This Calzone Dough Recipe produces a super supple dough that is perfect for encasing lots of cheese and flavorful toppings. It is a very easy recipe to make, rolls out beautifully, and gets just the right kind of crispy you want for a calzone dough.
And while you just have to have some patience to let the dough rise, it only takes a few minutes to whip up and very little active time working with it. Use this recipe to make my Homemade Calzones.
Ingredients
What I love about bread dough is that it uses the simplest ingredients and yields one of life's greatest flavors. Flour, salt, and water at a minimum, with some yeast to make it grow, oil to make it supple, and honey to give the finished bake a nice crisp.
The addition of honey to what is essentially pizza dough helps to give the crust a nice golden brown. That crisp helps the dough hold up to all the ingredients that you can pack into a calzone. And it makes a pizza pocket you can easily pick up if you'd like.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Method
First, bloom the yeast in some warm water and the honey. Give it a gentle stir and let it rest for about 10 minutes till foamy.
Then add the flour, oil, and salt to the bowl. I like to knead my dough in a stand mixer and use the dough hook to form a shaggy dough in the bowl before mixing for 3-4 minutes.
Then place the bowl on the mixer and let it knead on medium speed till smooth. Pull the dough out of the bowl and add a little oil to it. Then roll it around in it, cover it with plastic, and place it in a warm place till doubled in size.
After the dough has had its first rise, portion it into four pieces and place it on a floured baking sheet and let it rest 30 minutes longer. Then you can roll it out on a lightly floured work surface, into an 8-10 inch circle, and it is ready to be filled to your liking.
Notes & Tips
When blooming the yeast, be sure the water is warm, but not hotter than 110˚F. If it is warmer than that, the yeast will die when added to the water because it is too hot for it to thrive.
Be sure to let the yeast fully bloom in the water for 8-10 minutes before adding the flour and kneading it into the dough. This is a great way to be sure your yeast is alive and growing. If it does not get foam you know it is dead and won't produce a proper rise.
This recipe features honey, you want to use it because the sugars in it help to make the dough crisp up and brown when cooked.
Substitutions
In place of the active dry yeast, you can use pizza crust yeast. It will work the same way for this recipe. And in a pinch, you can use rapid-rise yeast, but I have not tested this recipe with fresh yeast and I can not say if it will work.
I use light neutral olive oil for this recipe. You do not want anything too flavorful or fruity or it will taste bitter after baking. You could also use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or anything light and neutral.
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📖 Recipe
Calzone Dough Recipe
This Calzone Dough Recipe produces a super supple dough that is perfect for encasing lots of cheese and flavorful toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup Warm Water, no hotter than 110˚F
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided use
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the lukewarm water with the honey, and stir to incorporate. Stir the yeast into the water/honey until it begins to dissolve. Set aside until the yeast becomes foamy, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the flour, salt, and oil to the foamy yeast. Stir with the dough hook from the stand mixer until a shaggy dough forms.
- Place the dough hook and bowl on the stand mixer and knead on medium speed until a smooth elastic dough forms, fully releasing from the bowl's sides. 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and drizzle olive oil into it. Place the dough back in the bowl and turn it to coat in the oil. Wrap with plastic wrap and allow the dough to double for 1 hour, in a draft-free and warm area.
- Once the calzone dough has doubled, punch it down and portion it out into 4 equal portions of dough. Form the dough into 4 round balls, place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cover them with plastic wrap. Allow the dough balls to proof, once again, for 30 minutes.
To make calzones:
- Once proofed, roll each dough ball into a circle that's roughly 8 inches on a lightly floured surface. Then spoon 2-3 tablespoons of marinara sauce into the center of the dough. Fill with ricotta, mozzarella, Italian meats, and veggies your liking.
Follow my full instructions on how to make a calzone at: https://kendellkreations.com/homemade-calzone-recipe/
Notes
Notes & Tips
When blooming the yeast, be sure the water is warm, but not hotter than 110˚F. If it is warmer than that, the yeast will die when added to the water because it is too hot for it to thrive.
Be sure to let the yeast fully bloom in the water for 8-10 minutes before adding the flour and kneading it into the dough. This is a great way to be sure your yeast is alive and growing. If it does not get foam you know it is dead and won't produce a proper rise.
This recipe features honey, you want to use it because the sugars in it help to make the dough crisp up and brown when cooked.
Substitutions
In place of the active dry yeast, you can use pizza crust yeast. It will work the same way for this recipe. And in a pinch, you can use rapid-rise yeast, but I have not tested this recipe with fresh yeast and I can not say if it will work.
I use light neutral olive oil for this recipe. You do not want anything too flavorful or fruity or it will taste bitter after baking. You could also use vegetable oil, or avocado oil, or anything light and neutral.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 239mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g
This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.
Gina Robichaud
Hi Kendell!
I'm hoping you can help. I read this recipe, as well as filling/baking the calzones, however neither recipe states that the dough can be made in advance. Is that possible? Like for example, if I was to portion the dough after the first proofing, and then place the portioned dough in the fridge to pull out, say, 24 hours later to finish the second proofing and continue to make the calzones? It would be extremely helpful if I could do this the night before, then when I get home from work the next day, pull the dough out to come to room temperature and finish the second proofing while getting ingredients ready. Please let me know. I tried with someone else's recipe and I didn't like the structure or texture of theirs and I'm hoping yours is better as it sounds outstandingly delish!
Have a great day!
Gina
Kendell
Gina! This can absolutely be done! Exactly the way you said it. I just never do it because it is pretty quick and I just make it when I need it, but retarding the dough overnight will just give it more flavor. Just ensure that you cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out.