How to Defrost Pizza Dough in Microwave (Fastest Method)

There’s nothing worse than being in a rush and realizing that you need to quickly thaw the dough for your favorite pizza recipe. But don’t worry, we have a life-saving trick for you! All you need is a microwave, and your dough will be quickly defrosted so it can be used in time. Let’s get started!

Pizza dough, like many other types of dough, requires thawing in order to be used. You can’t just quickly whip up a ball of pizza dough and start rolling out the crusts for your favorite recipes if it’s frozen!

Typically, frozen pizza dough will take at least two hours to thaw using the traditional method of simply taking it out of the fridge and leaving it in a container at room temperature. Or it could take about 10 to 12 hours or even longer if you put it in the fridge to thaw.

With such a long waiting time, it’s no wonder you have so many people asking questions about thawing it faster.

And one of the most common questions we see being asked is:

Can you defrost pizza dough in the microwave?

can you defrost pizza dough in the microwave

Yes, you can quickly thaw frozen pizza dough in the microwave. However, the defrosting times vary for a few different reasons.

The first thing you should know is that microwaves have evolved quite a bit to this point where defrosting is now an option on microwaves. The modern microwave oven has much more power and functions than those earliest versions of microwaves from decades ago which would’ve prevented something like this from being possible!

Back then it would be a big hassle to microwave dough because you’d have to heat the dough at intervals which would involve you standing before the microwave throughout the entire process. Now you only need to follow a few simple steps which you’ll learn in this article then just press the defrost button on the microwave.

Another thing to keep in mind is the defrosting time differences that can occur as a result of the size of the dough and the wattage of your microwave.

Will frozen pizza dough rise after being frozen and thawed?

defrost pizza dough microwave

Yes, your frozen pizza dough will rise again after being thawed regardless of how you defrost it. When you freeze the yeast, it becomes inactive and won’t make the dough rise. But when you thaw it out, it becomes active again and makes the dough rise.

However, the amount of rising you’ll get after thawing your dough will vary depending on how long you allowed it to rise before freezing and the quantity of yeast used. So even before freezing the dough, you should make sure that it is proofed. Allowing it to rise to the extent you would typically allow before baking will always give you the best results.

Even if the dough wasn’t proofed thoroughly before freezing, it may still rise after being thawed.

How to Defrost Pizza Dough In Microwave?

Now that you understand that frozen pizza dough can be thawed and will still rise after being thawed, let’s talk about how to defrost it in a microwave:

Before removing and thawing your pizza dough, you’ll need to have plastic wrap, some type of oil(preferably olive oil or non-stick oil spray), and a microwavable plate on hand. Once you’ve got those prepared, remove the dough from the freezer and coat your dish and the pizza dough with oil.

Start thawing your pizza dough by wrapping it in the plastic wrap then place it on your microwavable dish and into the microwave for about 25 seconds on high. Remove the dough and add a second layer of oil onto the dish and pizza dough then stick it back in on the opposite side for another 25 seconds.

Once the second timer is done, you should then set your microwave to the defrost setting and let it microwave the lightly thawed dough for 3-5 minutes. Following this, you can either leave it in the microwave to allow it to rise or set it on your counter and allow it to rise at room temperature.

The dough should rise to the same level it did before being frozen. As soon as it has risen to that level you can go ahead and make your pizza.

Defrosting Using Other Methods

quick thaw frozen pizza dough

If you don’t want to defrost your pizza dough in the microwave, there are other methods you can use.

Thawing Frozen Pizza Dough on Countertop

The first and most obvious method to defrost pizza dough is just letting it thaw on your countertop, which will take a while but does work very well if that’s what you prefer to do. All you need to do for this traditional method is to remove the dough from the freezer and place it into a large container so it can rise. Thawing the dough through this method will require about two-three hours to thaw and rise, depending on the size.

Defrosting in the Refrigerator

The second method would be defrost pizza dough in your refrigerator. This method works a little slower than others since you aren’t thawing at room temperature or with heat. But it allows you to defrost pizza dough without having to wonder if you’ll make a mistake.

To thaw pizza dough in the refrigerator, you just need to take it out of the freezer and put it into a bowl, then put the bowl in the fridge. Leave it overnight to thaw, and when you wake in the morning and check it should be thawed.

After that, you can just take it from the fridge and leave it on the counter to cool and proof for about 1 hour.

Water Bath Thawing

There’s also to quick thaw frozen pizza dough in a water bath. The water bath can be done with either warm or cold water. You just need to place the dough in a zip-lock bag and ensure that it is tightly sealed so no water gets in. Then put it into the water bath and let it defrost for about 2 hours if you use a cold bath.

If you use a warm water bath to defrost pizza dough, you’ll need to replace the water every 10 minutes so that the water stays warm. It should be fully defrosted within 1-2 hours.

How long does frozen pizza dough take to thaw?

Generally, frozen pizza dough needs about 15 minutes to twelve hours to defrost depending on the method used. The fastest method of thawing frozen pizza dough is to microwave it, which would take about 10-15 minutes, followed by thawing on the counter for 2-3 hours or thawing in a refrigerator for 10-12 hours.

How Long to Let Pizza Dough Rise after Defrosting?

Your pizza dough should be given about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to rise after being thawed out, regardless of the method used to thaw it out. Just remember to coat the dough with a little bit of oil and put it inside a large enough bowl so it can rise and cover it.

This will allow the pizza dough to rise quickly and evenly.

Conclusion

Defrosting pizza dough is actually quite easy and similar to thawing bread in a microwave once you know the right methods. But if you want to do it fast, then microwaving is the best option. It is completely safe and will quickly defrost the dough.

Just make sure you follow the instructions given to defrost frozen pizza dough and don’t overcook it or leave it in for too long as that will ruin your pizza dough. Here are the quick steps and tips to follow the next time you are ready to defrost frozen pizza dough:

  • Wrap the defrosted dough in plastic wrap
  • Put in a microwavable dish with cover or in a zip-lock bag if microwaving
  • Microwave on high for 25 seconds
  • Remove and add another layer of oil, microwave again for another 25 seconds
  • Defrost in the microwave using defrost setting 3 to 5 minutes
  • Allow the dough to rise on the counter for 1 hour or in the refrigerator for 12 hours

The next step is to let it rise and then use it as desired!

FAQ

What is the best way to defrost pizza dough in a quick and efficient manner?

The quickest and easiest way to thaw frozen pizza dough is to use the microwave. Simply wrap the dough in plastic wrap, place it on a microwavable plate, and microwave on high for 25 seconds. Remove the pizza dough and add another layer of oil before microwaving again for another 25 seconds. Then place it back in the microwave and set it to defrost – this should take 3-5 minutes. Once done, either leave it in the microwave or let it sit at room temperature so it can rise, then use as desired.

Is thawing frozen pizza dough possible without using a microwave?

Yes, you can thaw frozen pizza dough without using a microwave oven by choosing one of two options – thawing on your counter or in your refrigerator. Defrosting on the counter requires about 2-3 hours depending on size while defrosting in your refrigerator takes 10-12 hours or longer. Additionally, there’s also an option of water bath method where you can submerge zip-lock bag filled with your desired amount of frozen pizza dough into a warm/cold water bath which should take 1-2 hours for defrosting.

What will happen if the pizza dough isn’t proofed adequately before freezing?

Even if you don’t proof your pizza dough thoroughly before freezing, it will still rise again after being thawed. However, the risen results may vary depending on how long it has been allowed to rise prior to being frozen and the amount of yeast added in it. Therefore, it’s best to always make sure that your dough is proofed well enough before freezing in order to get desired results after being thawed out.

Is microwaving pizza dough a safe option? 

Yes, microwaving pizza dough is completely safe as long as you follow all steps correctly and strictly adhere to recommended defrosting times – otherwise there’s a high chance that you can end up overcooking or ruiniing it. Also, ensure that the microwavable dish you are using is heat and microwave-safe.

What are some tips to follow when defrosting pizza dough in a microwave?

When defrosting frozen pizza dough in a microwave, make sure to wrap it in plastic wrap and place on a microwavable plate. Then microwave it for 25 seconds on high, remove and coat both the dish and pizza dough with oil again before microwaving for another 25 seconds (opposite side). Once this is done, set your microwave to the defrost setting for about 3-5 minutes, then leave/set aside on counter at room temperature so that it can rise as desired!

Can frozen pizza dough rise after being thawed? 

Yes, your frozen pizza dough will rise again regardless of how you decide to thaw it out – whether in a refrigerator or warm water bath or simply by leaving at room temperature. The rising results however may vary depending on the time allowed while proofing before freezing as well as quantitative amount of yeast used originally. 

How long should the frozen pizza dough be left on the counter after thawing for best results? 

After thawing out your frozen pizza dough whether through a refrigerator or warm/cold water bath method or simply letting it rest at room temperature, leave it covered on the countertop for 1-1 1/2 hours so that enough time is given for oxygenation to occur resulting in an evenly risen/doubled cute crust!  

Is there any difference between ways to freeze and defrost different sizes of pizzas? 

Yes, depending upon size variation of your favorite pizzas – there might be slight variations noticed while freezing and defrosting them accordingly since larger sizes will obviously take more time than smaller sized pizzas and vice versa when considering shorter duration processes such as microwaving techniques compared to refrigerators or extended version cold water baths processes respectively!     

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