{"id":149502,"date":"2025-06-26T18:24:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T18:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pizzatoday.com\/?post_type=topics&p=149502"},"modified":"2025-08-21T08:53:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T08:53:30","slug":"your-pizza-dough-might-benefit-from-adding-whole-grain-flour-knead-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pizzatoday.com\/news\/your-pizza-dough-might-benefit-from-adding-whole-grain-flour-knead-to-know\/149502\/","title":{"rendered":"Your pizza dough might benefit from adding whole-grain flour | Knead to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Add Whole-Grain Flour to Pizza Dough<\/h2>\n

As pizza makers and bakers, we are trained to choose our flour based on what we want our end product to look, feel and taste like. We analyze a bag of flour for the level of protein it contains, how coarsely it is milled, the elasticity it will provide and if it is bleached, unbleached or enriched. Another important question should be what wheat is used. Just as baking has been returning to its artisanal roots, pizza makers are exploring beyond standard \u201cwhite flour\u201d as whole grains and ancient grains<\/a> enter the conversation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Like all plants, wheat will taste different depending on the varietal as well as the region and soil it is grown in. All these factors influence the complexity and flavor of the grain once it is milled. The quality and type of grains have a huge impact on the flavor, texture, color, crumb and nutritional value of the pizza, breads and pastries that we create from them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Using Whole Grains and Local Mills for my Restaurant<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

One of my favorite parts of owning a pizzeria is making and experimenting with dough. When I started adding in whole-grain flours<\/a>, I realized how much I had been missing out. I knew the basics about wheat and flour, but once I started diving deeper, I couldn\u2019t stop. I wanted to know about all the different wheat varietals, why freshly milled flour is so different from mainstream commercial flour, how whole grains can kickstart the fermentation process and the multitudes of flavor and texture they add to pizza dough. Naturally, I started milling flour to add to our dough in my shop with a small mill I bought. This was clearly not sustainable since we don\u2019t have a big enough mill \u2013 nor the space for it \u2013 to accommodate the amount of dough we make daily. Luckily for me, there are a few fantastic local mills in my area. <\/span><\/p>\n

Not only was I able to access great grains to mill (and eventually just buy flour from them), I had the opportunity to learn about the different ones available, what would work best in our dough and the different flavor qualities each one contributed. A lot of states also have created grain alliances, which can be a fantastic resource if you don\u2019t happen to have a mill near you. Here in Colorado, the Colorado Grain Chain was started a handful of years ago, and it offers educational classes and resources to members.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before I settled on a dough I really loved, I tried out some that were almost entirely composed of whole-grain flours and others with varying percentages of whole grains. Some were great and others not so much. There\u2019s a fine line between adding flavor and texture and turning it into a whole-wheat dough. For my shop, we try to make two different doughs, max. This helps with a multitude of things, including labor and space. In order to add freshly milled, local whole grains<\/a> to our dough and not have it be a completely separate item, I had to scale way back on both the whole-grain flour and my expectations. I found that the sweet spot is closer to five percent whole grains, but you can always push it a little further if you want a heartier dough. <\/span><\/p>\n

Wheat and Milling Types<\/b><\/h3>\n

You might be asking, \u201cWhere do I even begin to choose what whole-grain flour to use?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the U.S., there are six classes of wheat<\/a>: <\/span><\/h5>\n