If you've wondered how to make homemade pita bread, this is it! Follow this super simple Pita Bread Recipe and you'll have toasty warm, perfectly puffed pitas to stuff with your favorite sandwich ingredients, spread with Baba Ganoush, White Bean Hummus, or Tzatziki sauce or roll into a gyro (with homemade gyro meat) or Lamb Shawarma.
I admit that I'm a lazy baker. When it comes to baking I like recipes that come together quickly and are reliable and repeatable, i.e., have ingredient weights. And if there is a step to skip without lowering quality I'll try to find it. For this recipe, I found two steps to skip: proofing the yeast (not necessary with active dry yeast - see this explanation from King Arthur Flour) and the room temperature rise, choosing instead to let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. By letting my stand mixer do the mixing and kneading, I had the dough assembled and in the refrigerator in 10 minutes flat.
Reading through a number of pita bread recipes (like this one and this one) and reader comments, the most common complaint was about pitas not puffing properly, leaving the baker with delicious warm flatbread but no pocket to fill. Fortunately there were also solutions to ensure a perfect pita: a piping hot baking stone / baking sheet in the oven or skillet on the stovetop and a quick spritz of water before cooking (great tip from Deb of Smitten Kitchen).
These pita breads are a mix of all-purpose and whole grain flour. You may have noticed that most of the baked goods I share use some or all whole grain flour. It's not just about being nutritious, I like the extra flavor and texture. But feel free to play with the flour ratio to suit your tastes.
Other Bread Recipes You Should Try
- Skillet Cornbread (My tried and true recipe! Made in a cast iron skillet for all those crispy edges.)
- Mexican Cornbread (A riff on my favorite skillet cornbread, kicked up with jalapeños, green onions, and cheddar cheese!)
- Oatmeal Banana Bread (Made with honey and whole grain flour this is always a crowd pleaser!)
Pita Bread Recipe Video
Pita Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 272 g
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour 108 g
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low until all dry ingredients are moistened and comes together in to a shaggy dough. Increase speed to medium and knead for 8 minutes until dough is smooth. Remove dough from hook and shape into a ball. Rub ball on all sides with olive oil and return to mixing bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. Bring dough to room temperature before shaping.
- When ready to bake, place baking stone or heavy baking sheet in cold oven and pre-heat to 475°F.
- Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a flat disc and, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll into an 8-inch diameter circle. (As you work with one, keep remaining pieces covered with a clean towel or plastic wrap.)
- Depending on the size of your baking sheet, you'll bake 2 to 4 pitas at a time. Spritz pitas lightly with water and transfer directly to baking stone or sheet. Bake 2 minutes, until puffed and lightly brown. Flip and bake 1 minute more. Remove and allow oven to come to full temperature before baking the next batch. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Serve hot or store in an airtight bag for a few days or freeze baked pitas to use within a month or two. Reheat in oven or in a skillet on the stovetop.
Notes
- Please note that total time does not include dough rising time.
- If you don't have a stand mixer or prefer to mix by hand, stir ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and transfer to lightly floured work surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and follow remaining instructions.
- You can also cook these in a skillet, one at a time, over medium-high heat on the stovetop - be sure that the skillet gets fully reheated between pitas.
I have not yet tried this recipe, I was wondering if you have a provision for high altitude baking? We are at 5000'.
Hi Sharon! I'm sorry I don't. Perhaps you'll find this guide from King Arthur Flour helpful?
This was my third attempt and recipes, and by far the easiest and BEST outcome!
That's wonderful to hear, Christopher! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Made pita bread this morning and it was excellent! Thank you for this recipe! Very easy to make. My husband loved them and I will probably be making this recipe often.
That's wonderful to hear, Bonnie! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
I made these up last night and they were perfect. To reiterate what Marissa said the stone has to be HOT. I was going by memory when I turned on my oven (I should know better!) and had it at 425. The rate at which it was baking and only puffed up one corner was my big tell. So I did the next one at 475 and it was perfect.
The family was impressed. I'm taking the rest of the dough out to my folks today so I will have to do it in the frying pan or griddle but I will let you know how it goes. (I've done other pitas like that in the past so I'm sure it will be fine)
Thanks for a great recipe Marissa
So the frying pan method worked in a pinch. IT was a bit harder to regulate and get the right temperature and I was left with a mix of half pocket pitas...but if you aren't going to stuff them then it's a brilliant option to stove top cook them.
Again, the family was in bliss.
So glad you and your family enjoyed these, Cherith!! Thanks so much for coming back to share your experience with making them in the oven and in a skillet!
Hello! I made this recipe not seeing the refrigeration step... I thought it would take 23 minutes. Is the refrigeration step necessary? I’ve got fresh hummus that was waiting for the pita.
Hi Jen! I wish I had a faster solution, but you need the dough to rise, so yes, the overnight refrigeration is essential. However, you could allow it to rise at room temperature more quickly: after you've rubbed the dough ball with oil, cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place until it's has doubled in size, 1-2 hours. Then continue with step 2.
HI my pita didn’t puff. I see in the video that
Was divided to six pieces. Do you think this
Is why it didn’t puff. I follow directions ☹️😔
Hi Elizabeth. I’m so sorry that your pita didn’t puff! My best guess is that your baking stone / sheet was not hot enough...
Hello Marissa,
Thanks for all your great recipes! ,I measure by wt. or grams and was confused by the 2 cups, 136g. I wasn't sure if you meant one cup or 272g. Looks like I made the right call by doubling the grams. I plan to bake in my pizza steel in grill. And words of wisdom?
Thanks very much!
PS Nobody has tired of your Rain Coast Copy crackers... most of all me!
Hi Pam! Thank you so much for catching my mistake - yes, 272g! And thanks too for your kind words. 🙂
I think the pita will be excellent on your grill - my only tip is to make sure the pizza steel is piping hot before you put the pita on. Heat seems to be the major factor in pita puffing. 😉 I'd love to hear how it goes.
Great job on the video! These pitas look absolutely perfect! Perfect for my falafel sandwich! 🙂
Thank you, Sonali! And now you have me craving falafel!! 🙂
There's an interesting thing. I love savory baked goods perhaps even more than sweet ones, but I do bake them extremely rarely. I think last time it happened last year. But there's nothing better than a nice warm pita (well or a flatbread if you've screwed a pita hah) on a summer day...with hummus or any other dip, that's divine. Well done Marissa!
Thank you, Ben! It's true - not many things better than warm bread.
These pitas look perfect! Nicely done. Great video too.
Thank you, Sabrina! xo
I absolutely LOVE me some homemade bread of any kind, and it's been WAY too long since I've made pita bread! Obviously that will be changing very soon, because I NEEEEEEEEEEED this bread in my life. STAT! It looks perfect, mi-dear! And I love that you included some short cuts. You know I'm all for those too! Pinned! Cheers, lovely! XOXO
Awww, thanks Cheyanne! Hooray for short cuts, right?
I agree with you about whole grain flour, Marissa! I'm a huge fan of the extra flavor that it brings...and of course the healthy addition is just bonus. So I love a good pita bread, and I really love dipping warm pita bread into hummus. I totally need to try your recipe out. I'm craving a good pita bread now! 🙂
Thank you, David! We gobbled about half of this recipe doing just that - slathering it with hummus.
I have to try your recipe Marissa! I've been dying to try homemade pita bread! Thanks for the inspiration.
That's wonderful Mary Ann! I'd love to hear how it goes...
I was amazed at how easy pita bread was too. I used Barbara's recipe from Barbara Bakes and it worked a treat! 😀
I'll have to check out her recipe too. Thanks, Lorraine!
OMG I have to try your recipe, Marissa! My grandma always made pita bread for us and it puffed beautifully every time. But when I make her recipe it doesn't get that lovely pocket at all. I have no idea what I'm doing differently than she did. SO frustrating. I never thought to use a baking stone!
I'll tell you the truth, Kelsie - I was so nervous that it wouldn't puff! And so excited to see it billow up in the oven. 🙂 I think it's really all about enough heat and moisture.
I'm not a big baker, but I think I could do this! I absolutely looooove pita bread (and anything Greek to dip it in!)... I might have to give this a go at some point!
I like the way you think, Natasha! Nothing like a big pile of creamy hummus on warm pita...
LOVE how absolutely perfect these look and the video is wonderful Marissa. I just picked up some pita from my local Middle Eastern market, but I need to save this recipe and give it a go myself this week. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Kevin! From you, expert video maker that you are, that's a huge compliment. 🙂
Hi Marissa. The first time I made pita bread I was absolutely giddy to see that it "puffed"! I was the same the first time I made tortillas. I like to incorporate whole wheat flour into most of my baking recipes, not necessarily for health reasons but because I like the flavor PS my favorite thing to stuff into pita bread is lamb stew..
Ohhh...I love the idea of stuffing it with lamb stew. Sounds like a perfect meal. Thank you, my friend!