Baker's Percentage Calculator
Turn baker's percentages into real weights — flour, water, salt and yeast — and see the hydration that decides how your dough handles.
Baker's percentage measures every ingredient against the flour, which is always 100%.
How the baker's percentage calculator works
Baker's percentage measures every ingredient against the flour, which is always 100%. So a 70% hydration dough has 700 g of water for every 1,000 g of flour, and the percentages add to more than 100 — that is expected, not an error. It is the standard because it makes any recipe scalable and comparable: two bakers can discuss a 65% dough without knowing each other's batch size.
Hydration is the number that governs handling. Below about 60% the dough is stiff and easy to shape; 65–70% is a typical everyday loaf; above 75% it becomes slack, sticky and open-crumbed, which is what ciabatta and high-hydration sourdough are after.
Formula: ingredient weight = flour weight × its baker's percentage
Worked examples
| Inputs | Total dough weight | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg flour at 70% hydration | 1,730 | 700 g water, 20 g salt, 10 g yeast — 1,730 g dough |
| A stiff bagel dough at 55% | 1,580 | firm and easy to shape |
| Ciabatta at 80% | 915 | slack and open — use a scraper |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is baker's percentage?
Every ingredient expressed as a percentage of the flour, which is always 100%. It makes recipes scalable and comparable between bakers.
Why do the percentages add to more than 100?
Because they are all measured against the flour rather than against the total. A 70% hydration dough is 173% in total, and that is correct.
What hydration should I use?
65–70% for an everyday loaf, 55–60% for bagels and pretzels, 75–85% for ciabatta and open-crumb sourdough.
How much salt?
About 2% of the flour weight. Below 1.5% bread tastes flat; above 2.5% it slows the yeast noticeably.
How do I convert dried yeast to fresh?
Multiply by about three — 1% instant dried is roughly 3% fresh.
Where these figures come from
- US FDA — Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures — the internal temperatures the roasting calculator targets
- NIST SP 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units — the exact weight and volume conversions used throughout
- US Food and Drug Administration — food safety and labelling standards
Last checked: September 2026. Baking ratios follow standard baker's percentage practice; roasting guidance follows published safe internal temperatures.