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Fermentation guide

Cold ferment pizza dough

A slow refrigerator ferment builds flavor and makes the dough easier to shape. This recipe makes four 250 g balls at 65% hydration, perfect for 12-inch pizzas.

4 x 250 g balls65% hydration48–72 h coldBread flour

Ingredients

IngredientWeightBaker's %
Bread flour600 g100%
Water390 g65%
Fine sea salt15 g2.5%
Instant dry yeast1.2 g0.2%

Total dough weight is about 1,006 g, which divides into four 250 g balls.

Schedule

  1. Mix. Combine flour, water and yeast in a bowl. Stir until no dry flour remains, cover and rest 20 minutes.
  2. Add salt. Sprinkle the salt over the dough and knead or fold until it is fully incorporated and the dough feels smooth.
  3. Bulk ferment. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour. The dough should relax and start to show a few bubbles.
  4. Ball. Divide into four 250 g pieces. Shape each into a tight ball and place in a lightly oiled container.
  5. Cold ferment. Refrigerate for 48–72 hours. Put the containers in the middle of the fridge, not the coldest shelf.
  6. Warm up. Take the balls out 1–2 hours before baking. Let them come to room temperature and relax.
  7. Stretch and bake. Stretch to 12 inches, add toppings and bake as hot as your oven allows, usually 500–550°F for 6–9 minutes.

Why cold ferment works

Yeast activity slows in the refrigerator, but enzymes keep breaking down starch and protein. That produces a more complex flavor and a dough that is easier to stretch without tearing. The longer the ferment, the less yeast you need.

For a 48-hour ferment, 0.2% yeast is a safe starting point. If you plan to go 72 hours, drop to 0.1% or use cold water when mixing. If the dough smells strongly of alcohol or collapses, it has gone too far.

Common problems

The dough is too wet

Flour absorption varies. Hold back 20 g of water, then add it after the rest if the dough still looks dry. If it is already sticky, dust with a little flour before balling.

The dough tears when stretched

It is probably still cold or under-rested. Cover it and wait another 20–30 minutes. Do not force it.

The balls flatten in the fridge

Your yeast amount may be too high or the fridge too warm. Reduce yeast next time and check the fridge temperature.

Related tools

Use the pizza dough calculator to scale this recipe to any number of pizzas, or the hydration calculator if you want to change the water percentage.

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Food safety: Keep dough covered and refrigerated below 40°F / 4°C. Discard dough that develops visible mold or an off smell.