Last updated: August 12, 2026
Last updated: August 2026. This post contains affiliate links — if you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure.
We use this calculator for every batch we make. The ratios are based on the dough we make week in, week out – not theoretical formulas from cookbooks.
We use this calculator for every batch we make. The ratios are based on the dough we make week in, week out – not theoretical formulas.
Use this pizza dough calculator to work out exact quantities for any number of pizzas, any size, at any hydration level. Enter your preferences below and the calculator gives you flour, water, salt, and yeast weights to the gram.
Pizza Dough Calculator
How to Use the Calculator
Number of pizzas: Count your total pizzas including any extras – it’s easier to have leftover dough than to run short. Cold-fermented dough balls keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Pizza size: Ball weight and pizza size are directly linked. A 250g ball stretches to about 12 inches. If you prefer a thicker crust, use a heavier ball for the same size pizza.
Hydration: This is the ratio of water to flour by weight. 60-65% is the standard range for Neapolitan dough – easier to handle and gives a good open crumb. 70-75% produces a lighter, airier crust but is stickier and harder to shape. Start at 65% if you’re new to pizza dough.
Salt: 2-2.5% is the standard Neapolitan range. Salt controls fermentation speed and improves flavor. Don’t add it directly on top of yeast – mix flour and water first, then add salt and yeast separately.
Yeast: Instant dried yeast (fast-action) is what most people use – it goes directly into the flour without activation. Fresh yeast is available from bakeries and some supermarkets; it’s more active, so you use less by weight. The calculator adjusts yeast quantities automatically for fermentation time – more fermentation time means less yeast needed.
Fermentation Times Explained
Same day (4-6 hours): Requires more yeast to produce enough gas in less time. The dough will be lighter in flavor than cold-fermented versions but perfectly usable. Good if you decide to make pizza in the afternoon for the evening.
Overnight (12-24 hours): The standard approach. Mix the evening before, leave in the fridge overnight, remove an hour before use. Gives noticeably better flavor than same-day dough – the slow fermentation develops complexity that fast dough lacks.
Cold ferment (48-72 hours): The best-flavor option. Very small amount of yeast, slow fermentation in the fridge. The dough develops a slight tang and a more complex flavor. At 72 hours the gluten relaxes significantly, making the dough easier to stretch than a freshly-made batch. Most Neapolitan pizzerias cold-ferment for at least 48 hours.
Baker’s Percentages Explained
This calculator uses baker’s percentages – all ingredients are expressed as a percentage of the flour weight. Flour is always 100%; water at 65% means 650ml of water per 1,000g of flour. This system makes scaling up or down straightforward: change the flour weight and every other ingredient scales proportionally. Once you understand baker’s percentages, you can adjust any recipe to your preference without needing a calculator.
For the full method using these quantities, see our Neapolitan pizza dough recipe. For flour selection, see best flour for pizza dough. For sourdough quantities, see our sourdough pizza dough recipe.
Common Dough Ratios Explained
Hydration is the most important variable in any pizza dough, and it helps to understand what your calculator results actually mean. A 60% hydration dough – 600g water per 1kg flour – produces a stiffer, more manageable dough ideal for beginners or for cooking in a standard home oven. It holds its shape well, is easier to stretch without tearing, and gives a denser, chewy crust.
Bumping hydration to 65-68% produces the open, airy crumb that Neapolitan-style pizza is known for. The dough is stickier and takes more practice to handle, but the results in a hot wood-fired oven are worth the effort. Many experienced home cooks settle around 65% as a sweet spot between workability and texture.
At 70% and above, you’re in sourdough or focaccia territory. The dough is very wet and slack, best handled with a bench scraper and a well-floured surface. These higher-hydration doughs benefit enormously from long cold ferments, which develop flavor and make the gluten easier to stretch. If you’re ready to try a longer ferment, take a look at our sourdough pizza dough recipe for a step-by-step guide.
Whatever ratio your calculator produces, keep in mind that flour type affects absorption significantly. 00 flour absorbs water differently than bread flour or all-purpose, so you may need to adjust by a few percentage points when switching flour types. Start at the lower end and add water gradually until your dough feels right.
Recommended: Caputo 00 flour – available on Amazon US.
Gear mentioned in this article (paid links)
About Ian Armstrong
I'm Ian Armstrong, a home cook and pizza oven obsessive based in the UK. Over the past four years I've owned and cooked on a Gozney Roccbox, Ooni Karu, Ooni Koda, and Gozney Arc — putting each one through real-world use in my back garden across all seasons, not just ideal summer conditions. I test dough hydration, preheat times, fuel efficiency, and how each oven handles everything from Neapolitan pizza to sourdough bread and Sunday roasts. Everything on Wood Fired Pizza Gear comes from hands-on experience. No sponsored placements, no guesswork — just honest assessments from someone who's burned a lot of dough getting it wrong so you don't have to.
