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Different Types of Dough Recipes 🍞🥖

Understanding Dough Basics for Better Baking Results

Not all dough is the same. The reason your pizza is chewy, your brioche is soft, and your focaccia is airy comes down to ingredients, hydration, fat, and technique.

This guide breaks down the most common dough types, explains why they work the way they do, and gives you reliable, easy-to-follow recipes for each one.

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🍕 1. Pizza Dough

Chewy, stretchy, crisp edges

Why It’s Different

Pizza dough uses moderate hydration and minimal fat to create elasticity and chew.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

1. Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Rest 5 minutes.
2. Add flour, salt, and olive oil.
3. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth.
4. Let rise 1–2 hours until doubled.
5. Shape, top, and bake at high heat.

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🥨 2. Soft Pretzel Dough

Dense, chewy, golden

Why It’s Different

Low hydration and a baking soda bath create the classic pretzel texture.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter (melted)

Instructions:

1. Activate yeast with water and sugar.
2. Add remaining ingredients and knead until firm.
3. Rise 1 hour.
4. Shape pretzels.
5. Boil briefly in baking soda water.
6. Bake until golden.

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🫓 3. Focaccia Dough

Airy, fluffy, olive-oil rich

Why It’s Different

High hydration and generous olive oil create large air pockets.

Ingredients:

• 3½ cups bread flour
• 1½ cups warm water
• 2 tsp yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• ¼ cup olive oil

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients until sticky.
2. Rest 20 minutes, then stretch and fold.
3. Rise 1–2 hours.
4. Press into oiled pan, dimple surface.
5. Drizzle with oil and bake.

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🍞 4. Basic Bread Dough

Soft crumb, sturdy structure

Why It’s Different

Balanced hydration and minimal fat make it versatile.

Ingredients:

• 3½ cups flour
• 1¼ cups warm water
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil

Instructions:

1. Mix ingredients.
2. Knead 10 minutes.
3. Rise until doubled.
4. Shape and rise again.
5. Bake until golden.

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🧈 5. Brioche Dough

Rich, buttery, tender

Why It’s Different

High fat and eggs create softness and richness.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup butter (softened)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup warm milk

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Add eggs and milk.
3. Knead until smooth.
4. Add butter gradually.
5. Chill overnight, then bake.

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🥟 6. Flatbread Dough

Quick, soft, flexible

Why It’s Different

No yeast or very little yeast means fast preparation.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• ¾ cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil

Instructions:

1. Mix into soft dough.
2. Rest 20 minutes.
3. Roll and cook on hot pan.

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🥐 7. Enriched Sweet Dough

Soft rolls, cinnamon buns

Why It’s Different

Sugar, milk, and fat make it tender and sweet.

Ingredients:

• 3½ cups flour
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp yeast
• ½ cup butter

Instructions:

1. Mix and knead well.
2. Rise until doubled.
3. Shape and bake.

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🧠 Why Understanding Dough Matters

Different doughs exist because:

• Hydration affects texture
• Fat controls tenderness
• Sugar impacts browning
• Kneading develops structure

Once you understand this, baking becomes predictable—not frustrating.

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✨ Final Thoughts

Every great bake starts with the right dough. Whether you want chewy pizza, fluffy focaccia, or rich brioche, success comes from choosing the correct formula—not guessing.

Master the dough, and everything else follows.

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