melt and we could find that grill again….
Irene D. says
I love the little pans too! We often have homemade pizza. Where did you find them?
Katie says
I prefer to par bake our pizza crusts. I make them small enough to fit in a gallon zip top baggie. I roll them thin and they thaw while my pizza stone is preheating. It’s also easier to move the par baked crusts from the peel to the stone.
Mir says
I can’t understand how freezing this dough really works, meaning, you freeze a ball or cube…then let it defrost, work it and do the second rise? Does it do the second rise or the leavening agent is dead?
Tessa says
Williams-Sonoma sells a set of four individual pizza pans. They are not on the website but they carry them in the stores.
Claire says
I have been thinking of doing this for a long time now. Just never have done it. I make homemade pizza every Friday for my family of 8. I make 3 pizza’s. Just enough. If I made a whole bunch one day and froze it then there would be less work on Fridays for me. I would rather freeze it in a ball form. Any ideas when to do it? Before it rises? After it rises? I only do one rise with my dough.
Miranda says
Out of curiousity, what is the cost making your pizza dough? I make mine all of the time but I always have ingredients on hand and have never figured cost.
Ellen says
I make the dough, usually thick pan style, roll out and partially cook it in the oven with just sauce on top (too thick to bake with the cheese, cheese burns and crust is underdone) After the crust is baked I let it cool, add a little more sauce (because the cooking process dries out the thin layer I put ion in the 1st place) add the cheese and place it on a large piece of recycled cardboard (that way I can cut it to fit in my side by side freezer) and wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap and freeze I then place it directly from frozen on the oven rack and bake at 375 until the cheese is melted. Hubby gives it a big thumbs up!
Betty says
I buy the bag of dough in the supermarket for $.99. I have a hard time with dough. I’m not good at rolling it out. Someone told me room temp is easier. I tried it, but I’m still no good! Any tips?
Suzy says
I buy my dough at Trader Joe’s and after much experimentation, here’s what I do.
I let the dough sit out on the counter for a couple of hours until it’s room temp. It’s so easy to roll it out with just a little bit of flour on the board so it doesn’t stick.
I transfer to metal pizza pans, add the pizza sauce, cheese and toppings and bake at 450. I bake on the bottom rack and only one pizza at a time (if I bake 2, the crust doesn’t get as crunchy due to the steam).
Jana C2 says
Biweekly, I make vegan dough and roll out four separate pizzas to accommodate each individual’s food allergies… There’s usually a plain cheese pizza (for big brother), a meat lovers (for daddy), a vegan pizza w/tomato sauce (for little sis) and a pesto vegetarian variety (for mommy). It satisfies our “fast food” craving despite the fact that eating out is no longer an option!
Another favorite of ours (and faster than pizza) is focaccia bread. I find the toppings go on faster and easier and it is so versatile!
danielle says
anyone able to share how to freeze it in ball form like you get in the grocery store? this is what i would like to do so i can do whatever i want with it and not be committed to pizza only 🙂 thanks
Misti says
I freeze mine in balls, thaw in fridge the night before and bring to room temp before I roll it out and bake it. Works great for me 🙂