This simple cold-ferment pizza dough delivers crisp, flavorful crusts with minimal effort—thanks to a 24-hour chill in the fridge and the use of instant yeast, which skips the traditional proofing step. I’ve tested this recipe with several flours, and it works beautifully across the board.
The pizzas in the lead photos were made with King Arthur Bread Flour (12.7% protein). You can also use a 50/50 blend of bread flour and “00” pizza flour (12–13% protein). Alternatively, go with 100% “00” pizza flour—but be sure it’s labeled for pizza, not pasta, as their protein content and performance differ significantly.
This recipe yields two generous 250g dough balls, perfect for personal-sized pizzas. To double the batch, simply double all ingredients—including the yeast.
Ingredients
- 300 g bread flour (or “00” pizza flour), plus extra for dusting
- 1.5 g instant yeast (about ½ teaspoon)
- 7 g fine sea salt (a scant 1 teaspoon)
- 200 g ice-cold water
- 4 g extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Start by whisking the flour, instant yeast, and salt together in a large bowl. Next, add the ice-cold water and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a clean counter and knead for about 3 minutes. Let it rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten. After the rest, knead for another 3 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough in half. Shape each piece into a tight ball by pulling the dough toward you to create surface tension. Lightly coat each ball with olive oil. Then place them in small containers or sealable plastic bags.
Refrigerate overnight. The dough is ready to use after this rest and will keep well for up to three days.
About 2 hours before baking, take the dough out of the fridge. Let it warm to room temperature—this usually takes around 2 hours. Look for visible bubbles and a soft, lofty texture as signs it’s ready.
Shape your pizza, add sauce and toppings, and bake in the hottest oven you have. For best results, use a preheated pizza stone. In a standard home oven, 450°F (232°C) with a stone yields excellent, blistered crusts in just 5–7 minutes.
Why This Works
The cold ferment enhances flavor and texture while requiring almost no active time. Instant yeast activates during the slow chill, eliminating the need for a separate proofing step. Plus, the flexibility in flour choice makes this recipe adaptable to what you have on hand—so long as you avoid low-protein “00” pasta flour.
Whether you’re a weeknight cook or a weekend pizza enthusiast, this cold-ferment pizza dough offers restaurant-quality results with pantry staples and one night of patience.
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