Classic Pizza Dough Calculator
Calculate versatile pizza dough that works in any home oven. Classic pizza uses moderate hydration for easy handling and a shorter fermentation time than Neapolitan styles. Perfect for weeknight baking with same-day or overnight cold fermentation options.
Hydration: 58-68% · Fermentation: 4-24h · Recommended flour: W220-280
What this calculator does: Home oven temperature presets (220-275°C), Flexible hydration (58-68%) for easy handling, Same-day and overnight fermentation options, Portion calculator for 1-12 pizzas.
Supported recipes: Neapolitan Pizza, Classic Pizza, Pan Pizza, Focaccia, Baguette, Artisan Bread
How to calculate pizza dough hydration? Hydration is the ratio of water to flour as a percentage. 65% hydration = 650g water per 1000g flour. Higher hydration (68-80%) creates lighter, airier dough but is harder to handle. Use our calculator with flour-specific hydration curves to find the optimal range for your flour. How much yeast for cold fermentation? Cold fermentation (4-6°C) needs far less yeast than room temperature. For 24h: 0.1-0.3% fresh yeast. For 48-72h: 0.05-0.1%. The calculator uses a Q10 model — fermentation rate halves for every 10°C drop — so it auto-adjusts yeast for any time and temperature combination. What is baker's percentage? Baker's percentage expresses each ingredient as a percentage of total flour weight (flour = 100%). With 1000g flour and 650g water, water is 65%. This makes recipes infinitely scalable — change the flour weight and every other ingredient scales proportionally. What is W strength and why does it matter? W measures flour's resistance to deformation (alveograph test). Higher W flours absorb more water and tolerate longer fermentation. Neapolitan pizza: W220-260. Long cold ferment: W280-350. Focaccia: W170-220. The calculator adjusts hydration ranges and yeast calculations based on your flour's W strength. What is a poolish and when should I use one? A poolish is a pre-ferment made with equal parts flour and water (100% hydration) plus a tiny amount of yeast, fermented 8-16 hours before mixing. It adds complex flavor, better oven spring, and improved crumb structure. The calculator tracks poolish maturity from young, developing, peak, to overripe. How do I calculate water temperature for dough? The Factor of 3 method: Water temp = (Desired dough temp x 3) - Room temp - Flour temp - Friction factor. Friction varies by mixer type: hand (3°C), spiral (5°C), stand mixer (8°C), Thermomix (12°C). The calculator handles this automatically.