Free interactive tool
Dough Hydration Calculator
Water divided by flour — the single number that most changes how dough behaves.
Set hydration and imagine the dough
Move flour and water; the percentage, the feel of the dough, and the suggested salt all follow.
Hydration is the single number that most changes how dough behaves in your hands. Sticky is not a mistake — it is a setting.
- Set a 65% sandwich loaf, then push to 80% and compare the feel.
- Keep the percentage fixed while scaling the flour — the recipe scales itself.
Hydration is water weight divided by flour weight. At 60% you get stiff bagel territory; around 70% the crumb opens up; by 80% you are in slack ciabatta country where folds replace kneading.
Slide the amounts to plan a bake or scale a recipe — the percentage stays honest at any batch size, and the tool suggests salt at the classic 2%.
What hydration should a beginner use?
65–70%: workable by hand, forgiving to shape, and still capable of a good open crumb.
Does flour type change the feel?
Yes — whole grain and high-protein flours drink more, so the same percentage feels drier.