Formulas
Ingredient weight = Flour weight × Percentage ÷ 100
Flour = Total dough ÷ (Sum of percentages ÷ 100)
Flour = Total dough ÷ (Sum of percentages ÷ 100)
Example: For 500 g of flour at 70% hydration, 2% salt and 1% yeast you need 350 g of water, 10 g of salt and 5 g of yeast — 865 g of dough in total.
Tips
- Weigh everything, including water — cups are too imprecise for bread.
- Whole-wheat flour absorbs more water; add 5–10% hydration.
- For sourdough, count the flour and water inside the starter for true hydration.
Making pizza? The pizza dough calculator starts from the number of dough balls.
Frequently asked questions
What is baker’s percentage?
Each ingredient’s weight divided by the flour weight × 100. Flour is always 100%. A dough with 500 g flour and 350 g water is at 70% hydration.
What hydration should bread dough have?
Sandwich loaves about 60–65%, rustic breads 68–75%, ciabatta and many sourdoughs 75–85%. Higher hydration gives a more open crumb but is harder to handle.
How do I scale a recipe to a total dough weight?
Flour = total dough ÷ (sum of all percentages ÷ 100). For 865 g of dough at 70% water, 2% salt and 1% yeast: 865 ÷ 1.73 = 500 g flour.
How much salt and yeast?
Salt is usually 1.8–2.2%. Instant yeast is 0.5–1.5% depending on how long you ferment.