Pizza dough hydration
How much water is in your dough — and how it shapes the crust.
What hydration means
Hydration is the amount of water in a dough, written as a percentage of the flour weight. A dough at 70% hydration has 70 g of water per 100 g of flour. It's the single number that most changes how a dough feels, handles and bakes.
How hydration changes the crust
More water generally means a more open, airy, blistered crumb and a lighter chew — but a stickier, harder-to-handle dough that needs stronger flour and gentler shaping.
Less water means a denser, chewier, sturdier crust that's easier to stretch and top. There's no single "best" — it depends on the style and your oven.
Hydration by style
Rough starting points: Neapolitan 58–65%; New York 60–65%; Roman teglia and pizza in pala 75–85%; pan and focaccia-style 75–90%.
Hotter ovens (like a wood-fired oven) handle wetter doughs well; a home oven often does better a little drier.
Flour matters
Higher-protein, stronger flours — Italian "00" pizza flour or high-gluten bread flour — absorb and hold more water, so they can carry higher hydration without turning to soup. Weaker all-purpose flour struggles above ~65%.
Dialing it in
Change one variable at a time. If your crust is dense, nudge hydration up a few points; if the dough is unmanageably wet, bring it down or switch to a stronger flour. The calculator keeps salt, yeast and the rest in correct proportion as you change the water.
FAQ
What hydration for Neapolitan pizza?
Commonly 58–65%. The classic style sits around 55–62% depending on flour and technique.
Does higher hydration always mean better pizza?
No — it means a more open, lighter crumb but a harder-to-handle dough. Match hydration to your style, flour strength and oven.