AP Flour vs. Bread Flour: Does It Really Matter?
AP Flour vs. Bread Flour: Does It Really Matter?
I get asked this one a lot. Do I really need bread flour for pizza, or can I just use regular AP flour?
The short answer… yes, you can absolutely make great pizza with AP flour. But there is a difference.
AP flour (all-purpose flour) usually has a little less protein than bread flour. Less protein means less gluten development. For pizza, that generally gives you a dough that is a little softer, easier to stretch and can have a more tender bite.
Bread flour has more protein, which means it can build a stronger gluten network. That extra strength can give you more chew, better structure and can help the dough hold onto the gas created during fermentation. That can mean a better rise and a nice airy crust.
But here’s where people get way too caught up in the flour bag.
Protein percentage matters more than what it says on the front of the bag.
One company’s AP flour can be pretty close to another company’s bread flour. So flip the bag over and look at the nutrition label, or better yet, check the manufacturer’s actual protein percentage if they publish it.
For the pizza I make, I usually want enough protein to give me good structure without turning the crust into a jaw workout.
And higher protein isn’t automatically better.
Your hydration, fermentation time, temperature, yeast amount and how you handle the dough all matter. A LOT. Give me a well-fermented AP flour dough over a badly made bread flour dough any day.
My basic rule:
Want a softer, more tender crust? AP flour can work great.
Want more chew and a little more strength? Try bread flour.
Doing a longer fermentation or working with higher hydration? The extra strength of bread flour can definitely help.
Best advice? Try both.
Make the exact same dough, change only the flour and see what you like better. Pizza doesn’t care what the internet says you are supposed to like.
At the end of the day, the best flour is the one that makes the pizza you want to eat.
Dough Daddy Cooks
Bringing people together, one bite at a time.