Pizza Dough Calculator

Methodology

The calculator determines flour weight by dividing total dough weight by the sum of all baker's percentages (1 + hydration + salt + oil + sugar + yeast). For example, with 4 balls at 250g each (1000g total), 60% hydration, 2.5% salt, 1% oil, 1% sugar, and 0.3% IDY: flour = 1000 / (1 + 0.60 + 0.025 + 0.01 + 0.01 + 0.003) = 606.8g, water = 606.8 x 0.60 = 364.1g. Yeast type conversion uses standard ratios: IDY x 1.2 = ADY, IDY x 3 = fresh. Fermentation schedule multipliers adjust IDY: room temp = 1x (0.3%), 24h cold = 0.4x, 48h cold = 0.2x, 72h cold = 0.13x. Sourdough decomposition splits starter into flour = starter / (1 + starterHydration) and water = starter - flour, then subtracts both from recipe totals. All formulas are sourced from AVPN, Dough School, and PizzaBlab.

Understanding Your Results

Your pizza dough results show the exact ingredient weights for your chosen style, number of pizzas, and ball weight. Hydration by Style: Hydration (water as a percentage of flour) is the most important variable determining dough texture. Neapolitan style uses 55–65% hydration per AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana) guidelines, producing a soft, pliable dough that chars beautifully in a very hot oven. New York style uses 58–65% for a slightly chewier, foldable crust. Detroit/pan style uses 65–75% for a light, airy focaccia-like crumb. Thin and crispy styles use 50–58% for a cracker-like texture. Ball Weight: Standard Neapolitan pizza balls weigh 200–280g for a 10–12 inch pizza (AVPN specifies 200–280g). New York style balls are typically 280–380g for a larger 14–16 inch pie. Adjusting ball weight directly changes pizza diameter and crust thickness. Fermentation: Longer, colder fermentation (24–72 hours in the refrigerator) develops more complex flavor and improves dough extensibility. Short room-temperature fermentation (2–6 hours) works but produces a simpler flavor. The calculator's fermentation notes are adjusted for your selected style. Salt and Oil: Salt is typically 2–3% of flour weight. It strengthens gluten, controls fermentation rate, and enhances flavor. Oil (0–5%) tenderizes the crumb and improves browning. Neapolitan traditionally uses no oil; New York style uses 2–3%; Detroit style uses 3–5%.

Practical Examples

Example 1 — Neapolitan Pizza (4 pizzas) Settings: Neapolitan style, 4 pizzas, 250g ball weight Total dough: 1,000g Results: Flour ~588g, water ~353g (60% hydration), salt ~18g (3%), yeast ~1.5g (0.25%) Fermentation: 24 hours cold (refrigerator) or 6–8 hours room temperature Oven: As hot as possible — 800–900°F (425–480°C) in a pizza oven, or 500–550°F on a preheated stone in a home oven Bake time: 60–90 seconds in a pizza oven, 5–7 minutes on a home stone Example 2 — New York Style (2 large pizzas) Settings: New York style, 2 pizzas, 350g ball weight Total dough: 700g Results: Flour ~408g, water ~255g (62% hydration), salt ~12g (3%), oil ~10g (2.5%), yeast ~1g (0.25%) Fermentation: 24–48 hours cold for best flavor Oven: 500–550°F (260–290°C) on a preheated stone or steel Bake time: 8–12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden with charred spots

Pizza Dough Tips

• Weigh all ingredients in grams — never use volume measurements for pizza dough. Even small percentage differences in hydration (e.g., 60% vs 63%) noticeably change how the dough handles and the final texture. A kitchen scale accurate to 1 gram is essential. • Use 00 flour (doppio zero) for Neapolitan style and bread flour (12–14% protein) for New York style. All-purpose flour works but produces a less chewy, less extensible dough. The protein content of the flour directly affects gluten development and the final crust texture. • For cold fermentation, divide the dough into balls immediately after mixing and place them in individual covered containers in the refrigerator. Remove 1–2 hours before shaping to allow the dough to come to room temperature — cold dough tears instead of stretching. • Never use a rolling pin for Neapolitan or New York style pizza. Stretch the dough by hand using gravity and gentle fingertip pressure from the center outward, leaving the outer edge untouched to form the cornicione (rim). Rolling pins compress the air bubbles that create the desired open, airy crust. • Preheat your oven with a pizza stone or steel for at least 45–60 minutes at maximum temperature. A domestic oven at 500–550°F (260–290°C) with a preheated stone can produce excellent results. The stone's thermal mass is critical — it provides the intense bottom heat that bakes the crust in minutes rather than the 15–20 minutes a cold pan would take.

How to Use

1. Select a pizza style (Neapolitan, New York, Detroit, Thin Crust, Sicilian, or Grandma) to load recommended hydration, salt, oil, and sugar percentages for that style.
2. Enter the number of dough balls you need and the target weight per ball in grams. Choose your yeast type (instant, active dry, fresh, or sourdough starter) and fermentation schedule.
3. Optionally adjust the hydration, salt, oil, and sugar percentages. For sourdough, set the starter percentage and starter hydration level.
4. Click Calculate to get precise gram amounts for flour, water, salt, yeast (or starter), oil, and sugar. The results include oven temperature and baking time guidance for your selected style.

Sources

• AVPN - Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana
• Dough School - Pizza Dough Formulas
• PizzaBlab - Pizza Science & Dough Calculations
• Red Star Yeast - Yeast Conversion Table