Higher hydration
More open crumb, larger air pockets and a lighter crust. The dough is also stickier and harder to shape.
Baker's percentage tool
Pizza dough hydration calculator
Enter the amount of flour you plan to use and the hydration you want. The calculator returns the exact water weight, plus salt and yeast at your chosen percentages.
Water from flour weight
Hydration is water divided by flour. 65% means 65 g water for every 100 g flour.
650
g water
For 1,000 g flour at 65% hydration.
Total dough: 1,680 g.
Flour1,000 g
Water650 g
Salt25.0 g
Instant dry yeast5.0 g
Total dough1,680 g
Reference
Hydration chart for 1 kg of flour
These amounts assume 1,000 g of flour. Use the calculator above for any other flour weight.
| Hydration | Water | Total dough* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% | 500 g | 1,530 g | Very stiff, cracker-thin crust |
| 55% | 550 g | 1,580 g | Thin crust, easy handling |
| 60% | 600 g | 1,630 g | Classic same-day dough |
| 65% | 650 g | 1,680 g | Balanced home oven dough |
| 70% | 700 g | 1,730 g | Open crumb, New York style |
| 75% | 750 g | 1,780 g | High hydration, pan pizza |
| 80% | 800 g | 1,830 g | Very wet, advanced handling |
| 90% | 900 g | 1,930 g | Ciabatta-like, difficult |
| 100% | 1,000 g | 2,030 g | Experimental, very sticky |
*Total dough includes 2.5% salt and 0.5% instant dry yeast.
Why it matters
Hydration changes more than water
Flour absorption
Whole wheat and high-protein flour absorb more water. If the dough feels dry, add water in 10 g increments.
Temperature and time
A long cold ferment makes the dough easier to handle. Warm rooms speed fermentation and can make wet dough harder to work with.
Tip: Hold back 5% of the water, then add it after the flour is fully hydrated. This makes it easier to judge the final texture.