You should refrigerate pizza dough if: You’re making it more than a few hours ahead. You want a crispier crust with those Instagram-worthy charred spots. You have the self-control of a zen master and can wait 24 to 72 hours. You have limited counter space and a cat who likes to sit on warm things.
You should NOT refrigerate pizza dough if: You’re eating it in the next two hours. You used a quick-rise yeast that’s basically a sugar-fueled rocket. You forgot to oil the bowl, and now the dough is fusing with the plastic wrap like a sad, floury Siamese twin. In that case, just bake it immediately.
Personally, I treat my dough like a moody house guest. I give it an hour to “acclimate” on the counter, then I shove it in the fridge for a 24-hour nap. By the time I punch it down, it’s mellowed out and developed a personality that doesn’t try to escape the bowl.
