Best Ever Bread Maker Herb Pizza Dough

Wow...where had the time gone?  It seems as if summer was just here and the kids were just getting ready to go back to school.  Halloween has come and gone and now we are getting ready for Thanksgiving.  With the holidays quickly approaching I am always looking for fast and easy recipes that everyone in our house will enjoy.  If asked what my favorite kitchen items are I would first say my crock pot....there truly is not a better time saver.  Second, I would say my bread maker.  Yes, you read that right....I absolutely love my bread maker.  I cannot tell you how easy it is to make homemade pizza dough in the bread maker.  It works much like the crock pot...you place your ingredients in and push a button and and 90 minutes later you have homemade pizza dough.  Cannot get any easier than that.  I have an Oster bread maker and use the 2 pound recipes listed in the recipe book that came with bread maker.  I have made a few changes to the recipe and what I have come up with is a family favorite that I hope your family will enjoy as well.

Bread Maker Pizza Dough

(All ingredients must be at room temperature)

• 1 1/4 cup warm water (I use warm tap water)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (can substitute canola oil)
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Italian herbs dried 
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Combine all ingredients in the bread maker pan.  Wet ingredients must go in first to avoid yeast touching any liquid, this is very important.
Select the Dough Setting on your bread maker and press the Start button.  This setting is an hour and a half for my bread maker.  Once the dough is done you take it out and roll it out on a floured surface to your desired size pan.

We use a 15"x12" jelly roll pan, which I line with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray and sprinkle with some corn meal.

Once you have your pizza dough in the pan, top with pizza sauce and your family's favorite pizza toppings.  Top with 2-3 cups of mozzarella cheese and some dried Italian herbs.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.  Enjoy!

We have made many variations of this pizza recipe...

• Sausage and Cheese
• Pepperoni & Cheese
• Taco Pizza 
• Spinach & Mushroom & Sausage Pizza
• BBQ Chicken Pizza

Hope your family enjoys this as much as ours!  Thanks so much for stopping by!