72 Hour Cold Fermented Pizza Dough

My go-to 72-hour cold-fermented pizza dough recipe uses a slow, cold fermentation method to yield a flavorful dough with a chewy, crispy crust. Plus, it’s easy enough to use for both home ovens and outdoor pizza ovens.

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In 2020, I took up pizza making as a hobby during the pandemic. Along the way, I tested several different recipes, many times (read: over 100 times) across the Internet before creating my own.

My homemade pizza dough utilizes the magic (or, rather, science!) of a slower rise in the fridge, resulting in a better flavor and texture. This yields a bubbly, crispy crust and a soft, chewy interior. It’s my go-to recipe and versatile enough for both my indoor home oven and my outdoor oven (Ooni).

Journey to a Better Home Pizza

A few crucial factors can transform your homemade pizza from good to great. Proper technique is critical, from kneading to stretching to baking. The dough is equally important, including the ingredients used and their ratios. Finally, there’s a lot of science and experimentation in making great pizza dough.

But don’t worry. I’ve conducted extensive research for you and laid it out throughout the post below. The ultimate goal of this article is to provide you with the tips, techniques, and fundamentals you need to make an awesome pizza at home.

There’s a lot of valuable information here, and I’ve tried to make it as exciting and digestible as possible. Feel free to bookmark this page and come back to it as a reference.

Note: This pizza dough recipe is for intermediate pizza bakers (that is, you’ve made pizza in your home oven at least a few times and are familiar with kneading, balling, and hand-stretching your dough). For beginner pizza bakers, please consult my Pizza Guide, easy Roberta’s Pizza Dough Recipe, or sign up for one of my online cooking workshops!

Benefits of Cold Fermentation

In pizza dough, yeast eats simple sugars in the flour. As the yeast feeds, it releases carbon dioxide gas, which forms bubbles that make the dough rise. The dough’s gluten structure traps these bubbles, giving the crust its light, airy texture when it bakes.

• Slow, cold fermentation produces better browning, improved structure, and a bubblier, softer, and chewier crust with more complex flavor.
• Additionally, cold fermentation makes the dough easier to work with and stretch, resulting in more circular pizzas and less tearing.
• Finally, there is much more flexibility in timing. I like to keep my dough in the fridge for at least 24 hours, but the crust improves even more up to 72 hours. That leaves a 2-day window in which you can use the dough at any point.
• Conversely, with a faster, room temperature dough, there is less room for error. If a recipe has you proof the dough for 2 hours, it might be over-proofed if you accidentally leave it out for an extra hour.

Want to know more? Let’s dig in!

The Role of Temperature

Temperature is hugely significant throughout the whole life cycle of pizza dough.

Before Baking

All yeast-based pizza dough undergoes some level of fermentation. In the case of cold fermentation, the fermentation occurs in, well, colder temperatures (usually the fridge). At a cooler temperature, this happens much more slowly.

From research and analysis from other pizza professionals and myself, I’ve determined that fermentation at cooler temperatures yields better structure, texture, and flavor.

Interestingly, I read in a pizza forum once that the most optimal temperature for the dough is actually around 50°F (10°C) to 60°F (16°C).

Why? Well, at this temperature, the yeast is still active enough to do its thing (just at a slower rate than room temperature). Some avid home cooks will actually ferment their dough in a wine cooler!

But, rest assured, since most of you likely don’t have a wine cooler at home (myself included), a fridge works well too, it just takes a bit more time.

During Baking

Temperature also plays an important role in the baking phase.

At a higher temperature, pizza takes less time to cook through. For example, my Ooni pizza oven cooks a pizza in 90 seconds at 932°F (500°C), while my home oven takes 3 – 4 minutes at 550°F (288°C).

Higher temperatures result in more exterior charring with smaller charred spots, especially leopard spotting. As an extreme example, you would never see charred spots on a pizza cooked at 200°F (93°C), while a 932°F oven is hot enough to cause charring within a minute.

The longer a pizza takes to cook, the more it “dries out.” Because pizza takes less time to cook at a higher temperature, the pizza dries out less, yielding a softer crust with a doughier inside.

Below, I’ve compiled a few pizzas from over the years. The left-hand side shows pizzas baked in a standard oven, while the right-hand side demonstrates pizzas cooked at a higher temperature in my Ooni pizza oven.

With the help of my broiler, the pizzas on the left-hand side show some nice charring, but they are nowhere near as soft as the pizzas cooked in the Ooni.

As I said above, the Ooni pizzas take significantly less time to cook, so they’re softer but still have a considerable amount of charring because of the higher temperature. Neither of these is worse or better, just different, as we will see below. 

Summary

Pizza cooked in a pizza oven or wood-fired oven usually has plenty of charring, often with smaller charred spots and a softer, doughier interior.

If you’ve ever had Neapolitan pizza, you might know it’s usually eaten with a fork and knife because the interior is quite soft and wet. If you put a boatload of toppings on your dough and baked it Neapolitan-style, they would weigh it down, maybe even enough to tear the crust. And at a shorter baking time, the interior toppings don’t cook as much. As a result, the sauce stays saucy, the mozzarella melts without crisping up, and the basil won’t char.

On the other hand, pizza baked at a lower temperature, say 500°F (260°C) to 600°F (316°C), requires a longer time to cook through and achieve browning. A NY-style pizza is an example of this; it has a sturdier crust, does not require a fork and knife, and can hold plenty more toppings.

Conclusion: Temperature, both in fermenting the dough and baking the dough, plays a huge role in the resulting crust.

The Importance of Time

You’ve heard me say this several times now. Colder temperatures = slower fermentation = more complex flavors and better structure.

But how much slower is this fermentation? How long are you supposed to keep the dough in the fridge? And what exactly is the relationship between temperature and time when it comes to bread?

This is where yeast comes back into the picture. The more yeast you put into your dough, the faster the fermentation process occurs (more yeast leads to more carbon dioxide leading to more air bubbles).

Why Wouldn’t I Want to Speed Up Fermentation?

It’s a great question. I’ve told you that a slower fermentation at a colder temperature yields a better pizza…but what does that really mean? Why wouldn’t you just speed things up? It would be a lot easier.

I don’t disagree with you. Unfortunately, a speedier process doesn’t mean a better result. For example, you could put in more yeast and let your dough rise at room temperature for a couple of hours until it doubles in size. Then it would be very quickly ready to ball and bake. Let’s review the potential differences:

Dough Type	Speedier fermentation at room temp	Slower, cold fermentation
Total Time	1 ½ hours to 24 hours	24 hours to 72 hours
Fermentation Temp	72°F (22°C)	40°F (4°C)
Yeast	Recipes typically call for more yeast	Recipes typically call for less yeast given a longer period of fermentation
Structure	Paler, tougher crusts and less bubbling	Typically better browning, improved structure, more bubbling and softer, chewier crusts
Flavor	Less complex, sometimes unpleasantly “yeastier” flavor	More complex, “aged” flavor

Keep in mind that different recipes might yield different outcomes, but these are the results I’ve seen, from research online and my own experimentation.

Ingredient Notes

Flour

For this recipe, look for 00 flour/pizza flour for an airier texture (this is my preferred choice!) or bread flour for a chewier texture¹. Both flours have high protein content (12%+), which is ideal for gluten formation.

I recommend Antimo Caputo’s 00 flour: For standard home ovens, buy the “Chef’s Flour” (usually in a red bag). For high-temperature pizza ovens (900°F or 482°C), buy the “Pizzeria Flour” (usually in a blue bag).

¹ A thorough review of pizza flours can be found on my post covering bread flour vs. 00 flour vs. all-purpose flour. Because of the textural differences, bread flour is more often used for NY style doughs and 00 for Neapolitan style.

Salt

Typically, the salt percentage in doughs ranges from 2% to 3%; I lean towards 2.5% to 3%, but if you prefer less salt, you could get away with just 2.5%. Note that a decrease in salt can speed up fermentation.

Yeast

Both active dry yeast and instant yeast are commonly used in pizza making, though I prefer instant yeast (SAF Instant Yeast is great).

Unlike active dry yeast, instant yeast can be added directly to dry ingredients; active dry yeast traditionally needs to be “activated” in water to dissolve (in the last few years, commercially available active yeast allegedly does not need activation, but I recommend doing it to confirm the yeast is actually still alive).

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Oil is not a traditional component of Neapolitan dough, but it’s commonly found in many home oven pizza recipes, as it improves moisture without creating stickiness and enhances browning. I prefer it even with the Ooni, as it makes the dough easier to work with.

Best Equipment

For the best homemade pizza, a little bit of equipment can go a long way.

• Kitchen scale: Kitchen scales are incredibly useful and important in baking. Measuring cups just don’t cut it when it comes to accuracy and ease. You can easily find one on Amazon for $10.
• Baking steel: No pizza oven? No problem! Try a baking steel in your home oven. As Cook’s Illustrated points out, a baking steel cooks 30% faster than a stone and is more durable.
• Bench scraper: This is really great for getting any sticky bits of the dough off a cutting board or workspace.
• Pizza peel: A pizza peel is very helpful for launching the dough into the oven. It takes a bit of practice, but once you’ve gotten used to it, it’s hard to use anything else.

How to Make This Recipe (Step-by-Step)

Make the Dough:

Step 1 – Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, stir all dry ingredients together until combined (Image 1).

Step 2 – Add Wet Ingredients: Make a well in the center of the bowl and slowly add in the water and olive oil. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with your hands or a wooden spoon and knead for 2 – 3 minutes until no dry bits remain; the dough will have a shaggier texture and won’t be a smooth ball yet (Image 2).

Step 3 – Autolyse: Let the dough rest, covered with plastic wrap, for 30 minutes at room temperature. This step is called autolyse — it helps hydrate the dough, kickstarts gluten formation, and makes kneading much easier.

Step 4 – Stretch and Fold: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds to strengthen the dough, each spaced apart by a 30 minute rest period. After the first stretch and fold, the dough will still be somewhat shaggy (Image 3).

After the last stretch and fold, the dough should be quite strong (when you stretch it, it should resist quite a bit) and show visible gas bubbling (Image 4). If you’re not seeing this gas bubbling, let the dough sit out for another hour or so until you observe this.

Step 5 – Ferment: Cover dough and let sit in the fridge for 24 hours to 72 hours.

Ball and Proof:

Step 6 – Ball: After 24 – 72 hours, take the dough out of the fridge (Image 5).

On a work surface, divide dough into 5 equal portions. Form each piece of dough into a ball (Image 6), then place each ball in a large pizza container (Image 7).

Generously dust the container and the dough balls with flour if using an outdoor pizza oven or oil if using an indoor pizza oven. Alternatively, you can place each ball into an individual container.

The more tension you create in forming the pizza dough ball (i.e. the tighter the ball), the more gas you’ll trap leading to a bubblier, more circular pizza. When you loosely ball the pizza, you’ll lose that shape and the trapped gas.

Step 8 – Proof: Let the dough balls proof 3 – 5 hours in advance until they expand and reach room temperature (Image 8).

Your dough is ready when it doesn’t feel cool to the touch and has spread out from a spherical ball into a flatter circle but still has some structure to it. If your dough sits out too long, it can overproof, making it more difficult to handle — you will likely see that it’s extremely bubbly and flattened.

Preheat – Standard Home Oven

Step 9a – Preheat: There are two methods of baking your pizza in a home oven. I recommend trying both and seeing which method produces the best pizza for you.

Regardless of which option you choose, place your baking tool of choice inside the oven. At least 45 minutes before baking, preheat to the hottest temperature possible (my oven goes to 550°F/288°C). This step is critical as it ensures the oven stays as hot as possible so that the pizza cooks faster and doesn’t dry out.

Preheat – Portable Outdoor Oven

Step 9b – Preheat Portable Outdoor Oven: Have an Ooni, Roccbox, or other outdoor portable pizza oven? Refer to your instruction manual and make sure to preheat the oven at least 30 minutes before the pizza is fully proofed. For my gas-powered Ooni Koda 16, I typically preheat until the center stone reaches 900°F/482°C.

Stretch and Bake:

Step 10 – Flour the Dough: I like to use a 50/50 mix of semolina flour (or cornmeal) and 00 flour to flour the dough and peel.

Carefully pick up the dough from its container and place onto the pizza peel. The gentler you are with picking up the dough, the less likely you will have uneven spots creating tears when stretching, so try your best not to squish the dough in any way.

You don’t want the dough to stick to the peel. You can check that it’s not sticking by sliding the dough around the peel. If it is sticking, add a bit more flour to the bottom. I like to do this every minute or so to ensure my dough is not sticking, especially once I start adding the sauce and toppings. The faster you’re able to form and top the dough, the less sticking that will occur (and the less flour you’ll need to add).

Step 11 – Create Rim: Form a rim for the crust by gently pressing your index finger around the perimeter of the dough, about ⅔-inch from the edge (Image 9). Once the rim has been formed, be careful not to deflate the outer edges, as this helps create the characteristic risen crust in the oven.

Step 12 – Stretch:  Lift the dough and place your knuckles on the inside rim of the dough. Let the dough gently stretch by rotating your knuckles in a circle until it reaches the desired diameter (Image 10).

Step 13 – Sauce: Add your base sauce (San Marzano pizza sauce, olive oil, cream, etc.) using a ladle or spoon. Top the pizza with desired toppings (Image 11).

PS my white mushroom pizza is a delicious option!

Step 14 – Launch and Bake: If using a pizza peel, make sure the pizza is not sticking to the peel before launching. If it is, add a bit more flour, then hold the handle of the peel and gently and carefully slide the dough around to ensure it’s not sticking at all.

To launch, hold the peel parallel to your baking sheet/stone/steel and firmly slide the pizza onto it. There’s no need to rush it; you can do this slowly to get the hang of it. Immediately close the oven and bake according to your desired method (Image 12).

Step 15 – Serve: Remove the cooked pizza from the oven, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to prevent the bottom of the crust from getting soggy. Allow pizza to cool for about 30 seconds to a minute, then transfer to a large cutting board, cut into slices and serve.

Storage Tips

Bulk Pizza Dough: Store in the refrigerator for cold fermentation for up to 72 hours. After 72 hours, the dough may begin to overferment/overproof, though I typically haven’t had issues within the first 96 hours in the fridge.

Leftover Dough Balls: Extra balls of dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 72 hours.

Overproofing Fix: If I accidentally leave the dough in the fridge for too long (i.e., 5 to 6 days), I will turn it into a quick focaccia bread instead. I’ll place the dough in a rectangular sheet pan or tray coated with a generous amount of olive oil and let it proof at room temperature for a couple of hours, gently stretching it until it reaches the sides of the pan. I’ll then bake it using my fluffy focaccia as a guide.

For any other troubleshooting questions, make sure to check out my Pizza Guide which includes a number of FAQ, or leave a comment below.

Note: This recipe was first published in 2022 and most recently updated in July 2025 with updated photos and streamlined instructions. I also removed the kneading step, as I found the stretch-and-folds sufficient for gluten development. If you have any questions about the changes, please leave a comment below.

Example Timeline

See below for an example timeline of how you can make this pizza dough and bake it during the weekend.

• Friday, 9:00am – 9:15am: Mix dough ingredients
• Friday, 9:15am – 9:45am: Let rest in autolyse
• Friday, 9:45am – 10:15am: Perform the first stretch and fold and rest 30 minutes
• Friday, 10:15am – 10:45am: Perform second stretch and fold and rest 30 minutes
• Friday, 10:45am – 11:15am: Perform last stretch and fold and rest 30 minutes
• Friday, 11:15am: Cover and place dough in fridge for 24 – 72 hours
• Sunday, 7:40am: Remove dough from fridge and form into dough balls. Let sit for 5 – 6 hours until they reach room temp
• Sunday, 12:00pm: Preheat oven
• Sunday, 12:45pm: Stretch, top, and bake pizzas

References

• _{Slow Rise Pizza}
• _{The Perfect Loaf – Sourdough Pizza}
• _{Baking Steel – 72 Hour Pizza Dough}
• _{NYTimes – Roberta’s Pizza Dough & Video}
• _{Cooks Illustrated – The Ultimate Pizza Set-Up}
• _{Stadler Made – Pizza Calculator}
• _{King Arthur – Using the Autolyse Method}
• _{Bakerpedia – Water Absorption}
• _{Pizza Making Forums – King Arthur Flour Absorption Rates}
• _{Spruce Eats – The Science of Kneading Dough}
• _{Serious Eats – All About Dry Yeast}
• _{King Arthur Baking – Active Dry Yeast}
• _{The Pizza Heaven – Salt in Neapolitan Pizza Dough}