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Sources & Methodology
Flour = 1,040 ÷ (1 + 0.62 + 0.02 + 0.02 + 0.003) = 1,040 ÷ 1.663 = 625g flour
Water = 625 × 0.62 = 388g | Salt = 625 × 0.02 = 12.5g | Oil = 12.5g | Instant yeast = 625 × 0.003 = 1.9g
How to Calculate Pizza Dough — Baker's Percentage Explained
Most home pizza recipes give you measurements for a fixed number of pizzas at a fixed size. Change either variable and you're doing awkward math. Baker's percentage fixes this permanently: every ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the flour weight, making any scaling trivial. It's how every professional pizzeria in the world calculates dough — and it's the only method this calculator uses.
What Is Baker's Percentage and Why Does It Matter?
In baker's percentage, flour is always 100%. Every other ingredient is expressed as a ratio to that flour weight. A pizza dough at "62% hydration" means exactly 620g of water per 1,000g of flour — no matter how many pizzas you're making. Double the recipe? Double the flour, and every other number doubles automatically. The system is self-scaling.
The alternative — cup and tablespoon measurements — introduces 20-30% variation in flour weight depending on how the cup was filled. A loosely scooped cup of flour weighs 120g. A packed cup weighs 165g. That 45g difference in a 500g-flour recipe is a 9% hydration swing, which makes the difference between a beautifully extensible dough and one that tears every time you try to stretch it.
Dough Ball Weight by Pizza Size and Style
| Pizza Size | Thin Crust | Standard | Neapolitan | Pan / Thick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-inch personal | 125g | 150g | — | 175g |
| 10-inch small | 170g | 210g | — | 240g |
| 12-inch standard | 210g | 260g | 280g | 300g |
| 14-inch large | 265g | 315g | — | 365g |
| 16-inch XL | 325g | 385g | — | 445g |
| 18-inch party | 395g | 460g | — | 535g |
The Neapolitan 280g ball for a 12-inch pizza seems heavier than the standard 260g, but this is intentional — the cornicione (the puffed outer rim of a Neapolitan pizza) is thick and airy, consuming a significant portion of the dough that would otherwise be spread across the base.
Hydration Guide by Pizza Style
| Style | Hydration | Oil | Salt | Yeast (overnight) | Oven Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan (AVPN) | 60-63% | 0-1% | 2-2.5% | 0.1-0.2% | 850-950°F wood |
| New York | 58-62% | 2-3% | 1.8-2% | 0.25-0.4% | 500-550°F |
| Thin Crust | 53-57% | 2-4% | 2% | 0.5-0.8% | 475-525°F |
| Sicilian Pan | 68-72% | 4-6% | 2% | 0.3-0.5% | 450-500°F |
| Detroit Pan | 72-78% | 3-5% | 2% | 0.3-0.5% | 450-500°F |
Fermentation, Flour Types, and Yeast Conversion Guide
Getting the right fermentation time and flour combination is what separates forgettable pizza from pizza people ask you to make again. Neither is complicated — but both require understanding what's actually happening in the dough.
Yeast Amount by Fermentation Time — The Full Chart
This is the table most pizza resources either skip or get wrong. The yeast percentage needs to be dramatically reduced for longer fermentation — otherwise the dough over-ferments and collapses before you can bake it.
| Fermentation | Temp | Instant Yeast | Active Dry Yeast | Fresh Yeast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Same day (4-8 hrs) | 68-72°F | 0.6-1.0% | 0.75-1.25% | 1.8-3.0% |
| Overnight (18-24 hrs) | 38-40°F | 0.2-0.4% | 0.25-0.5% | 0.6-1.2% |
| Cold 48 hours | 38-40°F | 0.1-0.25% | 0.13-0.31% | 0.3-0.75% |
| Cold 72 hours | 38-40°F | 0.05-0.15% | 0.06-0.19% | 0.15-0.45% |
Per 1,000g flour: a 72-hour cold ferment needs as little as 0.5-1.5g of instant yeast — less than a quarter teaspoon. Measure it on a precision scale, not a measuring spoon. At these quantities, a 0.5g error changes the entire fermentation behavior.
Yeast Conversion Chart — Instant vs Active Dry vs Fresh
| Instant Yeast | Active Dry Yeast | Fresh Yeast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1g | 1.25g | 3.0g | Always weight, never volume |
| 2g | 2.5g | 6.0g | Overnight cold ferment range |
| 5g | 6.25g | 15g | Same-day ferment (1kg flour) |
| 10g | 12.5g | 30g | Active dry needs water activation first |
Flour Type Comparison — 00 vs Bread vs All-Purpose
The flour debate in pizza is real but often overcomplicated. Here's what actually matters for each type:
| Flour Type | Protein % | Best For | Hydration Adjust | Texture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Tipo 00 (Caputo Pizzeria) | 12-13% | Neapolitan, long ferment | Use as standard | Silky, extensible, charring |
| Bread Flour | 12-14% | New York, pan styles | +2-3% water | Chewy, structured, crispy base |
| All-Purpose Flour | 10-12% | Any style, home baking | -2-3% water | Tender, mild, versatile |
| Whole Wheat | 13-14% | Healthy style, flatbread | +5-8% water | Dense, nutty, less extensible |
Poolish and Biga — Pre-Ferment Method
A poolish or biga is a pre-ferment — a portion of the total flour and water mixed ahead of time with a tiny amount of yeast and allowed to ferment for 12-18 hours before incorporation into the final dough. Both methods add depth of flavor comparable to a long cold ferment, but work at room temperature.
Poolish (equal parts flour and water — 100% hydration): Use 20-30% of your total flour in the poolish. Example for 600g total flour: poolish = 150g flour + 150g water + 0.3g instant yeast. Mix and leave at 68°F for 16-18 hours until bubbly and domed. Then add to remaining 450g flour plus remaining water, salt, and oil. The resulting dough will be significantly more flavorful than a straight dough without the need for refrigeration.
Biga (stiff pre-ferment — 50-60% hydration) works on the same principle but is stiffer and produces a different flavor profile — more wheaty and less acidic than poolish. Commonly used in Italian bread and pizza traditions.
Pizza Dough Troubleshooting — 8 Most Common Problems Fixed
Every pizza problem has a specific cause and a specific fix. Here are the 8 issues home pizza makers hit most often, with the actual reason and exactly what to do:
Problem and Solution Reference Table
| Problem | Most Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dough won't rise | Dead yeast, water too hot (above 140°F), or salt killed yeast directly | Test yeast in 100°F water with a pinch of sugar — it should foam in 5-10 min. Use a thermometer. Add salt and yeast to flour from opposite sides of the bowl. |
| Dough too sticky | Hydration too high for flour type, or underworked gluten | Don't add flour — this ruins the hydration balance. Wet hands instead. Knead longer (8-10 min). For AP flour, reduce hydration by 3-4%. |
| Dough tears when stretching | Gluten too tight (underproofed or dough too cold) | Let the dough rest uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes before trying again. Never stretch cold dough straight from the fridge. |
| Dough springs back immediately | Gluten is over-developed or dough is under-proofed | Rest dough 15-20 minutes covered, then try again. If it still springs back hard after resting, the dough is underproofed — give it more fermentation time. |
| Crust doesn't puff or bubble | Oven not hot enough, or dough was not properly proofed | Get oven as hot as possible (500°F+ minimum, with pizza stone preheated 45-60 min). Under-proofed dough won't bubble — verify full proof before baking. |
| Crust too tough and chewy | Too much gluten development or hydration too low | Increase hydration by 3-5%. Add 1-2% oil to tenderize. Mix less aggressively or use autolyse (mix flour and water, rest 30 min before adding yeast and salt). |
| Crust soggy in the center | Too many toppings, too much sauce, or oven temperature too low | Use less sauce (a thin, even layer). Don't overload toppings. Pre-bake the base 3-4 minutes before adding toppings. Use pizza stone or steel for bottom heat. |
| Dough over-proofed and collapsed | Too much yeast, too warm, or too long at room temp after cold ferment | Use cold dough within 2-3 hours of removing from fridge. Reduce yeast by 30-40% in future batches. Over-proofed dough is unusable — the gluten structure has broken down. |
The Windowpane Test — How to Know Your Dough is Ready
The windowpane test tells you whether gluten development is complete after kneading. Take a golf-ball-sized piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If the dough stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing — like a translucent membrane — gluten development is complete. If it tears immediately, knead for 2-3 more minutes and test again. Most pizza doughs pass the windowpane test after 8-12 minutes of hand kneading or 5-7 minutes in a stand mixer at medium speed.