Pizza Dough Calculator
Calculate exact ingredient weights for pizza dough using baker's percentages. Scale for any number of balls at any size.
I started making pizza at home when I realized good dough requires nothing exotic, just flour, water, salt, yeast, and time. The baker's percentage approach means the recipe scales perfectly whether I'm making 2 balls for a weeknight or 10 for a party. The percentages stay constant; only the total weight changes.
Pizza dough is almost entirely flour and water. Get those two right, the right flour, the right hydration, and enough fermentation time, and everything else is a footnote.
Baker's percentages for pizza
Baker's percentages express every ingredient as a percentage of total flour weight. Flour is always 100%. Hydration (water) at 62% means 62g water per 100g flour. Salt at 2.5% means 2.5g salt per 100g flour. This system makes scaling trivial and allows direct comparison of recipes. To scale any recipe: calculate the total dough weight needed (number of balls × weight per ball), use the percentages to find flour weight, then calculate everything else from flour.
Flour selection
High-protein flour produces better pizza dough. 00 flour (Italian fine-milled, typically 11.5–12.5% protein) is the classic Neapolitan choice, it produces an extensible, smooth dough that blisters beautifully at high heat. Bread flour (12.5–14% protein) is more available in the US and works excellently. All-purpose flour (10–12%) is acceptable but produces less structure. King Arthur bread flour and Caputo 00 are the most recommended by home pizza enthusiasts.
Yeast quantities and fermentation
The yeast percentage depends on fermentation time and temperature. This calculator uses a conservative amount suitable for a 24–48 hour cold ferment (refrigerated). Cold fermentation develops flavor complexity that short room-temperature ferments can't match. For same-day dough, increase yeast to 0.5–1% and ferment at room temperature until doubled (2–4 hours). Cold-fermented dough at 0.1–0.25% yeast is the professional standard for flavor.
The difference between pizza styles
Neapolitan: 60–65% hydration, no oil, 0% sugar, 48–72 hour cold ferment, 00 flour, baked at 900°F+ in 60–90 seconds. New York style: 58–62% hydration, 2% oil, small amount of sugar optional, bread flour, baked at 500–550°F for 10–12 minutes. Sicilian/Detroit: 65–70% hydration, significant oil, pan-baked. Thin-crust: 55–60% hydration for a crisper, cracker-like result.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my dough tough and hard to stretch?
Two common causes: underdeveloped gluten (needs more kneading or time) and over-chilled dough (needs to warm up to room temperature before stretching). Cold dough is tight and tears easily. Let balls rest at room temperature for 1–2 hours before shaping. If still tight after warming, let it rest another 20 minutes, gluten relaxes with time.
How long can I refrigerate the dough?
Well-developed cold-fermented dough keeps for 3–5 days in the refrigerator. Beyond that, the yeast exhausts the available sugars and the dough loses structure and develops off-flavors. Freeze fully fermented balls for longer storage, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Can I use whole wheat or other flours?
Yes, but substitute gradually. Up to 20% whole wheat with 80% bread flour adds flavor without dramatically changing texture. Above 30% whole wheat, the dough becomes denser and less extensible due to bran particles cutting gluten strands. Increase hydration by 2–3% per 10% whole wheat substitution to compensate for the higher absorption.