Recipe

Ooni Pizza Dough

Crisp, blistered crust with an airy rim and a dough that is easy to stretch and launch.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A freshly baked Neapolitan-style pizza with blistered crust coming out of an Ooni-style outdoor pizza oven on a backyard table

If you have an Ooni (or any high-heat pizza oven), the dough matters as much as the flame. Not in a precious, fussy way, but in a this is what makes the crust leopard-spot and the middle stay tender kind of way.

This is my go-to Ooni pizza dough: simple ingredients, clear steps, and timing you can flex depending on whether you are planning ahead or making a “pizza tonight, no excuses” call. It is built for high heat, so it stretches without tearing, puffs at the edges, and browns fast without turning into a cracker.

Read the tips, trust the scale, and taste your way through. Pizza night is supposed to feel like a win, not a worksheet.

Why It Works

Balanced hydration for Ooni heat: Enough water for an airy rim, not so much that it glues itself to the peel.
Two fermentation paths: Same dough, choose same-day (quick) or cold ferment (better flavor, easier stretching).
Stronger gluten without drama: A short rest and a few folds give you structure so the dough launches cleanly.
Seasoned correctly: Salt is not optional. It is the difference between “fine” and “why is this so good.”

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Storing dough balls

Fridge (best): Lightly oil individual containers, add dough balls, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days. For best stretch, let dough sit at room temp 60 to 120 minutes before baking.
Freezer: After the dough balls have rested and smoothed out (about 30 minutes), place in oiled freezer containers or bags and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temp before stretching.

Storing baked crust

Let slices cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Reheat on a hot skillet, pizza steel, or directly on the oven rack at 450°F until crisp.

Common Questions

What flour should I use for Ooni pizza dough?

00 flour is the classic choice for high-heat pizza ovens because it stays tender and bakes fast. That said, bread flour works great too and can be a little more forgiving when stretching. If you are new to pizza, bread flour is a confidence booster.

Do I need a mixer?

Nope. This dough is designed to work with a bowl, your hands, and a little patience. A mixer is nice, not necessary.

Why is my dough sticking to the peel?

Usually one of three things: (1) the dough is a little too wet for your setup, (2) it sat too long on the peel and started to glue itself down, or (3) your dusting flour absorbed moisture. Fix it by dusting the peel with semolina or a 50-50 mix of semolina and flour, building the pizza fast, keeping toppings light (especially sauce), and giving the peel a quick shake every 20 to 30 seconds while topping.

How long should I preheat my Ooni?

Most Ooni ovens do best with at least 20 to 30 minutes of preheating. You want the stone fully charged with heat so the bottom sets fast. If you are using an infrared thermometer, check the center of the stone, and remember the back corner usually runs hotter.

Can I make this dough same day?

Yes. You will get a great pizza with a 3 to 4 hour room-temperature rise. If you can cold ferment overnight, the flavor and handling get even better.

How do I stretch without tearing?

Use room-temp dough, start with a gentle press leaving a thicker rim, then stretch over your knuckles. If it snaps back, rest it 10 minutes and try again. Gluten needs a breather sometimes, same as us.

How do I do a cold ferment with this dough?

Two easy options:

Ball then chill (easiest): After dividing and balling, cover and refrigerate 24 to 72 hours. Before baking, let dough sit at room temp 60 to 120 minutes until relaxed.
Bulk then chill (tidier containers): After the first rise, refrigerate the whole dough 24 to 48 hours, then divide, ball, and proof at room temp 2 to 3 hours.

If you are going longer than 48 hours, consider dropping yeast slightly (for example 0.5 to 0.8 g) so the dough does not overproof in the fridge.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Digital kitchen scale
Large mixing bowl
Dough scraper (optional but helpful)
Plastic containers with lids or a covered proofing box
Pizza peel (wood for launching is great)
Ooni pizza oven (gas or wood/charcoal)
Infrared thermometer (optional, very handy for stone temp)

The first time I cooked in a ripping-hot pizza oven, I learned a humbling lesson: the flame is not the hard part. The dough is. I launched a pizza that looked amazing for exactly two seconds, then it welded itself to the peel like it had a long-term lease.

This recipe is the version I wish I had that day. It is friendly, it stretches without a fight, and it gives you those crisp, blistered edges that make people hover near the oven pretending they are “just watching” when they are really waiting for the next slice.

Ooni Pizza Dough

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 27 minutes

Servings 4 (10 to 12-inch pizzas)

Ingredients

600 g 00 flour (or bread flour)
390 g warm water (about 95°F to 100°F)
18 g fine sea salt
1 g instant yeast (scant 1/4 teaspoon, or about 1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon)
10 g olive oil (optional, helps browning and handling)
Semolina flour or extra flour, for dusting

Note: This is ~65% hydration (water only), a sweet spot for high-heat ovens that still launches cleanly. The olive oil is optional enrichment and does not change the water math.

Instructions

Mix the dough. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and instant yeast. (Instant yeast is fine here.) Add the warm water and mix with your hand or a spoon until no dry flour remains. Add olive oil (if using) and mix until incorporated. The dough will look shaggy, and that is perfect.
Hydration rest. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This makes the next step easier and improves stretch later.
Knead briefly. Knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured counter for 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smoother and elastic. If it sticks, use a dough scraper and keep flour minimal.
Fold for strength. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover, and let it rest 15 minutes. Do one set of folds: pull one side up and fold over the center, rotate the bowl, repeat 4 times. Cover again.
Bulk rise. Let the dough rise at room temperature until puffy and expanded, about 2 to 3 hours (a warm kitchen moves faster).
Divide and ball. Turn the dough out and divide into 4 pieces (about 255 g each). Shape into tight balls by tucking the edges underneath and rotating against the counter.
Final proof. Place dough balls in lightly oiled containers, cover, and proof 60 to 90 minutes at room temperature until relaxed and slightly airy.
Optional cold ferment (better flavor, easier stretch). Instead of the final proof, cover the dough balls and refrigerate 24 to 72 hours. On pizza day, bring them to room temp for 60 to 120 minutes before stretching.
Preheat the Ooni. Preheat your oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Aim for a stone temp around 750°F to 850°F in the center for classic fast bakes. If the stone is running very hot, you can dial the flame down briefly after launch so the top and bottom finish together.
Stretch the dough. On a floured surface, gently press a dough ball into a disc, leaving a thicker rim. Stretch by hand to your desired size. Avoid a rolling pin if you want an airy edge.
Launch like you mean it. Dust the peel with semolina. Move the stretched dough onto the peel, then top quickly and lightly. Too much sauce is the fastest route to “why is my pizza glued to this peel.” Give the peel a small shake. If it slides, you are good.
Bake. Launch into the oven. Bake 60 to 120 seconds, turning every 15 to 20 seconds for even browning. Pull when the crust is blistered and the cheese is bubbling.
Cool for 1 minute, then slice. Yes, one minute counts as patience. It helps the cheese set so your first slice does not become lava soup.