Flatbread

1  teaspoon		active dry or instant yeast
1  teaspoon		granulated sugar
180  mL		warm water, (between 100 110°F, 38 43°C)
250  grams		all purpose flour or bread flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and surface
1  tablespoon		olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for brushing the dough
1  teaspoon		salt
1  teaspoon		optional: garlic powder or 1 clove minced garlic and/or 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Tip: Click on the ingredient links to learn the nutritional information for all the Flatbread ingredients. The serving size for any ingredient in Flatbread may be adjusted using the nutrition facts serving size calculator. Use it to help cut calories, carbs and more from your recipes.

Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Pour warm water on top. Whisk gently to combine, then loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5 minutes. The mixture should be frothy after 5 minutes. If not, start over with new yeast.
If you do not have a mixer, you can mix by hand in this step. With the stand mixer running on low speed, add the flour, olive oil, and salt. (And garlic/Italian seasoning if using.) Beat on low speed for 1 minute as it all combines. The dough should be thick and shaggy. Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, including any loose flour. Knead it with lightly floured hands for 2 minutes until it begins to come together and becomes smooth. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-2 more Tablespoons of flour.
Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use nonstick spray to grease) and cover with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to sit and rest for 45 minutes at room temperature. Once it has rested and slightly risen, you can place it in the fridge for up to 2 days. More instructions in the make ahead tip below.
As the dough is resting and rising, prepare your toppings. See blog post and/or recipe note below.
Preheat oven to 475°F (246°C).
Shape the dough: Punch the dough down to release any air. Divide the dough into two. On a lightly floured surface with floured hands and working with one dough piece at a time, begin shaping and stretching the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick. You can use a floured rolling pin for this too. Don’t worry about the shape of the dough, just make sure it’s pretty thin. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Carefully transfer both pieces of dough to a parchment paper or silicone-mat lined baking sheet, or use a pizza stone. (You can also shape/roll out the doughs directly on a silicone baking mat or a large sheet of parchment if that is easier for you and then just transfer the whole thing to the baking sheet.)
Poke your fingers all around the surface of the flatbreads or prick a few holes with a fork. Drizzle or brush each with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Top each with your favorite toppings.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust and toppings are browned to your liking. Remove from the oven. Slice and serve warm.
Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The dough can be prepared through step 3, then after it has risen, cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Continue with step 5. To freeze the dough, prepare it through step 3. After it has risen, punch it down to release any air. Divide it in 2, if desired, then wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator. Then let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before stretching out/shaping and topping. If the thawed dough keeps shrinking back as you try to shape it, lightly cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest on the counter or your work surface for 15 minutes. (The gluten just needs a chance to settle.)
Yeast: You can use instant or active-dry yeast with zero changes. If you’re new to working with yeast, I recommend reviewing my Baking with Yeast guide. I used to make flatbread with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of yeast, but recently reduced it down to 1 teaspoon. This is plenty for a thin flatbread crust. Note that 1 teaspoon is less than 1 standard packet. If you want a no-yeast flatbread, I recommend searching for another recipe that’s modified without its addition. (Don’t simply leave the yeast out of this one!)
Flour: I haven’t tested this recipe with whole wheat flour, but let me know if you do. You may need a little extra liquid in the dough.
Pictured Plain Flatbread: Top with 1/2 teaspoon each of olive oil as directed in step 7. Top each with 1 clove minced garlic. Sprinkle with your desired amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. After baking, sprinkle with fresh parmesan cheese (if desired).
Pictured Margherita Flatbread: Slice 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella into thin slices. Top each flatbread with 4 ounces each. Top each with a handful of fresh tomato slices and a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil. If desired, sprinkle with fresh parmesan cheese too. After baking, feel free to top with more chopped fresh basil.
Double Batch: Dough may easily be doubled by doubling each ingredient. Extend the rise time in step 3 to 1 hour.
Optional Flavors in Dough: I love adding garlic and Italian seasoning to this dough, as listed in the ingredient list above. If you can’t find a spice labeled “Italian Seasoning” in the spice aisle, use dried oregano, dried basil, and/or dried parsley instead. Honestly, any herb (fresh or dried) that you love works.