Can you use bread flour for pizza dough?

Yes, bread flour is one of the best flours for homemade pizza dough especially for thin crust pizza. Its high protein content (12-14%) creates a strong gluten network that produces a crispy, chewy crust with excellent structure. It's also available at every grocery store, making it the most accessible option for great pizza at home.

Is bread flour better than all-purpose flour for pizza?

Bread flour produces a noticeably superior, chewier, crispier crust than all-purpose flour because it has 2-4% more protein. All-purpose will work in a pinch, but the texture won't be the same. If you use all-purpose, choose a high-quality, higher-protein brand like Hecker's King Arthur (11.7%) for the best results.

Can I use bread flour instead of 00 flour for pizza?

Yes, but the two flours produce slightly different results. Bread flour gives a chewier, more structured crust while 00 flour produces a more tender, delicate one. Both make excellent pizza. This recipe is written specifically for bread flour's hydration needs. But you can find my best 00 Flour thin crust pizza dough recipe here .

Can I refrigerate bread flour pizza dough?

Yes, and I recommend it! Refrigerating the dough for 1-3 days (cold fermentation) develops deeper flavor and better digestibility. Store the dough in a lightly oiled bag with the air squeezed out. Let it come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before shaping.

Can you freeze bread flour pizza dough?

Yes, I do it all the time! Freeze dough balls in a lightly oiled bag for up to 3+ months. There are no negative effects from freezing and you can have pizza night anytime even on a whim. The featured image of this post was made with previously frozen dough. Thaw in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of hot tap water for about 40 minutes (see thawing tips above) .

How long should pizza dough rise?

This recipe has two rises: 90 minutes for the first rise and 30 minutes for the second rise after forming the dough balls in an ambient temperature of around 70°F/21°C. Both rises are important for developing flavor, texture, and digestibility. Don't skip the second rise. Rising times may vary slightly depending on the time of year (colder or warmer) and the temperature of your oven. In cooler months, you can turn on the light in your oven to create a slightly warmer environment for your dough to rise.

How do you knead bread flour pizza dough?

Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10-12 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer shaggy looking. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook on speed 2 for about 8 minutes. The dough is ready when it springs back slowly when poked.

Why does my bread flour pizza dough keep springing back?

This is completely normal with bread flour. The higher protein creates stronger, more elastic gluten that resists stretching. Simply cover the dough and let it rest for 10-15 minutes more. The gluten will relax, making it much easier to roll or stretch.

Why is my pizza dough too sticky?

Sticky dough usually means too much water or not enough kneading. Bread flour absorbs more water than all-purpose and 00 flour, so if you substituted flours without adjusting the water, the dough may be too wet. Knead a few more minutes before adding flour, as the dough often firms up on its own and becomes less sticky, and then not sticky at all after kneading it a little longer.

Can I use this dough for thick-crust pizza?

Yes. This same dough makes both thin-crust and thick-crust bread flour pizza. For thick-crust, hand-stretch the dough to about 1/4 inch thick instead of rolling it thin. Leave the edges slightly thicker for a puffy rim. Bake for 10-12 minutes instead of 8. See the instructions and photos above for making thick crust bread flour pizza!

Best Bread Flour Pizza Dough Recipe (5 Ingredients)

Name: Best Bread Flour Pizza Dough Recipe (5 Ingredients)
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 480g King Arthur's Bread Flour (about 4 cups)*; 300g warm water (between 110°F-115°F) (10 5/8 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)*; 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); 1/4 cup pizza sauce per pizza; 1 cup to 1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 2 tablespoons grated Grana Padano (sub Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano); 1/2 cup cooked sausage and sliced onions (or toppings of your choice); 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling over the top of assembled pizza before baking)

Description

This easy bread flour pizza dough recipe takes just 25 minutes of hands-on work to mix and knead. Made with only 5 ingredients plus water, this versatile homemade pizza dough makes ultra-crispy thin-crust pizza or soft, chewy thick-crust pizza. Bread flour's higher protein (12-14%) creates a stronger gluten network for a crust that's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Make it same-day or cold ferment 1-3 days for deeper flavor and better digestibility. Works in any home oven, toaster oven, or pizza oven.

Ingredients

Units

For the Bread Flour Dough

480g King Arthur's Bread Flour (about 4 cups)*
300g warm water (between 110°F-115°F) (10 5/8 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

1/4 cup pizza sauce per pizza
1 cup to 1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Grana Padano (sub Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1/2 cup cooked sausage and sliced onions (or toppings of your choice)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling over the top of assembled pizza before baking)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark even when your hands have flour all over them

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 bread 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 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 it becomes 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 1/8 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 Parmesan), and op 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 2 pizzas instead of 4, halve the recipe.

Low-sugar or high-heat oven: Omit the sugar if you're on a low-sugar diet or baking in a wood-fired, Ooni, or Weber kettle pizza oven. These ovens bake hot enough for natural browning without it.

Low-sodium: Reduce salt to 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon, or omit altogether.

Flour swap: You can substitute half the bread flour with whole wheat, all-purpose, or 00 Italian flour.

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 1/4 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) 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.

Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Pizza
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 pizza
Calories: 510
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 485mg
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 91g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 16g
Cholesterol: 0mg