How to calculate baker's percentage
Baker's percentage turns a recipe into a clear formula that is easy to compare and scale. The complete flour blend is always 100%, and every other ingredient is measured against that total flour weight.
By FlourPilot
Start calculating: Set the total flour blend to 100%, then calculate each other ingredient as ingredient weight ÷ total flour weight × 100. For 500 g flour, 350 g water is 70% hydration.
The 100% flour basis
If a dough contains several flours, add every flour weight first. That total is the flour blend and represents 100%. Each flour can then show its share of the blend, while water, salt, yeast, and other ingredients use the same total flour denominator.
Analyze an existing recipe
Add the flour rows and the non-flour weights. Divide each non-flour weight by total flour and multiply by 100. The total baker's percentage is 100 plus all non-flour percentages, and the total dough weight is the sum of every ingredient.
Build a dough from a target weight
Add flour blend shares that total 100%, then enter the desired percentages. First calculate B = 100 plus all non-flour percentages. Total flour is target dough weight × 100 ÷ B; each ingredient is then calculated from total flour.
Worked baker's percentage example
| Ingredient | Baker's percentage | Example weight (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Flour blend | 100% | 500 g |
| Water | 70% | 350 g |
| Salt | 2% | 10 g |
| Yeast | 1% | 5 g |
| Total dough | 173% | 865 g |