Rule 1
Flour = 100%
Always anchor the formula to total flour, even when a poolish or biga is part of the build.
Baker's Percentage Calculator
Start from flour weight or target final dough weight, then scale hydration, salt, yeast, oil, and preferments with baker's math.
Start from
g
Source-backed preset
Preferment settings
PoolishPreferment type
A loose preferment at 100% hydration. It is common for baguettes and other breads that benefit from aroma, extensibility, and a thin crust.
Results
Total flour
500
g
Total water
340.5
g
Final dough weight
856
g
Formula summary
This setup uses 500 g total flour at 68.1% hydration and ends up at about 856 g of dough.
Total formula
171.2%
Hydration: 68.1%
| Ingredient | Percent of flour | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 100% | 500 g |
| Water | 68.1% | 340.5 g |
| Salt | 2.2% | 11 g |
| Yeast | 0.9% | 4.5 g |
Preferment build
Flour111 g
Water111 g
Yeast0.2 g
Total222.2 g
Final dough
Flour389 g
Water229.5 g
Salt11 g
Yeast4.3 g
Preferment build222.2 g
Method note
This setup starts from the Baguette profile and stays editable so you can fine-tune it to your flour, schedule, or dough feel.
King Arthur Baking - Classic BaguettesFermentation note
Yeast percentage is the least universal part of a bread formula. Room temperature, fermentation time, flour strength, and preferment maturity can all justify small adjustments.
What is baker's percentage?
In baker's math, total flour is always 100%. Every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of that flour weight, which makes formulas easier to read, scale, compare, and troubleshoot.
How this calculator works
This calculator can start from total flour or from the final dough weight you want to make. It sums the formula percentages, calculates the flour weight if needed, and then converts each baker's percentage into grams. If a preferment is active, it also splits flour and water between the build and the final dough.
Rule 2
Water / flour x 100
Hydration is simply the total water divided by the total flour, not just the water in the final mix.
Rule 3
Final weight / total %
To scale by final dough weight, divide the desired final weight by the total formula percentage expressed as a decimal.
Source-backed bread presets
These presets are presented as trustworthy starting points, not as the only valid way to make each bread. Hydration, yeast, and even salt can move slightly with flour strength, schedule, and handling.
| Preset | Hydration | Salt | Yeast | Oil | Preferment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baguette | 68.1% | 2.2% | 0.9% | - | Poolish, 22.2% prefermented flour at 100% hydration | King Arthur Baking - Classic Baguettes |
| Focaccia | 77.4% | 2% | 1.36% | 6% | No preferment | Busby's Bakery School - Focaccia Recipe With Biga |
| Ciabatta | 76% | 2% | 1.2% | - | Biga, 30% prefermented flour at 60% hydration | King Arthur Baking - Ciabatta |
What 500 g flour looks like in practice
These sample weights all start from 500 g total flour so you can see how quickly baker's percentages become a usable ingredient list.
| Preset | Water | Salt | Yeast | Oil | Final dough weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baguette | 340.5 g | 11 g | 4.5 g | - | 856 g |
| Focaccia | 387 g | 10 g | 6.8 g | 30 g | 933.8 g |
| Ciabatta | 380 g | 10 g | 6 g | - | 896 g |
Preset hydration and salt ranges
Baguette
Typical hydration range: 68% to 72%
Typical salt range: 1.8% to 2.2%
Focaccia
Typical hydration range: 75% to 82%
Typical salt range: 1.8% to 2.2%
Ciabatta
Typical hydration range: 74% to 78%
Typical salt range: 1.8% to 2%
Poolish, biga, and no-preferment setups
No preferment
Use the total formula as a straight dough when you want simpler scaling and a faster mix day.
Poolish
A loose preferment at 100% hydration. It is common for baguettes and other breads that benefit from aroma, extensibility, and a thin crust.
Biga
A stiffer Italian-style preferment, often around 50% to 60% hydration, used for flavor and structure in breads like ciabatta.
How to use baker's percentage
Once you understand the flour anchor and total formula percentage, scaling bread becomes much faster and more consistent.
- 1
Choose flour weight or final dough weight
Start from the number that matters most to you: how much flour you want to use, or how much dough you want to finish with.
- 2
Set the percentages
Pick a preset or edit hydration, salt, yeast, and oil until the formula matches the bread style and fermentation schedule you want.
- 3
Review the preferment
If you are using a poolish or biga, make sure the prefermented flour and preferment hydration still make sense inside the total formula.
- 4
Use the gram breakdown
Read the results as your shopping and mixing list: total formula, ingredient weights, and preferment build if one is active.
Sources and methodology
Methodology on this page is anchored to King Arthur Baking's professional references for baker's percentage, preferments, salt, and yeast. The sourdough and hydration notes are reinforced with practical explanations from The Perfect Loaf.
- King Arthur Baking - Baker's Percentage
- King Arthur Baking - Preferment
- King Arthur Baking - Salt
- King Arthur Baking - Yeast
- The Perfect Loaf - Introduction to Baker's Percentages
Preset note: baguette, focaccia, and ciabatta are presented as source-backed starting points. Real-world adjustments still depend on flour absorption, fermentation time, and room temperature.
Baker's percentage FAQ
What does 100% flour mean?
It means total flour is the anchor of the entire formula. Every other ingredient is measured as a percentage of that flour weight, not as a percentage of the whole dough.
Why does baker's percentage add up to more than 100%?
Because every ingredient is being compared back to the flour. Once you add water, salt, yeast, oil, and other ingredients on top of flour = 100%, the total formula naturally rises above 100%.
How do I scale a bread recipe by dough weight?
First add all the percentages in the formula. Then divide your desired final dough weight by that total percentage expressed as a decimal. The result gives you the flour weight, and from there each ingredient can be converted to grams.
Does preferment flour still count in total flour?
Yes. In correct baker's math, flour and water inside a poolish, biga, or levain still count toward total flour and total hydration.
What salt percentage is standard for bread?
A common professional range is about 1.8% to 2.0% salt based on flour weight. Small deviations exist, but that range is a strong default for most lean bread formulas.
Why isn't yeast a single fixed percentage?
Yeast depends heavily on time, temperature, sugar level, and preferment maturity. A formula meant for a long cool fermentation often uses less yeast than one designed to move quickly at room temperature.