A set of kitchen scales is the clearest way to measure flour when a recipe supplies a weight. Cup measurements also depend on how flour is placed in the cup: packed flour gives a different amount from loosely filled flour.
Step by step
Weigh into a tared bowl
Put the bowl on level kitchen scales and set them to zero. Check the unit, then add flour until you reach the recipe’s weight. If you add too much, spoon some back out before mixing.
Image by JustRecipesIf using cups, loosen the flour first
Use the cup size and filling method specified by the recipe. Where a recipe expects a loosely filled, level cup, stir the flour lightly in its container before measuring. Do not pack it down.
Spoon and level
Spoon flour into a dry measuring cup until it rises above the rim. Sweep a straight edge across the rim to remove the excess. Do not tap or shake the cup to settle it.
Check instructions about sifting
Flour measured before sifting is not necessarily the same volume as flour sifted before measuring. Follow the sequence stated in the recipe; if it is unclear, prefer a supplied weight.
Using a flour converter
Use the converter for the actual flour named in the recipe. Check its stated cup size and flour form as well as the filling method. A cup-to-weight figure is a reference for those conditions, not a universal weight for all flours. Do not change a recipe’s explicit gram quantity to match another source’s cup value.
If a dough seems unexpectedly dry
Check the unit and measurement method before adding liquid. Scooping a packed cup directly from a bag can add more flour than a recipe expecting spooned, level cups. Dough texture also depends on the flour type and recipe.
