Pizza Dough Deep Dive: Flour Types and What They Do

The flour you choose for pizza dough has a profound effect on the final texture, flavor, and stretchability of your crust. Pisa House Kitchen explains every major flour type.

One. 00 Flour (Doppio Zero)
The Italian standard for Neapolitan pizza. Finely milled, low fiber, high protein content. Creates an extremely smooth, elastic dough that stretches without tearing. Best for high-heat ovens.

Two. Bread Flour
Higher protein content than all-purpose flour. Develops strong gluten networks. Creates a chewier crust with better structure. Excellent choice for home ovens that don't reach true Neapolitan temperatures.

Three. All-Purpose Flour
Lower protein than bread flour. Creates a tender, slightly crispier crust. The easiest to find and works well for most home pizza applications. Not ideal for very thin Neapolitan-style stretching.

Four. Whole Wheat Flour
Adds nuttiness and fiber. Best used as a partial replacement (20-30%) blended with white flour. Using 100% whole wheat produces a dense, heavy crust that doesn't stretch well.

Five. Semolina Flour
Coarsely ground durum wheat. Sometimes mixed into doughs for added texture and golden color. Also used as a dusting agent on peels and surfaces to prevent sticking.

Six. Gluten-Free Blends
Rice flour, tapioca, and potato starch blends attempt to replicate gluten structure. Results vary widely by brand. Most gluten-free crusts are best rolled rather than hand-stretched.