The Best Flours for Homemade Pizza Dough

A pizza champion shares the ideal flour types for different home oven setups

Apr. 15, 2026 at 8:20pm by

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A bold, colorful silkscreen print featuring a single, iconic pizza slice repeated in a tight grid pattern, rendered in a vibrant neon color palette with heavy black outlines, capturing the everyday pizza as modern pop art.A pop art celebration of the perfect pizza crust, achieved through expert flour selection.San Francisco Today

According to 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani, all-purpose flour is not the best choice for making pizza dough at home. Instead, Gemignani recommends using flours with higher protein and gluten content, like King Arthur Sir Lancelot, Tony's "00" California Artisan flour, or Gusto's High Performer. These flours develop stronger structure and bake more effectively at the lower temperatures of a home oven. For an authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in a high-heat oven like an Ooni or Roccbox, Gemignani says a "00" flour like Caputo "00" Blue is ideal.

Why it matters

Making great pizza at home can be challenging, and the type of flour used is a critical factor. Gemignani's expert advice on the best flour choices for different home oven setups can help home cooks achieve more professional-quality pizza results.

The details

Gemignani explains that all-purpose flour lacks the protein and gluten structure needed to bake properly in a home oven, which typically reaches temperatures between 450-550°F. Instead, he recommends using flours with higher protein content, like King Arthur Sir Lancelot, Tony's "00" California Artisan flour, or Gusto's High Performer. These develop stronger structure and bake more effectively at lower temps. For high-heat ovens like Ooni or Roccbox, the ultra-fine "00" flour like Caputo "00" Blue is ideal for an authentic Neapolitan-style crust. If using all-purpose flour, Gemignani suggests adding vital wheat gluten to increase the protein, baking on a pizza stone or steel, and using a browning agent like diastatic malt, sugar, or honey.

  • Gemignani's pizza expertise comes from being a 13-time World Pizza Champion.

The players

Tony Gemignani

A 13-time World Pizza Champion and chef-owner of Tony's Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco.

King Arthur Sir Lancelot

A high-protein flour recommended by Gemignani for making pizza dough in a home oven.

Tony's "00" California Artisan flour

A high-protein flour recommended by Gemignani for making pizza dough in a home oven.

Gusto's High Performer

A high-protein flour recommended by Gemignani for making pizza dough in a home oven.

Caputo "00" Blue

A "00" flour recommended by Gemignani for making authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in a high-heat oven like an Ooni or Roccbox.

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What they’re saying

“If you're making styles like classic Italian, Roman, pan, or New York-style pizza in a home oven, you'll want a flour with higher protein and gluten content. Options like King Arthur Sir Lancelot, Tony's "00" California Artisan flour, or Gusto's High Performer are great choices, as they develop stronger structure and bake more effectively at lower temperatures.”

— Tony Gemignani, 13-time World Pizza Champion and chef-owner of Tony's Pizza Napoletana

“If you're aiming for an authentic Neapolitan-style pizza crust — thin, chewy (but not too chewy) crust, rustically shaped with char on the bottom — while using a high-heat oven like Ooni or Roccbox, Gemignani says a "00" (double zero) flour like the brand Caputo "00" Blue, is ideal. This is because "00" flour is designed to withstand high temperatures better than other flours can.”

— Tony Gemignani, 13-time World Pizza Champion and chef-owner of Tony's Pizza Napoletana

The takeaway

Choosing the right flour is crucial for achieving the perfect pizza crust at home. Gemignani's expert advice on high-protein and "00" flours can help home cooks elevate their pizza game, whether they're using a standard home oven or a high-heat specialty pizza oven.