3–5 Day Cold Fermented Pizza Dough (The Best Recipe)

A great pizza always starts with great dough.

I’ve been making pizza at least once a week since I was a kid. It’s a tradition I still keep with my own family today. On family pizza nights, we try to come up with new ideas and sometimes they get really wacky! But we always start with a solid base. This pizza crust recipe is fail-proof and guarantees that we will have a crust that’s crisp on the outside and soft and airy on the inside.

Disclaimer: it does take a couple days to make, but it’s SUPER easy!

No time for a 3-5 day dough? Try our same day dough recipe

What's Cold Fermentation?

Cold fermentation lets the dough develop naturally.

A slow rest in the fridge improves flavour, strengthens the dough structure, and makes it easier to stretch without tearing. It’s the same approach used by professional pizzerias, and it works just as well at home.

3–5 Day Cold Fermented Pizza Dough

Recipe

Yield: 6–7 dough balls
Active Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3–5 days
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly

Ingredients

• 1 kg (1000 g) flour
• 32 g salt (we use fine sea salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 700 g room-temperature water

Instructions

1. Combine dry ingredients
   In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and yeast until evenly distributed.
2. Add water gradually
   Slowly pour in the water while mixing until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
3. Brief knead
   Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for 1–2 minutes, just until everything comes together.
4. Room temperature rest
   Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave on the counter for 12–24 hours.
5. Cold fermentation
   Move the covered bowl to the refrigerator for 36–48 hours.

Portioning and Final Rise

1. Remove the dough from the fridge 4–5 hours before baking.
2. Divide into 250–280 g portions.
3. Shape each portion into a smooth dough ball using a fold-and-roll motion.
4. Place dough balls into lightly oiled containers (16-ounce deli containers work well).
5. Leave at room temperature for 3–4 hours until relaxed and ready to stretch.

At this point, the dough is ready to be stretched and baked on a pizza steel. Extra dough balls can also be frozen for another day.

Watch the Dough Come Together

If you want to see what this dough looks like throughout the entire process, watch my YouTube video. It’s especially helpful if you’re new to cold fermentation or working with pizza steel at home.

Scroll down to watch the video and make the dough with me.