Pizza Dough Calculator UK 2025

Last updated: February 2026

Pizza Dough Calculator

Calculate the perfect ingredient amounts for homemade pizza dough using baker's percentages. Adjust for pizza count, size, hydration, and fermentation time.

Number of Pizzas How many pizza bases to make

Pizza Size Ball weight in grams

Hydration Level (%) Water as percentage of flour weight

Dough Style Affects ball weight and oil content

Fermentation Time Longer = better flavour & digestibility

Salt Preference As percentage of flour weight

Understanding Baker's Percentages

Baker's percentages are a professional method for scaling bread and dough recipes. Flour is always 100%, and every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the flour weight.

Why Use Baker's Percentages? They make scaling recipes incredibly easy. Want to double a recipe? Just double the flour weight and calculate everything else. Need 847g of dough? Work backwards from your required total.

Standard Pizza Dough Percentages

Ingredient	Baker's %	Purpose
Flour (Tipo 00 or Strong Bread)	100%	Structure & gluten development
Water	55-75%	Hydration (affects texture)
Salt	2-3%	Flavour & gluten strengthening
Yeast (instant dried)	0.1-1%	Leavening (varies by ferment time)
Olive Oil (optional)	0-5%	Tenderness & flavour (not in Neapolitan)

Low Hydration

55-60%

Standard

60-65%

High

65-70%

Very High

70-75%

Pizza Styles Guide

Neapolitan

Authentic Italian style. Thin, soft centre with a puffy, charred cornicione (crust). No oil in dough. Best cooked at 450°C+ in a pizza oven. 60-65% hydration.

New York Style

Thin, wide slices that fold easily. Slightly crispy base with a chewy interior. Contains olive oil. Cooks well at 260-290°C in a home oven. 60-65% hydration.

Pan Pizza

Thick, fluffy, baked in an oiled pan. Golden, crispy bottom with soft, airy crumb. Higher hydration and oil content. Cooks at 220-240°C. Great for home ovens.

Sicilian

Thick, rectangular, focaccia-like base. Light and airy with crispy bottom. Often uses semolina. Higher hydration. Traditionally uses tomato on top before baking.

Hydration Level Guide

Hydration dramatically affects your pizza's texture, handling, and final result. Here's what to expect at different levels:

55%

Easy

60%

Standard

65%

Neapolitan

70%

Airy

75%

Advanced

Lower Hydration (55-60%)

Easier to handle and shape
Holds toppings well
Denser, chewier crumb
Great for beginners
Works well in home ovens

Higher Hydration (65-75%)

Stickier, harder to handle
Airier, lighter texture
Better oven spring
More flavour development
Requires good technique

Pro Tip: If you're new to pizza making, start at 60% hydration and increase by 5% as you gain confidence. The wetter the dough, the more it will stick to your hands and work surface.

Flour Guide for UK Bakers

Choosing the right flour is crucial for great pizza. Here's what's available in the UK and when to use each type:

Flour Type	Protein %	Best For	Where to Buy
Italian Tipo 00	11-13%	Neapolitan pizza, authentic texture	Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Amazon, Sous Chef
Strong Bread Flour	12-14%	All pizza styles, excellent gluten	All supermarkets (Allinson's, Marriages)
Canadian Strong	13-15%	NY style, chewy texture	Waitrose, specialist suppliers
Plain Flour	9-11%	Not recommended (too weak)	N/A

UK Brand Recommendations:

Caputo Pizzeria - The gold standard for Neapolitan (available online)
Marriages Finest - Excellent UK-milled strong bread flour
Shipton Mill Italian Type 00 - Great British alternative
Allinson Strong White - Reliable, widely available

Fermentation & Proofing Guide

Fermentation is where the magic happens. It develops flavour, creates bubbles, and makes your dough more digestible. The longer the ferment, the better the taste.

Fermentation Options

Method	Time	Yeast Amount	Flavour	Convenience
Same Day	2-4 hours	1% (high)	Mild, yeasty	High
Overnight	8-16 hours	0.3-0.5%	Good, balanced	Medium
Cold Ferment	24-72 hours	0.1-0.2%	Excellent, complex	Low (needs planning)

Cold Fermentation Process

Mix dough - Combine all ingredients until smooth (about 10 minutes)
Bulk ferment - Rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours
Ball and refrigerate - Divide into balls, place in oiled containers, refrigerate
Cold proof - Leave in fridge 24-72 hours (flavour peaks at 48-72 hours)
Warm up - Remove 2-4 hours before use, let come to room temperature
Shape and bake - Stretch gently and bake immediately

Oven Temperature Guide

Getting your oven as hot as possible is key to great pizza. Here's how to maximise heat with different equipment:

Oven Type	Max Temp	Cooking Time	Tips
Wood-fired/Gas Pizza Oven	450-500°C	60-90 seconds	Rotate pizza halfway
Ooni/Gozney/Roccbox	400-500°C	60-90 seconds	Preheat 15-20 mins
Home Oven + Pizza Steel	250-270°C	4-6 minutes	Preheat steel for 45-60 mins
Home Oven + Pizza Stone	250-270°C	5-8 minutes	Preheat stone for 1 hour
Home Oven (baking tray)	220-240°C	10-12 minutes	Use highest setting

UK Home Oven Tip: Most UK ovens max out at 250°C. Use your grill/broiler element for the last 1-2 minutes to get that charred, leopard-spotted crust. A pizza steel transfers heat faster than a stone and is worth the investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best hydration level for pizza dough?

For Neapolitan-style pizza, 60-65% hydration is ideal, creating a light, airy crust with good oven spring. Higher hydration (70%+) creates even airier, crispier crusts but is much harder to handle and requires experience. Beginners should start with 55-60% hydration which is more forgiving and easier to shape. The hydration you choose also depends on your flour - stronger flours can handle more water.

How long should pizza dough ferment?

Fermentation time significantly affects flavour and digestibility. Same-day dough (2-4 hours) is quick but produces a milder, more yeasty flavour. Overnight fermentation (8-24 hours) develops much better taste and is easier to digest. Cold fermentation (24-72 hours in the fridge) produces the best, most complex flavour and the most digestible dough. Professional pizzerias often use 48-72 hour cold fermented dough.

What flour should I use for pizza dough in the UK?

Italian Tipo 00 flour (like Caputo) is ideal for Neapolitan pizza and is available at most UK supermarkets including Waitrose and Sainsbury's, as well as online. Strong bread flour (12-14% protein) from brands like Allinson's or Marriages is an excellent and more affordable alternative. Avoid plain flour as it lacks the protein needed for proper gluten development. For New York style, Canadian strong flour gives the best chewy texture.

What are baker's percentages and why do they matter?

Baker's percentages express each ingredient as a percentage of flour weight, with flour always being 100%. This makes scaling recipes incredibly easy - if you know your flour weight, you can calculate everything else. For example, 65% hydration means water weight = flour weight x 0.65. Want to scale up? Just increase your flour weight and recalculate. It's the universal language of professional bakers and allows easy recipe comparisons.

Can I make pizza without a pizza oven?

Absolutely! While pizza ovens produce the best results, you can make excellent pizza in a home oven. Preheat your oven to maximum (usually 250°C fan) for at least 45 minutes with a pizza steel or stone inside. The steel/stone provides intense bottom heat. For extra char, use the grill element for the last 1-2 minutes. A pizza steel conducts heat faster than stone and is highly recommended for home bakers.

Why is my pizza dough too sticky to work with?

Sticky dough usually means high hydration, under-developed gluten, or room temperature issues. High hydration dough (65%+) is naturally sticky - use wet hands or oil instead of flour to handle it. Make sure you've kneaded enough (8-12 minutes) to develop gluten, which makes dough less sticky. Also, cold dough is stickier - let refrigerated dough come to room temperature for 2-3 hours before shaping. Finally, semolina flour is better than regular flour for dusting.

How do I know when my dough has proofed enough?

Properly proofed dough should have doubled in size (for bulk ferment) and feel light, airy, and slightly puffy. Use the "poke test": gently poke the dough with a floured finger - if the indent springs back slowly but not completely, it's ready. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, it's over-proofed. The dough should also smell pleasantly yeasty, not sour.

Should I use fresh yeast or dried yeast?

Both work well for pizza. Instant dried yeast (also called quick yeast) is most convenient - it can be added directly to flour. Active dried yeast needs dissolving in warm water first. Fresh yeast gives slightly better flavour but has a short shelf life and is harder to find in UK supermarkets (try bakeries). Conversion: 1g instant dried = 1.3g active dried = 3g fresh yeast. Our calculator uses instant dried yeast amounts.

Reviewed by: UK Calculator, Founder & Developer

Founder & Developer - UKCalculator.com

The UK Calculator team is the founder and developer of UKCalculator.com, providing free, accurate calculators for UK residents.

Expert Reviewed — This calculator is reviewed by our team of financial experts and updated regularly with the latest UK tax rates and regulations. Last verified: February 2026.

Last updated: February 2026 | Verified with latest UK rates

Pro Tips for Accurate Results

Double-check your input values before calculating
Use the correct unit format (metric or imperial)
For complex calculations, break them into smaller steps
Bookmark this page for quick future access

Understanding Your Results

Our Pizza Dough Calculator provides:

Instant calculations - Results appear immediately
Accurate formulas - Based on official UK standards
Clear explanations - Understand how results are derived
2025/26 updated - Using current rates and regulations

Common Questions

Is this calculator free?

Yes, all our calculators are 100% free to use with no registration required.

Are the results accurate?

Our calculators use verified formulas and are regularly updated for accuracy.

Can I use this on mobile?

Yes, all calculators are fully responsive and work on any device.

Related Calculators

Embed This Calculator on Your Website

Free to use. Copy the code below and paste it into your website HTML.

<iframe src="https://ukcalculator.com/pizza-dough-calculator.html" width="100%" height="600" style="border:none;border-radius:8px;box-shadow:0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);" title="Pizza Dough Calculator UK 2025" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p style="font-size:12px;text-align:center;margin-top:8px;">Calculator by <a href="https://ukcalculator.com/pizza-dough-calculator.html">UKCalculator.com</a></p>

Pizza Dough Calculator UK | Perfect Pizza Recipe & Baker's Percentages