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This Ooni pizza dough recipe has the best chewy texture and flavor! Use it when cooking with any outdoor pizza oven.
Got a pizza oven and want to fire it up? Try my Ooni pizza dough recipe, which works with any type of outdoor pizza oven! This dough makes the perfect supple crust that’s ideal for firing at high temperatures.
Alex and I are cookbook authors and homemade pizza experts who have spent the last decade perfecting how to make pizza at home. This is our tried and tested pizza oven dough recipe—it comes out light and chewy on the inside and charred on the outside, with the perfect hydration ratio for cooking at high heat!
What makes the best Ooni pizza dough?
The best pizza you can make at home, in my opinion, is pizza in an outdoor pizza oven! There are many great pizza ovens on the market these days. Alex and I own and have extensive experience with both the Ooni pizza oven and the ROCCBOX. This recipe works perfectly with both pizza ovens. Here’s what we’ve learned after researching what makes the best Ooni pizza dough recipe:
- Use a dough with 62% hydration for hot temperatures. This gets a little nerdy, but this recipe has a slightly lower hydration than our classic pizza dough recipe. Hydration is the ratio of water to flour in a dough. Lower hydration dough works better in the high temperatures of a pizza oven, and it’s a bit easer to work with (not as sticky).
- If possible, use Tipo 00 flour. Tipo 00 flour is the type of Italian flour that Neapolitan pizza restaurants use. It makes a supple and fluffy dough that’s a notch above all purpose flour. Tipo 00 is becoming easy to find at your local grocery or online. Substitute all purpose flour if it’s all you have, but it’s worth seeking out the good stuff.
Tips for how to make Ooni pizza dough
This Ooni pizza dough recipe is straightforward, but it does take some practice. Here’s what to expect in the dough making process:
- Measure using a food scale. Measuring by weight with a food scale is more accurate than measuring with cups, and accounts for environmental changes.
- Knead the dough by hand or using a stand mixer. A stand mixer is totally hands off, but you can get your hands dirty, too. In both cases, it takes just 8 minutes.
- Rest the dough for 45 minutes. This is also called “proofing” and lets the dough rise, allowing it get to the perfect fluffy texture.
- Or, make the dough up to 3 days in advance. The flavor actually gets better over time! For best results refrigerate the dough for 2 to 3 days, which imparts a nuanced, nutty undertone.
How to stretch the dough
Stretching the dough is the trickiest part of the Ooni pizza dough process—outside of cooking it, of course! You’ll need to stretch it into an 11-inch circle. For best results, watch our video for How to Stretch Pizza Dough. Follow these tips:
- Dust the pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. This helps the dough to slide right onto the stone. We prefer semolina flour.
- First pat the dough into a circle. Place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, flipping several times and adding a pinch of flour if it is too sticky.
- Gently stretch the dough over your knuckles. Once you have about an 8-inch circle, pick up the dough and gently drape it over the knuckles on both of your hands. Slowly rotate it around, allowing gravity to stretch it into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. If the dough starts to resist stretching, put it down and allow it to rest for a few minutes, at which point it will stretch more easily.
Important pizza peel tips
Alex has been making Ooni pizza dough for years and has a slightly different method for the pizza peel. He noticed that cornmeal or semolina on the bottom can tend to burn slightly in a pizza oven.
So, he prepares and tops the pizza dough first on this conveyor Super Pizza Peel (so he can avoid using semolina). Then he uses the conveyor to place the dough onto the stainless steel pizza peel that comes with the oven. It’s a bit of a workaround, but it’s our best practice! You can still use cornmeal and semolina with good results.
Another tip: We use this ROCCBOX turning peel to rotate the pizza while it cooks in the oven, which is very helpful. You can use the nonstick peel for transfer (which comes with the oven).
My favorite pizza ovens
Alex and I are a bit pizza oven obsessed. We’ve owned an Ooni pizza oven for several years and just added a Gozney ROCCBOX to the family. Here’s my two cents on the best pizza oven after years of experience:
- Open-front propane ovens are best for easy cooking. We recommend this Ooni Koda 12 or the ROCCBOX. This type is a definite upgrade from our previous wood fired Ooni, which was more finicky in the cooking process.
- Ooni and ROCCBOX are comparable. We decided on the ROCCBOX for extra insulation and our personal preference of dough cooking, but both are comparable. Try the Ooni Koda 16 if you prefer a larger pizza.
Pizza topping ideas for outdoor ovens
What are the best pizza toppings? In my opinion, anything with our easy red pizza sauce recipe can’t be beat. Here are a few of my top ideas for pizza recipes to make in an Ooni pizza oven:
- Go classic with a Margherita pizza or cheese pizza
- Try alternate sauces with a white pizza or pesto pizza
- Get fancy with a goat cheese pizza or Greek pizza
- Add sauteed mushrooms for a truffle pizza or mushroom pizza, or mixed veggies like an avocado pizza, spinach artichoke pizza, or healthy pizza
Ooni Pizza Dough Recipe (for Pizza Ovens!)
This Ooni pizza dough recipe has the best chewy texture and flavor! Use it when cooking with any outdoor pizza oven.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Yield: 3 medium pizzas 1x
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Pizza Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 500 grams* Tipo 00 or all-purpose flour (3 ⅓ cups)
- 8 grams instant or active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
- 7 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
- 310 grams warm water (1 ¼ cups + 1 tablespoons)
- 13 grams olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- Semolina flour (or cornmeal), for dusting
Instructions
- Mix the dough: Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir to combine. Add the water and olive oil and stir until a raggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
- Rest the dough: After the kneading is finished, divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Using floured hands, gently shape each half into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Set each boule on a floured surface and dab the dough with a bit of olive oil to keep it moist. Cover all boules with a damp towel and allow them to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Optional: chill up to 3 days: The dough can be used immediately. However for the BEST flavor, transfer the dough to separate sealed containers, large enough for the dough to double in size again, and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. (We don’t always do this, but we try when possible because it makes for a noticeably nutty, unique flavor that truly is the best homemade pizza dough you’ve ever had.) You can also freeze pizza dough you don’t plan to use the day of.
- **If you’re using the dough after refrigerating: The day of serving, remove the dough from the containers, place it on a lightly floured surface covered with a towel, and allow it to come to room temperature before stretching, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat: Preheat the pizza oven.
- Stretch the dough: When the oven is ready, dust the stainless steel pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. To stretch the dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, flipping several times and adding a pinch of flour if it is too sticky. Once you have about an 8-inch circle, pick up the dough and gently drape it over the knuckles on both of your hands. Slowly rotate it around, allowing gravity to stretch it into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Do not overwork or fold the dough. If the dough starts to resist stretching, put it down and allow it to rest for a few minutes, at which point it will stretch more easily. Gently place the dough onto the pizza peel.
- Top the pizza: Top the pizza according to the pizza recipe you’re using.
- Bake the pizza: Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza to the pizza oven. Bake the pizza until the cheese is melted and the crust is lightly charred, about 1 to 2 minutes in a pizza oven (follow the specific instructions that accompany your oven). Allow the pizza to cool for a minute, then slice into pieces and serve immediately.
I love this recipe and all the helpful tips.
A recipe of 1.5 is essentially 5 cups of flour, 2 cups of warm water, and 1.5 of everything else. Works great and gives you about 7 – 6 ounce balls
Combined with the right sauce, it makes all the difference. Make your own or San Marzano
What if I make it at noon and want to eat it at 7pm? Should I put it in the fridge after the first doubling in size or can I just leave it on the counter until I want to use it?
Place it in the fridge or it will over-rise.
This is the Best pizza dough recipe! I weigh the flour – King Arthur’s 00 pizza flour, use rapid rise yeast and knead in my Kitchen aid mixer on low for 8 minutes. Comes out perfect every time!
Thank you!
If I want to halve the recipe do I halve the amount of yeast? Thanks!
yes!
Hello
I tried this recipe over the past weekend. While it was very easy to follow your steps, the results after cooking in my home gas oven on a pizza stone at 550 F was far from what I though it would be. It took 6 minutes to cook. The results was a very hard curst pizza. The flavour was not that good either. Some notes of what I used. I only used your weight measurements. I used all purpose flour and mixed it a Kitchen Aid mixer. I let it rest for an hour in my oven on the proof setting .
What did I do wrong? Any tips would help.
Hi! You should get a nicer, chewy puffy crust at that temperature. Did you stretch the dough or roll it out with a pin? I’m wondering if it got overworked.
You say you like cooking with the temp from 750-850, however the flour you linked specifically says do not use this flour for temperatures above 550, and to use another of their flours if you were going higher than that.
We used the dough immediately, as I needed extra when the girls (28 & 31!) came over for Roccbox pizza. I usually use @mike_fitzick ‘s phenomenal dough, but it needs 24-48hrs to rest/rise….so, thought I’d try this in the clutch. Used my Kitchen-aid dough hook to knead for suggested 8 minutes. In the end, we found this dough recipe underwhelming. Despite 450C (900F) oven, the outer edges puffed up nicely, but middle of the pies remained compressed/doughy. (And, yes, I followed the recipe…a very experienced cook.) Just know I’ll stick to Mike’s from now on.
While we’re not new to making pizza, we’re new to using an outdoor pizza oven. This is the only dough recipe I’ve used with our Ooni and it’s worked perfectly every time!
Hi, searching for the perfect recipe and yours looks perfect! I made it today and it’s in the fridge awaiting tomorrow to make the pizzas! Question: The dough has already more than doubled in size, is this normal? Also, I weighed all of the ingredients but they vastly differed from the cup/tsp/tlbs amount and not sure if I need a new scale.
Thank you!
JO
Hi! Yes, the doubling in size is normal. Your scale is probably good! This is the reason for weighing as flour and salt vary greatly each time you scoop them out.
Good luck with the cooking!
My son made this pizza in a pizza oven and it was delicious.
What should oven temperature and time be for an electric oven using a pizza stone.
Thank you,
DM
Hi! As hot as possible for 5 to 7 minutes.
Hello,
Just wondering…if I am using sourdough starter in this recipe, how much sourdough starter would I add? Read the comments below regarding heating up to 850 degrees…we couldn’t figure out why our dough wasn’t baking at 500. Will try to increase heat for heating up stone.
We haven’t played with sourdough pizza yet, but I’d try around 75 grams.
I have just made the dough and am confused on how many pizzas it makes. I used the 2x recipe with just over the 6 cups of flour. It says to divide into 3 balls but the top of the recipe say it make 6 medium pizzas.
2x recipe should make 6 dough balls.
Hi, the dough was very easy to make. After the first rise, I punched it down before putting in refrigerator. The instructions didn’t say this, but every dough I’ve ever made says to punch down after first rise. Hope this is correct. Look forward to trying it out. Thank you.
You don’t need to but it works as well!
Hi, does this mean that the dough is basically continuing to rise as you transfer the dough to the fridge? I think I’ve been punching it down out of habit.
Thanks! We’ve had great success but I’m thinking of trying a longer proof next time around.
Hi! Yes, the dough will rise slowly in the fridge and can be punched before stretching.
Best pizza dough!!! No sticking, held it’s round shape. Bubbled perfectly and tasted fantastically. Thanks!
So glad to hear that!
Best pizza dough recipe of all the several we’ve tried! Thank you!
SO glad you enjoyed!
I made a double batch in the morning and refrigerated till needed in the evening. Pizzas came out FANTASTIC!!!! Looks like we’ll be using our pizza oven every weekend now!
Can this be used in an oven? We used two in our ooni but wanting to use the other in the oven this week.
Yes! They work best at 500F with a pizza stone.
We just made this last night, and cooked it in our wood fired outdoor pizza oven. It was excellent! Bubbled up beautifully, and had a lovely texture. We were a bit short on time, so didn’t let it sit for the recommended 2/3 days, but will try that next weekend. This will be the dough we use this summer! Thanks for sharing!
Any thoughts on resting it in a large, flat rubbermaid tub?
So glad you enjoyed! You can definitely rest all the balls in a large tub, but we prefer smaller, maybe 6″ containers that will get your dough started out in a circle.
Can this dough be made in a breadmaker on the dough setting?
Probably but we haven’t used a breadmaker!
I have used this pizza dough recipe probably 10 + times now and have made double recipes of it. This pizza dough works great for the Ooni pizza oven.
I use a bread machine to do the kneading work for me, put the dough directly into a oiled bowl and let it rise at room temp for about 30 minutes to an hour. I punch it and divide it into six 140 gram rounds and let it rise again on the counter before rolling out and baking.
I also add just a little bit of sugar to the water, like a 1/8th teaspoon.
Loved this recipe!! We’ve struggled making dough for our Ooni in the past and this dough was perfect. We had to put in the fridge for a couple of hours after proofing it but before we had time to bake and it still turned out perfectly. Thank you so much we have found our new go to recipe!
Wanted to make this tomorrow, but just wanted to understand as I’m a pizza dough novice. If making in advance do you refrigerate after you kneed and separate into 3 balls or after you let it rise for an hour? If you do put it in the fridge for a few days do you need to let it rise and bring it to room temp before using? How long does that usually take? Thanks! Can’t wait to try!!
Hi! Divide the kneaded dough, let it rise, then refrigerate. Bring to room temp for 30 minutes before stretching.
We usually refrigerate in separate containers (with a little room to rise), but you can do one large container too.
Just tried this recipe on Sunday and used the dough the next day. I have to say this was the best tasting pizza crust we have made so far and the first time I haven’t gotten completely frustrated trying to stretch out the dough. Super easy and a big hit with the whole family. Can’t wait for next pizza night!
Glad to hear it!
Thanks for the above info. Very helpful.
I have the Ooni Koda 16 and the thing I have trouble with is getting the bottom of the pizza cooked. Any tips on that ?
The best thing to do is get a infrared thermometer and check the temperature of the stone before putting the pizza on. I like it between 750F and 850F before adding the pizza.
I agree, I like my Ooni to get to a minimum deck temperature of 750F but prefer in the 850F range, especially when I have wood blazing since it’s not as easy to control as gas is and I want the bottom to cook before the top burns
I have an ooni Koda 16 gas oven. Any tips for getting the bottom done at 725 degrees on the stone and not burning the top? One thing I’ve tried is turning the oven off for 60-90 seconds and letting the bottom cook and then turning it back on at the lowest temp setting.
I would let it preheat longer so the stone is closer to 850F.
You mix all dry ingredients? there’s no need on proofing yeast with water first?Thanks
Correct!
If making for use 3 days from now, are we to let it rest (step #3) and then put them in the refrigerator or just go directly to the fridge after making 3 boules?
Let it proof first!
When we transfer to a container to use in a couple days, do we still wrap it in a towel?
You can cover the container with a lid, just make sure there is extra space for the dough to expand.
Let us know if you have any questions!
Can this dough be made ahead of time and frozen? If so, could you please explain how best to freeze and thaw. Thank you.
Hi! Yes, freeze in individual balls after proofing, then thaw in refrigerator one day before making the pizza.
– Can I leave it out longer than 1 hour?
-does it still need a wet cloth if I have a proofing box with a lid?
You can push it maybe another half hour but it will start to over proof. Keep it in the fridge if you need to slow it down. Now need for cloth in a proofing box!