Make-Ahead Freezer Pizzas

There are some nights where getting dinner on the table is a real challenge. You’re busy, you’re tired, and sometimes, you just can’t make the effort. Instead of settling for a mediocre store-bought pizza on those busy nights, wouldn’t it be better if you had a homemade option in your freezer all ready to go? Making your own frozen pizzas isn’t that difficult, and that moment when you pull a homemade pizza from the oven will make your advance planning well worth it.

Homemade pizza starts with homemade dough. Assemble the ingredients, and if you have a stand mixer, you’re going to want to get it out. It makes kneading a whole lot easier.

To start, combine half of the flour with the salt and yeast. Heat the honey, water and olive oil and then add that mixture to the dry ingredients.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time. At first dough will be very wet, but as you add the flour it will come together in a ball and clear the sides of the bowl.

Stop adding flour when the dough is thick and is only slightly sticky to the touch. It shouldn’t be so sticky that it sticks to your fingers. (Don’t worry if you don’t use up all the flour, that’s totally fine!)

Continue kneading the bread until the dough is smooth and elastic. If you pull it, it should stretch a bit before breaking. This will take about five to seven minutes. Then place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour until it has doubled in size.

Gently punch down the dough to release the gases and then knead a few times to bring it back into a ball. Let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out.

Divide the dough in half, and then roll out each half into a circle about 10 inches wide.

Transfer the dough to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and let it rise again while you preheat the oven. Bake until the pizza dough puffs and the top appears dry, about 3-5 minutes. The crust will not be completely cooked, only par-baked. This keeps it from getting soggy in the freezer.

Let the par-baked crusts cool and then top them with whatever toppings you like. This pizza was topped with a kid-friendly combo of marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and olives. If you’re looking for other inspiration, I really like the look of this pesto and cheese pizza or this BBQ chicken pizza.

Double wrap your prepared pizzas with plastic wrap and then place directly in the freezer. And that’s it! You’re all ready for an easy homemade meal on a busy night.

When ready to bake, remove from freezer and plastic wrap. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake from at 450 degrees until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Dinner = done!