How to Measure Flour?
Here are two methods of measuring flour. However, the real key in successful bread making is checking on the dough after a few minutes of kneading.
Last updated on March 13, 8024 – Originally posted on February 4, 2017
Wondering how to measure flour? There are different schools of thought when it comes to the correct way to measure flour or other dry ingredients.
Weighing Flour by Weight on Scale
This is the most accurate method of measuring flour. However, it’s not as straightforward as you would think.
Different brands of flour can have different weights. This is why it’s critical to check on the dough a few minutes after it starts to knead. Add water or flour if needed.
When a weight is shown for any type of flour on my site, the amount given is an average weight for flour of that type. Your flour weight may vary.
That’s why you need to look at the dough after five or ten minutes of kneading. Open the bread machine and look at the dough. It should be a smooth, round ball. If it’s too dry add liquid a teaspoon at a time until it looks right. If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks right.
Scoop and Sweep Four to Measure by Volume
This is the method that I use.
As someone who makes a lot of bread, I buy flour in bulk. First, I fluff the flour by pouring the flour from the bag into a large container.
Then I scoop the flour out of the large container into the flour canister that lives on my kitchen counter.
“Fluffing” or unpacking the flour is important. I do it by moving from different flour containers twice. You can unpack flour by moving it to different containers or using a spoon or fork to fluff it.
What happens if you skip the unpacking step? Using packed flour can lead to what I call hippo loaves of bread.
See the shape? Note that hippo loaves can also be created by making a small loaf of bread in a large bread pan. For instance, I’d expect a one-pound loaf of bread made in a two-pound machine to have this shape. The bread tastes fine, but the loaf has a distinct shape.
Use What Works for You
There really is no right or wrong way to measure flour. Do what feels easy and right for you.
However, it is very important to check on your dough a few minutes after the kneading starts. That way either method of measuring flour will work.