How to use this calculator
Enter your flour and water in grams. The calculator instantly shows hydration percentage — water weight divided by flour weight, times 100. Optionally enter salt and starter (or yeast) to see the full baker's percentage breakdown for your recipe.
Always weigh in grams, not cups. Flour packs differently every time it's scooped — a "cup" can vary by 30g or more depending on how you fill it. Bread is the one place where weighing is non-negotiable.
What hydration percentage means
Hydration is the most important variable in bread. It controls how the gluten develops, how the crumb opens, and how the crust crisps. A 100g flour and 75g water dough is 75% hydration — the same percentage whether you're making 100g or 10kg of dough.
Higher hydration doesn't make better bread. It makes different bread. A 60% sandwich loaf is exactly right for tight-crumb slices. An 80% ciabatta is exactly right for open holes and crispy crust. Match the hydration to the loaf you actually want.
Hydration ranges by bread type
| Bread type | Hydration range | Crumb character |
|---|---|---|
| Bagels, pretzels | 50–58% | Dense, chewy |
| Sandwich bread, brioche | 60–65% | Tight, even crumb |
| Baguettes | 65–70% | Open but structured |
| Country sourdough (beginner) | 68–72% | Moderately open |
| Country sourdough (open crumb) | 75–80% | Large irregular holes |
| Ciabatta | 80–85% | Wild open crumb, crispy crust |
| Focaccia | 80–90% | Wet, blistery, oily |
| Pizza dough (Neapolitan) | 60–65% | Stretchy, chewy |
Baker's percentage in plain English
Baker's percentage expresses every ingredient as a percentage of the flour weight. Flour is always 100%. Everything else is calculated relative to flour, no matter how much dough you're making.
Why this matters: it makes recipes scale instantly. If you've got a recipe at 75% hydration, 2% salt, 20% starter — you can make a 500g flour batch (375g water, 10g salt, 100g starter) or a 5,000g batch (3,750g water, 100g salt, 1,000g starter) using the exact same percentages. No conversion needed.
Most professional bakery recipes are written entirely in baker's percentage. Once you start thinking that way, recipe scaling stops being a math problem.
Adjusting hydration in practice
Going wetter
Add water in 2-3% increments. Pay attention to how the dough feels — wetter doughs need stronger flour (higher protein content), more careful folding, and longer fermentation to develop structure. If the dough won't hold a shape, you've gone too far for your flour.
Going drier
Reduce water by 2-3% at a time. Drier doughs are easier to shape and bake but produce tighter crumb. Excellent for sandwich bread or for hot, humid days when high-hydration dough won't behave.
Flour matters
Whole wheat absorbs more water than white flour. A 75% hydration recipe in white bread flour might feel like 65% in whole wheat. Add 3-5% extra water when substituting whole wheat for some of the flour.
Frequently asked questions
What is bread hydration percentage?
The weight of water divided by the weight of flour, expressed as a percentage. 700g water and 1000g flour = 70% hydration.
What hydration should I use for sourdough?
Most home sourdough runs 65-85%. Beginners do well at 70-72%. Experienced bakers push toward 80%+ for very open crumb.
Is higher hydration always better?
No. Higher hydration gives more open crumb and crispier crust, but it's harder to shape. Sandwich bread is usually 60-65% on purpose.
What is baker's percentage?
Every ingredient expressed as a percentage of flour weight. Flour is always 100%. A recipe with 1000g flour, 700g water, 20g salt, 200g starter = flour 100%, water 70%, salt 2%, starter 20%.
How do I scale a bread recipe with baker's percentages?
Pick your target flour weight and multiply each percentage by it. For 800g flour at 75% hydration: water = 800 × 0.75 = 600g. Salt at 2% = 16g.