Homemade Pizza Dough (4-Ingredients)
Make chewy, crispy, restaurant-style pizza at home with this 4-ingredient homemade pizza dough. Cold-fermented with a poolish preferment, it’s easy to make and perfect for baking restaurant-quality pizzas in your home oven.

My Recommended Pizza Equipment

Why This Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe Works So Well
I’ve been making homemade pizzas for around 10 years including Neapolitan, New York, Romana, and deep pan styles. Over that time I feel like I’ve honed in on a reliable pizza dough recipe that works every time with stellar results.
This is a great all-around pizza dough that is easy to work with, full of flavour, and produces a pizza with a crisp, airy, and subtly chewy crust.
You don’t need to be an experienced pizza maker to produce great pizzas at home. I’ve kept this recipe incredibly simple and straightforward, and I’ll be sharing all my tips in this recipe and blogpost.

No Pizza Oven? No Problem!
Not everyone has an outdoor pizza oven and I don’t want that to be the reason you’re put off from making your own pizzas at home. So this recipe is designed for making exceptional pizzas in your home oven.
Now if you do have an outdoor pizza oven, there are a few changes I’d recommend making to this recipe in order to get the best results. I’ll have them listed in the Frequently Asked Questions section.
Top Tips for Great Homemade Pizza
- PREFERMENTS – using a preferment such as biga, poolish, or a sourdough starter provides more flavour, improved texture, improved digestibility, and better elasticity and extensibility
- COLD FERMENTATION – this means to carry out a portion of the fermentation in the fridge, i.e. in a cold environment. This can be used alone or in conjunction with a preferment (which we’ll be doing in this recipe)
- USING LESS YEAST – this sounds counterintuitive, but we want a slow rise. This provides a better balance between gluten development and gas production. The stronger the gluten, the stronger the structure of the dough, and therefore the more air pockets it can hold
- USING THE RIGHT FLOURS – bread flour is the best flour for a home oven. The higher protein content provides more gluten development which forms a stronger dough. It can also be pushed to a higher hydration (higher amount of water relative to flour). This is key to combat the longer bake-time in a home oven
- HIGH HEAT – your oven needs to be set to the highest heat it can go to. We’re aiming for the shortest bake time to prevent the pizza from drying out. Mine reaches 300’C and each pizza takes ~4 minutes to cook on a baking steel
- USING A BAKING STEEL OR PIZZA STONE – this goes into the oven to preheat for a full hour. The pizza then slides onto the steel/stone with a pizza peel allowing for an immediate transference of heat to the base of the pizza. This drastically shortens the bake time, provides more oven spring (rise), improved browning, and crispier base. A steel is better than a stone as it conducts and transfers heat more effectively and quickly

Poolish: The Secret to Great Texture & Flavour
Poolish is a 100% hydration preferment, which means it’s made with equal parts flour and water along with a very small amount of yeast. This is then left to ferment at room temperature (~20’C) for 12-16 hours until bubbly.
I’ve opted to share the poolish method instead of biga or sourdough. This is purely down to the fact that not everyone has a sourdough starter and I find biga to be a bit more difficult to incorporate without a good spiral mixer.
Poolish is incredibly easy to incorporate without requiring any special equipment. Although a stand mixer or spiral mixer does make things a lot easier. In the recipe below I’ll include the method for making this pizza dough in a mixer as well as by hand.

What is Cold Fermentation?
Cold fermentation also known as cold proofing, is a technique used to ferment the dough in a cold environment, i.e. the refrigerator. This has a whole host of benefits, which I’ll breakdown below:
- IMPROVED TEXTURE – the slower fermentation allows gluten to develop in a more controlled manner. If we imagine the gluten to be like the skin of a balloon, the stronger the skin, the more air it can hold. This not only adds extensibility and strength, but it also allows for retention of more pockets of gas resulting in a lighter texture
- IMPROVED FLAVOUR – more of the starches are broken down via enzymatic activity into simpler sugars (maltose and glucose for e.g.). These sugars not only provide more substrate for the yeast but they also improve browning (via the Maillard reaction) and introduce more complex flavours. The yeast also produce more flavourful byproducts during this time which further enhances the flavour
- IMPROVED DIGESTIBILITY – the process of starch and protein breakdown through enzymatic and bacterial activity essentially acts as partial pre-digestion. This improves the overall digestibility of the dough. The digestibility benefit is further enhanced in sourdough due to the addition of lactic and acetic acids. These lower the pH and further break down gluten proteins and phytic acid. Yeasted doughs do not get the benefits of these acids

Understanding Dough Hydration and Why It Matters
Dough hydration refers to the quantity of liquid relative to the amount of flour. A 100% hydration dough for example would be made with equal parts water to flour. It impacts the crumb structure, crust, handling, and gluten development.
I’ve opted for a slightly higher hydration here which is ideal to combat the longer bake time in a home oven compared to a pizza oven. Longer bake times = drier crusts, and so we want a dough with more water within it. the Pizza ovens reach significantly higher temperatures which allow for shorter bake times. This in turn suits lower hydration doughs.
Should You Add Oil To Pizza Dough?
This is largely down to personal preference, but I don’t add any oil to this dough. My recipe is based on a Neapolitan style dough which contains only 4 ingredients – flour, water, salt, and yeast.
Oil can add tenderness to the crust, increase browning, add moisture, add flavour, and prevent drying. However it can also inhibit gluten development and reduce crispiness. For this reason, I only tend to add oil for pan pizzas and New York style pizzas.

Let’s Talk About Some of the Ingredients
I’ll cover the main ones below but the full recipe can be found at the end
- Strong Bread flour – This is ideal for home oven pizzas as specialty 00 flours really shine at much higher temperatures (over 400’C). Look for a bread flour that has a protein content of 13-14% for best results
- Water
- Yeast – I recommend using instant dry yeast which can be added directly to the flour (no activation needed). This will tend to contain vitamin c/ascorbic acid in the ingredients
- Salt
How to Make This Homemade Pizza Dough (step by step photos)
First, we need to make the poolish
The images below show a double batch of the recipe (8 pizzas) while the recipe below will be for 4


Start by whisking the flour and yeast together in a large bowl. Then, pour in the cold water and whisk well until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature until doubled and bubbly. This will take around 12 hours at a room temperature of 20’C/68’F.


Next, prepping the homemade pizza dough


The no mixer method will be in the recipe card but I highly recommend using a mixer for best results. Place the poolish, water, flour, and salt into the mixer bowl and mix on a low speed until everything is well incorporated.


Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix for ~10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and pass the windowpane test. This is carried out by stretching a small piece of dough between your fingers until it becomes thin enough to see light through it. If it tears, it needs more time in the mixer.
Transfer the dough into a proofing container. Keep your hands lightly damp which will prevent the dough from sticking to you.


Carry out coil folds by lifting the dough up and allowing each end to fold under. Then cover with a lid and allow to sit at room temperature for 60 minutes to kickstart fermentation. After 60 minutes, transfer the container into the fridge to cold proof for 72-96 hours.




After the cold proof, the dough will have risen with visible bubbles along the sides and top. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Weigh and portion into 8x245g doughballs.


The underside of the dough (which was the top side in the container) will be the outer surface of the dough ball. This is the less sticky side that we want to create tension on. The video below will help to show this process.


Fold the 4 corners of the dough over each other and flip the ball over. The underside will now be on top. The aim is to create tension on this side and a seal on the base.


Drag the dough across a non-floured surface. This motion will create tension on top and seal the base. This only needs to be done 3 to 4 times as we don’t want any tears.


Place spaced out in a proofing container and allow to proof. This will take around 4 hours at a room temperature of 22-23’C. Lower temperatures will take longer, higher will be quicker.
And finally, baking the pizzas


Once proofed, dust the sides of the dough ball with semolina and slide under with a dough scraper to lift cleanly. Toss in a mound of semolina until coated all over. Start pressing from the centre upwards and around, ensuring to leave a rim around the dough for the crust


As the dough starts to increase in size, start using both hands for this motion. We’re essentially pushing the air outwards to the cornicione.


The easiest method to stretch the dough is to lift it with your knuckles and slowly rotate. Let gravity do the work for you!


Once topped with your sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. Dust your pizza peel with semolina and slide your pizza on to it in one swift motion. You can also lift the edge of the pizza and slide your peel underneath. Both methods work just fine.


Bake on a stone/steel preheated to the highest temperature your oven will go to. At 300’C my pizzas bake in 3-4 minutes. Slide your pizza straight onto the steel. Be swift and precise with your motion – this can take some practice.
How to Make This Homemade Pizza Dough (video)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this recipe be used in an outdoor pizza oven?
Yes, although to get the most out of a pizza oven there are a few changes I’d recommend. Firstly, switch from bread flour to a specialty pizza 00 flour. 00 flour requires temperatures above 400’C/750’F to brown and char, creating the classic leopard spots.
Secondly, the hydration can be reduced down to 62-65%. 00 flour absorbs water differently to bread flour (due to the finer grind), so the hydration can be lower here. The higher temperature of pizza ovens along with the very short bake time also allows for using a lower hydration dough.
Can this pizza dough be frozen?
It can and I recommend it! I always keep plenty of dough balls frozen. Once the dough has been portioned, and shaped into dough balls, lightly coat in flour and transfer each one into individual freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze immediately and allow to freeze for 3-4 hours.
To thaw, place the frozen dough balls into your proofing container and thaw in the fridge overnight followed by the usual room temperature proof. Alternatively, allow to sit at room temperature ad add 3-4 hours on to your total proofing time.
Tip: Freezing can impact the structure of the dough. So once it’s thawed I recommend giving the dough ball another quick shape to tighten it up again.
Can these pizzas be made without a pizza stone or steel?
Not really unfortunately, you won’t get anywhere near the same result as this recipe without it. If you’re deciding between a stone or a steel, I would absolutely recommend the steel. A pizza steel is far superior to a stone as it’s a better conductor of heat and also retains more heat.
If you enjoyed this recipe
Please do let me know! Leave a review and a rating below, I’d love to know how you got on.
You can also tag me on Instagram at @dish_by_rish. Or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TikTok to keep up with all my cooking and baking creations.
Until then, happy pizza making!
Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

Homemade Pizza Dough
Make chewy, crispy, restaurant-style pizza at home with this 4-ingredient homemade pizza dough. Cold-fermented with a poolish preferment, it's easy to make and perfect for baking restaurant-quality pizzas in your home oven.
Ingredients
For the poolish:
- 145g strong white bread flour (ideally 13-14% protein)
- 145g room temperature water
- 0.15g instant dry yeast
For the pizza dough:
- 435g strong white bread flour
- 260g fridge cold water
- 14g salt
You'll also need:
- Semolina
Instructions
Method for a stand or spiral mixer:
For the poolish:
- Start by mixing the flour and yeast together in a large bowl. Then, pour in the cold water and mix well until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature until doubled and bubbly. This will take around 12 hours at a room temperature of 20'C/68'F
For the Pizza Dough:
- Place the poolish, water, flour, and salt into the mixer bowl and mix on a low speed for 5 minutes. For a spiral mixer this will be 75rpm
- Increase the speed to medium/100rpm and continue to mix for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and pass the windowpane test. This is carried out by stretching a small piece of dough between your fingers until it becomes thin enough to see light through it. If it tears, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes, then mix for a further 5 minutes
- Transfer the dough into a proofing container. Keep your hands lightly damp which will prevent the dough from sticking to you
- Carry out coil folds by lifting the dough up and allowing each end to fold under. Then cover with a lid and allow to sit at room temperature for 60 minutes to kickstart fermentation. After 60 minutes, transfer the container into the fridge to cold proof for 72-96 hours
- After the cold proof, the dough will have risen with visible bubbles along the sides and top. Leave the container (covered) on the counter for 60 minutes to bring the temperature up. Then, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Weigh and portion into 8x245g doughballs
- The underside of the dough (which was the top side in the container) will be the outer surface of the dough ball. This is the less sticky side that we want to create tension on. The video above will help to show this process
- Fold the 4 corners of the dough over each other and flip the ball over. The underside will now be on top. The aim is to create tension on this side and a seal on the base
- Drag the dough across a non-floured surface. This motion will create tension on top and seal the base. This only needs to be done 3 to 4 times as we don't want any tears
- Place the dough balls spaced out in a proofing container and allow to proof. This will take around 4 hours at a room temperature of 22-23'C. Lower temperatures will take longer, and higher temperatures will be quicker. You can carry out a poke test to check if the dough is ready. To do this, lightly dust the top of a dough ball with semolina and gently poke 1/3rd of the way down. If the dough springs back slowly but not all the way, it's ready to go. If it springs back quickly and all the way, it still needs more time. If it doesn't spring back at all and collapses, it's over proofed.
No mixer method:
- Start by preparing the poolish in the same way as above (no mixer is required for this step)
- Once ready, add the cold water to the poolish and mix well with a fork to disperse. Then add in the flour and salt and continue to mix with a fork until no dry flour remains. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes
- In order to develop the gluten we're going to carry out coil folds at regular intervals. Carry out coil folds by lifting the dough up and allowing each end to fold under. These will be carried out at the following times: 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90 minutes. Ensure you do these with wet hands to prevent the dough from sticking
- After the 90 minute fold has been completed, transfer the dough to the proofing container and place into the fridge for 72-96 hours.
- Follow steps 5-9 above
Baking the pizzas:
- With your pizza stone or steel in the oven, preheat to the highest temperature your oven will go to for a full 60 minutes. This will usually be between 270-300'C in the UK and around 500-550'F in the USA/Canada
- Once proofed, dust semolina around the sides of the dough ball and slide under with a dough scraper to lift cleanly. Toss in a mound of semolina until coated all over. Start pressing from the centre upwards and around, ensuring to leave a rim around the dough for the crust. I find 2cm to be a good size but it's up to you how large or small you'd like your crust
- As the dough starts to increase in size, start using both hands for this motion. We're essentially pushing the air outwards to the cornicione (crust)
- The easiest method to stretch the dough is to lift it with your knuckles and slowly rotate. Let gravity do the work for you!
- Once topped with your sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. Dust your pizza peel with semolina and slide your pizza on to it in one swift motion. You can also lift the edge of the pizza and slide your peel underneath. Both methods work just fine
- Slide your pizza straight onto the steel/stone. Be swift and precise with your motion - this can take some practice. At 300'C my pizzas bake in 3-4 minutes
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this recipe be used in an outdoor pizza oven?
- Yes, although to get the most out of a pizza oven there are a few changes I'd recommend. Firstly, switch from bread flour to a specialty pizza 00 flour. 00 flour requires temperatures above 400'C/750'F to brown and char, creating the classic leopard spots.
- Secondly, the hydration can be reduced down to 62-65%. 00 flour absorbs water differently to bread flour (due to the finer grind), so the hydration can be lower here. The higher temperature of pizza ovens along with the very short bake time also allows for using a lower hydration dough.
Can this pizza dough be frozen?
- It can and I recommend it! I always keep plenty of dough balls frozen. Once the dough has been portioned, and shaped into dough balls, lightly coat in flour and transfer each one into individual freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze immediately and allow to freeze for 3-4 hours.
- To thaw, place the frozen dough balls into your proofing container and thaw in the fridge overnight followed by the usual room temperature proof. Alternatively, allow to sit at room temperature ad add 3-4 hours on to your total proofing time.
- Tip: Freezing can impact the structure of the dough. So once it's thawed I recommend giving the dough ball another quick shape to tighten it up again.
Can these pizzas be made without a pizza stone or steel?
- Not really unfortunately, you won't get anywhere near the same result as this recipe without it. If you're deciding between a stone or a steel, I would absolutely recommend the steel. A pizza steel is far superior to a stone as it's a better conductor of heat and also retains more heat.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 674Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 1364mgCarbohydrates 136gFiber 5gSugar 0gProtein 23g
Note: This is an automated calculation and hence may not be entirely accurate.