About Bread Hydration (in Simple Terms)

If you've ever followed a bread recipe, you've worked with hydration without even knowing it! Simply put, **hydration is just the amount of water in your dough compared to the amount of flour.** We measure it in percentages because it's the most accurate way to talk about dough consistency. A low percentage means less water and a stiffer dough that's easy to handle—think of a bagel or a simple sandwich loaf. A high percentage means more water and a wetter, stickier dough. This might sound tricky, but it's the secret to getting those beautiful, big airy holes you see in artisan sourdough or ciabatta bread. It's the single most important number for understanding how your dough will behave, from mixing to baking.

This calculator is designed to be your friendly guide in the kitchen. It removes all the confusing math so you can focus on the fun part: making delicious bread. For sourdough bakers, it even includes a special section to account for the flour and water in your starter, giving you the *true* hydration of your final dough. Whether you're trying to figure out the hydration of a recipe you found online or you're creating your own recipe and need to know exactly how much water to add, this tool has you covered. It's all about giving you the confidence to experiment and understand your dough better.

How to Use This Calculator

This tool has two handy modes. Just pick the one that matches what you're trying to do:

1. Find My Hydration %: Choose this tab if you already have a recipe. Enter the main flour and water amounts from your recipe. If you're using a sourdough starter, fill in that section too. The calculator will instantly tell you the total hydration percentage of your dough.
2. Find Water Amount: This one is for when you're designing your own recipe. You know how much flour you want to use and you have a goal for your hydration (say, a 75% sourdough). Enter your flour, your target percentage, and your starter details, and the calculator will tell you exactly how much extra water to pour into your bowl.

Tips for Happy Baking

• Your Scale is Your Best Friend: When it comes to bread, measuring by weight (grams) is much more accurate than measuring by volume (cups). This is the number one tip for consistent results.
• Flour Has a Personality: Not all flours are the same. Whole wheat and rye flours are much thirstier than all-purpose white flour, so they can handle more water. If your dough feels too dry, it might be the flour you're using.
• Embrace the Stickiness: Don't be afraid of wet dough! It can be tricky to handle at first, but it's worth it. Use wet hands or a dough scraper to help you manage it, and you'll be rewarded with a beautiful, open crumb.