What is Baker's Percentage?
Baker's percentage is a standard notation used in baking to express the ratio of each ingredient relative to the total flour weight. In this system, flour is always 100%, and every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the flour.
Why Use Baker's Percentage?
Easy Scaling
Double or halve a recipe without recalculating each ingredient individually
Universal Language
Bakers worldwide use this system to communicate recipes
Consistent Results
Ratios stay the same regardless of batch size
Quick Comparison
Easily compare hydration levels and ingredient ratios across different recipes
How to Use the Baking Ratio Calculator
Choose a Recipe
Select one of the 12 preset recipes at the top — from Basic Bread and Baguette to Croissant and Banana Bread. Each preset loads the standard baker's percentages for that recipe type.
Set Your Scale
Choose how you want to calculate ingredient weights:
- Flour weight — Enter how much flour you have and the calculator computes everything else
- Total dough weight — Enter the total weight you need and the calculator figures out each ingredient
- Number of loaves — Enter how many loaves and the weight per loaf to get the total recipe
Adjust and Customize
Edit any ingredient's percentage directly in the table. Add new ingredients with the Add ingredient button. The hydration indicator updates in real time as you make changes.
Save or Copy
Use the copy button to copy your recipe as text, or save it for quick access later. Toggle between grams and ounces with the unit button.
Features
12 Preset Recipes
Start with professionally balanced ratios for popular baked goods:
- Basic Bread
- Baguette
- Pizza Dough
- Ciabatta
- Focaccia
- Sourdough
- Brioche
- Croissant
- Challah
- Pancakes
- Banana Bread
- Muffins
Hydration Indicator
See your dough's hydration level at a glance with a color-coded progress bar:
Stiff dough, easy to shape
Standard bread dough, good balance of workability and texture
Wet dough, produces open crumb with larger holes
Flexible Scaling
Custom Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hydration in baking?
Hydration is the percentage of liquid (water, milk, eggs) relative to flour. A bread with 65% hydration uses 650g of liquid for every 1000g of flour. Higher hydration creates lighter, more open-crumbed bread but is harder to handle.
Why is flour always 100%?
In baker's percentage, flour serves as the base reference. All other ingredients are calculated as a percentage of the flour weight. This makes it simple to scale recipes — just change the flour amount and everything else adjusts proportionally.
Can I add my own ingredients?
Yes. Click Add ingredient below the table to add custom ingredients. Enter a name and percentage, and the weight is calculated automatically based on your flour amount.
How do I save a recipe?
Click the bookmark icon in the ingredients table header. Your recipe is saved locally in your browser. Open the Saved Recipes section to reload or delete saved recipes.
What is the difference between the three scale modes?
Flour weight is best when you know how much flour you have. Total dough weight is useful when you need a specific final weight. Number of loaves lets you calculate for multiple units — just enter the count and weight per loaf.
Is my data stored securely?
All calculations happen in your browser. Saved recipes are stored in your browser's local storage — nothing is sent to any server.
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