Neapolitan Dough Formula Calculator
Enter your target number of dough balls and baker’s percentages. The calculator instantly returns ingredient weights for a classic Neapolitan-style dough.
Why use a Neapolitan pizza dough calculator?
Great pizza starts with consistency. A dough calculator removes guesswork by using baker’s percentages, so your recipe scales perfectly whether you’re making 2 pizzas at home or 20 for a party. Instead of manually doing math every time, you can focus on fermentation, shaping, and baking.
How this calculator works
Baker’s percentages in plain English
In baker’s math, flour is always 100%. Every other ingredient is a percentage of flour weight:
- Water = hydration % of flour
- Salt = salt % of flour
- Yeast = yeast % of flour
- Oil = oil % of flour (optional)
The calculator starts with your desired total dough weight (number of balls x ball weight), then works backward to find flour and all other ingredients.
Typical Neapolitan ranges
- Hydration: 58% to 65% (62% is a popular starting point)
- Salt: 2.5% to 3.0%
- Yeast: very low for long fermentation (often 0.03% to 0.2% depending on time and temperature)
- Oil: usually 0% in traditional Neapolitan dough
Recommended starter formula (home pizza oven friendly)
If you are new to Neapolitan dough, start with these settings in the calculator:
- 4 dough balls
- 250 g each
- 62% hydration
- 2.8% salt
- 0.08% instant dry yeast
- 0% oil
This gives a balanced dough that is extensible but still manageable for beginners.
Fermentation and timing guide
Same-day dough (fast)
Use a slightly higher yeast percentage and warmer room temperature. You can be ready in 6 to 10 hours, but flavor development will be lighter.
Overnight dough (best all-around)
Mix in the evening, ferment at room temperature until partially risen, divide into balls, then cold-proof overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.
24 to 72 hour cold fermentation
Lower yeast and refrigerate longer for deeper flavor, better browning, and easier digestion. This is a favorite method for many serious home pizzaioli.
Technique tips for better results
- Use a scale: Neapolitan dough is precision-sensitive. Weigh everything in grams.
- Choose high-protein flour: A 00 pizza flour or strong bread flour helps structure.
- Don’t over-knead: Mix to smooth elasticity, then let time do the work.
- Ball tightly: Properly rounded dough balls trap gas and create a better cornicione.
- Preheat aggressively: For leopard spotting and fast oven spring, your stone or steel must be fully saturated with heat.
Common problems and fixes
Dough is too sticky to shape
Lower hydration by 1% to 2%, strengthen gluten through better mixing, or use slightly cooler water during mixing.
Dough tears while stretching
It may be under-fermented or under-relaxed. Give dough balls more rest at room temperature and avoid pressing the rim too hard.
Dense crust with little oven spring
Possible causes include low fermentation activity, old yeast, insufficient heat, or over-degassing during shaping.
Final note
This calculator is designed to be practical and reliable for home cooks and pizza enthusiasts. Once you lock in your base formula, keep notes on temperature, fermentation time, and handling. Small adjustments from one bake to the next are how truly excellent pizza happens.