Pizza Dough Calculator
Enter how many pizzas you are making and how wet you like the dough — get exact grams of flour, water, salt and yeast, with the biga split worked out for you.
In this guide
Dough calculator
Your exact amounts
Enter how many pizzas you want and how wet you like the dough. The amounts update instantly.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| 00 flour | 595 g |
| Water (cool) | 387 g |
| Fine sea salt | 16.7 g |
| Fresh yeast | 1.2 g |
| Total dough | 1000 g |
Biga split (optional)
For the biga method, mix 298 g flour with 149 g water and a pinch of the yeast 16–24 hours ahead. Add the remaining 298 g flour and 238 g water in the final dough. See the biga guide for timing and readiness cues.
1. How the calculator works
Pizza dough is built with baker's percentages. Flour is always 100%, and every other ingredient is a percentage of the flour weight. A dough at 65% hydration with 2.8% salt and 0.2% yeast totals 168%. So 1,000 g of finished dough contains about 595 g of flour — and everything else follows from that.
This is why recipes scale cleanly. Four balls of 250 g or twelve balls of 270 g use the same ratios; only the total changes. The calculator above does the division for you and rounds to practical grams.
If you want to understand the numbers behind the tool, read pizza dough hydration explained and the step-by-step dough guide.
2. Choosing your inputs
Dough balls and weight
Count one ball per pizza. For a 30 cm Neapolitan pizza, 250 g is the standard ball. Go down to 220–230 g for a thinner base, or up to 280 g for a softer, thicker rim.
Hydration
Hydration is the water as a percentage of the flour. 65% is the balanced starting point for most home bakers. Lower is firmer and easier to handle; higher is lighter but stickier. Match it to your flour — see 00 flour for pizza.
Salt and yeast
Salt at 2.8% is the classic Neapolitan range — enough for flavour and to slow fermentation gently. Fresh yeast at 0.2% suits a long room-temperature or cold ferment; if you only have instant dry yeast, use roughly one third of the fresh amount.
3. Using the biga split
The biga method splits the dough into two stages. The evening before, you mix half of the flour with half of its weight in water and a pinch of yeast — a dry, shaggy preferment. After 16–24 hours it is fragrant and full of bubbles, and you combine it with the remaining flour, water, salt and yeast.
The split under the results shows exactly how much goes into the biga and how much stays for the final dough, calculated from your own inputs. The timing, temperature cues and readiness signs are in the biga pizza dough guide.
A biga dough is usually fermented further after mixing — often cold. For 24, 48 and 72 hour schedules, see cold ferment pizza dough.
4. Practical tips
- Weigh everything, including the water — a scale is the single biggest upgrade to home dough.
- Use cool water in warm kitchens; dough temperature matters more than room temperature.
- Hold back a small splash of water at the start of mixing and add it once the gluten has formed.
- Write down what you used and how the dough felt, so your next batch is a deliberate change, not a guess.
- Change one variable at a time — hydration, time or flour, never two together.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate pizza dough ingredients?
Use baker's percentages: every ingredient is a percentage of the flour weight. Add the percentages together (100% flour + hydration + salt + yeast), divide your total dough weight by that number, and you get the flour. Multiply the flour by each percentage for the rest. The calculator above does this for you.
How much dough do I need per pizza?
For a classic Neapolitan pizza of about 30 cm, most pizzaioli use a dough ball of 230–280 g. 250 g is the most common starting point. Smaller balls give a thinner base; larger balls give a thicker, softer rim.
What hydration should I enter?
Start at 65% if you are unsure — it is the most forgiving middle ground. Use 60–62% for a firm, easy dough in a very hot oven, and 68–70% for a lighter rim if your flour is strong and your handling is confident. The [hydration guide](/pizza-dough-hydration) explains the differences.
Can I use this calculator for the biga method?
Yes. The biga split under the results shows how much flour and water to mix 16–24 hours ahead, and what remains for the final dough. The full method, with exact timing, is in the Secrets of Pizza eBook.
The exact method behind the numbers
The Secrets of Pizza eBook gives the tested biga ratios, final hydration, water temperature and timing used for every batch — for wood-fired and home ovens.
Get the Secrets of Pizza Guide — $29.99