Pizza Dough Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

What hydration should pizza dough be?

Neapolitan: 60-65%. New York: 60-63%. Detroit/Sicilian: 70-75%. Roman thin: 55-58%. Higher hydration gives more open crumb and a chewier crust.

How much flour per pizza?

A 12-inch (30 cm) Neapolitan dough ball is typically 230-260 g, made from about 150 g flour. A NY-style 14-inch is 350-400 g, from about 230 g flour.

How much yeast for cold ferment?

24-hour cold ferment: 0.2-0.3% instant yeast (baker's percent). 48-72 hour: 0.05-0.1%. Same-day room temp: 0.5-1%. Less yeast + more time = more flavor.

Why is my dough tearing instead of stretching?

Underdeveloped gluten or insufficient rest. Bench-rest the ball at room temp for at least 1 hour after cold ferment so gluten relaxes. Stretch from the center outward, never roll.

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Estimates for informational purposes only.

Important Disclaimer: Estimates for informational purposes only.

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results are based on assumptions and may not reflect actual outcomes. Consult qualified professionals in relevant fields before making important decisions based on these results.

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How This Calculator Works

This tool sizes a recipe from the finished dough backward. Total dough weight is number of balls × grams per ball. Using baker's percentages - where every ingredient is a percentage of flour weight - the flour itself is solved as total ÷ (1 + hydration + salt + yeast + oil). Each remaining ingredient is then flour × its percentage: water is flour × hydration%, salt is flour × salt%, and so on. This guarantees the components sum exactly to your target dough weight regardless of how you tune the ratios.

Baker's Percentages Explained

Flour is always 100%. "65% hydration" means water weighs 65% of the flour, not 65% of the dough. This makes recipes scale perfectly: the same percentages produce one 250 g ball or fifty. Always weigh ingredients in grams - volume measures for flour vary by 20%+ depending on how the cup is packed, which is the single biggest cause of inconsistent dough.

Style Targets

New York: 60-63% hydration, 1.5-2% salt, a little oil and sugar - foldable, chewy.

Neapolitan: 60-65% hydration, 2.5-3% salt, no oil - soft, pillowy cornicione, baked very hot.

Detroit / pan: 70-80% hydration, 1-2% oil - airy, focaccia-like crumb.

Roman al taglio: 80%+ hydration - very wet, blistered, crisp.

Typical ball weights: ~250-280 g for a 12-inch Neapolitan, ~320-370 g for a 14-inch NY pie.

Yeast and Fermentation

0.1-0.3% instant yeast: long cold ferment, 24-72 h in the fridge - the most flavor and digestibility.

0.5-1%: same-day rise of 4-8 h at room temperature.

2%+: fast 1-2 h dough - convenient but bland.

For active dry yeast use ~25% more than instant; for fresh yeast use roughly 3× the instant amount. Cold, slow fermentation develops far better flavor than extra yeast ever will.

Common Mistakes

Salt touching yeast directly: high salt concentration can kill yeast - mix salt into the flour first.

Over-flouring the bench: stiffens the dough and dries the crust; use minimal flour or a touch of oil.

Skipping the rest: dough needs to relax before stretching or it springs back and tears.

Oven not hot enough: home ovens max ~290°C (550°F); preheat a stone or steel for 45-60 minutes for proper oven spring.

Ignoring dough temperature: water temperature drives fermentation speed far more than yeast quantity - aim for a final dough around 24-26°C.

Pizza Dough Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

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