What's the Difference Between Bread Flour and All-Purpose Flour? (2024)

Depending on how much you know about baking, the flour section of the grocery store can be either extremely exciting or completely terrifying. There are so many varieties—not just all-purpose flour and bread flour, but cake and pastry flours too (not to mention the ever-broadening selection of whole grain flours, bleached flour vs. unbleached, and so many more variables). Sorry if we just overwhelmed you. Today, we’ll focus on a few basics: the difference between all-purpose flour and bread flour. In case you couldn’t guess, they serve specific, slightly different functions.

Bread flour vs. all-purpose flour:

So what is bread flour and what sets it apart from all-purpose? It all starts with the type of wheat. Thousands of wheat varieties grow across the world, and each can be processed into a distinct type of flour. (Note: We’re just talking about white flour right now—we’ll save a discussion of whole wheat flour, rye, buckwheat, spelt, oat, and various nut flours for another time.)

One of the primary differences between various flours is the hardness of the wheat from which it was made. “Hardness” refers to the texture of the wheat—it’s determined by whether the endosperm, a.k.a. the protein-rich part of the kernel that’s milled into flour, is physically hard or soft. Hard wheat has a higher protein content, whereas soft wheat contains more starch and less protein.

Bread flour helps this simple sandwich bread hold its shape; using AP instead would make it fall flat.

Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Gözde Eker

Made from a mix of hard and soft wheat, all-purpose flour has a moderate amount of protein (9–11%). Meanwhile, the protein content of bread flour—made from hard wheat only—ranges from 11–13%. That small percentage jump might not seem significant, but it makes a big difference in the texture of your baked goods. That’s all thanks to a little something called gluten.

A type of protein in wheat (and some other grains), gluten gives baked goods structure, typically through kneading. Since bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, it’s able to develop more gluten. This leads to bread with more chew—a desirable characteristic in pizza dough, flatbread, or sourdough. Gluten also lends bread dough its stretch and elasticity, leading to loaves that rise high instead of blobs that fall flat.

Outside of bread baking, gluten development is generally considered enemy number one. While some gluten is necessary for the structure of many baked goods, too much will yield a dense, stodgy texture. That’s why most cake, cookie, and brownie recipes warn against overmixing—to ensure the gluten content stays low.

TL;DR: If you’re most interested in baking simple cakes, cookies, and the occasional batch of muffins or quick breads, all-purpose flour will work for the majority of your projects. But if you’re interested in bread baking, you might want to consider keeping a bag of bread flour in your pantry.

What's the Difference Between Bread Flour and All-Purpose Flour? (2)

8-Quart Cambro Square Food Storage Container With Lid

This container will help keep it fresh.

Do all bread recipes require bread flour?

Sourdough boules, bagels, and your basic loaf of bread all rely on the high protein level of bread flour to develop a strong gluten network. But not all homemade bread recipes call for bread flour. When it’s an ultra-tender, fluffy bread dough we’re after—as in our recipes for no-knead focaccia, challah, and cinnamon rolls—we reach for all-purpose (AP) flour. AP flour can provide adequate structure to delicate bread doughs while keeping them soft and plush. There are some exceptions to this rule: BA’s Best Bread recipe calls for AP flour—specifically King Arthur all-purpose flour, which contains 11% protein (higher than most other brands)—but makes a hardy, crusty loaf. That’s why it’s part of BA’s Best—you can make it anytime, even if you don’t keep a fully stocked bread pantry.

What's the Difference Between Bread Flour and All-Purpose Flour? (2024)

FAQs

What's the Difference Between Bread Flour and All-Purpose Flour? ›

Bread flour produces baked goods with more structure and chew than all-purpose flour, as all-purpose only has a protein content of 10 to 12 percent, versus the 12 to 14 percent of bread. All-purpose flour produces tender baked goods (as opposed to chewy ones) and is ideal for cakes, muffins, biscuits, piecrust, etc.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour? ›

You could even technically substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour if you add less water, mix the dough more gently and for a shorter period of time, and don't expect the same results. But if a recipe calls specifically for bread flour, you can count on it making a difference in your final loaf.

Can you use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour for sourdough? ›

Substituting all purpose flour in a sourdough recipe that specifically calls for bread flour is not always an even swap. You'll need to REDUCE the total amount of water first. All purpose flour absorbs less water than bread flour, which can make the dough too sticky to work with otherwise.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour for focaccia? ›

Bread flour is slightly higher in protein than All-purpose, so gives the focaccia just a little more chew. I love the mix of both, but just AP flour works just fine too!

Which flour is best for bread making? ›

While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.

What happens if you accidentally use bread flour instead of all-purpose? ›

Substitution Note: Since bread flour absorbs more water than all purpose flour, I always recommend reducing water/liquid slightly when substituting. Be aware that the dough may be stickier and less elastic by nature, and won't hold its structure or rise quite as well.

Does bread flour need more water than all-purpose flour? ›

Flour is a like a sponge. And because all purpose flour absorbs less water than bread flour, you'll need to reduce the total amount of water in a recipe that specifically calls for bread flour. Otherwise, the dough will be too sticky.

Does bread flour make a difference? ›

Bread flour produces baked goods with more structure and chew than all-purpose flour, as all-purpose only has a protein content of 10 to 12 percent, versus the 12 to 14 percent of bread. All-purpose flour produces tender baked goods (as opposed to chewy ones) and is ideal for cakes, muffins, biscuits, piecrust, etc.

How do you make your own bread flour? ›

To turn all-purpose flour into bread flour you just need vital wheat gluten. Measure out 1 cup of AP flour, remove 1 1/2 teaspoons of the flour, replace with 1 1/2 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten, whisk to combine.

Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour for pancakes? ›

So, what happens when you skip all-purpose iterations and use alternative options, instead? Replacing the former with a softer choice, like pastry flour, will yield a thinner, less tender pancake. Bread flour, on the other hand, will deliver a fluffy, but chewier result.

Why is King Arthur flour better? ›

King Arthur Flour contains no bleach, no bromate, and no artificial preservatives of any kind. What you get—instead of those chemical bleaching agents—is flour from superior grains grown by farmers we trust.

What happens when you make bread with all-purpose flour? ›

for all purpose flour, the loaf will be shortened, dense with a tight crumb.

Why is my focaccia not fluffy? ›

Why is my focaccia not fluffy or chewy? It could be the type of flour you used. The best flour to use to make focaccia bread is bread flour which gives you fluffy baked bread. Or, it could also be because you did not knead the dough enough for the gluten to form a structure which can result in flat or dense bread.

What flour do Italians use to make bread? ›

Grano tenero flours are generally used in Italy to make both bread and pastries. Typo 2 (type 2) flour is high in bran, and still slightly coarse.

How long does homemade bread last? ›

Johanna Hartzheim, co-founder and head of product at Wildgrain, a bread and pasta delivery service, recommends eating homemade bread within three days but says it will last up to a week. "The bread will start to dry up and become a bit harder over time, but it takes much longer until it becomes moldy," she says.

How long should we knead bread dough? ›

Some doughs take just 3–5 minutes, while others can take up to 10–15 minutes. For those longer knead times, if your arms are getting tired, feel free to pop the dough back into your stand mixer and use the dough hook for a few minutes to give your hands a break.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour in a bread machine? ›

Yes! All-purpose flour has a 9% to 12% gluten content, while bread flour's gluten content falls in the 10% to 13% range. Even if your all-purpose flour lacks gluten, you can still use it in the bread machine. Again, the worst that will happen is that your bread will not rise as much as it would with bread flour.

What is the best substitute for flour in bread? ›

11 best flour substitutions
  • Chickpea flour. Often confused with besan (see below), chickpea flour is made from ground white chickpeas. ...
  • Almond flour. Almond flour is an excellent alternative to have in your kitchen cupboard. ...
  • Gluten-free flour mixture. ...
  • Coconut flour. ...
  • Gram flour (besan) ...
  • Rice flour. ...
  • Buckwheat flour. ...
  • Oat flour.
Jan 31, 2023

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