This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy overnight pizza dough will save you from ordering delivery, which usually shows up lukewarm, not to mention it’s expensive. This easy dough can be made with pantry ingredients, and then it sets up in the fridge until you’re ready for pizza night. This is our go-to recipe for the end of the week for a pizza and movie night.
I’ve tried many pizza dough methods, but this cold-fermentation technique is the ultimate hack to getting that restaurant-quality dough without too much work or fancy ingredients. It will give you that signature wood-fired texture and chew all by using standard all-purpose flour and your home oven.
Table of Contents
What is Overnight Pizza Dough?
Overnight pizza dough is a yeast dough that rises slowly in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours instead of rising at room temperature. This cold-fermentation process allows the yeast to develop complex, artisan-style flavors and creates a flexible, easy-to-stretch dough that bakes up crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
Key Takeaways
- Ready in about 10 minutes, then it sets up in the fridge.
- Made with pantry ingredients like flour and sugar.
- Kid-friendly, perfect for family pizza nights at home.
- Superior flavor and texture: the long, cold rest allows the gluten to relax, which means no snap-back when you try to roll it out.
- Easy to make ahead and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredient Notes
All-Purpose Flour: No need for fancy flour; just use a standard all-purpose flour that will give the crust the perfect balance of chew and structure.
Salt: Added into the flour to enhance flavor.
Instant Yeast: Also known as rapid-rise yeast. It mixes directly into the dry ingredients without needing to bloom first.
Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil: Adds rich flavor, keeps the dough tender, and helps achieve that beautifully golden, crispy bottom crust.
Cold Water: Crucial for slowing down the yeast activity so the pizza dough doesn’t rise too quickly before hitting the fridge.
Granulated Sugar: Just a tiny amount helps feed the yeast and helps the dough turn into a beautifully browned crust.
How to Make Overnight Pizza Dough
Day One
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
- Add the oil, sugar, and cold water. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- If the dough feels too sticky, add a little flour, a tablespoon at a time. If it feels dry, add a teaspoon or two of water.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and gently shape each piece into a ball.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet or jelly roll pan lightly coated with oil.
- Lightly spray or brush the dough balls with oil and cover tightly with plastic wrap or place the pan inside a large plastic bag.
- Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
Day Two
- About 2 hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently press each ball into a disk about ½-inch thick.
- Cover loosely and let rest for 2 hours to come to room temperature and relax the gluten.
- At least 45 minutes before baking, place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F or as hot as your oven allows.
- Stretch or toss the dough into your desired pizza shape. If the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest another 5–10 minutes before trying again.
- Transfer the dough to a pizza peel, baking sheet, or the back of a jelly roll pan dusted with cornmeal or flour.
- Add your favorite toppings.
- Bake for 5–8 minutes, rotating halfway through if needed, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
- Let the pizza rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Pro Tips for Best Pizza Crust
- The longer the dough rests in the fridge, the better the texture. I think letting it rest until day 2 or 3 gives it the best texture.
- This dough is easy to freeze and store for later.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone, turn your baking sheet upside down and use that; it works well too.
- Dust the stone with a little bit of cornmeal so it easily slides off the stone when done baking.
- Use your hands to stretch the dough instead of a rolling pin. Using a rolling pin creates a denser crust.
- The heat in the oven needs to be maximized up to 500°F and preheated before baking.
- Don’t pile the pizza with heavy toppings as tempting as it is, or it can cause a soggy center.
Variations and Substitutions
- Whole Wheat Blend – Swap out 1 to 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour for a whole wheat flour to add a nutty, rustic flavor to the crust.
- Garlic Herb Crust – Whisk 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning into the dry flour mixture before adding the liquids.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you use active dry yeast, mix it into 1 3/4 cups of water with the sugar first and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy before adding it to the flour and oil.
It needs to stay in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours; however, it can be stored up to 3 days in the fridge before using.
Since we use cold water and put it straight in the fridge, it will not rise much compared to traditional dough. It will puff up slightly, but the magic happens in the oven.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 2 hours before preparing to bake.
What to Serve with Overnight Pizza Dough
Topped with Garlic Parmesan Seasoning
Topped with Spinach Mushroom Marinara
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator
Store the raw dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer
Coat each dough ball in oil, place in a freezer-safe bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it fully defrost before using.
Reheating
Wrap cooked slices in foil or place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, reheat in the oven at 400°F for 3 to 5 minutes or on a microwave-safe plate for 30 to 45 seconds.
More Pizza Recipes
Yeast Bread Recipes
Garlic & Parmesan Italian Breadsticks {Twisted Breadsticks}
Easy Appetizers
Bosco Sticks Recipe
Pizza
Cheese Pizza
Making restaurant-quality pizza at home can easily turn a boring dinner night into a fun family memory on a Friday night. With a tiny bit of planning and preparation of overnight pizza dough on Thursday, this homemade pizza night will be simple and delicious!
Overnight Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- ¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1¾ cups cold water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- assorted pizza toppings of your liking
Instructions
Day One
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
- Add the oil, sugar, and cold water. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- If the dough feels too sticky, add a little flour a tablespoon at a time. If it feels dry, add a teaspoon or two of water.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and gently shape each piece into a ball.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet or jelly roll pan lightly coated with oil.
- Lightly spray or brush the dough balls with oil and cover tightly with plastic wrap or place the pan inside a large plastic bag.
- Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
Day Two
- About 2 hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently press each ball into a disk about ½-inch thick.
- Cover loosely and let rest for 2 hours to come to room temperature and relax the gluten.
- At least 45 minutes before baking, place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F or as hot as your oven allows.
- Stretch or toss the dough into your desired pizza shape. If the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest another 5–10 minutes before trying again.
- Transfer the dough to a pizza peel, baking sheet, or the back of a jelly roll pan dusted with cornmeal or flour.
Add your favorite toppings.
- Bake for 5–8 minutes, rotating halfway through if needed, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
- Let the pizza rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- The longer the dough rests in the refrigerator, the more flavor it develops. I think day 2 or 3 gives the best texture and taste.
- This dough freezes beautifully. Simply coat each dough ball lightly in oil, place in freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Transfer frozen dough to the refrigerator the day before you plan to use it so it can thaw slowly.
- Cold water slows the yeast activity and helps create the long slow fermentation that gives this dough its amazing texture.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone, an upside-down baking sheet works surprisingly well.
- Don’t overload the pizza with toppings or the crust may not crisp properly.
- Cornmeal or semolina flour helps the dough slide easily onto the pizza stone.
- This dough works wonderfully for calzones, breadsticks, garlic knots, and sheet pan pizza too.
