Dough Hydration Calculator
Calculate baker's hydration from flour and water weights.
Results update as you type.
How it works
Hydration is the single number bakers use to describe how wet a dough is, and this dough hydration calculator computes it from the flour and water weights you enter. Expressed as a baker's percentage — water as a percentage of flour — hydration predicts how a dough will feel, handle and bake, which is why bread, pizza and sourdough recipes are so often discussed in terms of it. Knowing the hydration matters because it drives the crumb and the workability of the dough. Lower-hydration doughs around 60 percent are firm and easy to shape, giving a tighter crumb, while higher-hydration doughs at 75 percent and above are slack and sticky but reward you with the open, airy holes prized in artisan bread and Neapolitan pizza. A dough hydration calculator lets you put a precise figure on a recipe so you can compare it to others and adjust with intent rather than guesswork. The calculation follows the baker's percentage convention, where flour is always 100 percent and every other ingredient is measured against it. Hydration is therefore the water weight divided by the flour weight, times 100. Five hundred grams of flour with 350 grams of water works out to 70 percent hydration. Because it is a ratio to flour, the percentage stays meaningful whether you mix a small test batch or a big production dough. Home bakers, sourdough keepers and pizza makers all rely on a dough hydration calculator to hit a target texture and reproduce their best loaves.
hydration % = (water ÷ flour) × 100
Baker's percentage always measures every ingredient against the flour, which is set at 100%. Hydration is the water weight expressed as a percentage of the flour weight, so dividing water by flour and multiplying by 100 gives it directly. Five hundred grams of flour with 350 grams of water is 70% hydration. Because the figure is a ratio to flour rather than to total dough weight, it stays comparable across recipes of any size, letting bakers describe and reproduce a dough's texture regardless of batch.
Source:Baker's percentage convention
We review all our tools from time to time to ensure accuracy.
Worked example
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your values
Enter flour and water.
- 2
Adjust the options
Fine-tune any options to match your situation.
- 3
Read your result
Hydration updates instantly as you type — no button to press.
Frequently asked questions
What is baker's hydration?
Hydration is the amount of water in a dough expressed as a percentage of the flour weight, using the baker's percentage system where flour is always 100 percent. So a dough with 500 grams of flour and 350 grams of water is 70 percent hydration. It is a compact way to describe how wet a dough is, and because it is measured against flour rather than total weight, it stays comparable across recipes of any size.
What hydration should I use for bread?
It depends on the style. Sandwich loaves and enriched doughs often sit around 60 to 65 percent for a soft, easy-to-shape dough, while rustic and artisan breads run higher, from 70 up to 80 percent or more, for an open, airy crumb. Higher hydration is stickier and harder to handle but yields those large, irregular holes. Start near 70 percent for a versatile loaf and adjust to the texture you prefer.
Does higher hydration make better bread?
Not automatically — it depends on what you are baking and your skill with wet dough. Higher hydration promotes an open, moist crumb and a longer shelf life, which suits ciabatta and country loaves, but slack dough is trickier to shape and needs good technique. Lower hydration is more forgiving and gives a tighter, more uniform crumb ideal for sandwich bread. The best hydration is the one that matches your recipe and handling ability.
How do I increase or decrease hydration?
Adjust the water relative to the flour. To raise hydration, add more water or reduce the flour; to lower it, do the reverse. Because the percentage is water divided by flour, small changes move the figure noticeably, so alter water in modest increments and re-check the result. Keep in mind that different flours absorb water differently — wholemeal and high-protein bread flours drink more — so the same percentage can feel wetter or drier depending on the flour.
Should I count starter or other liquids in hydration?
For a precise figure, yes. A sourdough starter contains both flour and water, so bakers doing exact calculations add the starter's flour to the total flour and its water to the total water before working out hydration. Other wet ingredients like milk, oil or eggs also contribute moisture in enriched doughs. This calculator handles the core flour-and-water ratio; for starter-inclusive precision, fold those amounts into the flour and water figures you enter.