Whether you're camping or having your kids cook dinner, making pizza dough in a bag is a great way to save on dishes and still gives you a great fluffy pizza crust- perfect for ovens and campfires.
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We love pizza and homemade pizza nights are always a lot of fun. Getting kids in on the action is a great way to make dinner time unique and allow them to make their own tasty little pizza pies.
With family-favorites like French Bread Pepperoni Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Bake, and Pepperoni Pizza Sticks, it's nice to have something perfect for the kids to help with.
Crafting your own dough from scratch is not only fun but results in a fresher, more flavorful base compared to store-bought options. You'll just need a few simple ingredients to create the perfect canvas for your favorite pizza creations.
Our s'mores snack mix, campfire pancakes, Armpit Fudge, and cast iron pizzas are among some of our go-to's for camp-like foods we can bring to the kitchen.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Buzz From Readers
"Tried this recipe so I didn't have a lot of dishes. I failed at that part (due to my own arthritic issues) BUT this pizza crust is awesome!! I threw in a little mix of seasons to it and a little extra garlic salt (cant ever have too much garlic 😋) and it was soooo tasty and fluffy! Threw in a little food coloring just for fun. Highly recommend 👌"
- Scotty
💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Make it ahead. Prep the dough at home and pack it in a cooler, or bring the dry ingredients and add the water and oil at camp.
- Freezer friendly. Make and freeze the dough in advance, or double the batch and save extras for easy future pizzas. This is a great way to stretch your grocery budget.
- Kid friendly. The simple, no mess baggie method makes this easy enough for kids to help with, and they will love it too.
🛒 Ingredients
Flour. Use all purpose or bread flour to build structure. Bread flour may need slightly more water, while all purpose flour may need a bit more flour depending on hydration.
Water. Warm water around 110°F helps hydrate and activate the yeast. Water that's too hot can prevent the yeast from working.
Yeast. Instant or active yeast both work to help the dough rise.
Sugar. A small amount of granulated sugar feeds the yeast and helps it activate properly.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use pantry staples. This dough comes together with ingredients you probably already have, and pizza toppings can be easily swapped with whatever is on hand.
Buy yeast in bulk: A small jar of yeast is much cheaper per recipe than single packets.
Keep toppings simple: Sauce and a little cheese go a long way when cooking outdoors.
🥄 Instructions for Pizza Dough In a Bag
Step 1: Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a gallon sized zipper topped bag. Add in yeast and mix to combine.
Step 2: Add in the water and olive oil. Close the top of the bag and mix well.
Step 3: Knead the closed bag for about 5 minutes until it's well mixed and looks like it isn't too sticky. If needed, add in more flour. Let the bag rest 10-20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Step 4: Coat your hands in olive oil and coat the cast iron griddle you'll be using. This helps to prevent the dough sticking.
Step 5: Take the dough from the bag and press it down into the prepared pan.
If cooking in an oven, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and assemble the pizza.
Step 6: Bake 10-12 minutes.
If cooking over a campfire, cook the crust until the top is lightly golden and the crust looks firm.
Step 7: Top with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Loosely cover the top with foil. Cook for about 5 minutes until cheese has melted and toppings are warmed.
Slice your pizza and serve warm.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Expect flour changes. Pizza Dough In a Bag is affected by weather and humidity, so flour needs can vary by up to a cup.
- Prep ahead. Mix the dry ingredients at home, then add water and olive oil at camp. Bring extra flour to adjust until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Kneading options. Knead on a floured surface or right in the bag. Lightly oiling your hands helps prevent sticking and makes shaping easier.
- Grease the pan well. Olive oil works great for cast iron pans and creates a crispy crust. Cornmeal also works, but oil is just fine if that's what you have.
🍕 Pizza Dough Uses
Perfect for camping. Bring it pre made and chilled or pack it as a dry mix for flexible, easy meals at camp.
Highly adaptable. Use it for classic pizzas, sweet options like pizza dough cinnamon rolls, or savory rolls depending on what ingredients you have.
Convenient and practical. One simple dough can turn into multiple meals, making it a low effort, versatile option for camping trips.
❄️ Storage and Make Ahead
Storage: Wrap unused dough tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Make Ahead: Dough can be mixed at home and kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours before your trip. Dough balls can also be frozen and thawed at room temperature before using.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Pizza Dough In a Bag with simple salads, chips, or fresh fruit for easy camping sides. This pizza also pairs well with foil packet veggies or canned soup for a filling outdoor meal.
- Iceberg SaladRecipe $5.00 / Serving $0.83
- Armpit FudgeRecipe $0.42
- Cast Iron Green BeansRecipe $2.34 / Serving $0.39
- Cookies and Cream PizookieRecipe $3.27 / Serving $1.10
❓ Recipe FAQs
Making this dough in advance? Follow along with the instructions for making and kneading the dough all the way up to the point where it says to let the dough rest.
Once you reach that point, simply place the dough in the fridge and allow it to chill for up to 24 hours. When ready to use, let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and use as directed.
As with any food item, pizza dough can go bad. The yeast could start bad and lead to a poor rise of the dough. The dough itself could become over-proofed and not bake properly.
The dough could also sit in the fridge so long that it begins to grow mold. There are a lot of ways that dough could go bad, so it's best to stick to the recipe instructions.
Frozen pizza dough balls can be another great idea for making pizza dough in advance. Let's say you're camping and want pizza when you get to the site. You can make the pizza dough, freeze it, and then once you're there, use the thawed dough for an easy dinner that night.
Simply make the dough as directed up until the rest point and place the dough in the freezer. Freeze until solid. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge and allow 15 minutes to come to room temperature before use. Bake as directed.
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🐝 If you tried this Pizza Dough In a Bag, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Pizza Dough In a Bag
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour - ($0.46)
- ¾ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast - ($0.16)
- ¾ cup warm water, about 100°F - ($0.00)
- 1 ½ teaspoon olive oil, plus more as needed - ($0.07)
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a gallon-size zip-top bag and shake to combine. Add the yeast and shake again.
- Add liquids. Pour the warm water and olive oil into the bag. Seal tightly and mix by squeezing the bag until a dough forms.
- Knead in the bag. Knead the sealed bag for about 5 minutes, until the dough is well mixed and no longer very sticky.
- Rest the dough. Let the dough rest in the bag for 10 to 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
- Prepare the pan. Lightly coat a cast iron skillet or griddle with olive oil and oil your hands to prevent sticking.
- Shape the dough. Remove the dough from the bag and press it evenly into the prepared pan.
Cook the Pizza
- For oven cooking, preheat the oven to 500°F. Add sauce and toppings, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- For campfire cooking, cook the crust until firm, add toppings, loosely cover with foil, and cook for about 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Serve. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Dough consistency. Add small amounts of water or olive oil as needed to achieve a soft, non-sticky dough, especially when mixing outdoors.
- No-surface kneading. Greased hands or kneading inside the bag work well if no clean surface is available.
- Pan prep. Olive oil or a dusting of cornmeal helps prevent sticking in cast iron.
- Make ahead. Refrigerate the dough in the bag for up to 24 hours before using.
- Freezing. Freeze dough balls for later use. Thaw at room temperature before baking.
Nutritional Information
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Scotty says
Tried this recipe so I didn't have a lot of dishes. I failed at that part (due to my own arthritic issues) BUT this pizza crust is awesome!! I threw in a little mix of seasons to it and a little extra garlic salt (cant ever have too much garlic 😋) and it was soooo tasty and fluffy! Threw in a little food coloring just for fun. Highly recommend 👌