Sourdough Calculator

Category: Desserts and Baking
- May 05, 2025
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Calculate ingredient amounts for your perfect sourdough loaf based on hydration level, starter percentage, and total dough weight.

Recipe Parameters

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Advanced Options

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About Sourdough Baking

Sourdough bread is made through a natural fermentation process using wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. The key to great sourdough lies in understanding hydration, fermentation, and proper technique.

Understanding Key Terms
  • Hydration: The ratio of water to flour by weight, expressed as a percentage.
  • Starter Percentage: The amount of sourdough starter relative to the total flour weight.
  • Starter Hydration: The ratio of water to flour in your sourdough starter (typically 100%).
  • Autolyse: Resting period after mixing flour and water, before adding starter and salt.
  • Bulk Fermentation: The first fermentation period after mixing all ingredients.
Tips for Sourdough Success
  • Use a scale for accurate measurements - baking is chemistry!
  • Higher hydration (75%+) creates a more open crumb but is harder to handle.
  • Starter should be active and at peak when added to the dough.
  • Temperature greatly affects fermentation time - warmer = faster.
  • Proper shaping and tension is key to good oven spring.
  • For best results, bake in a Dutch oven or with steam.

What Is the Sourdough Bread Calculator?

The Sourdough Bread Calculator is a simple tool that helps you calculate the exact ingredient amounts for baking sourdough bread. By entering a few basic values—such as total dough weight, hydration level, and starter percentage—you receive a complete breakdown of flour, water, starter, and salt. This calculator is ideal for home bakers looking for consistency and precision in their bread-making.

Why Use This Calculator?

Precision is essential in sourdough baking. Small changes in hydration or starter levels can greatly affect the dough's texture and fermentation. This calculator removes the guesswork, letting you:

  • Adjust hydration levels to suit your preferred crumb texture
  • Match your starter’s characteristics to the dough
  • Calculate custom dough weights for different batch sizes
  • Split flour types for flavor and nutrition (e.g., whole wheat + bread flour)
  • Save time by generating an accurate recipe instantly

Formula Behind the Calculation

The tool uses baker’s percentage formulas to keep ingredient ratios consistent regardless of batch size. Here's a simplified version of the main formula used to calculate total flour weight:

\[ \text{Total Flour} = \frac{\text{Dough Weight}}{1 + \text{Starter Flour Factor} + \text{Hydration} + \text{Salt %}} \] \[ \text{Starter Flour Factor} = \text{Starter %} \times \left( \frac{1}{1 + \text{Starter Hydration}} \right) \]

Once the total flour is calculated, the calculator works out the remaining ingredient weights (water, starter, salt) accordingly.

How to Use the Calculator

Follow these steps to generate your sourdough recipe:

  • Step 1: Enter your total desired dough weight in grams (e.g., 1000g).
  • Step 2: Choose your hydration level (the ratio of water to flour, usually 70–80%).
  • Step 3: Set your starter percentage (usually between 15% and 25%).
  • Step 4: Enter your starter’s hydration level (most often 100%).
  • Step 5: Add a salt percentage (2% is standard for taste and strength).
  • Step 6 (Optional): Choose your flour types. You can include a second flour and define how much of the total flour it should make up.
  • Step 7: Click “Calculate Recipe” to see the full ingredient list and baking schedule.

Helpful Features

The calculator includes several useful features to improve your baking experience:

  • Automatic baking schedule estimation based on hydration and starter levels
  • Clear calculation steps to explain how ingredient weights are derived
  • Custom decimal precision for easier rounding or exact measurements
  • Visual breakdown of flour types for multi-flour recipes

Common Terms Explained

  • Hydration: Percentage of water in relation to total flour weight. Higher hydration means more open crumb but stickier dough.
  • Starter: A live mix of flour and water that naturally ferments and makes the dough rise.
  • Starter Hydration: The water-to-flour ratio in your starter. 100% means equal parts by weight.
  • Salt Percentage: Salt’s weight as a percentage of total flour. Affects flavor and gluten strength.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this for different flour types?
Yes. You can select your main flour and optionally add a second flour. The calculator will divide the total flour accordingly.

What if my starter has a different hydration?
Just adjust the "Starter Hydration" input. The tool recalculates how much flour and water is in your starter to keep the recipe accurate.

Why does hydration matter?
Hydration affects the dough’s stickiness and crumb texture. Higher hydration yields a more open, airy loaf but can be harder to handle.

What should my starter percentage be?
Anywhere from 10% to 30% is common. A higher percentage means faster fermentation and stronger sour flavor.

How do I know the fermentation time?
The baking schedule section gives time estimates based on your inputs. You’ll still need to monitor your dough as temperature and activity can vary.

Who Is This Tool For?

Whether you're a beginner learning how to bake sourdough or an experienced baker fine-tuning hydration and fermentation, this calculator can help you plan your bake with confidence. It's especially useful for:

  • Home bakers scaling recipes up or down
  • Users experimenting with different flour blends
  • People tracking nutritional content and ingredient ratios
  • Bakers who want consistent results every time

Conclusion

The Sourdough Bread Calculator simplifies recipe planning while giving you control over every variable that affects flavor, structure, and crust. Instead of relying on guesswork or standard recipes, you can build a formula that works for your flour, starter, and preferences.

It supports better baking habits and helps reduce errors, making every sourdough bake more predictable and enjoyable.