Pizza Dough Calculator
Calculate the perfect pizza dough recipe based on your preferences and requirements.
Note: This calculator is for informational purposes only. Results may vary based on ingredients, techniques, and environmental factors. Always follow safe food handling practices.
Pizza Dough Recipe
Total Dough Weight: g
Flour (100%): g
Water (%): g (ml)
Salt (%): g
Yeast (%): g
Oil (%): g (ml)
Sugar (%): g
Mixing Instructions:
About Our Pizza Dough Calculator
Our Pizza Dough Calculator is designed to help both beginners and experienced pizza makers create the perfect dough for homemade pizzas. This tool uses baker's percentages to calculate precise ingredient measurements based on your preferences for hydration, size, and quantity.
What Are Baker's Percentages?
Baker's percentages are a way of expressing a recipe as a ratio of ingredients relative to the amount of flour, which is always set at 100%. This method allows bakers to easily scale recipes up or down while maintaining the proper proportions of ingredients. For example, a dough with 65% hydration means that for every 100g of flour, you use 65g of water.
Key Dough Components
Flour (100%): The base of your dough, with all other ingredients measured as a percentage of the flour weight.
Hydration (Water %): Controls the moisture content of your dough, affecting texture and bake properties.
Salt (%): Typically 2-3% of flour weight, enhances flavor and strengthens the dough.
Yeast (%): The leavening agent, with percentage varying based on fermentation time and temperature.
Optional Ingredients: Oil for tenderness and sugar for browning and flavor.
Key Features:
- Calculate precise ingredient amounts based on your desired dough ball weight and number of pizzas
- Adjust hydration levels for different pizza styles (from Neapolitan to New York style)
- Choose different yeast types with automatic adjustment of proportions
- Add optional ingredients like oil and sugar for different dough characteristics
- Get mixing instructions customized to your recipe
How to Use:
- Enter the number of pizzas you want to make
- Specify the desired weight for each dough ball (typically 250-300g for a 12" pizza)
- Set your desired hydration percentage (60-70% is most common)
- Adjust salt, yeast, and optional ingredients as needed
- Click "Calculate Dough Recipe" to get your custom recipe
Different Pizza Styles and Recommended Settings:
| Pizza Style | Hydration | Oil | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan | 55-60% | 0% | Traditional style, high heat (800°F+) |
| New York | 60-65% | 1-3% | Slightly chewy, foldable slices |
| Pan/Detroit | 65-75% | 3-7% | Thick, airy crust with crispy bottom |
| Sicilian | 70-80% | 2-5% | Thick, focaccia-like rectangular pizza |
Whether you're making a classic Neapolitan pizza in a wood-fired oven or a pan pizza in your home kitchen, our calculator will help you achieve consistent, professional results every time. Happy pizza making!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does hydration percentage matter in pizza dough?
Hydration (the ratio of water to flour) dramatically affects your dough's texture, stretchability, and final crust characteristics. Lower hydration doughs (55-60%) are easier to handle but produce a denser crust. Higher hydration doughs (65-75%) are stickier and more challenging to work with, but they create a more open crumb structure with larger air pockets and a lighter texture. Different pizza styles traditionally use different hydration levels to achieve their characteristic crusts.
How long should I let my dough ferment?
Fermentation time depends on several factors, including room temperature, yeast quantity, and desired flavor development. A quick dough can be ready in 1-2 hours at room temperature, but longer fermentation (24-72 hours in the refrigerator) develops more complex flavors and improved texture. For cold fermentation, use less yeast (0.1-0.3%) to slow down the process. Room temperature fermentation typically requires more yeast (0.5-1%). The calculator suggests appropriate yeast quantities based on your selected yeast type, but you may want to adjust based on your preferred fermentation method.
What's the difference between different types of yeast?
The main types of yeast used in pizza making are: Fresh yeast (also called cake or compressed yeast), which is highly perishable but very active; Active dry yeast, which needs to be activated in warm water before use; Instant yeast (also called rapid-rise), which can be mixed directly with dry ingredients; and Sourdough starter, which is a natural leavening method using wild yeast. The calculator adjusts quantities based on your selection, as each type has different potency. Generally speaking, you need about twice as much fresh yeast as active dry, and about 2/3 as much instant yeast as active dry.