Flour for Beginners — Which Flours to Use for Sourdough

Clear, practical guidance on choosing and using flours for your first sourdough loaves. Understand flour types, protein, and hydration for better results.

What to Expect

This guide gives you clear, practical rules to choose and use flours so your sourdough behaves predictably. You’ll learn how different flours change hydration, flavor, and dough handling.

What you'll learn:

  • ✓ How protein and extraction affect water absorption and gluten
  • ✓ Which flours to use for your first loaves
  • ✓ Simple tests to set hydration and avoid common mistakes

💭 You won’t master every flour in one sitting, but after a few bakes you’ll be able to predict how a flour will behave and adjust hydration confidently.

What You Need

Must have:

Active sourdough starter

Bubbly and active a few hours after feeding in a starter jar

⚠️ Create a starter first → more

Kitchen scale

Accurate to the gram

⚠️ Buy one — weights, not cups, let you control hydration precisely

Large mixing bowl

Big enough to observe dough rise; use a large mixing bowl

Alternative: Clear container for bulk fermentation monitoring

Nice to have:

Why this guide is practical:

Focus on a small set of flours

Beginners learn faster with a few reliable choices before exploring speciality flours [1]

Hydration rules of thumb

Provides starting hydration adjustments tied to protein and extraction

Simple tests, not theory-heavy

Short experiments reveal real behavior in your kitchen climate, as recommended by experienced sources [1][2]

Ingredients

For: Guidance for house flours and how to use them

All-purpose flour Use as default when unsure Lower protein than bread flour; start with 60–62% hydration. Good for forgiving dough and sandwiches [1].
Bread flour (high-protein) Use for open crumb and stronger gluten Higher protein → absorbs more water. Start at 65% hydration and increase gradually [1].
Whole wheat / Wholemeal Use up to 20–30% of total flour for beginners Adds flavor and nutrition but soaks water quickly; increase hydration by 5–10 percentage points per 10–20% whole grain used [2].
Rye flour (medium) Use 10–20% in beginner recipes Rye doesn’t form the same gluten network and holds more water; lowers dough elasticity and needs gentler handling [2].
Salt 2% of total flour weight Weigh salt for consistency — affects gluten tightening and fermentation control [1].

Step by Step

Three short tests to understand how a flour behaves in your kitchen

1

Test 1 — Absorption (10–15 min)

Evening

Mix 50 g flour + 32 g water (64% hydration) in a large mixing bowl. Note how sticky or dry it feels after 10 minutes.

✓ If very dry, the flour needs more water. If very sticky and slack, it holds a lot of water.
💡 Repeat for each flour you plan to use. Record a starting hydration for each (e.g., AP: 62%, Bread: 67%) [1].
2

Test 2 — Windowpane/Gluten Strength (5–10 min total)

Right after Test 1

Knead that small sample briefly into a ball and stretch a piece thin to check gluten. Bread flour should stretch; high whole-grain/rye will tear sooner.

✓ Clear thin windowpane = strong gluten; immediate tearing = weaker gluten (allow for whole-grain limitations) [1][2].
💡 Use this to set your expectations for loaf strength and shaping.
3

Test 3 — Small Dough Bake (single loaf)

Next bake day

Make a 500 g total-flour dough using your chosen flour(s) and the hydration you found. Use your kitchen scale, mix, bulk ferment, shape and bake in a Dutch oven or on a baking sheet.

✓ Observe crumb, oven spring, and how the crust behaves. Adjust hydration + % whole-grain next time based on results [1].
💡 If using rye above 20%, reduce handling and accept denser crumb — rye improves flavor but requires different technique [2].
4

Record and iterate

Write the flour brand, protein, extraction (white/whole), water temperature, and results. Small changes (2–4% hydration) make big differences.

✓ After 3-5 iterations you'll have a reliable hydration map for your main flours.

What If It Doesn't Work?

Common issues tied to flour choice and how to fix them:

Dough too slack and sticky

Likely: High-protein or high-extraction flour absorbing more water than expected, or too-warm dough temperature

Fix: Reduce hydration by 2–4% or chill dough; perform more stretch-and-folds to develop structure. Use a [dough scraper](https://amzn.to/3LR1f5E) to manage stickiness [1]

Dense crumb with little oven spring

Likely: Too much whole-grain (especially rye) or underdeveloped gluten

Fix: Lower whole-grain percentage to 20–30% for now, increase gluten development via folds and slightly longer bulk fermentation [2]

Crumb gummy after baking

Likely: Underbaked due to high hydration or incorrect oven temperature

Fix: Bake a few minutes longer, verify oven with an oven thermometer, and always cool the loaf fully before slicing [1]

Bitter or harsh flavors

Likely: Old or oxidized whole-grain flours or over-fermentation

Fix: Use fresher flours, store whole grains cold, and shorten fermentation or reduce starter percentage [2]

💪 Flour knowledge scales quickly — small experiments reveal what works in your kitchen climate. Trusted resources recommend testing and recording results [1][2].

What now?

You want to bake a simple loaf
→ Follow the beginner's loaf recipe
You want to use more whole grain
→ Try a mixed rye bread with gradual inclusion
You want to understand flour science
→ Read deeper on gluten, extraction, and enzymatic activity
You want better shaping for weaker gluten doughs
→ Learn shaping techniques tuned for whole-grain and rye

Sources

  1. [1]
    The Perfect Loaf – The Perfect Loaf – Link
  2. [2]
    Plötzblog – Plötzblog – Link