You want to bake a delectable, mouth-watering pizza. ✅
You’re Googling flours and/or STARING at the bazillion flours in the grocery store, also ✅
So what’s the best flour for pizza dough?
The best flour depends on the style of pizza you want to make and the type of oven you plan to use.
- Bread Flour: Many pizza makers will tell you bread flour is the best choice for making pizza at home. Bread flour is a high-protein flour that works well in any home oven; it’s perfect for making pizza with a high-rising crust.
- Tipo 00: Tipo 00 is the ideal flour for making Neapolitan pizza, but you’ll need a high-temperature oven to bake it in.
- All-purpose: All-purpose flour is another high-protein option. It won’t rise as high as bread flour, but it’s just as tasty.
- Mix and Match: If you want to experiment with flour, try to mix and match them. You can create a variety of blends by combining two or more.
I’ve tried just about every flour you can think of to fuel my pizza obsession.
Let’s dive into the details so YOU can figure out how to make the best pizza in YOUR home 👇
Factors to Consider When Choosing Pizza Dough Flour:
There’s no “one right answer” for flour.
The type you choose comes down to a few options:
Style of Pizza
- To make a New York-style pizza, use bread flour, though all-purpose can work too. The high protein in bread flour provides a perfect high-rising crust.
- When making Detroit-Style pizza, reach for the bread flour in your pantry. Bread flour creates a sturdy crust capable of supporting all your extra toppings.
- Neapolitan pizza requires Tipo 00. You can’t get that light and airy bite with anything else. Remember that Tipo 00 requires a hot pizza oven that can heat to 800 degrees. Choose another style if you’re making pizza at home in your kitchen.
Flavor Profile & Crust Structure (Texture)
Different types of flours yield different pizza textures. If you want a higher-rising pizza crust, choose bread flour; if you want a crunchier pizza opt for all-purpose flour.
Whole wheat flour will change the flavor and texture of your pizza more than any other type. It creates a dense, chewy, crumbly texture. If you want whole wheat in your pizza recipe, try mixing in a small percentage rather than replacing the entire amount.
Oven
- Pizza Oven: Tipo 00 is the best flour for a high-temperature pizza oven. If you have access to an outdoor oven, you can bake a killer Neapolitan. Honestly, any flour will work in a super hot oven, so go ahead and experiment with any pizza style you love.
- Conventional Oven: In a conventional oven, bread, all-purpose flour, and even a mix of bread and whole wheat flour will work. Experiment with different types of flour and styles of pizza, but remember, the texture will change depending on your choice. If you don’t have access to a pizza oven, skip Neapolitan-style pizzas, which require Tipo 00 flour and an 800-degree heat source.
Related: What oven mode is best for pizza?
All-Purpose vs. Bread Flour vs. Tipo 00: Which Should You Use?
The answer depends on the style and texture of the pizza you want to eat. Remember, the type of flour you choose impacts the texture of the dough, not the taste.
When choosing flour for your next pizza, check the nutrition labels and review the protein content. Protein content impacts a dough’s rise, as well as its elasticity and strength.
When selecting flour, search for a high-protein option that can hold your toppings while providing a mouth-pleasing texture with every bite.
PIZZA NERDS ONLY: How are these flours actually different?
All flours start with a small kernel of wheat. That kernel contains:
- Bran: hard coating of a kernel
- Germ: sprouts of a new plant
- Endosperm: the energy supply
When manufacturing flour, the milling process removes a portion of the bran and germ from the kernel—Tipo 00 flour extracts all bran and germ elements, while whole wheat flour retains all three parts.
Refined flours like Tipo 00 result in a smooth, flaky exterior, while coarser flours like whole wheat create a crumbly crust.
- Those who prefer a chewy, bubbly dough should opt for bread flour.
- Use all-purpose flour if you want a pizza with a crispier crust.
- If you love Neapolitan pizza and have access to a high-temperature pizza oven, choose Tipo 00.
- Use a mix of 1/4 parts whole wheat flour to 3/4 parts bread flour for a more nutritious crust.
- If you want a combination of chewy and crispy, mix bread flour with all-purpose.
If you love making pizza, try the flours listed above. Mix up different combinations and ratios until you find the taste and texture you like best.
All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is excellent for pizzas with a slightly crunchy, low-rising crust. All-purpose flour can make any pizza except a deep dish.
Bread Flour
You can make almost any pizza with bread flour. It’s a high-protein flour with a high-rising crust that is perfect for practically any pie.
Tipo 00 (“pizza flour”)
Tipo 00 flour can create a perfect Neapolitan pizza in high-protein varieties but remember you need a super hot oven to cook it in.
By the way, the “Tipo” scale (that’s “type” in Italian) is commonly used in Europe, and mostly refers to the ash content in the flour (or how refined it is. 00 is the most refined).
Click here to learn a ton more about 00 flour!
Whole Wheat
There are better choices than whole wheat for pizza crust. It creates a chewy, dense crust with a nutty flavor most pizza lovers won’t enjoy.
However, if you simply MUST use whole wheat for health reasons, here’s how.
My Recommended Flours for Pizza Dough
King Arthur flour is my absolute favorite flour for making pizza dough. You can find it in your local supermarket in bread and Tipo 00 varieties.
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Caputo flour is another great option, and it’s a crowd-pleasing favorite you can find at Amazon.
When buying Caputo flour, pay attention to the protein percentage on nutrition labels. To make pizza, you need flour with high protein.
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Pizza Dough F.A.Q.s
What kind of flour do Italians use for pizza dough?
Italian pizzaiolos use Tipo 00 flour when making pizzas. They care so much about flour classifications that they create laws to define their grading scale! Tipo 00 flour is a highly refined flour with low ash content. In Italy, it’s the gold standard for pizza-making.
Why is 00 flour good pizza?
Tipo 00 flour is good for pizza because it creates a beautiful, bubbly, light, and air crust that is slightly chewy on the inside. It also rises less than dough made from bread or all-purpose flour.
Do you need special flour for pizza dough?
You don’t need special flour to make pizza dough. All-purpose, Tipo 00, bread, and whole wheat flour can create a beautiful, tasty pizza crust.
Is pizza dough better with bread flour?
Pizza dough is better with bread flour than some alternatives. Bread flour contains a high-protein content that yields a stretchy, high-rising dough.
Can you mix all-purpose flour with bread flour for pizza dough?
Yes. You can try a mix of flours but that will change the texture and consistency of your dough. Tweaking the flour mixture in your recipe will alter the texture and can change it from chewy to crunchy.
Can I mix bread flour and 00 flour for pizza dough?
Yes, mixing bread and 00 flour will create a dough with superior elasticity. Adding 00 flour will provide a stretchy dough without the bounce-back common in bread flour-only recipes.