Flour Absorption Calculator

Flour absorption (also called dough hydration) is the ratio of water to flour in a recipe, expressed as a percentage. For example, if you use 500g of flour and 350g of water, your hydration is 70%. Higher hydration doughs are wetter, more open-crumbed, and generally harder to handle. See also our Yeast Pitch Rate Calculator.

When blending multiple flour types, total hydration is calculated by dividing the combined water weight by the combined flour weight, then multiplying by 100. This calculator adds up all flour and water components — including contributions from your sourdough starter — to give you the true overall hydration.

Sourdough starter contains both flour and water. A 100% hydration starter is made with equal parts flour and water by weight, so 100g of starter contributes 50g flour and 50g water. This calculator extracts the flour and water fractions from your starter based on its hydration percentage and includes them in the total dough hydration.

Most basic white bread sits around 60–65% hydration, while artisan sourdoughs often range from 70–80%. Ciabatta and other open-crumb loaves can exceed 80%. Rye and whole wheat flours absorb more water, so blends with these flours typically require higher hydration to achieve the same dough feel.

Rye flour contains a high proportion of pentosans (water-absorbing carbohydrates) and bran particles that absorb significantly more water than white flour. Whole wheat flour also absorbs more water due to its bran content. When using these flours, you generally need to increase your hydration by 5–10% compared to an all-white-flour recipe.

Yes. In baker's percentages, flour always totals 100% and all other ingredients are expressed relative to that. If your recipe lists 70% water, that means 70g of water per 100g of flour. Simply multiply your target flour weight by each percentage to get the gram amounts, then enter them into this calculator.

The two terms are often used interchangeably in home baking. Technically, 'flour absorption' refers to how much water a flour can take up before the dough loses structure, while 'hydration' refers to the actual ratio used in a specific recipe. Professional bakers test absorption using a Farinograph, but for practical home use both terms describe the water-to-flour ratio.

Too low hydration produces a stiff, dense dough that may not develop good gluten and results in a tight crumb. Too high hydration creates a very slack dough that is difficult to shape and may spread rather than rise. Finding the right hydration for your flour type and recipe is key to achieving the texture you want.