Pizza Dough Calculator
Flour, water, salt, and yeast for a batch of pizza dough.
Input sheet
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Great pizza dough is built on baker's percentages — every ingredient expressed relative to the flour weight. This calculator works backward from how many dough balls you want and how big each should be, then gives you exact flour, water, salt, and yeast.
How it works
Total dough is balls × ball weight; flour is back-solved from baker's percentages (water = hydration, salt 2.5%, yeast 0.2%).
Total dough weight is simply the number of balls times the weight per ball. From that total, flour is back-solved because water, salt, and yeast are all defined as percentages of flour: water equals the hydration percentage, salt is about 2.5%, and instant yeast about 0.2%.
Hydration — water as a percentage of flour — controls texture. Around 60–62% gives a sturdy, easy-to-handle dough; 65% is a versatile all-rounder; 70%+ leans toward an open, airy Neapolitan crumb but is stickier to work with. Higher hydration generally wants a hotter oven.
Total dough = balls × ball weight; flour = total ÷ (1 + hydration + 0.025 + 0.002); water = flour × hydration; salt = flour × 2.5%; yeast = flour × 0.2%
Worked examples
4 dough balls at 250 g each, 65% hydration. → About 596 g flour, 388 g water, 15 g salt, 1.2 g instant yeast
Total 1000 g ÷ 1.677 = 596.3 g flour; water 596.3 × 0.65 ≈ 388 g; salt 596.3 × 0.025 ≈ 15 g; yeast 596.3 × 0.002 ≈ 1.2 g.
2 balls at 280 g each, 70% hydration for a Neapolitan crumb. → About 324 g flour, 227 g water, 8 g salt, 0.6 g yeast
Total 560 g ÷ 1.727 = 324 g flour; water 324 × 0.70 ≈ 227 g.
Tips & gotchas
- Use bread flour or 00 flour for chew and structure; all-purpose works but gives a softer, less elastic crust.
- A cold bulk ferment in the fridge for 24–72 hours deepens flavor far more than a quick same-day rise.
- Weigh the yeast precisely — at 0.2% of flour the amounts are tiny, and a little extra makes the dough proof too fast and taste yeasty.
- If the dough feels unmanageably sticky, resist adding flour; wet your hands instead so you don't drop the hydration you set.
FAQ
What hydration should a beginner use?
Start around 60–62%. Lower-hydration dough is firmer and far easier to stretch without tearing. Once you are comfortable, climb toward 65–70% for a lighter, airier crust.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant?
Yes, but use roughly 25% more and dissolve it in a little of the warm water first. The 0.2% figure here is for instant yeast, which can go straight into the flour.
Why back-solve flour instead of just picking a flour weight?
Because you usually know the finished result you want — say four 250 g balls. Back-solving from total dough weight guarantees you hit that exact yield instead of ending up with too much or too little dough.
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