How this calculator works
In baker’s percentages, flour is always 100% and every other ingredient is a percentage of the flour weight. Adding all percentages gives the total formula percentage; dividing the dough weight you want by that total gives the flour, and everything else follows.
Total % = 100 + Hydration + Salt + Yeast + Other
Flour = Total dough ÷ (Total % ÷ 100)
Ingredient = Flour × Ingredient% ÷ 100
Worked example
Using the default values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Number of loaves or pieces | 2 |
| Weight per piece | 900 g |
| Hydration (water) | 70 % |
| Salt | 2 % |
| Yeast | 1 % |
| Other ingredients (oil, sugar…) | 0 % |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Flour | 1,040 g |
| Water | 728 g |
| Salt | 20.8 g |
| Yeast | 10.4 g |
| Total dough | 1,800 g |
| Total formula | 173 % |
Step by step:
- Total dough = 2 × 900 = 1,800 g
- Total formula = 100 + 70 + 2 + 1 + 0 = 173%
- Flour = 1,800 ÷ 1.73 = 1,040.5 g; water = 728.3 g
Flour and water for 1 kg of dough
2% salt, 1% yeast.
| Hydration | Flour | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 60% | 613 g | 368 g |
| 65% | 595 g | 387 g |
| 70% | 578 g | 405 g |
| 75% | 562 g | 421 g |
| 80% | 546 g | 437 g |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Calculating percentages of total dough instead of flour.
Frequently asked questions
Why use baker’s percentages?
They make any recipe easy to scale and compare, because every ingredient is tied to the flour weight.
Should I add extra for dough loss?
Some dough sticks to bowls and benches. Many bakers add 1–3% to the target weight.