Fat and Oil in Pizza Dough: Effects on Flavor, Texture, and Baking
In this article, we’ll explore the various effects of oil and fat on pizza dough, including how they enhance flavor and texture, alter dough handling properties, and influence the quality of the pizza after baking
Oil and Fat in Dough: Introduction
Note that ‘fat’ refers to any type of fat – whether it’s oil (of any kind), butter, margarine, shortening, or similar. In terms of its effect on the dough beyond flavor, all fats have a similar impact.
While this article focuses on the role of fat in pizza dough, the information applies to all dough types.
From a technical standpoint, adding fat to dough ‘oils’ and ‘lubricates’ the dough. Essentially, the gluten structure and starch grains in the dough become coated with fat.
First and foremost, fat acts as a dough softener. As we’ll explore, incorporating fat results in a pizza (or any baked product) with a softer texture – and this is often the main reason fat is included in dough. Fat or oil doesn’t promote crispness, contrary to what some may believe.
Fat’s role in dough affects several key areas, both directly and indirectly:
- Flavor
- Dough handling properties
- Baking and final texture
- Post-baking quality of the pizza
How Oil/Fat Affects Dough and the Final Product
Flavor
Fat influences the flavor of dough both directly and indirectly. The more fat used, the stronger its impact on flavor.
Directly, fats with a distinct taste such as olive oil, butter, or animal fats like lard or schmaltz, alters the flavor profile of the final product, depending on the type of fat. On the other hand, neutral fats, like canola oil, won’t directly affect flavor.
Indirectly, fat is lipophilic, meaning it has the ability to ‘capture’ and retain aromas during baking, that would otherwise dissipate. This means any fat or oil added to the dough will enhance its flavor in subtle, positive ways.
If you leave a small cube of butter uncovered in the fridge, you’ll notice after a day that it has absorbed various flavors and odors from its surroundings (often not in a pleasant way). This is a great example of how fat ‘captures’ aromas from its environment.
Dough Handling Properties
Adding fat to dough alters its rheology (how the dough behaves and feels) by lubricating the flour particles. Ultimately, this makes the dough more extensible.
Fat also ‘coats’ the gluten strands, limiting their ability to form longer, stronger bonds. The amount of fat used determines the extent of this effect, with higher fat content leading to a softer, more extensible dough.
Fat can also affect the dough’s perceived ‘wetness.’ Depending on how and when it’s added (we’ll cover this later), fat may coat the flour grains and gluten-forming proteins, reducing their ability to absorb water effectively. As a result, the dough may feel ‘wetter,’ since gluten’s reduced capacity to absorb water leaves more ‘free’ water in the dough.
In lower-hydration pizzas (45-55%) that are stretched with a rolling pin or dough sheeter (such as cracker-style pizzas or Tonda Romana), oil is especially important. These doughs are typically very elastic and stiff due to the low hydration, so oil significantly aids in rolling them out. Without oil, these doughs can become difficult to stretch and shape into a pizza base.
Baking and Final Texture
As mentioned earlier, fat’s primary effect on dough is ‘softening’ the gluten structure, which makes the dough more extensible. This results in a pizza with a softer, more tender, ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ crumb.
Simply put: adding fat or oil to dough creates a softer, more tender, and less chewy crust, while also contributing to a richer, fuller mouthfeel. Even a small amount of fat, around 1-3%, can make a noticeable difference, especially when combined with proper dough kneading.
An ‘extreme’ example of fat’s effect on dough is brioche, one of the softest and most tender breads. Classic brioche typically contains between 30% and 50% fat, usually butter.
Another great example is challah, which is essentially a ‘kosher’ version of brioche. It has a relatively high fat content, around 10%, contributing to its soft and fluffy texture.
In the video below, you’ll see three Neapolitan pizzas, each made with different amounts of oil in the dough:
- 0% (the first one, the marinara without cheese)
- 3% (the second)
- 6% (the third)
All the doughs were prepared, fermented, and baked identically, with the only variable being the amount of oil used.
As you can clearly see:
- The pizza with 3% oil was noticeably softer than the one without any oil.
- The pizza with 6% oil was noticeably softer than 3% oil pizza.
Fat also affects the crumb structure of the baked product. The more fat present, the denser and less airy the internal structure may become. This happens because fat disrupts gluten development and reduces the dough’s ability to retain gas. Brioche and challah, for example, have a closed, dense crumb (that remains soft and fluffy despite the compact structure).
Don’t confuse ‘softness’ with ‘airiness’! A crumb can be closed or dense, while still being soft and tender, as seen in brioche or challah. Conversely, you can have an open, airy structure that’s tough and hard to chew. In pizza making, it’s a common mistake to assume ‘airy = soft,’ when in reality, these are distinct qualities that don’t necessarily reflect each other.
For example, marshmallows are soft but also dense and chewy. Gummy bears are similarly soft yet tough to chew. On the other hand, a properly cooked fish fillet may feel firm and springy but is tender and melts in your mouth when eaten.
Sourdough bread are another example. They will always have a chewier texture compared to yeast-based bread, even if both are made from the exact same dough formula (except for the leavening agent). Though both breads can be equally soft or airy, sourdough will always be chewier and less tender to the bite.
Additionally, because fat is hydrophobic (repelling water), it helps retain moisture during baking by “trapping” water inside the dough. This slows moisture loss and results in a more moist crumb.
However, it’s important to note that fat’s primary contribution to softness comes from its effect on the gluten structure, not moisture retention. Moisture retention plays a smaller role in the overall tenderness of the dough.
Note that there’s no direct relationship between the moisture level of the crumb and its softness! A pizza or bread can have a “moist” crumb, yet still be tough or not soft, and vice versa.
I’ve encountered many people who believe that adding oil when baking pizza in a home oven “prevents the dough from drying out” – this is a misconception rooted in a misunderstanding of the baking process. As mentioned earlier, the primary reason for adding fat to dough is to achieve a softer texture – softness that isn’t related to how moist the crumb is after baking.
Additionally, with the small amounts of oil used in pizza dough (typically no more than 5%), its effect on moisture retention is minimal.
In pizza dough, fat can also help prevent moisture from toppings from migrating into the dough during baking, particularly from the sauce. This reduces the likelihood of forming an un-baked layer of dough, known as the ‘gum line,’ between the pizza base and the sauce.
Another benefit of fat is its lubricating effect, which adds extensibility to the dough. In lower amounts (0-3%), fat can improve oven spring and increase volume by making the gluten structure more extensible and less resistant.
One common misconception worth highlighting again: fat doesn’t promote crispiness. In fact, it has the opposite effect. The confusion often arises from products like pie crusts or saltine crackers, which contain a relatively high amount of fat, yet are still crispy.
In these doughs, crispness comes not from the added fat, but from the dough-making and baking process, which usually involves low dough hydration and extended baking to thoroughly dry the dough. In fact, fat in such doughs contributes to a crumbly, ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ texture. Without fat, these products would be extremely dry and brittle, making them less pleasant to eat.
Post-Baking Quality of the Pizza/Bread
Fat also impacts the dough after baking. In the broader context of baked goods, fat primarily slows down moisture loss post-bake, which is the main cause of spoilage (dehydration) in baked items, thereby extending their shelf life. As previously mentioned, fat ‘traps’ moisture in the dough and slows its release.
While this is particularly relevant for bread, it’s less so for pizza, which is usually consumed immediately.
In the case of pizza, adding fat helps maintain the pizza’s quality for longer after it comes out of the oven. Specifically, it delays the dough from becoming tough and harder to chew as the pizza cools. Though this toughening is inevitable, fat can slow the process, with the exact timing depending on the dough formula and the baking method or temperature used. A more detailed article on this topic will be published in the future.
Is Fat/Oil Counted as Part of Dough Hydration?
The strict definition of ‘hydration’ refers to liquids that are absorbed by the flour and contribute to gluten development, primarily water. Since fat is not water and doesn’t absorb into the dough like water (and actually interferes with gluten development), fat cannot technically be considered part of the dough’s hydration. However, as mentioned earlier, fat does affect the dough’s rheology, making it more extensible, softer, and ‘wetter’ to the touch.
To summarize: it’s technically incorrect to count fat as part of the dough’s hydration (meaning you don’t need to reduce water to account for fat). However, it’s important to note that fat will influence how the dough handles, depending on the amount added.
Keep in mind that butter and margarine contain 16-20% water. So, when you add butter or margarine to the dough, you’re also introducing some water along with the fat.
For example, if we add 100 grams of butter, approximately 82% is fat and around 18% is water. In practice, we’re adding 82 grams of fat and 18 grams of water to the dough.
When and How to Add Fat/Oil During Dough Mixing
When liquid fat (such as any type of oil) comes into direct contact with flour, it ‘coats’ the flour grains, preventing them from absorbing water. As a result, these coated flour grains cannot participate in gluten development, as the oil inhibits the gluten-forming proteins from absorbing the necessary water.
Therefore, to avoid disrupting gluten formation, it’s best to add oil only after the flour has fully absorbed all the water.
It’s important to note that the ‘coating’ effect on flour applies only to liquid fats. Solid fats, like butter or various shortenings, do not coat the flour grains in the same manner as liquid fats. Therefore, solid fats can be added from the beginning along with the other dough ingredients, but they should remain in a solid state (for example, cut into small cubes) rather than being melted or dissolved.
For relatively small amounts of oil (1-2%), the effect on gluten development is less significant, though still present. However, in fat-saturated doughs like challah, brioche, or various sweet pastries, it’s crucial to add the fat only after the flour has completely absorbed the water (usually about 2-3 minutes into mixing). Otherwise, a substantial portion of the flour will be unable to participate in gluten development, leading to a flat and dense final product.
In the context of pizza, certain styles require minimal gluten development, such as Chicago deep dish or various cracker style pizzas. For these doughs, it’s perfectly fine to add the oil directly to the flour and water at the beginning of mixing.
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Great one as always, thanks!