Recipes

BIG HORN OUTDOORS® Signature Pizza Dough Recipe

Floured pizza dough balls ready for baking
ByWill Liu

This pizza dough uses 560 g flour, 360 g water, 20 g salt and 6 g active dry yeast. The 946 g batch makes four dough balls of about 236.5 g before handling losses. Match fermentation and baking to your room, flour and oven instead of treating a single proofing time as a guarantee.

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This pizza dough uses 560 g flour, 360 g water, 20 g salt and 6 g active dry yeast. The 946 g batch makes four dough balls of about 236.5 g before handling losses. Match fermentation and baking to your room, flour and oven instead of treating a single proofing time as a guarantee.

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Weigh the dough ingredients

Use a scale for the main ingredients. The quantities below make the yield explicit. A different number of dough balls changes the batch quantity; it does not require changing hydration.

Ingredient Four-ball batch Baker’s percentage
00 flour or suitable pizza flour 560 g 100%
Water 360 g 64.29%
Salt 20 g 3.57%
Active dry yeast 6 g 1.07%

Baker’s percentage expresses every ingredient relative to flour weight. The salt level in this particular formula is relatively substantial; keep it visible rather than silently presenting it as a universal pizza standard. If your flour or preferred style calls for another formula, use that recipe consistently before experimenting.

Stainless steel pellet pizza oven with chimney, front door and pizza
12" Wood Pellet Pizza Oven, Compatible with Gas Burner and Electric Heater Accessories (Sold Separately)

Scale the batch without losing the arithmetic

Multiply every ingredient by the desired number of balls divided by four. These examples preserve the same ball size and ingredient proportions. The theoretical total includes all ingredients; dough left on the bowl or bench reduces the amount available to divide.

Hands stretching and folding pizza dough
Hands stretching and folding pizza dough.
Dough balls Flour Water Salt Active dry yeast Total
2 280 g 180 g 10 g 3 g 473 g
4 560 g 360 g 20 g 6 g 946 g
6 840 g 540 g 30 g 9 g 1,419 g
8 1,120 g 720 g 40 g 12 g 1,892 g

Mix according to the yeast instructions

Check the yeast packet for its preparation and water-temperature requirements. Do not assume all active dry, instant and fresh yeast can be substituted gram for gram. Prepare the yeast as instructed, combine the flour and water, add the remaining ingredients and mix until no dry pockets remain. Knead until the dough becomes cohesive and smoother, allowing a short covered rest if it is difficult to handle.

Avoid solving every sticky moment by adding handfuls of flour. Some initial tackiness is expected, and extra flour changes the formula. Clean hands, a scraper and brief rests can make handling easier without turning a measured recipe into an unknown mixture.

Portioned dough balls on a lightly floured surface
Portioned dough balls on a lightly floured surface.

Let the dough show you its progress

Cover the dough so that its surface does not dry out. Fermentation speed depends on temperature, yeast condition and the dough itself. Observe expansion, aeration and handling rather than promising that every batch is ready after 45 minutes. This yeast quantity is not automatically interchangeable with a low-yeast, long-fermentation recipe.

Divide the dough by weight and form balls with a reasonably smooth surface. Keep them covered while they relax. If planning a refrigerated schedule, use a tested schedule suited to the yeast quantity and container capacity; do not leave this batch warm overnight because another recipe mentions a 24-hour fermentation. Bring chilled dough toward a workable condition before shaping, allowing enough covered relaxation without leaving it out indefinitely.

Perforated silver pizza peel with a folding black handle
12” Perforated Pizza Peel with Foldable Handle
Hands stretching pizza dough on a work surface
Hands stretching pizza dough on a work surface.
Dough behavior Check first Useful adjustment
Springs back during shaping Cold dough or insufficient relaxation Cover, rest and try again gently.
Spreads and tears easily Fermentation, handling and flour suitability Handle gently and review the schedule before changing water.
Sticks to the bench Surface moisture and dusting Use a light, even dusting rather than a deep bed of flour.
Dry skin forms Cover and container seal Keep the remaining balls covered.

Shape, top and launch with a prepared oven

Press from the center outward and stretch gradually, preserving a rim if that suits your pizza. Do not force a thin center that tears under toppings. Use a modest topping load, drain wet ingredients and prepare the launch area before moving the dough. The peel troubleshooting guide explains the slide test and rescue options before a pizza reaches the oven.

Preheat according to the appliance and surface instructions. A high advertised air or flame temperature does not prove the stone is ready. Use the pellet oven heat-up guide for that fuel type, or the matching instructions for gas and electric models. Rotate and monitor the pizza as needed; this dough does not create a universal 90-second bake.

Tomato sauce and basil on unbaked pizza dough on a peel
Tomato sauce and basil on unbaked pizza dough on a peel.

Keep raw flour out of tasting

Flour is a raw ingredient. FDA guidance on handling flour advises against eating raw dough and recommends washing hands and cleaning surfaces after handling it. Keep raw dough and flour away from ready-to-eat toppings and serving equipment. Bake the dough through before eating.

Frequently asked questions

How much dough does this recipe make?

The ingredients total 946 g, or four balls of approximately 236.5 g before handling losses.

What is the hydration?

Water divided by flour is 360 ÷ 560, approximately 64.29%. Salt and yeast do not enter that hydration calculation.

Can I use fresh yeast instead of active dry yeast?

Use the conversion and preparation instructions for the yeast manufacturer or a tested recipe. Equal weights of different yeast types are not automatically equivalent.

Why does the dough spring back?

Cold dough or insufficient relaxation can make shaping difficult. Keep it covered, allow an appropriate rest and stretch gently rather than forcing it thin.

Explore more: Pizza Dough & Crust Guides.

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