The flour aisle in a well-stocked grocery store now offers a dozen options that all look similar but behave differently in dough. Bread flour, all-purpose, cake flour, 00, semolina, whole wheat, rye, einkorn, spelt. The marketing tells one story; the protein percentages on the back tell another. Knowing which flour to reach for in which recipe is the single skill that explains why one baker’s sandwich loaf is tall and chewy while another’s is dense and short with the same recipe. This guide focuses on the three flours home bakers use most: bread flour, all-purpose, and 00.
The defining variable in baking flour is protein content. Wheat proteins (glutenin and gliadin) combine with water to form gluten, the elastic network that traps gas and gives bread its rise and chew. More protein produces more gluten. Different recipes want different amounts of gluten.
Bread flour: 12 to 14 percent protein
Bread flour is milled from hard wheat varieties high in protein. The protein content runs 12 to 14 percent depending on the brand and the year’s wheat crop.
This high protein content matters because gluten development depends directly on it. A dough made with 13 percent protein flour develops more elastic, more extensible gluten than the same recipe with 11 percent protein flour. The result is bread that rises higher, holds its shape better in the oven, and has the open crumb structure with stretchy holes that defines good artisan bread.
Bread flour works for sourdough loaves, sandwich bread, dinner rolls, bagels (especially), brioche, pizza dough where chew is desired, and any bread where structure matters.
Common brands and protein percentages:
King Arthur Bread Flour: 12.7 percent. The home baker’s gold standard for consistency.
Gold Medal Better for Bread: 12.3 percent. Slightly lower protein than King Arthur but reliable.
Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour: 13.5 percent. Higher protein, slightly more aggressive gluten development.
Heckers (East Coast US): 12.5 percent. Strong regional reputation among New York pizza makers.
The protein percentage is printed on the bag or available on the brand’s website. For recipes that specify bread flour by name, sticking to one brand reduces variability.
All-purpose flour: 10 to 12 percent protein
All-purpose flour is the most versatile and the most variable. The protein content ranges widely by brand because it is marketed as a single flour for many uses, and brands target slightly different averages.
Common brands and protein percentages:
King Arthur All-Purpose: 11.7 percent. Higher than most all-purpose flours, behaves almost like a softer bread flour.
Gold Medal All-Purpose: 10.5 percent. The American baseline.
Pillsbury All-Purpose: 10.5 percent. Similar to Gold Medal.
White Lily All-Purpose (Southern brand): 9 percent. Significantly softer, the secret to tender Southern biscuits.
The 9 to 12 percent range is enough that a recipe written for one all-purpose flour can produce noticeably different results with another. White Lily makes biscuits that are notably more tender; King Arthur makes biscuits that are firmer and more bread-like.
All-purpose flour works for cookies, cakes, biscuits, pancakes, muffins, pie crusts (though pastry flour is better), pasta (acceptable but not ideal), and bread (with the texture caveats above).
00 flour: protein varies, grind is fine
00 is an Italian classification of flour fineness, not protein content. The 0, 00, 1, 2 system in Italy refers to how finely the flour has been milled, with 00 being the finest. American flour does not use this system, so 00 flour is a separate category in US stores even when the protein content overlaps with American flours.
Within the 00 category, different products have different protein levels.
00 pizza flour (Caputo Pizzeria, the classic): 12.5 percent protein. The fine grind produces a smooth, extensible dough that handles high-temperature wood-fired oven baking without burning before the inside cooks. For Neapolitan pizza, this is the traditional choice.
00 bread flour (Caputo Manitoba Oro): 14 to 15 percent protein. Very high protein for sustained long fermentations and high-hydration bread doughs.
00 pasta flour (Caputo Pasta Fresca e Gnocchi): 10 to 11 percent protein. Lower protein for tender pasta sheets that do not need to support much rise.
The fine grind is the defining feature of all 00 flours. Particles are about half the size of typical American flour particles. Fine grind absorbs water faster and forms a smoother, more silky dough.
For home use, 00 pizza flour at $5 to $8 per kilogram is the most common type, used primarily for pizza dough and occasionally as a portion of bread flour in artisan loaves for a finer crumb.
When to use each
For sourdough boules and batards: bread flour, optionally with 10 to 20 percent whole grain rye or whole wheat for flavor.
For sandwich bread: bread flour, or all-purpose with a tablespoon less water per cup.
For dinner rolls and brioche: bread flour for chewier rolls, all-purpose for tender ones. Brioche specifically benefits from bread flour to support the high butter content.
For bagels: bread flour, no substitution. Bagels need the chewiest possible texture and the high protein content is essential.
For Neapolitan-style pizza (700 F plus oven): 00 pizza flour, period.
For New York-style pizza (500 F home oven): bread flour. The higher protein helps the crust crisp without going floppy.
For pastry, biscuits, scones, cookies, and cakes: all-purpose flour. Bread flour produces tough pastry because the gluten develops too much.
For pasta: 00 pasta flour for the silkiest sheets, all-purpose for everyday pasta, semolina for the bite of dried-style pasta.
Protein content myths
A higher protein flour is not universally better. Pastry with bread flour is tough. Cake with bread flour is dense. The right amount of protein depends entirely on what is being made.
The protein on the bag is total protein, not just the gluten-forming glutenin and gliadin. Some wheat varieties have higher total protein but produce weaker gluten because of the protein composition. King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill publish more detail on this than most brands; sticking with the same brand across recipes reduces this variable.
Old flour loses performance. Flour stored at room temperature for over 6 months gradually oxidizes and the gluten weakens. Whole grain flours go rancid faster (3 to 4 months at room temperature, longer in the freezer). Buying flour in quantities used within 2 months is the best practice.
A starter kit
For a baker who wants to cover most home bread and pastry needs without a flour cabinet that takes up half the pantry:
One 5 lb bag of King Arthur bread flour, refilled monthly.
One 5 lb bag of King Arthur all-purpose flour, refilled monthly.
One 1 kg bag of Caputo 00 pizza flour, refilled every 2 to 3 months.
Optionally: a small bag of whole grain rye or whole wheat for sourdough additions, and a small bag of semolina for pasta.
That collection handles bread, pizza, pasta, pastry, cookies, and cakes without significant compromise. Each flour serves the purpose it is best at, and the kitchen avoids the trap of using one flour for everything and getting mediocre results across the board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour?+
Protein content. Bread flour runs 12 to 14 percent protein. All-purpose flour runs 10 to 12 percent. The higher protein in bread flour produces stronger gluten development, which traps more gas during fermentation and gives bread a chewier texture and taller rise. All-purpose flour works for most breads but produces a slightly less dramatic result. For sandwich loaves, sourdough, and bagels, bread flour is the better choice.
What is 00 flour and is it the same as bread flour?+
No. 00 flour is finely milled Italian flour, classified by particle size, not protein. The 00 refers to the fineness of the grind (the finest classification). 00 flour comes in different protein levels: 00 pizza flour is typically 11 to 13 percent protein, 00 pasta flour is 10 to 11 percent. The fine grind produces a silkier dough and a more delicate crumb than the coarser grind of American flours.
Can I substitute all-purpose for bread flour in a bread recipe?+
Yes, with adjustments. Reduce the water by about 1 tablespoon per cup of flour, because all-purpose absorbs less water. Expect a slightly less chewy texture and slightly less rise. For most home bread (sourdough, focaccia, dinner rolls), the difference is noticeable but the bread is still good. For bagels and pizza, the chew loss is more significant and a higher-protein flour matters more.
Which flour should I use for pizza dough?+
For Neapolitan-style thin crust baked at very high temperatures (700 F plus), 00 pizza flour is the traditional choice and produces the softest, most pliable crust. For New York-style pizza baked at 500 F home oven temperatures, bread flour gives more chew and a better browning. For thick Sicilian or pan pizza, all-purpose or bread flour both work. Avoid 00 pasta flour for pizza, which is too low in protein.
Does flour brand matter or are they all the same?+
Brand matters more than most home bakers realize. King Arthur bread flour is consistently 12.7 percent protein and produces predictable results. Gold Medal bread flour varies between 12 and 13 percent. Store-brand bread flour can be 11 to 13 percent depending on the supplier. For a recipe that works reliably, switching brands can shift results. Most serious bakers settle on one brand and stick with it.
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Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma writes for The Tested Hub.