Every professional baker uses baker’s percentages to write recipes — and our free Bread Hydration Calculator makes baker’s math instant. Enter your flour weight and desired hydration percentage to get the exact water amount needed, or enter flour and water weights to find your dough’s hydration. Works for sourdough, focaccia, sandwich bread, baguettes, and any yeasted dough.
Bread Hydration Calculator
What Is Bread Hydration?
Bread hydration is the ratio of water to flour in a dough recipe, expressed as a percentage. It is the foundation of baker's percentage math — a professional system where flour is always 100% and every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the flour weight.
Formula: Hydration % = (Water Weight ÷ Flour Weight) × 100
For example: 375g water ÷ 500g flour × 100 = 75% hydration
This means for every 100g of flour, you use 75g of water. Higher hydration creates more open crumb structure, chewier texture, and more complex crust. Lower hydration makes dough easier to shape and handle.
Hydration Guide by Bread Type
| Hydration | Bread Types | Dough Character |
|---|---|---|
| 55–65% | Bagels, pretzels, stiff rye | Firm, easy to shape, dense crumb |
| 65–75% | Sandwich bread, basic sourdough, baguettes | Moderate, workable, good structure |
| 75–85% | Artisan sourdough, open crumb loaves | Wet and sticky, requires skill, open crumb |
| 85–100% | Ciabatta, focaccia | Very wet, poured/stretched rather than shaped |
| 100%+ | Some flatbreads, porridge breads | Batter-like, very advanced technique |
Baker's Percentage — The Full System
In baker's percentage, flour is always 100%. Every ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the total flour weight. This makes recipes infinitely scalable and easy to compare.
| Ingredient | Weight | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 500g | 100% |
| Water | 375g | 75% |
| Salt | 10g | 2% |
| Starter/Levain | 100g | 20% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bread hydration percentage?
Bread hydration percentage is the ratio of water weight to flour weight in a recipe, expressed as a percentage. It is calculated as: Hydration % = (Water in grams ÷ Flour in grams) × 100. For example, 375g water ÷ 500g flour = 75% hydration. This is the core of baker's percentage math.
What hydration should I use for sourdough?
Beginner sourdough bakers should start at 70–75% hydration, which gives a workable dough that holds its shape. As you develop skill with folding and shaping techniques, you can gradually increase to 80–85% for a more open crumb. Hydrations above 85% require advanced technique and are not recommended for beginners.
Does higher hydration make better bread?
Higher hydration creates a more open crumb structure (larger holes), chewier interior texture, and more complex crust flavor from better oven spring and steam. However, it is not automatically "better" — the right hydration depends on the bread type. Bagels need low hydration (55–60%) for their characteristic dense, chewy texture.
What is baker's percentage and why use it?
Baker's percentage is a system where flour is always 100% and every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the total flour weight. It makes recipes infinitely scalable, easy to adjust, and universally comparable between bakers. A recipe written in baker's percentages works whether you are making one loaf or 100 loaves.
How do I scale a bread recipe up or down?
Use our "Scale Recipe" mode: enter your original flour and water weights, then your new flour amount. The calculator maintains the same hydration percentage while adjusting all water amounts proportionally. The same scaling factor applies to other ingredients in your recipe.