Einkorn Flour
0.880× absorption · 15.00–17.00% protein · hydration 55–65%
For sourdough, Einkorn Flour works best at 55–65% hydration. With 15.00–17.00% protein, it absorbs about 12% less water than standard bread flour.
- Protein
- 15.00–17.00%
- Absorption
- 0.880×
- Hydration range
- 55–65%
- Category
- ancient-grain
What is Einkorn Flour?
Einkorn (Triticum monococcum) is the oldest cultivated wheat species — genetically unchanged for 10,000+ years. Protein content is high (15-17%) but gluten structure is weak and unstable. Einkorn absorbs ~12% less water than bread flour — the lowest absorption of any sourdough-suitable flour. Works best at 55-65% hydration, producing a tender, cake-like crumb with distinctive sweet nutty flavor. Jovial Foods is the dominant US supplier. Use at 20-40% in blends for flavor and nutrition; 100% einkorn is an advanced-baker project due to handling difficulty. People with modern-wheat sensitivities often tolerate einkorn better — not a celiac-safe claim but anecdotally reported.
How do you bake with Einkorn Flour?
NO autolyse (gluten breaks down). Mix everything at once. Minimal folding (1-2 gentle folds). Shorter bulk (30-40% less time vs bread flour). Shape wet hands, handle minimally. Expect a slightly dense, tender crumb — not open or airy.
What hydration % for Einkorn Flour?
Baker's-percentage workable range: 55% — 65%. Absorption is 0.880× bread-flour baseline, so recipes written for bread flour need 12% less water when substituting Einkorn Flour.
Related references on this site
- Einkorn Flour at 60% hydration — formula — calculator pre-set with this flour and hydration combination
- Einkorn Flour hydration range deep-dive — 55-65% workable range with technique notes
- Spelt Flour — hydration & absorption — same ancient grain family — compare protein and water behaviour
- Emmer Flour (Farro) — hydration & absorption — same ancient grain family — compare protein and water behaviour
- Khorasan (Kamut) Flour — hydration & absorption — same ancient grain family — compare protein and water behaviour
- Full comparison: Einkorn Flour vs Spelt Flour — side-by-side protein, absorption, and hydration-range differences
- Guide: baker's percentage explained — how protein, absorption, and hydration combine in the math
- Guide: whole-grain hydration adjustments — absorption multipliers for whole-wheat, rye, spelt, einkorn
- All flour types — grouped by category (refined, whole-wheat, rye, ancient-grain)
- Reverse calculator: water → hydration % — you have a flour-and-water weight, want the hydration
- Water temperature calculator — your flour temperature is an input — land the dough at the target
- Hydration chart by bread type — typical hydration % for every loaf, at a glance
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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Einkorn Flour at every hydration level
Einkorn Flour usually works between 55% and 65% 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.
| Hydration | Water per 500 g | For Einkorn Flour |
|---|---|---|
| 55% | 275 g | In its range |
| 60% | 300 g | In its range |
| 65% | 325 g | In its range |
| 70% | 350 g | Wetter than usual |
| 72% | 360 g | Wetter than usual |
| 75% | 375 g | Wetter than usual |
| 78% | 390 g | Wetter than usual |
| 80% | 400 g | Wetter than usual |
| 82% | 410 g | Wetter than usual |
| 85% | 425 g | Wetter than usual |
| 90% | 450 g | Wetter than usual |
| 95% | 475 g | Wetter than usual |