About this pizza dough calculator
This free pizza dough calculator turns the recipe you want — how many dough balls, how heavy, and how hydrated — into the exact grams of flour, water, salt and yeast to weigh out. Unlike a fixed recipe, it sizes the yeast from your actual fermentation time and temperature, so the dough is ready when you want it whether you are proofing on the counter for a few hours or cold-fermenting in the fridge for days.
It supports Neapolitan and pan styles, fresh and dried commercial yeast, stiff and liquid sourdough, and the classic preferments and techniques — poolish, biga, autolysis and old dough — all on the baker's-percentage system used by professional pizzaioli.
The variables that matter
Hydration
Hydration is water as a percentage of flour weight. Neapolitan dough is usually 58–65%; pan pizza, focaccia and Roman teglia go higher, often 70–80%. More water means a lighter, more open crumb but a stickier, harder-to-shape dough. The calculator highlights values outside the recommended range for your chosen style.
Salt
Salt is typically 2.5–3.3% of flour. Beyond flavour it tightens the gluten and reins in fermentation. Too little and the dough is slack and over-ferments; much above 4% and it noticeably slows the yeast.
Yeast type and quantity
Fresh (compressed), instant dry and active dry yeast are not interchangeable gram-for-gram, and sourdough behaves differently again. Pick your leavening and the calculator converts to the correct amount — you do not need to do the conversion yourself.
Time and temperature
This is the part most recipes get wrong by giving a single fixed yeast amount. Warmer dough ferments faster, so it needs less yeast; a long, cool rise needs less still. Add a cold fridge stage and the calculator accounts for how little work happens at fridge temperature.
Preferments: poolish and biga
A preferment is a portion of the flour fermented ahead of time for more flavour and better structure. Poolish is a wet, 100%-hydration preferment prized for aroma and extensibility; biga is a stiff preferment (around 45% hydration) that builds strength and chew. The calculator splits out the preferment's flour, water and yeast for you.
Autolysis and old dough
Autolysis rests flour and water before mixing to improve extensibility. Old dough (brought-back dough) folds a piece of a previous batch into the new one for flavour and a head-start on fermentation. Both are optional and fully costed into the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
How much yeast do I need for pizza dough?
It depends on how long and how warm the dough ferments — warmer and longer both need less yeast. This calculator works out the exact amount from your fermentation time and temperature, for fresh, instant dry, active dry yeast or sourdough.
What is hydration in pizza dough?
Hydration is the weight of water as a percentage of flour. Neapolitan pizza is typically 58–65%; pan and focaccia styles go higher, often 70–80%. Higher hydration gives a lighter, more open crumb but is stickier to handle.
How does temperature affect fermentation?
Yeast activity rises sharply with temperature, so a warm room needs far less yeast than a cool one for the same rise time. Cold fridge fermentation slows everything down, which is why cold-proofed dough uses more yeast or longer times.
What is the difference between poolish and biga?
Both are preferments made ahead of the main dough. Poolish is a wet 100%-hydration preferment that adds extensibility and aroma; biga is a stiff preferment (around 45% hydration) that builds strength and a chewier crumb.
Can I use sourdough instead of commercial yeast?
Yes. Choose stiff or liquid sourdough as the leavening type and the calculator sizes the starter — including the flour and water it contributes — instead of commercial yeast.
How much salt should pizza dough have?
Around 2.5–3.3% of the flour weight is typical. Too little weakens the gluten and lets fermentation run away; too much (above ~4%) slows the yeast noticeably. The calculator flags values outside the recommended range.