Live formula table
Every ingredient compared with total flour
| Ingredient | Weight | Baker's percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 100% |
| Water or liquid | 350 g | 70% |
| Salt | 10 g | 2% |
| Yeast | 5 g | 1% |
| Other ingredients | 0 g | 0% |
| Total formula | 865 g | 173% |
Quick example
A 70% hydration bread dough
A dough with 500 g total flour and 350 g water has 70% hydration. Add 10 g salt and 5 g yeast, and the complete formula is 100% flour, 70% water, 2% salt, and 1% yeast. The dough weighs 865 g in total.
Baker's percentage
Flour is always the 100% reference
Baker's percentage compares each ingredient with the total weight of all flour in the dough. If a formula uses 400 g bread flour and 100 g whole-wheat flour, enter 500 g as total flour. A 10 g salt addition is then 2%, regardless of the final dough weight.
Hydration
Liquid weight divided by total flour weight, multiplied by 100.
Salt percentage
Salt weight divided by total flour weight, multiplied by 100.
Total formula
Every ingredient percentage added together. It is normally greater than 100%.
Scaling
Keep the percentages constant to preserve the formula at a new batch size.
Count hidden flour and water
Preferments, milk, and eggs need judgment
For an overall sourdough or prefermented formula, split the preferment into its flour and water portions and add each to the matching field. Milk, eggs, butter, and similar ingredients contain water but are not pure water. Counting their full weight as liquid produces a simple formula hydration; estimating only their water content produces a more technical effective hydration. Flour type and absorption still affect how wet a dough feels.
Method & source
How the calculator applies baker's math
The calculation follows King Arthur Baking's baker's percentage reference: total flour is 100%, and every other ingredient is divided by that flour weight. Its bread hydration guide describes hydration as the percentage of liquid relative to flour. The arithmetic is exact for the weights entered; dough behavior still depends on ingredients, technique, and environment.
Common questions
Dough hydration and baker's percentage FAQ
How do I calculate dough hydration?
Divide liquid weight by total flour weight and multiply by 100. Use weights, not volume measures.
Why is flour 100% instead of the whole recipe?
Baker's math uses total flour as a stable reference so formulas are easy to compare and scale.
How do I include sourdough starter?
For overall hydration, add the starter's flour to total flour and its water to the liquid weight. Do the same for any preferment.
Can I use ounces or pounds?
Yes. Use the same weight unit for every input. Ratios and baker's percentages are unit-independent.