This 00 flour pizza dough recipe is the one I make most often at home in Italy. Just 5 ingredients, 12 minutes of active work, and you get a crispy, thin-crust pizza that rivals the deliciousness of what we order from our local pizzeria. Whether you use Caputo, Barilla, or another Italian 00 flour, this dough delivers the perfect balance of crispy edges and a tender, slightly chewy center.
Why This 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe Works
The best part? Your oven doesn't need to reach 500°F/260°C for great results. The pizzas featured in this post were baked at just 482°F/250°C in my regular home oven, and you can see how perfectly golden and crispy it turns out.
This recipe works beautifully in any regular oven, toaster oven, or pizza oven like my Ooni Volt 12. Obviously, higher heat makes better pizza, but great results can be had below 500°F.
Living in Northern Italy, we have access to incredible pizza, but depending on the time of year, we still choose to make homemade pizza sometimes multiple times a month.
Mostly because it's one of the easiest and most delicious family dinners you can make, and you get to choose your toppings. This same versatile dough also makes a beautiful, thick-crust, soft, and chewy hand-stretched pizza when you want something heartier.
Jump to:
- Why This 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe Works
- Why You'll Love This 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe
- Kid-Friendly Pizza Dough From Scratch
- What Is 00 Flour (and Why Does It Make the Best Pizza Dough)?
- 3 Main Types of 00 Flour You'll Find in Italian Grocery Stores
- Can I Substitute All-Purpose or Bread Flour for 00 Flour?
- Can I Make Pizza If My Oven Doesn't Reach 500°F/260°C?
- What to Expect: Homemade Pizza Timeline
- Ingredients for 00 Flour Pizza Dough
- How to Make 00 Flour Pizza Dough (Step-by-Step With Photos)
- What Is "Dough Point" and Why It Matters
- Pizza Dough Point Video
- Best Baking Surfaces for Homemade Pizza (Stone vs Steel vs Cast Iron)
- Equipment
- How to Store 00 Flour Pizza Dough (4 Make-Ahead Options)
- How to Temper Refrigerated Pizza Dough
- How to Freeze 00 Flour Pizza Dough
- How to Thaw Frozen Pizza Dough Quickly
- More Uses for This Pizza Dough
- Top Tips for Perfect 00 Flour Pizza Dough
- FAQ
- Looking For More Easy Pizza Recipes?
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
What Is 00 Flour?
00 flour (also called tipo 00 or double zero flour) is an ultra-fine Italian milled flour with a silky, almost powdery texture. It's the traditional flour used in Italian pizza dough and fresh pasta because its fine grind creates a smooth, elastic dough that stretches easily without tearing.
Most 00 pizza flours, like Caputo Pizzeria or Barilla, have a protein content around 11.5-13%, giving you the right amount of gluten development for a crispy yet tender crust.
In this post, you'll learn all the best tips and techniques that will help you make exceptional homemade pizza from scratch. As you can see from my many pizza dough recipes and toppings here on the site, my goal is to eat the best stuff I can (life is short!) and help you get the same results at home!
If you enjoy making homemade pizza, check out this Ultimate Homemade Pizza Dough & Best Toppings Guide before you get started. Or try my Bread Flour Pizza Dough if you prefer using everyday pantry flour, our Easy Pizza Sauce Recipe, and this super delicious Whole Wheat Pizza Dough for less refined carbs with the same great flavor😉!
Why You'll Love This 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe
- Authentic Italian pizza dough made with premium Caputo or Barilla 00 flour for the perfect crispy-chewy texture that Italian pizzerias are known for.
- Just 5 simple ingredients: 00 flour, water, yeast, salt, and a touch of sugar. No special equipment required. Mix and knead by hand, in a KitchenAid stand mixer, or a food processor.
- 12 minutes of active work from start to fully kneaded dough. This is one of the easiest pizza dough recipes you'll ever make, and it's perfect for beginners and kids.
- Works in ANY home oven, even if your oven only reaches 475°F/246°C. No 500°F+ oven required. Also works beautifully in a pizza oven (Ooni, Gozney, Roccbox) or on a preheated pizza stone, pizza steel, cast iron, or baking sheet.
- Same-day or make-ahead friendly. Use it after a 1-2 hour rise, or cold ferment the dough overnight or up to 3 days in the fridge for much better digestibility and way better flavor. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
- Incredibly versatile. This same dough makes thin-crust pizza or thick-crust pizza.
- Restaurant-quality results at home for a fraction of the cost of dine-in, takeout, or delivery!
- Professional results that outperform store-bought dough with minimal effort.
Kid-Friendly Pizza Dough From Scratch
This pizza dough recipe is so easy that it's perfect for beginner bakers, even if you've never made yeast bread in your life. Don't believe me? Take a look at the photos from some of the many kids' pizza cooking classes I taught in my cooking school in Chengdu, China.
If these tiny kids can make great pizza from scratch, so can you. And p.s., if you have kids who want to help, smiley-face pizzas and self-portrait themed pizzas are a hit every time!
What Is 00 Flour (and Why Does It Make the Best Pizza Dough)?
Italian 00 flour (also called "tipo 00," "farina doppio zero," or "double zero") is the most finely milled flour in Italy's grading system. It has an almost powdery texture, produces a smooth and elastic dough, and is the traditional flour used for both Italian pizza and fresh egg pasta.
The "00" refers to how finely the flour is milled, not its protein content. I've seen many online posts claiming 00 flour is "low protein," which is inaccurate. Italy has 4 main flour types (Tipo 00, Tipo 0, Tipo 1, and Tipo 2). This certainly doesn't mean Italy only has 4 types of flour, though.
On one end, 00 is the most refined flour with an almost powdery texture. On the opposite end, Tipo 2 (Type 2) is the least refined and includes all parts of the grain, and is similar in coarseness to whole wheat flour(or "farina integrale" in Italian).
Because 00 flour is so finely milled, it requires less water to form a well-hydrated dough than American all-purpose, bread, or whole grain flours.
Hydration tip: this recipe is written for 00 flour. If you only have American all-purpose flour, King Arthur Unbleached or Hecker's (both around 11.7% protein) work well. You may need a little more water than the recipe calls for since American flours absorb more water than Italian 00 flour due to harder wheat varieties that produce more damaged starch during milling.
Add water one tablespoon at a time until your dough feels smooth and slightly tacky. If you have bread flour, skip the adapting and use my bread flour pizza dough recipe instead, which is written specifically for that flour.
3 Main Types of 00 Flour You'll Find in Italian Grocery Stores
In Italy, 00 flour is milled and marketed for specific types of recipes. You'll find bags labeled according to their best use, which also corresponds to their protein content.
00 Flour "per tutti preparazione" (for Every Preparation)
This flour (blue Barilla bag above) usually has around 11-11.5% protein. I use it as a substitute for all-purpose flour in most of my baking and cooking, and use it for homemade fresh egg pasta along with this basic 00 pizza dough recipe with its relatively short 2-hour leavening time.
Note: American All-purpose flour is often either solely made up of hard wheat or, in less premium brands, a mix of both soft and hard wheat, whereas Italian 00 flour uses only "grano tenero" (soft wheat).
00 Flour "per impasti tradizionale" (for Traditional Doughs)
This flour (red Caputo bag above) usually has around 12.5% protein. Brands like Caputo Pizzeria are the go-to for longer fermentation pizza doughs, including Neapolitan-style pizza that requires at least a 24-hour rise. The higher protein content holds up better as the yeast feeds on the flour's carbohydrates over that extended period.
00 Flour "per dolci" (for Desserts) or "per dolci e frolle" (for Cakes and Shortcrust Pastry)
This one (pink bag above) usually has around 11% protein and is very similar to the flour "for every preparation". It's typically used for desserts like biscotti, crostata, and other baked goods where chemical leavening (baking powder or baking soda) is used instead of yeast. That said, you can still use it for pizza doughs with shorter leavening times.
Beyond these 00 flour types, other common flours in Italy ↑ include Caputo 0 Flour Nuvola "per grandi alveolature" (Cloud "for large alveoli" or air sacs), farina manitoba (bread flour), farina integrale (whole grain flour), semola (semolina hard wheat flour) used for making breads, etc, and semolina rimacinata (twice-milled semolina with a finer texture than regular semolina) for making traditional Italian semolina egg pasta.
Can I Substitute All-Purpose or Bread Flour for 00 Flour?
Yes, you can absolutely substitute a high-quality all-purpose flour or bread flour for the 00 flour in this recipe and still make a great-tasting pizza. Especially because this thin-crust pizza dough is rolled out so thinly, you won't notice the difference as much as you would with a hand-tossed dough.
I've made excellent thin-crust pizza using this exact recipe with King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (11.7% protein) instead of 00 flour. That said, 00 flour pizza dough, compared side by side with all-purpose flour, tastes better to us and has a noticeably superior texture. Trust the Italians, they know what they're doing when it comes to pizza-making!
Bread flour (like King Arthur's or Hecker's) makes an even better substitute than all-purpose if you have it. If you want to explore that route, try my dedicated bread flour pizza dough recipe, which is specifically optimized for bread flour's higher protein content.
00 Flour vs Bread Flour Pizza Dough: What's the Difference?
The photo above shows my pizza dough using 00 flour (left) and bread flour (right). The 00 flour dough produces a more tender, crispy, delicate crust with a lighter crumb. Bread flour's higher protein (12-14%) creates a chewier, more structured crust with nice, big air pockets.
Both make excellent pizza. If you love a tender, crispy crust that practically melts in your mouth, stick with 00 flour. If you prefer more chew and structure that holds up to heavier toppings, try my bread flour pizza dough recipe instead.
Can I Make Pizza If My Oven Doesn't Reach 500°F/260°C?
Yes! I'll show you how to make perfect homemade pizza even if your oven only reaches 475°F-482°F/246°C-250°C (as is the case with my European Whirlpool oven). The key is preheating your oven with a pizza stone, pizza steel, or a heavy baking sheet inside for at least 30-45 minutes at the highest temperature your oven will go.
That said, the higher you can crank the oven, the better your pizza crust will be. Higher heat gives the crust more "oven spring" and cooks the pizza faster, creating better overall texture. So if you're lucky enough to own an Ooni, Gozney, outdoor brick oven, or even a Kettle Pizza Weber grill converter, definitely bake this pizza in them!
I use my Ooni Volt 12 now for all my pizza making, but the pizza photos in this post were cooked in my regular home oven!
What to Expect: Homemade Pizza Timeline
This is not a 30-minute pizza dough. It takes just 12-15 minutes of active work, but the dough needs proper proofing time to develop its best flavor and texture. If you want same-day pizza, plan for about 2.5 to 3 hours from start to eating pizza. But if you prep the dough 1-3 days in advance using a cold ferment in the fridge, you'll be rewarded with even better-tasting pizza that doesn't feel like a brick as it goes down🤩🍕.
Same-Day Pizza Dough Schedule
- 5 minutes to measure and mix the ingredients
- 10-12 minutes of kneading (by hand, in a KitchenAid stand mixer, or food processor)
- 1.5 hours for the first rise
- 30 minutes for the second rise (after portioning into dough balls)
- 5 minutes to roll, sauce, and top each pizza
- 8-10 minutes to bake
Why Does Pizza Dough Need to Rise?
Any dough made with yeast needs time to build a strong gluten network for good texture, and for the yeast to feed on the flour's carbohydrates. This process develops the best pizza crust flavor and makes pizza easier to digest. For Italians, the digestibility of pizza is considered just as important as the quality of the tomatoes and toppings.
If a speedy, cracker-like pizza crust (photo below) is what you're after, try this delicious no-yeast St. Louis-Style pizza dough recipe instead. It's ready in 20 minutes with zero rising time needed.
Ingredients for 00 Flour Pizza Dough
This recipe uses just 5 ingredients plus water. Here's what makes each one matter.
00 Flour: Use Italian 00 flour with 11-11.5% protein for same-day dough, or Caputo Pizzeria (12.5% protein) for cold fermentation. In a pinch, King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose (11.7% protein) works. Better flour equals better crust.
Instant Yeast: I use SAF or Red Star Instant Yeast. SAF is the preferred yeast in professional kitchens, including the restaurant kitchens I've worked in. No blooming needed. Add it directly to the flour, just make sure it hasn't expired.
Water: Use warm water between 110-115°F (43-46°C). Yeast dies above 130°F (54°C), so if you don't have a thermometer, think slightly warmer than baby's milk.
Salt: Essential for flavor. I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If using sea salt, Himalayan salt, or fine table salt, use less since it's more concentrated by volume. You can reduce the amount for lower-sodium pizza.
Sugar (optional but recommended for home ovens): Two teaspoons of sugar helps with browning in home oven temperatures. It doesn't affect flavor, but gives the crust a golden color you'd otherwise only get at pizzeria temps. Honey or maple syrup works as less refined substitutes. *See comparison photos below.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Italian pizzerias bake at 800°F+, and don't use oil, but for home ovens baking at lower temps, olive oil adds fat for a crispier, more elastic crust. Any vegetable oil works in the dough, but always use extra virgin when drizzling over the assembled pizza before baking. Drizzle in a "#6" pattern like a real pizzaiolo!
See recipe card for exact quantities.
(PHOTO LEFT: 00 pizza dough without sugar & PHOTO RIGHT: 00 pizza dough with sugar)
How to Make 00 Flour Pizza Dough (Step-by-Step With Photos)
Here's an overview of how to make this thin-crust 00 pizza dough. You'll find the full detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card below, or watch the pizza video that shows how to make it!
Step 1. Mix the Dough
Combine the dry ingredients first (flour, instant yeast, salt, sugar), then add the warm water and olive oil. Mix by hand, in a KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook, or pulse in a food processor until a shaggy dough forms. The dough should look rough and slightly sticky at this stage. Follow the order described in the recipe card.
Step 2. Knead the Dough (10-12 Minutes)
Knead by hand for 10-12 minutes, or use a stand mixer with the dough hook on medium-low for 7-8 minutes. I prefer kneading by hand unless I'm making a double batch for freezing. The dough is ready when it's smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. It should pass the "windowpane test": stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without it tearing.
Step 3. First Rise (90 Minutes)
Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with cling film or a damp towel, and let it rise for about 90 minutes or until doubled in size. In cooler months, use the oven with just the light turned on as a warm spot. In summer, the countertop works fine.
Step 4. Deflate and Form the Dough Balls
Punch down the dough to release the air bubbles and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth, uniform ball. Place them on a lightly oiled baking pan, brush lightly with oil, and cover with cling film. Alternatively, place them on a lightly floured pan, dust with flour, and cover with a clean lint-free kitchen towel.
Step 5. Second Rise (30 Minutes)
Allow the covered dough balls to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm spot (oven with the light on in colder months, countertop in warmer months). They should puff up noticeably but don't need to fully double.
Step 6. Roll Out the Pizza Dough
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface or non-stick baking mat to about ⅛ inch thick (roughly 12-13 inches in diameter). Trim the edges with a pizza cutter if desired for a clean circle.
If you don't have a pizza peel dusted with semolina flour, use the rolling pin to transfer the dough onto parchment paper and place a cutting board or flimsy placemats underneath for support while you add your toppings.
Step 7. Top and Bake the Pizza
Top with your favorite pizza sauce (about ¼ cup per pizza), grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, mozzarella cheese, then your favorite pizza toppings. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil in a "#6" pattern like a real Neapolitan pizzaiolo.
Bake for 8-10 minutes in an oven preheated for at least 30-45 minutes at 482°F/250°C (or the highest temperature your oven reaches). Bake a few minutes longer if your oven maxes out at 450°F/232°C. If you don't have a pizza peel, gently slide the entire sheet of parchment paper with the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking surface.
Find detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
What Is "Dough Point" and Why It Matters
In Italy, pizza chefs refer to the "dough point" (il punto della pasta). The dough point is the moment when you've achieved three things: the right elasticity, the right softness, and the right hydration.
Being able to identify the dough point is important because sometimes a recipe turns out differently than expected. The dough might be dense, tough, or didn't rise well. When you learn to feel the dough point rather than solely relying on measurements, you'll get a better result every time.
You'll know the dough has reached the dough point when it's no longer moist-looking after kneading. Feel the dough: if it's smooth, silky, soft, has good elasticity, and is well-hydrated, you've reached it.
See the photos above and watch the dough point video below. The more pizza dough you make, the better you'll be at recognizing this moment.
Pizza Dough Point Video
Watch this short video to see what the perfect dough point looks like so you'll never have to guess if you've kneaded your pizza dough long enough!
Best Baking Surfaces for Homemade Pizza (Stone vs Steel vs Cast Iron)
My favorite way to bake homemade pizza is in my Ooni Volt 12, but the next best method is on a preheated pizza stone or pizza steel in a home oven cranked to its highest setting. The pizza in this post was baked at 482°F/250°C on an Emile Henry flame-proof pizza stone and came out perfectly crispy.
Pizza Stone or Pizza Steel (Best Results)
Preheat the stone or steel for at least 45 minutes (even better for 1 hour) at your oven's highest temperature, in the hottest part of your oven. I own a flame-proof Emile Henry stone which I place directly on my oven floor (the hottest spot). Be careful with cheaper stones that can crack under extreme heat.
If you're choosing between a pizza steel and a pizza stone, go with the steel if you can afford it. Steel conducts heat better than stone, giving you a crispier bottom crust in less time.
Cast Iron Skillet (Best Pizza Stone Substitute)
My favorite substitute for a pizza stone is a large 12 or 15-inch cast-iron skillet turned upside down. Place it in the hottest part of your oven (for me, the oven floor) and preheat at maximum temperature for at least 30-45 minutes. Bake the pizza directly on the inverted skillet using parchment paper. Cast iron retains and distributes heat exceptionally well.
Heavy-Duty Sheet Pan or Grill Pan (Works Great!)
A preheated heavy-duty grill pan, aluminum half-sheet pan, blue steel, or carbon steel pan also makes excellent pizza. Preheat the pan in the oven the same way as a stone. Use parchment paper to transfer the assembled pizza onto the hot pan.
No preheating? If you prefer not to preheat the pan, add a little olive oil to the pan before placing the rolled-out dough on it, and optionally sprinkle with cornmeal to prevent sticking. The crust won't be anywhere nearly as crispy or have the same texture as the photos in this post, but it will still be edible.
Don't Have a Pizza Peel? Use Parchment Paper
Parchment paper is the perfect substitute for a pizza peel. Roll out your dough, transfer it to parchment paper (double up if needed), then assemble your pizza on top. Place a cutting board or other flat surface underneath for support. When ready to bake, gently tug the corner of the parchment to slide the whole thing onto your preheated baking surface.
Equipment
Here are the tools I use and recommend for making homemade pizza:
- Kitchen scale for consistency and precision. If you don't have one, use the "scoop and level" method: spoon flour into a measuring cup until heaping, then scrape the excess off with the flat side of a butter knife.
- Pizza stone (I use Emile Henry flame-proof) or a pizza steel for the crispiest bottom crust. A preheated cast-iron skillet or heavy sheet pan works as a great substitute as you can see in the above 'Best Baking Surfaces' section.
- Pizza peel or parchment paper for transferring topped pizzas to the hot baking surface in the oven.
- Rolling pin for thin-crust pizza (I use a JK Adams French-style tapered pin).
- Mandoline slicer for ultra-thin vegetable toppings that cook quickly and evenly.
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional, I use a KitchenAid) for hands-free kneading, especially when doubling the recipe.
How to Store 00 Flour Pizza Dough (4 Make-Ahead Options)
Making pizza dough ahead of time and cold fermenting it in the fridge is actually my preferred method. The slow cold fermentation develops superior flavor and texture compared to same-day dough, and it's a huge time-saver for quick weeknight pizza dinners, Friday family pizza nights, and pizza parties.
Use any of these pizza dough meal-prep solutions depending on your needs:
Option 1 (My Preferred): Refrigerate Just-Portioned Dough Balls Before the 2nd Rise
After the first rise, portion into 4 dough balls and refrigerate BEFORE the second rise. Lightly oil the inside of a large freezer bag, place the balls spaced apart, squeeze out all air, and seal. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using (see tempering instructions below).
Option 2: Refrigerate Immediately After Kneading (Full Cold Ferment)
Place the just-kneaded dough in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days. The dough will rise slowly in the cold. When ready, remove from the fridge, portion into 4 balls, brush with oil, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Then proceed with the recipe.
Option 3: Refrigerate the Whole Dough After the 1st Rise
After the first 90-minute rise, punch down the dough, create a large uniform dough ball, wrap the dough well in the container, and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. When ready, remove, portion into 4 balls, brush with oil, cover, and let rise until doubled. Then proceed with the recipe.
Option 4: Refrigerate Dough Balls After Both Rises
After both rises are complete, place the fully risen dough balls into a lightly oiled freezer bag, spaced apart. Squeeze out air, seal, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using. This is my 2nd preferred method.
How to Temper Refrigerated Pizza Dough
Remove the sealed, lightly oiled dough balls from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature (keeping them in the sealed bag) for 30-60 minutes before handling. This crucial step allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to stretch or roll without tearing or springing back onto itself.
How to Freeze 00 Flour Pizza Dough
Since refrigerated pizza dough shouldn't be kept past 3 days (the dough begins breaking down), freezing is the best option for longer storage. I usually double or triple the recipe and freeze half the dough balls for easy pizza nights.
To freeze: Lightly oil the inside of a large freezer bag. Place the dough balls spaced apart, squeeze out all the air, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months. There are no negative effects of freezing pizza dough, which is why I use this method for meal prep regularly.
How to Thaw Frozen Pizza Dough Quickly
Quick thaw (40 minutes): Place the sealed bag of frozen dough in a bowl of hot tap water for 20 minutes, then flip and soak another 20 minutes. The dough will be thawed but cool. Let it rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before shaping.
Overnight thaw: Transfer frozen dough to the refrigerator overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping.
Counter thaw: Place the frozen dough bag on the counter for about 8 hours (less in summer), or until the dough is room temperature. All three methods yield perfect results.
- Oven broiler (fastest good method): Place pizza under a preheated broiler for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is re-crisped.
- Regular oven: Place on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and bake at 375°F/190°C for 6-8 minutes.
- Skillet (my favorite): Place pizza in a dry cast iron or carbon steel skillet, cover with a lid or foil, and heat over medium-high for 4-6 minutes. The bottom gets re-crisped while the cheese melts from the trapped steam.
- Microwave (emergency only): Place on a paper towel-lined plate. Not recommended, but sometimes you need pizza fast.
More Uses for This Pizza Dough
Beyond pizza, this versatile 00 flour dough also makes:
- Calzones and stromboli
- Garlic breadsticks and garlic knots
- Homemade pepperoni pizza rolls or homemade ham and cheese hot pockets
Top Tips for Perfect 00 Flour Pizza Dough
- Use a kitchen scale. Weighing flour in grams gives the most consistent results. If measuring by volume, always use the scoop-and-level method to avoid packing too much flour.
- Don't skip the preheat. Preheating your pizza stone, steel, or pan for at least 30-45 minutes at maximum heat is the single biggest factor in getting a crispy bottom crust in a regular home oven or countertop oven.
- Less is more with toppings. Use only about ¼ cup of pizza sauce per pizza. Slice vegetables ultra-thin and pat dry wet vegetables. Overloading a thin-crust pizza is the most common reason for a soggy center.
- Cold ferment for better flavor. Making the dough 1-3 days ahead and refrigerating it produces noticeably better flavor and texture, and better digestibility. This is part of how Italian pizzerias get that complex flavor and taste, along with often using a natural mother yeast vs commercial yeast.
- Always temper refrigerated dough. Let the cold dough sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before shaping. Cold dough springs back and tears instead of stretching smoothly and staying in the shape you've rolled or hand-tossed it into.
FAQ
Yes, and you should! Making 00 flour pizza dough 1 to 3 days in advance and refrigerating it allows it to cold ferment, giving it superior flavor and texture compared to same-day dough. It's also a huge time-saver for quick weeknight meals. Plus, it makes it much easier to digest. No stodgy pizza dough here! See the 4 make-ahead options above.
Yes, I do it all the time! Freeze portioned dough balls in a lightly oiled freezer bag with the air squeezed out for up to 3 months. There are no negative effects of freezing pizza dough. I usually double the recipe and freeze half for easy pizza nights.
Place the sealed bag of frozen dough in a bowl of hot tap water for 20 minutes, flip, and soak another 20 minutes. After 40 minutes, the dough will be thawed but cool. Let it rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before shaping.
Skillet method (my favorite): place in a dry cast iron pan, cover, and heat 4-6 minutes. Oven broiler (best for reheating large portions): 3-4 minutes until bubbly. Regular oven (preheated): 375°F/190°C with foil for 6-8 minutes. Microwave works in a pinch, but won't be crispy.
Remove the sealed dough balls from the fridge, cover them with a bowl, sustainable cling film, or a clean lint-free kitchen towel (linen tea towels work great) to keep them from drying out, and let them rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax so the dough stretches easily without tearing. Don't rush this step.
Pizza steels and flame-proof pizza stones give the best results when preheated for at least 45 minutes at max oven temperatures. Cast iron skillets (inverted), blue steel, carbon steel, and heavy-duty sheet pans also work very well. The key is always preheating the surface for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
You don't have to, but I recommend it for home oven pizza for better color. Two teaspoons of sugar doesn't affect taste but it gives the crust a beautiful golden brown color you'd otherwise only get at higher pizzeria temps. Honey or maple syrup works as a substitute.
00 flour (aka type 00, tipo 00, doppio zero, or double zero) is the most finely milled flour in Italy's grading system. The "00" refers to how finely the flour is ground, not the protein content. It has a silky, almost powdery texture that produces smooth, elastic pizza dough and also fresh pasta. Most 00 pizza flours have between 11-13% protein.
In the US, find 00 flour at Whole Foods, Italian delis, and online retailers like Amazon and King Arthur Baking. Caputo is the most widely available Italian brand. If you can't find it, King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose (11.7% protein) or bread flour are the best substitutes.
For same-day pizza, depending on the temperature of your kitchen, the first rise usually takes about 90 minutes (until doubled), followed by a 30-minute second rise after portioning. For cold fermentation, the dough can rise in the fridge for 24-72 hours, which produces superior flavor, texture, and digestibility. Warmer environments speed up rising; cooler ones slow it down.
By hand: push the dough away with the heel of your palm, fold it back onto itself, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat for 10-12 minutes until smooth and elastic. In a stand mixer: use the dough hook on medium-low for 7-8 minutes or until the dough pulls cleanly from the bowl sides. If the dough climbs up the hook, stop the mixer, pull it back down into the bowl, and continue mixing.
Yes! But not every all-purpose flour is of the same quality. I only recommend King Arthur Unbleached All-purpose flour or Hecker's All-Purpose (both around 11.7% protein), which work well in this recipe. You may need to add a little extra water, a tablespoon at a time, since American flours absorb more water than Italian 00 flour. If you have bread flour in your pantry instead, check out my bread flour pizza dough recipe, which is written specifically for that flour
Looking For More Easy Pizza Recipes?
Below are a few of our favorite pizza recipes including a regional Italian fried pizza, thick crust pizza using 00 flour, thin-crust pizza made with bread flour, no-yeast St. Louis-Style pizza (aka magic pizza with whole wheat option), pumpkin focaccia pizza, and naan pizza. Plus, all the best sides to serve with pizza!
- Best Pizza Toppings & Pizza Dough Ultimate Guide w/Real Photos
- Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (With Video)
- Thick-Crust Pizza (Fluffy 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe)
- Best Bread Flour Pizza Dough Recipe (5 Ingredients)
- Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe (For Thin Crust Pizza)
- Best 20-Minute Thin and Crispy St. Louis-Style Pizza (No-Yeast )
- Easy 20-Minute Thin & Crispy St. Louis-Style Whole Wheat Pizza
- 20-Minute Valentine's Day Heart-Shaped Pizza
Made this Recipe? We'd love for you to rate ⭐️ it below and tell us how it went!🤗
Let's get started!
📖 Recipe
Best 00 Flour Pizza Dough Recipe (Thin-Crust, 5 Ingredients)
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 ( 12 to 14-inch) Thin-Crust Pizzas
- Diet: Kosher, Low Fat, Vegetarian
Description
This easy 00 flour pizza dough recipe takes just 12 minutes of active work to mix and knead. Made with only 5 ingredients plus water, this versatile Italian pizza dough makes crispy thin-crust pizza or thick, chewy hand-stretched pizza. Works beautifully in any home oven, even at temperatures below 500°F/260°C.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 480g 00 Italian flour (about 4 cups)*
- up to 300g warm water (between 110°F-115°F) (10 ⅝ fluid ounces)
- 2 teaspoons Red Star Platinum instant yeast (9g) (sub active dry yeast)*
- 2 teaspoons sugar (9g) (sub honey or pure maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (8g)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (30g) (sub other vegetable oil)*
For Working the Dough
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (for oiling the dough bowl and dough balls)
- 1 tablespoon of 00 flour (for incorporating into the dough while kneading it)
Toppings
- ¼ cup pizza sauce per pizza
- 1 cup to 1 ⅓ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Grana Padano (sub Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- toppings of your choice
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling over the top of assembled pizza before baking)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and pizza stone/grill pan. Turn the oven on to its highest setting (in my case this is 482°F/250°C) and allow it to preheat with the pizza stone or baking pan in (it in the hottest part of your oven) for at least 30 minutes (and up to 45 minutes or 1hr).
- Make the pizza dough. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook) combine the 00 flour, instant yeast, and sugar and whisk well to combine. *If using active dry yeast, see recipe notes for instructions. Add the olive oil and salt and slowly start adding the warm water just until the dough starts to come together and you can form a ball that's not wet and sticking to your fingers. *I rarely use all of the water - depending on the humidity of your environment and the absorption potential of the flour you're using, you may not need all of the water, or you may need just a teaspoon or two more if the mixture is too dry. See the video below for what the dough should look like at this stage.
- Knead the pizza dough and let it rise (1st rise). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it for 10 to 12 minutes until it's soft, smooth, and pliable. Add a sprinkle of flour every now and again if needed to keep the dough from sticking to the countertop as you knead, but be careful not to add too much. Place the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 2 hours in the oven with the light turned on, or at room temperature (70°F/21°C) until doubled in size.
- Portion and shape the dough. Punch down the risen dough to remove air bubbles and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and roll them each on the countertop to seal the bottom and create a uniform dough round.
- Let the dough balls rise (2nd rise). Place the dough balls onto a lightly oiled baking pan, brush them lightly with oil, and cover the dough with sustainable cling film, OR place them onto a lightly floured baking pan, dust them with a little more flour, and cover them with a clean lint-free kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes, or until they become puffy and hydrated looking.
- Roll out the pizza dough: Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured work surface or non-stick baking mat to ⅛ inch thick. Sprinkle the surface and the rolling pin as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper (as you would with pie crust) and place a cutting board underneath it for support while you top it. *If using a pizza peel, sprinkle a little semolina or cornmeal on it and transfer the pizza dough to the pizza peel.
- Top pizza and bake: Top the pizza with sauce, sprinkle with grated Grana Padano (or parm), and top it with grated mozzarella and the toppings of your choice. Drizzle the pizza with a little extra virgin olive oil and transfer it to the oven to bake for about 8-10 minutes. Bake a few minutes longer if you're baking pizza at a lower temperature like 450°F/232°C., and bake it a couple of minutes less if your oven is at 500°F-550°F, and Enjoy!
Notes
Scale down: To make just 2 pizzas instead of 4, halve the recipe.
Active dry yeast substitute: Bloom the yeast first by combining the sugar and half the warm water in a large bowl, sprinkling the yeast on top, and waiting 10 minutes until foamy. Then add the flour, salt, olive oil, and remaining water. Proceed with kneading as instructed.
Oil: Any vegetable oil works in the dough, but always use extra virgin olive oil when drizzling over the assembled pizza before baking. That drizzle is for flavor.
Yeast math: 2 teaspoons is just under one standard packet (which contains 2 ¼ teaspoons). Using the whole packet is fine, but not necessary.
Use a scale: Measuring flour by weight in grams is more accurate and consistent. If using cups, always use the scoop-and-level method: spoon flour into the cup until heaping, then level with the back of a knife. Never dig the cup into the bag.
Less is more with toppings. Too much sauce, cheese, or toppings makes for soggy, undercooked pizza. Slice vegetables as thin as possible (a mandoline is perfect for this) and pat them dry.
Preheat your baking surface for at least 30-45 minutes at maximum heat. This is the single most important step for a crispy bottom crust.
Using a pizza oven or wood-fired oven? Omit the sugar. Those ovens bake hot enough for natural browning in just a couple of minutes of cooking time without it.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Rise or Proofing Time: 120 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 (12-inch) pizza
- Calories: 505
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 485mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 92g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Food Safety
- Always wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw dough.
- Do not taste or eat raw dough containing uncooked flour or eggs (raw flour can contain harmful bacteria).
- Refrigerate pizza dough within 2 hours of making it if not using immediately.
- Do not refrigerate pizza dough for more than 3 days.
- Store leftover cooked pizza in the refrigerator within 2 hours and consume within 3-4 days.
- When reheating pizza, ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C.
Karen Koper says
I've made pizza dough all my life using bread flour. I was usually disappointed in that it resulted in a thick bready crust no matter how thin I tried to roll it. Switching to 00 flour made all the difference. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Kelly Leding says
Karen, your comment made my whole week!❤️ I'm so happy you tried the recipe and loved it. And I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to come back and leave a comment:) I can't tell you how many years I made and tested pizza dough before landing on the ones I have featured here on the site. Mostly because of the same reason you're mentioning (dense, bready, hard-as-a-rock crusts that tasted and felt nothing like my local pizza spots or anywhere in the vicinity of what I had eaten it Italy before moving here). What I've figured out in all of these years is that proper hydration, slow fermentation, proper resting, and getting your oven the hottest temp possible, matters as much as the quality and type of flour you use. Next time you're out of 00 flour but really want pizza without a trip to the store, I'd invite you to try my bread flour pizza dough (it's typically less expensive than 00 flour) and compare it to the ones you've made before. I'd like to know how you feel about it, as compared to this 00 flour dough🤗. Honestly, we love it nearly as much as (or as much) as the 00 flour recipe especially for thin crust pizza. Giving it a slow, cold fermentation makes a huge difference in the texture and digestibilty (something I really wish I'd learned decades ago). If you ever do try it out, I'd genuinely like to know what you think of it. Mostly because I know this is a real pain point for home cooks as it relates to homemade pizza. I've been there myself. And pizza-lovers like yourself, always have the best advice and helpful feedback for others! No pressure of course😉, but email me if you have any questions about it!
Rhoda says
This is our new favorite pizza dough! I had purchased some 00 flour recently and decided to give your recipe a try. 1 pizza ball (1/4 of the recipe) is the perfect size for 2 people (as long as they aren't hungry teenagers!). I bake it in a super-large preheated cast iron skillet on the bottom rack of my oven at 475 on parchment paper. I do sprinkle some cornmeal on the paper because I like the texture of it. I froze the remaining 3 balls and would get them out of the freezer the day before and put them into the fridge. I did thaw one of them directly from the freezer with the warm water method you suggested, but I do like having it in the fridge to thaw overnight. I think it's every bit as good as those "wood-fired" pizzerias that charge and an arm and a leg for theirs!
Kelly Leding says
Rhoda! You've made my whole week❤️! Not just because you love the recipe as much as my family (although that's a bonus for sure😊), but because it's saving your family money! That's honestly the best part of this. Plus, I really appreciate you taking the time to come back and leave such a thoughtful comment. Mostly because comments like yours really do help others who may need/want a workaround (like the cast iron skillet trick and the quick thawing methods) but want to know from someone besides the author, that they work! It's funny, because I just made this pizza this week and we've eaten it twice already🤣. But I don't feel guilty doing this when I know exactly what's in it and control the amounts of cheese and other toppings. Thanks for your lovely comment and happy pizza-making (and saving your family money!).
Gerald C. says
This made great pizza! We let it slow rise in the fridge overnight and it really does make the difference (ALL the difference). Using this method from now on. Our oven cooks hot so not sure what exact temps it reached but we cranked it to our highest setting 500F (maybe it was a few degrees hotter?) and let the stone preheat 45 minutes. We won't be going out for pizza anynmore unless we're feeling really lazy. This pizza dough is the bomb. With a family of 5 it's saving us money, and I swear this dough and our toppings are eons better than any of our little local pizza places using some questionable ingredients. Not to mention, they make and bake the dough the same day which now I know isn't ideal:) Thanks for this recipe and explaining things about the process.
Lenny U. says
Seriously the best pizza crust recipe we've ever made. Followed everything precisely (I only use a scale for bread recipes) and it was absolute perfection. I'd never considered how digestible a pizza dough was until I read your post. So,thanks for the tips and video (which is short but actually helpful without all any fluff). Cheers
Roger says
I have to agree with the other commenters, this is the best pizza dough recipe I've ever made😊. Very thorough instructions and explanations (now I actually know why my local pizza restaurant's dough is tough and not easy to digest. The video helped take out any guessing about when the dough had been kneaded enough. This is officially the only pizza dough we'll be making from now on. Stellar pizza recipe my friend!
Teddy K. says
This was the best pizza dough we've tried and our family won't be making another recipe (maybe unless it's one of yours)😊. Made a double batch and froze half the dough balls after the first rise and portioning them into 4 balls. The other 4 dough balls we let do their second rise overnight in the fridge before bringing them out the next day to temper and roll out to slow ferment like you suggested. Cooked them at 500f in a preheated oven on a Pampered Chef pizza stone and they were absolutely perfect. Perfect! I know there will be times that we still order pizza just out of pure convenience when my wife and I don't feel like cooking, but it will be a great deal less after finding this recipe. I'm going to bake several pizzas next time that can be frozen, thawed, and reheated later which will save us even more time and money down the road. We never thought we could make homemade pizza that was as good, much less better, than our local pizzeria, but this recipe changed that. Perfect pizza dough, thanks!
Kelly Leding says
Wow, Teddy! This makes me so happy to hear! I say this a lot, but what makes me the happiest (genuinely) is knowing this recipe is saving real people, real $$$ money they can use elsewhere! There's a real joy I have when I know I can make something at home that I'd usually have to pay for🤗. It's partly a self-reliance sort of thing and partly, an I-know-exactly-what-I'm-feeding-my-family sort of thing😉. And as prices seem ever higher and pizza being a family favorite across the board, I'm really happy you can use this recipe and know your family won't ever have to miss out on pizza night! If you want to save even more money, you can try my bread flour pizza dough recipe if 00 flour is too expensive. It also produces really great pizza dough and is easier to find depending on where you live. Happy pizza-making!
Justin says
Seriously the best pizza dough we've ever made. It gets even better on the second and third day and it's saving us a ton of money not ordering out. My oven goes to 500F and I cook it anywhere from 6-8 minutes depending on the toppings. Everyone's requesting it on poker night now thanks💪
Kim says