Dough Hydration Calculator
Work out water from hydration, or hydration from water, using simple baker's percentages — right in your browser.
📖 How it works & FAQWhat dough hydration means
In bread baking, hydration is the weight of water expressed as a percentage of the weight of flour — the heart of baker's percentages. A dough with 500 g flour and 375 g water is at 75% hydration, because 375 ÷ 500 = 0.75. The formula is simple: water = flour × hydration%, and in reverse, hydration% = water ÷ flour × 100. This calculator does both directions for you, live, as you type.
Why hydration matters
Hydration shapes the crumb, the crust, and how the dough handles. Lower hydration (55–65%) gives a tight, easy-to-shape dough good for sandwich loaves and bagels. Mid hydration (65–75%) suits everyday rustic loaves. High hydration (75–85%+) produces an open, airy crumb prized in ciabatta and sourdough, but the dough is stickier and needs stretch-and-folds instead of heavy kneading. Weighing flour and water in grams — not cups — is what makes these numbers reliable.
How to use it
- Pick a mode: Find water if you know your flour and target hydration, or Find hydration % if you already have flour and water weights.
- Type your flour weight in grams.
- Enter the target hydration percentage, or the water weight, depending on the mode.
- Read the result instantly — including the total dough weight so you can plan tin or batch size.
FAQ
- Do preferments or levain count toward hydration?
- For total dough hydration, yes — add the flour and water from your starter or poolish to the totals. This tool covers the core flour-and-water math; sum your preferment amounts first for a whole-recipe figure.
- Does salt, oil, or sugar change the percentage?
- Classic hydration counts only water against flour. Fats and sugars affect dough feel but are tracked as their own baker's percentages, not as hydration.
- Can I use ounces instead of grams?
- Yes. The percentage is a ratio, so any consistent unit works — just keep flour and water in the same unit. Grams are recommended for accuracy.
- Is my data uploaded anywhere?
- No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type ever leaves your device. Results are estimates to guide your bake — trust your dough and adjust to your flour.