Water Temp Calculator

Water temperature is the easiest way to control your final dough temperature after mixing. Warm your water if your kitchen is cold and cool it if your kitchen is warm. Use this calculator to find the exact temperature needed to hit your target.

Water Temperature Calculator

Temperature Inputs

°F °C

Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) ? The target temperature of your mixed dough before bulk fermentation. Typically 75-82°F (24-28°C) for sourdough.

°F

Levain (Preferment) Temperature ? The current temperature of your ripe levain or sourdough starter that you'll add to the dough.

°F

Flour Temperature ? The temperature of your flour. Usually close to room temperature unless stored in a cool location.

°F

Ambient (Room) Temperature ? The temperature of your kitchen or baking area. This affects fermentation speed and dough temperature.

°F

Friction Factor ? Heat added by mechanical mixing. Use 0 for hand mixing. For stand mixers, typically 20-40°F depending on mixing time and speed.

°F

Heat or cool mixing water to

90°F

Warm your water to the target temperature.

Use my guide to dough hydration alongside this calculator to ensure all parts of the mixing process are correct. This way, you’ll set the stage for fermentation on the right timeline and for a dough that’s properly hydrated, making it easy to work with and resulting in the best bread.

What’s Next?

Need to scale up, adjust the feeding ratio, or change the hydration of your sourdough starter or levain? Use my starter and levain calculator to make it easy.