Summary for the scanners (non-readers): The flour you choose is one of the biggest secrets to a great pizza crust. This guide breaks down the three most common pizza flours so you know exactly which one to use for your oven and your style.
There you are, ready to make pizza. You head to the store and stare at the flour aisle. Type 00. Bread flour. All-purpose. Maybe even whole wheat. Which one do you grab?
It matters more than you think.
The flour you choose changes how your dough feels, how it stretches, and how your crust turns out in the oven. Get it right and you get a chewy, bubbly, golden crust. Get it wrong and your pizza comes out flat, tough, or just kind of blah.
Let's break it all down.
What Makes Pizza Flour Different?
The main difference between flours comes down to protein content. More protein means more gluten. More gluten means more structure and more chew.
For pizza, you want just the right amount of gluten. Too little and your dough tears apart. Too much and it turns tough and fights back when you try to stretch it. Here is where the three flours land:
- All-purpose flour: around 10 to 12% protein
- Bread flour: around 12 to 14% protein
- Type 00 flour: around 10 to 13% protein, but ground much finer
That last point matters. Type 00 is milled into a super fine powder. That fine texture changes how the dough feels and how fast it cooks at high heat.
All-Purpose Flour: Good Enough, But Not Great
Most people start here. And honestly, it works. Your pizza will taste good. But it does have limits.
All-purpose flour makes solid pizza at regular home oven temperatures, around 450 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. You get a soft, mild crust that everyone at the table will enjoy. If you are just starting out, this is a fine place to begin.
The problem comes when you fire up a high-heat pizza oven like an Ooni or Gozney. At 800 or 900 degrees, all-purpose flour gets pushed to its limit. The crust can turn tough or chewy in an off-putting way. It also does not develop as much flavor as other flours when you cold ferment the dough.
Bread Flour and Type 00: Where It Gets Good
This is where things get interesting.
Bread flour has more protein, which builds a stronger gluten network. You get a crust with real chew. It stretches well without tearing and holds up better under a pile of toppings. It is a great pick for a regular home oven with a pizza stone or steel at 450 to 550 degrees. Classic New York style pizza, that thick foldable slice, is often made with bread flour. If you do not have a high-heat outdoor oven, this is your best bet.
Type 00 is what traditional Neapolitan pizzerias use. The "00" refers to how finely the flour is milled. The fine grind makes the dough silky and easy to stretch. It cooks fast at very high heat. You get those gorgeous leopard spots, the dark char marks that Neapolitan pizza is famous for. The crust comes out light and airy with a slight crisp on the outside and a soft, chewy inside. If you own an Ooni, a Gozney, or any outdoor pizza oven that reaches 700 degrees or higher, Type 00 is the flour you want.
Which Flour Matches Your Oven?
Here is the short answer:
- Regular home oven (450 to 550 degrees): All-purpose or bread flour both work well
- Pizza stone or steel at higher heat: Bread flour or 00 flour
- Wood-fired or propane pizza oven (700 degrees and up): Type 00 is your best bet
If you want great results without the flour shopping headache, the easiest shortcut is to skip it altogether. Moon Crust pizza dough kits are made with the right flour blend for high-heat ovens, cold-fermented for 48 hours to build real flavor. You just stretch and cook. That is it.
The Bottom Line
For most home pizza makers with a high-heat oven, Type 00 or bread flour will get you closest to that restaurant result. All-purpose is fine for a standard home oven, but it is not going to wow anyone.
A few trusted national brands worth knowing: Caputo Pizzeria is the gold standard for Type 00, and King Arthur Bread Flour is excellent for New York style. We use Smalls Family Farm flour. Whatever flour you use, check the date on the bag. Old flour makes flat, lifeless dough. Store it in an airtight container and toss it if it smells off.
And if you want to skip the whole flour debate, Moon Crust Pizza kits take care of all of it for you. Every batch uses the right flour (local Walla Walla, Smalls Family Farm), cold-fermented to perfection, and delivered fresh to your door. No measuring, no guessing, just great pizza every time.
Order yours at mooncrustpizzakits.com and taste the difference on your next pizza night.