Homemade Dough Trio

Here’s a Homemade Dough Trio recipe so you can whip up fluffy dinner rolls, soft donuts, and chewy pizza dough — all from the same versatile base. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of doughs.

Makes: ~24 dinner rolls, or ~18 donuts, or 3 medium pizzas (or mix & match)
Prep Time: 20 min (plus rising)
Cook/Bake Time: Varies by recipe

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast
2 tbsp sugar (for dinner rolls & donuts) or 1 tbsp for pizza dough
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cup warm milk (for rolls & donuts) or warm water (for pizza)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (omit for pizza dough)
1 large egg (for rolls & donuts)
Extra oil for frying donuts

Base Dough Method

Activate Yeast – In a large bowl, combine warm milk/water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 min until foamy.
Mix Dough – Add flour, salt, butter (if using), and egg (if using). Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead – Turn onto a floured surface and knead 8–10 min until smooth and elastic.
First Rise – Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1–1.5 hrs until doubled in size.

For Dinner Rolls

Shape dough into 24 small balls, place in a greased baking dish.
Cover and rise 30–40 min.
Brush with melted butter.
Bake: 375°F (190°C) for 15–18 min until golden. Brush with more butter if desired.

For Donuts

Roll dough to ½-inch thick, cut with a donut cutter (or round cutter + smaller center).
Place on floured trays, cover, and rise 30–40 min.
Fry in 350°F (175°C) oil, 1 min per side until golden.
Drain on paper towels, then glaze or coat in cinnamon sugar.

For Pizza Dough

Punch down risen dough and divide into 3 portions.
Roll or stretch into pizza rounds.
Top with sauce, cheese, and toppings.
Bake: 475°F (245°C) for 10–12 min until crust is golden and crisp.

💡 Tips:

For meal prep, make a double batch, then freeze portions of dough after the first rise.
You can slightly reduce sugar and omit butter & egg for a more traditional pizza dough texture.
Use bread flour for chewier pizza crust.