Calculator Inputs
Enter your recipe values below. The calculator adjusts hydration for starter flour and starter water automatically.
Example Data Table
This sample recipe shows how starter changes total flour and total water before hydration is calculated.
| Ingredient | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | Main flour |
| Water | 350 g | Main water |
| Starter | 100 g at 100% | Contains 50 g flour and 50 g water |
| Salt | 10 g | About 1.82% of total flour |
| Yeast | 3 g | About 0.55% of total flour |
| Calculated Hydration | 72.73% | Total water 400 g ÷ total flour 550 g × 100 |
Formula Used
Starter Flour = Starter Weight ÷ (1 + Starter Hydration ÷ 100)
Starter Water = Starter Weight − Starter Flour
Total Flour = Base Flour + Starter Flour
Total Water = Base Water + Starter Water
Hydration % = (Total Water ÷ Total Flour) × 100
Ingredient % = (Ingredient Weight ÷ Total Flour) × 100
Hydration shows how much water exists relative to total flour. Higher values usually create softer, wetter doughs and more open crumb structures.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the direct flour and water weights for your dough.
- Add starter weight and starter hydration if your formula uses preferment.
- Enter salt, yeast, and optional oil to see baker's percentages.
- Set a target dough weight to scale the whole formula proportionally.
- Set a target hydration to estimate how much water to add or reduce.
- Click the calculate button to show the result above the form.
- Review the graph, tables, and export options for recipe planning.
FAQs
1. What does dough hydration mean?
Hydration is the percentage of total water compared with total flour. A 70% hydration dough has 70 grams of water for every 100 grams of flour.
2. Why does starter affect hydration?
Starter contains both flour and water. If you ignore its internal composition, your hydration number becomes inaccurate, especially in sourdough formulas.
3. Is higher hydration always better?
No. Higher hydration can improve openness and softness, but it also makes dough stickier and harder to shape. The best level depends on flour strength and recipe style.
4. What hydration is common for sandwich bread?
Many sandwich breads fall around 60% to 68% hydration. Enriched doughs may feel softer because fats and sugars also affect texture, handling, and moisture retention.
5. What hydration works for pizza dough?
Pizza dough often lands between 58% and 70%, depending on style, oven type, fermentation time, and flour strength. Neapolitan and long-fermented doughs often run wetter.
6. Does salt change hydration percentage?
Salt does not change the hydration formula itself because hydration compares only water and flour. However, salt changes dough feel, strength, and fermentation behavior.
7. Can I use this for sourdough and commercial yeast recipes?
Yes. The calculator works for both. Enter starter details for sourdough, or leave starter at zero for straight dough and commercial yeast formulas.
8. Why does my dough feel wetter than the percentage suggests?
Whole grain flour, weak flour, warm dough, long fermentation, and ingredient absorption differences can make dough feel wetter or looser than the raw percentage implies.