How Much Does 1 Cup Bread Flour Weigh?
1 cup of bread flour weighs 130 grams using the standard spoon-and-level measuring method. King Arthur brand bread flour weighs 127 grams per cup due to its unique milling process and slightly lower density.
- Standard brands: 130g per cup
- King Arthur: 127g per cup
- Packed/scooped: Add 10-15% (143-150g)
- Sifted: Subtract 5% (123g)
(Known as "strong flour" in the UK)
🥖 1 Cup Bread Flour to Grams - Why Measurement Method Matters
Packed Cups
Proper Measure
Too Loose
Industry Standard
1 cup = 130g
Most recipes assume this
King Arthur Standard
1 cup = 127g
Professional baker's choice
🍞 Quick Batch Conversions (Most Searched)
Now that you know the exact weights, let's understand why bread flour behaves differently than other flours. Use the calculator above anytime you need quick conversions while you read.
🔬 The Gluten Strength Lab
The Windowpane Test
Bread Flour (12-14% protein)
Stretches thin without tearing
All-Purpose (10-12% protein)
Moderate stretch, may tear
Cake Flour (7-9% protein)
Tears immediately - not for bread!
King Arthur vs Standard Bread Flour: Grams Per Cup
💡 Higher protein = stronger gluten = better rise
✓ Verified with manufacturer specifications
Source: King Arthur Baking
🌾 Want to compare all flour types? Check our complete flour comparison tool
💧 Hydration Rate Master Guide
What's Hydration & Why Bread Flour Needs More Water
Hydration = (Water Weight ÷ Flour Weight) × 100%. Bread flour's higher protein absorbs more water.
| Bread Type | Ideal Hydration | For 500g Flour | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagels 🥯 | 55-60% | 275-300ml | Dense, chewy |
| Sandwich Bread 🍞 | 60-65% | 300-325ml | Soft, tight crumb |
| Artisan Bread 🥖 | 70-80% | 350-400ml | Open crumb, crusty |
| Pizza Dough 🍕 | 65-70% | 325-350ml | Stretchy, crisp |
| Ciabatta 🥖 | 80-90% | 400-450ml | Very open, airy |
💡 Pro Tip: Adjust for Your Environment
Humid Climate? 🌧️
Reduce water by 5-10% (flour absorbs moisture from air)
Dry Climate? 🏜️
Increase water by 5-10% (flour is drier)
🏭 Batch Baking Command Center
Family Loaf
3.5 cups
= 455g
Perfect sandwich bread
Party Batch
8 cups
= 1,040g
4 regular loaves
Café Daily
15 cups
= 1,950g
~8 artisan loaves
Bakery Batch
20 cups
= 2.6kg
Commercial scale
⚠️ Recipe Scaling Traps
Yeast Doesn't Double!
Use only 1.5x yeast when doubling recipe
Salt Needs Adjustment
Reduce by 10% in large batches
Rising Time Changes
Large dough = faster fermentation
📊 Need help scaling? Use our yeast converter and baker's percentage calculator
🌍 International Bread Flour Decoder
| Country | Local Name | Protein % | 1 Cup Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 USA | Bread Flour | 12-14% | 130g | Standard reference |
| 🇬🇧 UK | Strong White Flour | 11-13% | 140g | UK cup = 250ml |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 強力粉 (Kyorikiko) | 11.5-13% | 110g | JP cup = 200ml |
| 🇫🇷 France | Farine T65 | 11-12.5% | 130g | For pain & baguette |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Type 550/812 | 11-13% | 130g | Number = ash content |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Farina Manitoba | 13-15% | 125g | Extra strong, for panettone |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | Canadian Strong | 13-14% | 130g | Hard red spring wheat |
💡 Converting International Recipes: If using a European recipe with "strong flour", you can substitute directly with US bread flour. Japanese recipes may need 10-15% more flour due to their smaller cup size.
🏥 Bread Emergency Room - Diagnosis & Treatment
Problem: Bread Won't Rise
🔍 Diagnosis:
- • Too much flour (common with packed cups)
- • Low protein flour used
- • Insufficient kneading
💊 Treatment:
- • Use exactly 130g per cup
- • Ensure 12%+ protein content
- • Knead until windowpane test passes
Problem: Dense, Heavy Texture
🔍 Diagnosis:
- • Overworked dough (too much flour)
- • Wrong flour-to-water ratio
- • Under-proofed
💊 Treatment:
- • Stick to recipe measurements
- • Check hydration rate (65-75%)
- • Proof until doubled in size
Problem: Crust Too Hard/Thick
🔍 Diagnosis:
- • Too high temperature
- • Lack of steam in oven
- • Over-baking
💊 Treatment:
- • Reduce temp by 25°F
- • Add water pan for steam
- • Cover with foil if browning too fast
Problem: Uneven Holes/Tunneling
🔍 Diagnosis:
- • Improper shaping technique
- • Over-proofed dough
- • Flour pockets from poor mixing
💊 Treatment:
- • Degas gently, don't punch
- • Watch proofing time carefully
- • Mix until no flour streaks
🔧 Troubleshooting Tools: Having issues at high altitude? Check our altitude adjustment calculator. Need the right temperature? Use our temperature converter.
📊 Complete Bread Flour Conversion Chart
| Amount | Weight in Grams by Brand | Common Use | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | King Arthur | Gold Medal | Bob's | ||
| 1/4 cup | 33g | 32g | 34g | 32g | Starter feeding |
| 1/3 cup | 43g | 42g | 45g | 43g | Small rolls |
| 1/2 cup | 65g | 64g | 68g | 64g | Pizza dough (personal) |
| 2/3 cup | 87g | 85g | 90g | 85g | Flatbread |
| 3/4 cup | 98g | 95g | 101g | 96g | Naan bread |
| 1 cup ⭐ | 130g | 127g | 135g | 128g | Base measurement |
| 1 1/4 cups | 163g | 159g | 169g | 160g | Small loaf |
| 1 1/2 cups | 195g | 191g | 203g | 192g | Dinner rolls (6) |
| 2 cups ⭐ | 260g | 254g | 270g | 256g | Small sandwich loaf |
| 2 1/2 cups | 325g | 318g | 338g | 320g | Focaccia |
| 3 cups ⭐ | 390g | 381g | 405g | 384g | Medium loaf |
| 3.5 cups 🍞 | 455g | 445g | 473g | 448g | Standard loaf pan |
| 4 cups ⭐ | 520g | 508g | 540g | 512g | Large loaf |
| 5 cups | 650g | 635g | 675g | 640g | 2 small loaves |
| 6 cups | 780g | 762g | 810g | 768g | Batch baking |
📏 Why Precision Matters
- • 5g difference × 4 cups = 20g total variance
- • 20g can change hydration by 3-4%
- • That's the difference between perfect and dense
👑 Why King Arthur is Different
- • Slightly lower weight per cup (127g vs 130g)
- • Higher protein content (12.7%)
- • More consistent between batches
🆘 No Bread Flour? Emergency Substitutions
Option 1: DIY Boost
1 cup AP flour
+ 1.5 tsp vital wheat gluten
= 1 cup bread flour
Best for: All bread types
✓ Most effective substitute
Option 2: Technique Fix
Use AP flour as-is but:
- • Knead 5-10 min extra
- • Reduce water by 5%
- • Add 15 min to rise time
Best for: Simple breads
⚠️ Won't work for bagels
Option 3: Recipe Adapt
Change your recipe:
- • Add 1 tbsp flour per cup
- • Include 1 tsp vinegar
- • Use bread improver
Best for: Experienced bakers
⚡ Results vary
❓ Frequently Asked Bread Flour Questions
Why does my bread recipe fail even with exact measurements?
Even with 130g per cup, failures happen due to:
- Flour age: Old flour loses gluten strength
- Humidity: Affects flour moisture content by ±10%
- Mixing method: Under-kneading = poor gluten development
- Temperature: Cold flour slows fermentation
Solution: Adjust water by feel - dough should be slightly tacky, not sticky.
Is King Arthur bread flour really worth the extra cost?
King Arthur advantages:
- Consistent 12.7% protein (never varies)
- Unbleached and non-bromated
- Milled from hard red spring wheat
- Employee-owned company = quality control
Worth it if: You bake weekly, sell bread, or want guaranteed results.
Skip if: Casual baker, budget-conscious, have a reliable local brand.
Can I use bread flour for cakes and cookies?
Generally not recommended because:
- Cakes: Will be tough and chewy instead of tender
- Cookies: More likely to be hard and bread-like
- Pastries: Won't be flaky, will be tough
Exception: Chewy cookies (like bagels) can benefit from bread flour.
For cakes, use cake flour instead.
Why do European bread recipes never use cups?
European baking tradition emphasizes:
- Precision: Bread is chemistry - ratios must be exact
- Hydration percentages: Easier to calculate with weight
- Professional standards: Bakeries always weigh
- Metric system: Grams are their default
US home baking uses cups for convenience, but every pro baker weighs - even in America.
What's the difference between bread flour and strong flour?
They're essentially the same thing:
- Bread flour (US): 12-14% protein
- Strong flour (UK): 11.5-13% protein
- Very strong flour (UK): 14%+ protein (= US high-gluten)
You can substitute 1:1 in most recipes. UK strong flour is slightly weaker, so you might need to knead a bit longer.
⚖️ Why Every Serious Bread Baker Uses a Scale
The Math of Error Accumulation
Recipe: 4 cups bread flour
😊 With scale: Exactly 520g
😰 Packed cups: 600g (+80g = 15% more!)
🤔 Loose cups: 480g (-40g = 8% less)
That 120g range = completely different bread!
Real Baker Testimonial
"I baked for 3 years using cups. Success rate: 60%. Bought a $20 scale. Success rate now: 95%. That 35% improvement = hundreds of perfect loaves."
- Home baker turned pro
Investment: $15-30
Return: Perfect bread every time
🥖 Master Your Bread Baking!
Stop guessing with cups. See exactly how different brands and measuring methods affect YOUR bread. Our calculator handles King Arthur, Gold Medal, and more - with batch conversion for 1-6 cups instantly.
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