Cups of Bread Flour to Grams
1 cup of bread flour weighs 120 g, the same as all-purpose flour on the King Arthur Baking chart ("Bread Flour: 1 cup = 120 g"). The difference between the two is not weight but strength: bread flour comes from higher-protein wheat that builds more gluten, which is why loaves rise taller and chew better.
Source: Bread Flour: 1 cup = 120 g (King Arthur Baking, Ingredient Weight Chart). Spooned and levelled.
| Cups | Grams (US cup) | Ounces (US cup) | Grams (metric cup, 250 ml) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 15 | 0.529 | 16 |
| 1/4 cup | 30 | 1.06 | 32 |
| 1/3 cup | 40 | 1.41 | 42 |
| 1/2 cup | 60 | 2.12 | 63 |
| 2/3 cup | 80 | 2.82 | 85 |
| 3/4 cup | 90 | 3.17 | 95 |
| 1 cup | 120 | 4.23 | 127 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 180 | 6.35 | 190 |
| 2 cups | 240 | 8.47 | 254 |
| 3 cups | 360 | 12.7 | 380 |
| 4 cups | 480 | 16.93 | 507 |
| Grams | US cups | Measuring-cup version |
|---|---|---|
| 25 g | 0.208 | 3 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 50 g | 0.417 | ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 100 g | 0.833 | ¾ cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 125 g | 1.04 | 1 cup + 2 tsp |
| 150 g | 1.25 | 1 ¼ cups |
| 200 g | 1.67 | 1 ⅔ cups |
| 250 g | 2.08 | 2 cups + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 300 g | 2.5 | 2 ½ cups |
| 400 g | 3.33 | 3 ⅓ cups |
| 500 g | 4.17 | 4 cups + 2 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 1,000 g | 8.33 | 8 ⅓ cups |
| Measure | Grams | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | 0.6 | 1.23 |
| 1/2 tsp | 1.2 | 2.46 |
| 1 tsp | 2.5 | 4.93 |
| 1 tbsp (3 tsp) | 7.5 | 14.79 |
| 2 tbsp (1/8 cup) | 15 | 29.57 |
| 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) | 30 | 59.15 |
| 8 tbsp (1/2 cup) | 60 | 118.3 |
Worked example: a 70% hydration loaf from 4 cups of flour
- Flour weight: 4 × 120 g = 480 g.
- Water at 70% hydration: 480 g × 0.7 = 336 g, which is about 335 ml.
- Salt at 2%: 480 g × 0.02 = 9.6 g.
- Instant yeast at 1%: 4.8 g, which is about 1.6 tsp.
- Total dough weight: 830 g.
- For comparison, a 500 g loaf at 70% needs 350 g of water, and your 4-cup loaf is 20 g lighter on flour.
Same cup weight, different dough
It surprises people that bread flour and all-purpose weigh the same per cup, 120 g each. The protein difference is invisible to a measuring cup. That means converting from all-purpose to bread flour in a recipe needs no cup adjustment, though the dough may absorb a little more water and feel firmer. The reverse swap makes bread softer and less chewy. For the all-purpose side of the comparison, see flour cups to grams.
Why bread bakers weigh in grams
Bread depends on the ratio of water to flour, known as hydration. A cup scooped heavy by 20 g on a 4-cup loaf means 80 g extra flour, enough to turn a slack dough into a stiff one. Weights remove the guesswork, which is why professional formulas rarely use cups.
Hydration and baker's percentages
Bakers write recipes as percentages of the flour weight. 70% hydration means 70 g of water for every 100 g of flour. Salt at 2% and yeast at 1% follow the same logic. You can use the cup conversion here to find your flour weight, then calculate everything else from it.
Whole wheat and other swaps
Whole wheat flour is 113 g per cup, 7 g lighter than bread flour, and the bran soaks up extra water. Replacing 1 cup of bread flour with 1 cup of whole wheat therefore gives you 7 g less flour and a thirstier dough. Swap by weight, not volume. '00' pizza flour is 116 g and rye is 106 g per cup.
If you only have '00' or whole wheat
Pizza flour ('00') is 116 g per cup, so 4 cups is 464 g compared with 480 g of bread flour, a gap of 16 g. When you switch flours, aim for the same weight rather than the same number of cups.
Measuring tips for loaves
- Put the flour on the scale first, then add the water in a second pass.
- If you must use cups, fluff, spoon and level exactly as you would for cake.
- Hold back a little of the water at first; flours and kitchens differ.
- Rest the dough before adding more flour. Many sticky doughs firm up on their own.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in 1 cup of bread flour?
1 US cup of bread flour is 120 g when spooned and levelled (King Arthur Baking).
Does bread flour weigh more than all-purpose?
Not by the cup. Both are 120 g on the King Arthur chart; the difference is protein, not weight.
How many cups is 500 g of bread flour?
500 g of bread flour is 4.17 cups, about 4 ⅛ cups.
How much water do I need for 4 cups of bread flour at 70% hydration?
Four cups is 480 g, so 70% hydration needs 336 g of water.
Can I use whole wheat flour cup for cup instead?
No. A cup of whole wheat is 113 g, lighter than bread flour, and it absorbs more water. Convert by weight.