Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
This is my go-to overnight pizza dough recipe and uses just five ingredients – flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil – to create a beautifully smooth, elastic dough that’s great for an outdoor pizza oven or a standard household oven.
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Making your own pizza dough means pizza night is always on your terms. This is my go-to overnight pizza dough recipe, built on just five ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil.
I’ve been making this recipe for years, testing it in everything from a standard home oven to my outdoor pizza oven and the Ooni Volt 2 indoor pizza oven. The long cold rest in the refrigerator is what makes it worth making from scratch. Slow fermentation develops a complex, slightly tangy flavor that a same-day dough simply can’t replicate, and the dough becomes easier to stretch the longer it rests. I typically make a batch at least 36 hours before, and it only gets better from there. Three days, or about 72 hours, is the sweet spot for maximum flavor.
This dough also freezes beautifully, so a single batch can set you up for multiple pizza nights. It’s the base for all of my pizza recipes, including asparagus pizza, pesto and potato pizza, and egg and arugula pizza.
What You Need
Five ingredients is all it takes. The quality and type of each one matters more than you might expect.
- Bread Flour: Five cups (600 grams) is the base amount. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which develops more gluten and gives the crust its chewy, structured texture. King Arthur bread flour in the blue and white bag is my go-to. Depending on your kitchen temperature, humidity, and how you measure, you may need up to 50 additional grams to achieve the right consistency. The dough should feel tacky but not sticky.
- Cool Water: Two cups, at room temperature or slightly warmer. Cool water is intentional here. It slows the yeast activity and works with the cold fermentation process rather than against it. Warm water would speed things up in a way that works against the overnight rest.
- Active dry yeast: Just half a teaspoon. This is a small amount by design. The long cold fermentation does the work that a larger quantity of yeast would do quickly, but with significantly more flavor development as a result.
- Kosher salt: One tablespoon. Salt strengthens the gluten structure and controls the yeast activity. Add it with the flour rather than directly on top of the yeast.
- Olive oil: Two teaspoons, added after the initial rest. The oil coats the gluten strands and makes the dough more supple and easier to stretch. Note that olive oil is optional if you’re making this dough specifically for a high-heat pizza oven. See the recipe notes for details.
Pro tip: Use a whisk to “fluff” up the flour in your bag before measuring the bread flour. This will help with spooning it into measuring cups for consistency.
How to Make overnight Pizza Dough
Start the dough. Add 2 cups of cool water to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it rest for a few minutes. Add the bread flour and kosher salt. Using the dough hook attachment, mix until a shaggy dough forms and no flour streaks remain.
Rest. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. This rest period, called autolyse, allows the flour to fully hydrate and begins gluten development before any kneading happens. This makes the mixing step significantly easier and produces a smoother dough.
Add the olive oil and knead. Drizzle the olive oil over the rested dough. Using the dough hook on medium-low speed, mix until the dough forms a smooth, elastic ball, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set a timer, if you need, and don’t walk away. Over-mixing is possible and will affect the texture.
Divide and refrigerate. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 4 equal portions. A kitchen scale gives you the most consistent results here. Shape each portion into a smooth ball and place in individual covered containers or bowls sealed with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or up to 3 days.
If the dough is too sticky to handle, lightly wet your hands with cold water. This helps you shape the dough without it sticking, without adding extra flour that could tighten the dough.
When ready to use. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour before shaping, and up to 2 hours if your kitchen runs cool. Cold dough will tear and snap back when you try to stretch it. Room temperature dough stretches easily and produces a better rise and more air bubbles in the crust.
Tips for The Best Results
- Stick with bread flour: It has a higher protein content and helps create a strong, chewy structure. King Arthur makes a great bread flour (in the blue and white bag), which is a go-to for this recipe.
- Don’t rush the rise: The cold fermentation process in the refrigerator allows the dough to develop a complex, tangy flavor. The longer you rest it, the tangier it gets.
- Mix just until smooth: Over-mixing is possible, so make sure to set a timer. Once the dough forms a smooth ball, you’re ready to divide it and cover.
- Really let it rest: When you’re ready to make pizza, give yourself time to let the dough come to room temperature. At least an hour, maybe longer, depending on the temperature of the room. Cold dough will be difficult to stretch or roll without tearing or pulling back into a tight ball. Plus, room temperature dough will produce a better rise and more air bubbles (you want that) in your crust.
Rolling vs. Stretching
When it comes time to shape your pizza, you can stretch or roll the dough. Here’s the difference:
- Stretching: This will create a more traditional, airy pizza with bubbles in the crust. This is the recommended method, especially for outdoor pizza ovens. This is how I prepare the dough when using my Ooni Koda 16.
- Rolling: If you want a cracker-like crust, rolling this dough is an option. Deflate the dough by pressing it flat with your fingers. Then use a rolling pin with dough on a lightly floured surface. This method works best for baking in a standard oven.
No matter how you prepare your dough for toppings, you will end up with a delicious crust.
Pro tip: Keep topping simple. You want to use no more than about ½ a cup of sauce and 1 cup or so of toppings to keep your pizza from getting soggy or weighing down.
How to Freeze Pizza Dough
You can batch make this dough and freeze the balls for later use. Let them rest on the counter for about 20 minutes after forming. Place on a sheetpan and freeze solid. Then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a reusable zip-top bag.
When you’re ready for pizza, bring your frozen dough out to rest until it reaches room temperature. Alternatively, you can bring it back out of the freezer the night before you want to make pizza and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Then, bring it from the refrigerator back to room temperature.
Dough will stay fresh in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. It may last longer, but it may be subject to freezer burn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Mix the flour, yeast, water, and salt by hand in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms, then let it rest for 20 minutes before adding the olive oil. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It takes more effort but produces the same result.
This dough is best used within 3 days, though it can stretch to 4 or 5 days before the flavor starts to become overly fermented and sour. The sweet spot is 24 to 72 hours. The longer it rests, the more complex and tangy the flavor becomes.
You can, but the result will be noticeably different. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which develops more gluten and gives the crust its chewy, structured texture. All-purpose flour produces a softer, less chewy crust. For a pizza oven or high-heat baking, bread flour is strongly recommended.
The most common reason is that the dough is too cold. Let it rest at room temperature for at least an hour, and up to two hours if your kitchen runs cool. Cold dough is tight and resistant, while room temperature dough stretches more easily and produces a better crust.
Yes. After dividing the dough into balls, let them rest for 20 minutes, then freeze on a sheet pan until solid. Wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap and store in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using.
The overnight rest is what develops the flavor and texture that makes this recipe worth making. For a same-day dough, increase the yeast to 1 teaspoon and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size. The result will be good but milder in flavor than the overnight version.
Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cool water, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 5 cups (600g) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
- Add 2 cups cool water to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon active dry yeast on top and let rest for a few minutes.
- Add in 5 cups bread flour and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. With a dough hook attachment, mix until you get a shaggy dough and no flour streaks remain.
- Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Drizzle on 2 teaspoons olive oil. Using the dough hook attachment, mix until dough forms a smooth ball, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove dough from the bowl and divide into 4 smaller balls.
- Add to individual containers and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, up to 3 days.
- When ready to use, let dough rest on the counter for at least an hour, or until it’s at room temperature.
Notes
- Flour: The base amount is 600 grams (5 cups). Depending on humidity, kitchen temperature, and how you measure, you may need up to 50 additional grams. Add it a tablespoon at a time until the dough feels tacky but not sticky. Use a whisk to fluff the flour in the bag before spooning it into your measuring cup for the most consistent results.
- Olive oil is optional: If you’re making this dough for a high-heat pizza oven such as the Ooni Volt 2, olive oil is not necessary and can be omitted.
- Mixing by hand: Mix the flour, yeast, water, and salt by hand until a shaggy dough forms, then rest for 20 minutes. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. Divide, cover, and refrigerate as directed.
- Same-day option: Increase the yeast to 1 teaspoon and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until doubled. The result will be good but milder in flavor than the overnight version.
- Freezing: After dividing into balls, let rest for 20 minutes, then freeze on a sheet pan until solid. Wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap and store in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using.
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