Dough Hydration Calculator
Enter your flour, water, sourdough starter and salt weights to get the hydration %, baker's percentage and total dough weight in one click. Baker's percentage uses flour as the 100% baseline β the standard recipe language of professional bakeries.
π₯ Recipe Input
100% means a 1:1 starter (half flour, half water). Common range is 80%-150%.
β FAQ
What is dough hydration?
Dough hydration is the weight of water as a percentage of the total flour weight. 500 g flour + 350 g water = 350 Γ· 500 Γ 100% = 70% hydration. Higher hydration means a wetter dough, an airier crumb, and more skill needed to handle and shape it.
How do I count the flour and water inside my starter?
A 100% hydration starter (1:1) is half flour and half water by weight. 100 g of starter = 50 g flour + 50 g water. When computing total hydration you must add the starter's flour and water to the main dough β this calculator does it automatically.
What hydration is best for which bread?
60-65%: pizza and bagels, stiff and easy to shape. 70%: classic country loaves, the golden ratio. 75-80%: baguettes and ciabatta with open crumb. Above 80%: focaccia-style very wet doughs that need multiple stretch-and-folds.
How do I change the hydration of a recipe?
Add water to raise hydration, remove water to lower it. To go from 70% to 75% with 500 g flour, increase water from 350 g to 375 g. Change in steps of about 5% and watch how the dough behaves before adjusting again.