Don’t get me wrong, mixing your own pizza dough IS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD.
But be honest.
Sometimes we get lazy (or need LOTS of pizza for parties!) 😎
That’s when we turn to the compromise: store-bought pizza dough.
It took me a LOT of trial and error to figure out how to make these “dough bags” actually turn out great, but it CAN happen.
Let’s get into it 🍕
Do You Have to Proof Store Bought Pizza Dough?
This will depend on your specific dough! Most store-bought pizza doughs will require at least 30 minutes to three hours of proofing (resting) in order to let the dough return to room temperature and finish rising. However, all pre-made pizza dough is different, so it’s vital to check the instructions on the dough bag!
For example, purchasing pre-made dough from a grocery store (Aldi, Publix, etc) will likely come frozen or chilled.
FYI – check out our best proofing trays (and bowl) ideas here.
However, if you have a local pizzeria that also sells dough balls–they might come pre-proofed at room temperature and ready to bake!
- Cold dough = needs to return to room temperature (more proofing)
- Room-temperature dough = probably needs less proofing
Just follow the instructions based on who is providing your dough.
Does store-bought pizza dough need to be at room temperature?
Yes, definitely.
In order to shape your dough into a pizza (regardless of size), you will need to let the dough proof (rest) and come to room temperature.
Cold pizza dough is difficult to work with and stretch (you will find it shrinking back to a smaller size).
NOTE: If you don’t let the dough fully return to room temperature, it should retain most of the flavor. However, a dough that hasn’t rested and risen properly won’t have the same texture and structure, meaning not crunchy, bubbly crust!
So yeah. Let your dough reach room temperature, even if that means dinner will be a little bit later.
What is “proofing?”
Proofing, sometimes just referred to as “fermenting,” is the process of allowing your mixed dough to rest and rise untouched.
After mixing and kneading, the yeast starts to activate and eat the sugars (and creates air bubbles of carbon dioxide), triggering lots of chemical reactions that start to develop the flavor and structure of your dough.
This proofing phase can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 72 hours (depending on what kind of dough, bread, or pizza you’re making)!
When you buy store-bought pizza dough, it is DEFINITELY pre-proofed already, but might require a bit more time to finish proofing, reach room temperature, etc.
How Do You Prepare Store-Bought Dough? (3 Tips)
Here are a few more tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your grocery-store dough 😉
1 – Let It Rise OUT of the Bag
Most store-bought doughs come packed in bags (which you should be careful not to FLATTEN on your way out of the store).
Although the instructions might say to let the dough rest in the bag for a while, don’t do it. It won’t be able to rise and shape properly!
Carefully remove the bag off of the dough (use scissors and floured fingers), and place the dough in a proofing container, covered bowl, etc.
Related Reading: Should I Cover Dough While Proofing?
2 – Shape It Into a New Doughball
Even if you’re being careful, you’ll probably end up with a “not-so-pretty” blob of dough.
Before you proof the store-bought dough, go ahead and shape it into a new dough ball.
- Flour your fingers (and the dough) very lightly
- Fold the dough into itself
- Rotate the dough
- Fold it into itself again
- Repeat a few times
- Gently shape into a sphere
Check out this video below to see doughball-making in action 👇
3 – Use your HANDS to determine if it’s done proofing
Although store-bought dough might recommend 2-3 hours of proofing–that might not be enough.
(A lot comes down to room temperature, among other things).
Instead, feel the dough and use your best judgment to determine when it’s ready to be shaped and cooked.
If you find the dough shrinking while trying to stretch it, it might need a bit more time to rest!
How to Stretch Store-Bought Dough
I do not recommend using a rolling pin for pizza dough (although if you prefer flat crusts, go for it).
Instead, I recommend shaping store-bought dough similar to any NY-style or Neapolitan-style pizza!
NOTE: This is WAY easier and viable if you shaped your own dough ball before proofing! See above.
Luckily, stretching is pretty simple.
Here’s the video I recommend (specifically for NY-style pizza dough):
Where to Find Great Store-Bought Pizza Dough
There are two main places to find pre-made dough:
- Grocery stores
- Your local pizzeria
Grocery Stores
Just about all of the larger chain grocery stores sell homemade dough these days! It will almost always be frozen or in the chilled section.
- bakery section
- deli area
- dairy area
We do not recommend buying the dry mix pizza dough packets/boxes. These “just add water” mixes are NOT the same, and you might as well make your own fresh dough from scratch!
You should be able to find pre-made dough balls from:
- Whole Foods (high quality)
- Aldi (my favorite)
- Trader Joes
- Publix
- Probably Kroger
The pre-made dough isn’t always hard to find, so I recommend asking an employee!
Your local pizzeria
Did you know that a LOT of pizza restaurants will actually sell you their dough so you can make it at home?
You can’t usually do this at the big chain places (Dominoes, Pizza Hut, etc), but I recommend calling your local pizza place and asking!
It’s not always advertised.
In fact, my all-time favorite Neapolitan pizza place in Atlanta, Antico Pizza, sells “ready-to-bake” versions of their popular pizzas.
Store-Bought Dough F.A.Q.s.
Does store-bought pizza dough need to rise?
The likely answer is yes, but it depends on the dough, and you should refer to the instructions on the label/box just to be sure! Store-bought pizza is often stored cold or frozen, and will need to rest to return to room temperature (which will also affect the structure of the dough).
What happens if you don’t proof pizza dough?
The yeast won’t activate, your dough won’t rise and shape properly, and it will lack flavor and texture! Granted, some dough recipes need more proofing than others–but standard yeast-focused pizza dough needs anywhere from 3-72 hours of proofing to let the yeast activate, ferment, and develop the flavor and structure.