My Sicilian grandmother would slap my hand if I ever bought pizza dough.
She spent 50 years perfecting her Sicilian pizza dough recipe, the one that rises tall, stays airy inside, and gets that golden, olive-oil-fried bottom every pizzeria in Palermo dreams of.
After 100+ test batches (high-hydration, cold ferment, poolish, biga, everything), this is the final version that beats every recipe online, including the famous King Arthur and Serious Eats versions.

Read more about these homemade fast food recipes.

The Ultimate Sicilian Pizza Dough Recipe (Makes one 13×18-inch grandma pie or two 9×13 pans)

Ingredients (72 % hydration – perfect balance)

• 500 g bread flour (12.5–13.5 % protein – King Arthur or Caputo Tipo 00 for luxury)
• 360 g cold water (72 % hydration – do NOT reduce)
• 10 g fine sea salt
• 8 g instant yeast (or 10 g active dry)
• 15 g extra-virgin olive oil (plus ¼ cup for the pan — this is non-negotiable)
• 5 g sugar or honey (feeds yeast, helps browning)

Equipment

• 13×18-inch LloydPans Grandma-style pan (the gold standard) or dark 9×13 pans
• Stand mixer with dough hook OR large bowl + strong arms
• Plastic wrap + fridge space

Substitutions

→ Gluten-free: Cup4Cup + 20 g extra water
→ No stand mixer: hand-knead 12–15 min

Step-by-Step Sicilian Pizza Dough Recipe (48-hour cold ferment for max flavor)

1. In a stand mixer bowl, whisk flour + yeast, + sugar.
2. Add cold water + olive oil. Mix on low 2 minutes until shaggy.
3. Rest 15 minutes (autolyse — relaxes gluten).
4. Add salt. Knead on medium-low 7–8 minutes — dough will be sticky but smooth.
5. Do 3 stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes (strengthens structure).
6. Coat the dough ball with olive oil. Cover tightly.
7. Cold ferment in fridge 48 hours (minimum 24, max 72 — flavor explodes day 2).
8. 3–4 hours before baking, remove the dough. Let warm to room temp.
9. Pour ¼ cup olive oil into the pan — yes, really.
10. Gently stretch dough to corners — it will resist, let rest 10 minutes, stretch again.
11. Dimple deeply with fingertips — Sicilian signature.
12. Proof 2 hours until puffy and jiggly.
13. Top (sauce → cheese → toppings — cheese under sauce = grandma style).
14. Bake at 475°F for 18–22 minutes — bottom golden, top bubbling.

Pro tip: The 48-hour cold ferment is the difference between good and “Nonna crying tears of joy” dough.

Why This Sicilian Pizza Dough Recipe Works

• 72 % hydration + olive oil = impossibly airy crumb
• Cold ferment = complex flavor, better texture
• ¼ cup oil in pan = crispy fried bottom (focaccia meets pizza)
• Bread flour + stretch-and-fold = structure without toughness

Nutrition & Substitutions (Per slice – 12 slices)

• Calories: 180
• Protein: 5 g
• Carbs: 26 g
• Gluten-free swap: King Arthur GF measure-for-measure

8 Genius Sicilian Pizza Twists

1. Grandma Pie – sauce → cheese → toppings (cheese under sauce)
2. Upside-Down Sicilian – pepperoni under cheese → no burnt meat
3. Detroit-Style Hybrid – Wisconsin brick cheese to edges for frico crust
4. Sfincione Palermitano – breadcrumbs + anchovies + caciocavallo
5. Vodka Sauce Sicilian – creamy vodka sauce + fresh mozzarella
6. Truffle Mushroom – truffle oil + wild mushrooms + fontina
7. Buffalo Chicken Grandma – shredded chicken + Frank’s + blue cheese crumbles
8. Instant 4-Hour Version – room-temp proof only (still excellent)

Pro Tips & Mistakes My Nonna Would Slap Me For

• Never use warm water — kills flavor development
• Oil the pan like you mean it — that’s the crispy bottom
• Don’t rush the cold ferment — 48 hours minimum
• Dimple aggressively — traps sauce pockets
• Bake on the lowest rack — maximum bottom crisp

Storage & Reheating

• Dough: fridge 5 days, freeze 3 months
• Baked pizza: fridge 4 days
• Reheat: 450 °F oven 5–7 minutes — never microwave

Serving Suggestions

• Classic: Sunday gravy sauce + pecorino Romano
• With anchovies + oregano for true Palermo vibes
• Cut into squares — Sicilian tradition

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FAQs – Sicilian Pizza Dough Recipe

How long should Sicilian pizza dough ferment?

48 hours of cold ferment is perfect — flavor and texture peak.

What pan is best for Sicilian pizza?

LloydPans 13×18 Grandma pan — dark metal + perfect depth.

Can I make Sicilian pizza without bread flour?

All-purpose works but won’t rise as high or get as airy.

Why is my Sicilian pizza dense?

Too little hydration or no cold ferment — fix both.

What’s the difference between Sicilian and grandma pizza?

Grandma = thinner, crispier, cheese under sauce. Sicilian = thicker.

Can I freeze Sicilian dough?

Yes — after bulk ferment, up to 3 months.

Best temperature for Sicilian pizza?

475–500 °F on the lowest rack for a crispy bottom.

Make this Sicilian pizza dough recipe this weekend.
Your house will smell like Palermo.
Your family will fight over the corner pieces.
Nonna might even smile.

Which version are you trying first — classic, grandma, or Detroit hybrid?
Tag me in your golden squares — I answer every single one!