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Sourdough Calculator — Baker's Percentage

Enter total flour, hydration, starter, and salt percentages — get exact grams to measure plus the starter's flour + water contribution, no surprises.

1
Enter total flour
Type the total flour weight for the recipe — this includes the flour already inside your starter.
2
Set hydration, starter and salt
Hydration is water as a percent of flour (70-80% is standard). Starter is the levain as a percent of flour (20% is typical). Salt is usually 2%.
3
Read "Measure into the bowl"
The top card shows the exact grams to weigh out — flour, water, starter and salt — plus the final dough weight.
4
Check recipe totals if needed
The second card breaks down total flour, total water, effective hydration, and how much flour / water your starter contributes — so the subtraction is never a surprise.
Recipe parameters

Includes the flour already in your starter. We subtract it later.

100% is the default (equal parts flour + water). Stiff starter ≈ 50–60%; liquid levain 125–150%.

Working in a different kitchen temperature? Add ~1h bulk for every 2 °C below 22 °C, subtract ~30m for every 2 °C above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is "Flour to add" less than "Total flour"?

Baker's percentages count everything in your recipe, including the flour that's already inside your starter. A 100%-hydration starter is 50% flour + 50% water by weight, so a 200 g starter contributes 100 g flour. To avoid double-counting, the calculator subtracts the starter's flour from the total — you only add the rest from the bag.

What is baker's percentage?

Baker's percentage expresses each ingredient as a percentage of total flour weight. 1000 g total flour at 75% hydration means 750 g total water, and a 20% starter means the recipe uses 200 g of levain.

What hydration should I use?

Country sourdough is typically 68-78%. Below 65% gives a dense sandwich crumb; 78-85% gives an open ciabatta-style crumb but is harder to handle; 85%+ is pizza / focaccia territory.

My starter is not 100% hydration — does that matter?

Yes. Open the Advanced panel and set your starter hydration (50-60% for a stiff starter, 125-150% for a liquid levain). The calculator will split your starter's flour and water correctly.

Can I copy the recipe?

Yes. The Copy recipe button sends the full formatted recipe (measurements + totals) to your clipboard.

How does the bake-day timeline work?

Bulk fermentation, shape, proof and bake milestones are calculated as hour offsets from mix, assuming a 22 °C kitchen. Bulk shrinks as hydration rises — wetter doughs ferment faster because there is more free water for yeast activity. Use the timeline as a planner, not a strict schedule: starter strength, flour, and room temperature all shift the real numbers.

What do the colored bar segments represent?

The composition bar shows the share each ingredient contributes to the final dough weight — flour (warm), water (cyan), starter (violet), salt (muted). It's a quick visual sanity check: flour should dominate, water should be about two-thirds of flour at 75% hydration, starter is a sliver, and salt barely registers.

This tool is free thanks to our sponsors. Support Loft Tools