Sourdough Calculator
Calculate flour, water, starter, and salt for your sourdough using baker's percentages.
By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated April 2026 · Source: USDA
Flour
508g
Water
381g
Starter
102g
Recipe (Baker's Percentages)
| Flour (100%) | 508 g |
| Water (75%) | 381 g |
| Starter (20%) | 102 g |
| Salt (2%) | 10.2 g |
| Total Dough Weight | 1,000 g |
Baking Timeline
| Feed Starter | 8-12 hours before |
| Autolyse (mix flour + water) | 30-60 min |
| Add starter + salt, mix | 5-10 min |
| Bulk Fermentation (stretch & fold) | 4-6 hours |
| Pre-shape & rest | 20-30 min |
| Final shape | 5-10 min |
| Cold proof (refrigerator) | 8-16 hours |
| Bake (covered) | 20 min at 500°F |
| Bake (uncovered) | 20-25 min at 450°F |
| Cool | 1 hour minimum |
Use the Sourdough Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.
How It Works
Every loaf starts from four weights: flour, water, starter, and salt. This tool pins down each one from baker's percentages so the dough behaves the same way every time you mix it. As home bakers in 2026 lean harder into repeatable results, working from precise grams rather than guesswork is what turns a good bake into a reliable one.
Baker's percentages anchor everything to the flour, which always counts as 100%. Water, starter, and salt are then expressed as a share of that flour weight. A typical recipe might run 70% hydration, 20% starter that is itself at 100% hydration, and 2% salt, with all three scaling off whatever flour weight you set as your starting point.
Weigh on a digital scale rather than measuring by cup, because volume readings drift badly in sourdough and small errors compound. The most overlooked detail is the flour and water already living inside your starter, which both count toward total hydration, so fold that contribution into the math. Where a starter runs at a different hydration, its percentage needs adjusting to match.
Example: Baking a 750g Flour Loaf
- 1 Input your desired total flour weight (e.g., 750 grams) and your preferred baker's percentages for water (e.g., 72%), starter (e.g., 22%), and salt (e.g., 1.8%).
- 2 The calculator processes these inputs: Water = 750g * 0.72 = 540g; Starter = 750g * 0.22 = 165g; Salt = 750g * 0.018 = 13.5g.
- 3 Your recipe requires: 750g bread flour, 540g water, 165g active sourdough starter, and 13.5g salt. This yields a dough with a total weight of 1468.5g.
- 4 This precise breakdown ensures optimal dough consistency and flavor development for your sourdough. You can now confidently mix your ingredients, knowing the ratios are perfectly balanced for a successful bake in 2026.
Source: USDA · Last updated: April 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the right hydration for sourdough bread?
How much sourdough starter should I use?
What is baker percentage in sourdough?
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