Bread Baking Hydration Calculator
Compute dough hydration percentage from flour and water weights, or work backwards to find the water needed for a target hydration, using baker's percentages.
Result
- Flour1,000 g (100%)
- Water700 g
- Hydration70.0%
- Salt20.0 g (2%)
- Total dough weight1,720 g
- Dough classificationhigh hydration (rustic, ciabatta, sourdough)
Step-by-step
- Hydration % = water ÷ flour × 100 = 700 ÷ 1,000 × 100 = 70.0%.
- Salt = flour × salt%: 1,000 g × 2% = 20.0 g.
- This is a high hydration (rustic, ciabatta, sourdough).
How to use this calculator
- Choose whether to compute hydration % or the water needed for a target hydration.
- Enter the flour weight in grams (this is always 100% in baker's math).
- Enter either the water weight (hydration mode) or the target hydration percentage (water mode).
- Optionally set the salt percentage to get the total dough weight; read the result and dough classification.
About this calculator
Bakers describe dough recipes using baker's percentages, where the total flour weight is always 100% and every other ingredient is given as a percentage of that flour. Hydration is the most important of these: it is simply the water weight divided by the flour weight, times 100. A 1000 g flour, 700 g water dough is "70% hydration." This calculator works both ways — enter flour and water to find the hydration percentage, or enter flour and a target hydration to find exactly how much water to add. It also applies an optional salt percentage (2% is standard) to report total dough weight, and classifies the dough: stiff (under 60%, for bagels and pretzels), standard (60–70%, for sandwich loaves), high hydration (70–78%, for rustic and sourdough breads), and very high (above 78%, for open-crumb artisan loaves and focaccia). Remember hydration is by weight; whole-grain and high-protein flours absorb more water than white flour.
How it works — the formula
Hydration % = Water ÷ Flour × 100
Water (g) = Flour × (Target hydration ÷ 100)
Salt (g) = Flour × (Salt % ÷ 100)
Total dough = Flour + Water + SaltIn baker's percentages flour is the 100% reference. Hydration is the water-to-flour weight ratio; salt and other ingredients are likewise fractions of flour. Total dough weight is the sum of the components.
Worked examples
- Inputs:
- mode=hydration, flour=1000, water=700
- Output:
- 700 ÷ 1000 × 100 = 70.0%
- Inputs:
- mode=hydration, flour=500, water=325
- Output:
- 325 ÷ 500 × 100 = 65.0%
- Inputs:
- mode=water, flour=1000, targetHydration=75
- Output:
- 1000 × 0.75 = 750 g water
Limitations
- Hydration is by weight; volume measurements are not reliable for this.
- Does not split out a preferment/starter's flour and water automatically.
- Flour absorption varies by type and protein; treat target hydration as a starting point.
A formulation aid. Adjust water to the feel of the dough and your flour's absorption.