72-Hour Pizza Dough + Other Pizza Dough Methods

Why make a pizza dough that takes 3 days? Because with just 10 minutes of prep, and a few days of patience, you can have the most flavorful pizza dough imaginable.

Why You Should Make this Recipe

Making your own dough may seem intimidating, but with some simple prep beforehand and a few day’s patience, you have an incredible and flavorful pizza dough that you can use in a bunch of different ways!

The magic of this dough is how simple it is - it has very few ingredients and it works every single time.

The dough does take a little while to be ready, but the steps are really simple and don’t require much time to do, you just have to be patient while the dough flavor develps.

Making your own pizza dough is so rewarding, and this recipe is perfect if you want to be in charge of exactly what ingredients are in your dough. It produces a thin, crispy dough that is a reliable base for any sauce and toppings. 

Ingredients

water - lukewarm water is generally 98-105F. The water should not be hot or it will kill the yeast.

flour - I use unbleached all-purpose flour in this recipe, but it also works with bread flour.

Step-by-Step 72-hour Dough

Day 1

Add the flour, yeast and salt to a large bowl or food-grade plastic container with lid [click to shop, opens in new tab].

Note: The salt will deactivate the yeast, so place them on separate sides of the container.

Slowly add water, using a wooden spoon mix thoroughly.

Knead in the bowl for 2 minutes until the dough is fully incorporated.

Cover with a damp cloth, the lid, or plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day 2

Lightly oil 4, 1/2-L jars or bowls [click to shop jars, opens in new tab].

Flour the surface of the dough.

Then, divide the dough into 4 equal portions.

Place one portion between your hands and fold two sides into center. Rotate 90 degrees and fold into center and continue this process until a ball is formed.

Place smooth side into palm and swiftly pinch the seam closed.

Place each dough ball into the oiled jars or bowls, and place in the fridge for 48 hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 hour before use.

Pizza Dough, Equipment, & Tips

You can use store-bought or any recipe for pizza dough in the pizza recipes on the blog. Here are some tips & methods I use on our weekly pizza night:

• This recipe makes 4 individual pizzas. I prefer making individual-sized pizzas, even if we are sharing them because they are easier to transfer in and out of the oven when we use our pizza peel.
• You can use this recipe after 25 hours instead of waiting for the 72-hours. However, the dough flavor will be much blander. Simply split the dough into the 4 dishes after 24 hours and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
• If making focaccia pizza, similar to Roman-style pizza, you can use this Bon Appetit recipe for No-Knead Focaccia (link opens in new tab). Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes, then add the sauce and toppings, bake an additional 8-10 minutes, and finally, broil on high for 2 minutes to get the cheese bubbly.
• Use a baking steel to prevent a soggy pizza bottom. Preheat your oven with the baking steel inside. Here is a link to purchase one (affiliate link opens in new tab).
• You can bake the pizza on the baking steel directly, or placing a baking sheet on the steel. If you are new to making pizza and not very adventurous, I recommend using a baking sheet your first few times.
• If you are baking directly on the baking steel, use a pizza peel to transfer the pizza in and out of the oven. Here is a link to purchase the pizza peel (and cutter) that I love (affiliate link opens in new tab). It has a thin lip, making it much easier to use than the ones that have a thick lip.
• When splitting this dough into four parts on day 2, I like to use these glass jars (affiliate link opens in new tab). This size fits the dough (after it rises) perfectly with a wide enough opening to get the dough out easily.
• Weigh the flour for perfect results. I use a kitchen scale in most of my baking because flour can measure differently based on how packed it is. [Click to shop kitchen scale, affiliate link opens in new tab.]

Make Your Pizza

Here are my favorite pizza combinations and recipes:

• When fig season is upon us, and you don't want to let it pass without making this Fig, Pesto, & Arugula Pizza. Make your own basil pesto or grab a pre-made version, but be sure you make it before the figs have come and gone!
• ​Sauceless Potato Pizza with a Garlic Sauce and Jalapeño is my favorite go-to when I'm not feeling like sauce (or if I don't have any on hand)... Thinly sliced potato was meant to be on pizza, and you will see why!
• Hubby's favorite... Marinara, Garlic, & Burrata. It's simple, delicious, and exactly what you're probably craving.
• For those of you looking to build your own pizza toppings, here is my Mushroom Jalapeño Pizza. You can substitute any of your favorite toppings, and the trick is to slice them as thinly as possible using a mandoline (link opens in new tab).
• It is also fun to make little mini-pizzas like these pizzatashen. Fun for kids and adults, alike!

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This post was originally published in January of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips October of 2020.