Well, hello there! My name is Shea thanks for stopping by. Ive been baking and meal planning for the past ten years. One of the best things to make and bake later is pizza dough, and proper storage is key to ensuring longevity and a tasty crust!
Storing pizza dough is super simple. All you need to do is let it rise once. Then, you can store it by wrapping it in plastic wrap, placing it in an airtight container, or using a resealable bag. Place in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for three months.
If youre considering meal prepping, I highly recommend doing pizza dough. Pizza dough isnt exactly the quickest thing on planet earth, so having some ready to go dough will save you time and hassle and this article shows you how!
Lets store some pizza dough!
Contents
- How to Store Pizza Dough: Three Ways
- FAQs
- Final Words
- FAQs
- Can I refrigerate pizza dough after it rises?
- How long can I keep pizza dough in the fridge?
- Is it better to put pizza dough on the counter or in the fridge?
- Where do you store pizza dough when rising?
- How long should pizza dough rest at room temperature?
- How far in advance can you make pizza dough?
- How far in advance can I roll out pizza dough?
- How long to leave pizza dough out of fridge before stretching?
- What is the best container to store pizza dough in the fridge?
- Do you proof pizza dough before refrigerating?
How to Store Pizza Dough: Three Ways
Storing pizza dough is surprisingly simple and will save you a lot of time along the way. And, having plenty of pizza dough at the ready means you can make all kinds of goodies, from bacon and egg breakfast pizzas to creamy chicken alfredo delights. The options are limitless!
1. Storing at Room Temperature
Now, I dont necessarily recommend storing your pizza dough at room temperature unless you plan to bake it soon.
Thats because most pizza dough will only last up to four hours at room temperature. The exception is pizza dough with little yeast, such as Neapolitan pizza dough, which can last for up to 24 hours at room temp.
Heres how to do it:
Step 1: Roll the pizza dough into a large ball.
Step 2: Leave it on your workstation or place it inside of a big bowl.
Step 3: Brush the pizza dough with olive oil, so it does not dry out.
Step 4: Cover the ball with plastic wrap.
Step 5: Use within 4-24 hours, depending on the type of dough youre using.
2. Storing in the Fridge
If you need a little bit more time, the next best choice is to store your pizza dough in the fridge. Its just as easy it just takes a bit more time and steps.
Step 1: Allow your pizza dough to rise once.
Step 2: Portion the ball into smaller sizes, depending on how big pizzas youre planning to make in the future.
Step 3: Coat the pizza dough balls with a bit of olive oil to keep them from drying out.
Step 4: Wrap with plastic wrap, place inside a resealable bag, or place inside an airtight container.
Step 5: Store inside of the fridge for up to five days.
When youre ready to use your refrigerated pizza dough, simply remove the portion from the fridge and let it come to room temperature on the countertop. Most doughs should be ready in as little as 30 minutes to an hour.
3. Storing in the Freezer
Last but not least, you can store pizza dough in the freezer. This is my personal favorite because I like to make a large quantity of dough, portion it, and have plenty of dough for my upcoming baking adventures. Simply follow these steps:
Last but not least, pizza dough may be stored in the freezer. This is my personal favorite since I prefer to make a big batch of dough, divide it, and have enough of dough on hand for future baking projects. Simply follow the instructions below:
Step 2: Place oiled pizza dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, for about three hours.
Step 3: Place frozen pizza dough balls inside of a resealable plastic freezer bag, ensuring all of the air is pushed out before sealing.
Step 4: Keep in the freezer for up to three months.
When youre ready to use the frozen pizza dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, take it out and place it on the counter for about an hour or until it comes to room temperature. Bake and enjoy as usual!
FAQs
Storing pizza dough is a cinch whether you need it for four hours or four weeks. If you still have some pondering questions, keep reading. Ive picked out some critical FAQs youll want to know the answers to!
Can I refrigerate homemade pizza dough?
You can refrigerate homemade pizza dough for up to five days when stored properly. This means that it should be wrapped in plastic wrap or placed inside an airtight container or resealable plastic freezer bag. Dont forget to brush the balls with olive oil!
Can I Prepare pizza dough in advance?
Yes, and I highly recommend doing so if you plan to make more homemade pizzas in the future! After all, kneading and shaping the dough and waiting for it to rise is a relatively time-consuming process, so having dough ready to be baked will make life 100% easier.
How do you wrap pizza dough in the fridge?
You can wrap your pizza dough in plastic wrap before storing it in the fridge for up to five days. Ensure that the pizza dough is coated with a thin layer of olive oil and securely wrapped in plastic wrap. Any areas uncovered could dry out, which affects the quality of your pizza.
How long should refrigerated pizza dough sit out before baking?
Pizza dough should only need to sit out for about 30 minutes to an hour before its ready to be shaped and baked. Test it by trying to shape it. If it snaps back aggressively, wait a little longer.
Does refrigerated dough need to come to room temperature?
Unfortunately, yes, pizza dough must come to room temperature before being used. Thats because cold pizza dough will have an overly rigid gluten structure that is challenging, if not impossible, to shape. It will snap back and cause you a lot of hassle!
Final Words
Storing pizza dough is a cinch. I recommend storing it in the freezer unless you plan to use the dough within five days. Keep in mind that pizza dough should not be left at room temperature for longer than four hours unless it contains minimal yeast; it can survive for up to 24 hours.
How do you store your pizza dough? Do you have any unique tips or tricks youd like to share? Wed love to hear!
FAQs
Can I refrigerate pizza dough after it rises?
You can refrigerate the dough after almost any step, but after the first rise (or a little before) works best. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator for 1-3* days.
How long can I keep pizza dough in the fridge?
Takeaway. If stored correctly, pizza dough will last at least 3 days and up to 5 days in the fridge before it goes bad and even longer in the freezer. Making homemade pizza dough is easy, far more delicious, and cheaper than store-bought pizza dough. Do you want more dough inspiration recipes?
Is it better to put pizza dough on the counter or in the fridge?
Pizza dough stored at a lower temperature, like in the fridge (cold fermentation method), cool dry place, or freezer will last longer than at room temperature. I recommend storing pizza dough when they are already divided into balls.
Where do you store pizza dough when rising?
No matter which pizza dough recipe you choose, pizza dough should be stored either in the fridge or the freezer. Chilling pizza dough keeps the yeast alive by slowing down the microorganism’s natural fermentation process.
How long should pizza dough rest at room temperature?
Pizza dough should proof in room temperature anywhere from 1 to 24-hours or even more. While cold-proofing a pizza dough can take anywhere from 24 to 72 hours.
How far in advance can you make pizza dough?
The pizza dough can be made up to 1 day ahead. If making the dough ahead, refrigerate the dough to allow it to double in volume slowly, rather than rise quickly at room temperature. 1In a small bowl or a 2-cup measuring cup whisk the warm water, honey, and yeast to blend.
How far in advance can I roll out pizza dough?
It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better. You can shape the dough into any shape you prefer – circle, square, oblong. This recipe will make one 14-inch thin crust pizza. You can cut the dough in half and make two personal pizzas if you prefer.
How long to leave pizza dough out of fridge before stretching?
Before you begin stretching, warm up your cold dough for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Gluten, the protein that makes pizza dough chewy, is tighter in cold conditions like the fridge, which is why cold pizza dough will stretch out and snap back just like a rubber band.
What is the best container to store pizza dough in the fridge?
Containers for pizza dough come in a variety of different materials, but glass and plastic are the most ones. Glass is a good material because it’s smooth and helps prevent the dough ball from sticking to the container. It’s also durable, easy to clean, and dishwasher-safe.
Do you proof pizza dough before refrigerating?
Leave the dough to prove in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or cold prove in the fridge for 1-3 days. When cold proving, take the dough out 2 hours before starting to cook.
