Flour reference · refined wheat

All-Purpose Flour

0.970× absorption · 10.50–11.70% protein · hydration 60–72%

For sourdough, All-Purpose Flour works best at 60–72% hydration. With 10.50–11.70% protein, it absorbs about 3% less water than standard bread flour.

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Protein
10.50–11.70%
Absorption
0.970×
Hydration range
60–72%
Category
refined-wheat

What is All-Purpose Flour?

All-purpose flour (AP) sits between cake flour and bread flour in protein content. At 10.5-11.7% protein, it produces softer sourdough with more tender crumb but less oven spring than bread flour. Absorption is ~3% lower than bread flour baseline. King Arthur's AP is the US reference (11.7% protein); Gold Medal and Pillsbury run slightly lower (10.5-11%). Use AP when you want a softer hearth loaf, a sandwich-style sourdough pan loaf, or when blending into enriched doughs like brioche. AP absorbs less water — recipes designed for bread flour need hydration reduced by ~3% when substituting AP.

How do you bake with All-Purpose Flour?

Shorter autolyse (20-30 min) — longer autolyses over-soften the gluten. Fewer stretch-and-folds (2-3 sets) to avoid tearing the weaker gluten structure. Best for beginner hydration range 65-70%.

What hydration % for All-Purpose Flour?

Baker's-percentage workable range: 60% — 72%. Absorption is 0.970× bread-flour baseline, so recipes written for bread flour need 3% less water when substituting All-Purpose Flour.

Full hydration guide for All-Purpose Flour →

Used in pizza dough styles

All-Purpose Flour is the canonical flour for the following pizza styles (per their authoritative source citations):

Related references on this site

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

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  • Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)

    Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.

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  • Dutch oven / combo cookerDutch oven / combo cooker

    Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.

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  • Banneton proofing basketBanneton proofing basket

    Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.

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  • Bread lameBread lame

    A sharp lame scores clean ears — the cut that decides whether the loaf opens up or bursts at the side.

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  • Bench scraperBench scraper

    Steel scraper handles wet, sticky high-hydration dough without tearing the gluten you just built.

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  • High-protein bread flourHigh-protein bread flour

    The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.

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  • Danish dough whiskDanish dough whisk

    Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.

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Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

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Gear guides — what actually matters

All-Purpose Flour at every hydration level

All-Purpose Flour usually works between 60% and 72% hydration — drier gives a stiffer dough, wetter a slacker one. Tap a level for the technique, the absorption math and a calculator set to it.

All-Purpose Flour at each hydration level: water per 500 g of flour and how each level compares to its usual range.
HydrationWater per 500 gFor All-Purpose Flour
55%275 gDrier than usual
60%300 gIn its range
65%325 gIn its range
70%350 gIn its range
72%360 gIn its range
75%375 gWetter than usual
78%390 gWetter than usual
80%400 gWetter than usual
82%410 gWetter than usual
85%425 gWetter than usual
90%450 gWetter than usual
95%475 gWetter than usual

Common questions

What is All-Purpose Flour?

All-purpose flour (AP) sits between cake flour and bread flour in protein content. At 10.5-11.7% protein, it produces softer sourdough with more tender crumb but less oven spring than bread flour. Absorption is ~3% lower than bread flour baseline. King Arthur's AP is the US reference (11.7% protein); Gold Medal and Pillsbury run slightly lower (10.5-11%). Use AP when you want a softer hearth loaf, a sandwich-style sourdough pan loaf, or when blending into enriched doughs like brioche. AP absorbs less water — recipes designed for bread flour need hydration reduced by ~3% when substituting AP.

What hydration range works for All-Purpose Flour?

60-72%. Absorption multiplier is 0.970× bread flour baseline. Shorter autolyse (20-30 min) — longer autolyses over-soften the gluten. Fewer stretch-and-folds (2-3 sets) to avoid tearing the weaker gluten structure. Best for beginner hydration range 65-70%.

What is the protein content of All-Purpose Flour?

10.50-11.70% protein. Ash content typically 0.48%.