What is the best flour for pizza dough?

Italian '00' flour for Neapolitan pizza in a high-heat oven, and bread flour for New York, Detroit, or Sicilian styles, or for any style cooked in a slower home oven. The right choice depends more on your oven's heat and your target style than on any single 'best' flour.

Can I use all-purpose flour for pizza?

Yes — it works fine, just with a slightly less chewy, less airy result than bread flour or '00' flour. If it's what you have on hand, use it rather than waiting to buy something else.

Is '00' flour worth buying for pizza?

Yes, specifically if you're cooking Neapolitan style in a real high-heat pizza oven (900°F+). In a slower home oven, bread flour will actually brown more reliably and is the better everyday pick.

Guides & How-To

Best Flour for Pizza: What to Buy for Every Style

By Dad·6 min read·Updated September 3, 2026

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The best flour for pizza is Italian "00" flour if you're making Neapolitan style, and a high-protein bread flour if you're making New York, Detroit, or Sicilian style. The difference comes down to protein content and grind, which change how your crust chews and browns. Here's exactly what to grab at the store.

'00' Flour: The Neapolitan Standard

"00" (pronounced "doppio zero") refers to how finely Italian flour is milled, not its protein content — it's the finest grind available. Combined with a moderate protein level (usually 11-12.5%), it produces the soft, tender, slightly chewy crust that defines Neapolitan pizza, and it holds up beautifully to very high heat without turning tough.

The honest catch: "00" flour is built for high-heat, fast bakes (60-90 seconds at 900°F+). Used in a slower, cooler home oven, it can turn out a bit pale and soft rather than properly browned, since it's not optimized for that kind of bake.

Bread Flour: The Versatile Everyday Pick

Bread flour runs higher in protein (usually 12-14%) than all-purpose flour, which builds more gluten strength — exactly what New York style needs for its stretchy, foldable slice, and what Detroit and Sicilian styles need to support their thick, well-risen crumb.

It's also the most forgiving choice if you're cooking in a slower home oven rather than a dedicated high-heat pizza oven, since it browns reliably across a wider range of temperatures than "00" flour does.

All-Purpose Flour: Fine in a Pinch

All-purpose flour (around 10-11% protein) will absolutely make a pizza, just not the airiest or chewiest one. If it's what's already in your pantry, use it — a pizza made tonight with all-purpose flour beats a pizza you never got around to making while waiting on a specialty bag to arrive.

If you do buy something specifically for pizza, bread flour is the better upgrade for most home cooks, since it works across more styles and ovens than "00" flour does. Save the "00" bag specifically for when you're firing up a genuine high-heat pizza oven.

'00' Flour: The Neapolitan Standard

Bread Flour: The Versatile Everyday Pick

All-Purpose Flour: Fine in a Pinch

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