When browsing the flour section of your grocery store, you’ll likely come across both bread flour and all-purpose flour. While they may seem interchangeable, they actually have some key differences that impact how they perform in recipes. Understanding when to use bread flour vs. all-purpose flour can mean the difference between a loaf with the perfect rise and crumb texture versus a dense brick.
The main distinction between bread flour and all-purpose flour is the protein content. Flour gets its protein from gluten, the elastic sub-proteins that enable dough to stretch and trap gas bubbles. Bread flour has the highest protein content of any flour at 12-14%. Meanwhile, all-purpose flour contains less protein at 10-12%.
Why Does This Protein Discrepancy Matter?
The higher protein content in bread flour provides more gluten strength, allowing dough to expand readily and deliver an airier texture. The abundance of gluten is essential for yeast breads to rise high with an even, fine crumb structure. Whole wheat breads also benefit from the extra protein which prevents denseness.
Conversely, all-purpose flour has a moderate protein level that provides enough structure for good dough development yet won’t make cakes or cookies tough. The lighter protein content ensures a tender, delicate texture in quick breads like muffins too.
Here’s a Simple Breakdown of When to Use Each Flour
Bread Flour
- Yeast breads like sandwich loaves, baguettes, and pizza dough
- Hearty whole wheat breads
- Brioche, challah, and other enriched breads
All-Purpose Flour
- Cookies, cakes, scones, pie crusts, and pastries
- Pancakes, waffles, biscuits, muffins, and other quick breads
While bread flour naturally has more protein than all-purpose, you can approximate bread flour by adding vital wheat gluten to AP flour. For every cup of flour, add 1-2 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten and let it rest before kneading to allow the gluten to hydrate.
Conversely, pastry flour has even less protein than all-purpose at just 8-9%. To lighten up all-purpose flour, replace 2 tablespoons per cup with cornstarch or cake flour.
When tackling yeast bread recipes like sourdough, choosing the right flour is crucial. Bread flour allows the dough to fully ferment while withstanding all that rising power. Yet for tender cakes and cookies that shouldn’t be chewy, all-purpose flour provides the right amount of structure. Considering the protein level of each flour ensures your baked goods turn out just right.