What bread hydration percentage means
Hydration in bread baking is simply the weight of water in a dough expressed as a percentage of the flour weight — 350g of water against 500g of flour is 70% hydration, a common ratio for a soft sandwich loaf. This single number tells an experienced baker a great deal about how a dough will behave before they've even mixed it: low hydration doughs around 55-65% are firmer and easier to shape by hand, while high hydration doughs above 75% are sticky, harder to handle, but typically produce a more open, airy crumb, as seen in artisan sourdough and ciabatta.
This calculator works in both directions — tell it your flour and water to find your current hydration, or tell it your flour and a target hydration to find exactly how much water to add.
Typical hydration ranges by bread type
Sandwich bread and dinner rolls commonly sit around 60-65% hydration, giving a manageable dough and a soft, even crumb. Rustic artisan loaves and baguettes often run 70-75%, balancing openness with workability. Very wet doughs like ciabatta and ultra-modern sourdough push into the 80-90%+ range, requiring specific handling techniques like stretch-and-folds instead of traditional kneading, since the dough is too sticky to knead by hand in the usual way.
There's no single 'correct' hydration — it's a deliberate choice based on the texture and crumb structure a baker wants, balanced against how confident they are handling wetter, stickier doughs.
Why flour type changes how a given hydration feels
Not all flours absorb water the same way — high-protein bread flour and whole wheat flour generally absorb more water than standard all-purpose flour, so the same hydration percentage can feel noticeably different depending on the flour used. This is why many bakers treat a hydration percentage as a starting point for a specific flour they've used before, adjusting slightly on subsequent bakes based on how the dough actually feels, rather than treating the calculated number as an absolute guarantee of dough behaviour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hydration percentage include other liquid ingredients like eggs or milk?
Traditionally hydration refers specifically to water; if a recipe includes milk, eggs or oil, many bakers count a portion of that liquid content towards effective hydration, though this calculator's basic version treats plain water and flour only.
Is higher hydration always better?
No — higher hydration generally means a more open, chewy crumb but a stickier, harder-to-handle dough; the 'right' hydration depends on the bread style you're aiming for and your comfort handling wet dough.
Why does my dough feel different from what the hydration percentage suggests?
Flour type, ambient humidity and even flour age all affect how wet a dough feels at a given hydration, so treat the percentage as a helpful reference rather than a guarantee of a specific texture.
Can I use this for pizza dough too?
Yes, pizza dough hydration typically runs 60-70% depending on style, and this calculator works the same way for pizza dough as for bread dough.