How to Weigh Flour

We always advocate for measuring flour by weight for baking recipes since it's more precise than measuring it by volume. We've found that the amount of flour that fits into a 1-cup measuring cup can vary by as much as 20 percent, depending upon the light- or heavy-handedness of the baker. However, while we use 5 ounces as our standard weight for 1 cup of all-purpose flour (a measurement we arrived at by having dozens of volunteers measure out 1 cup of flour and weigh it and then taking the average of the results), you might notice that different authors, publishing companies, and food manufacturers use different standards. But don't let that throw you. To ensure success, use the same standard as the author of the recipe you're following. That includes our recipes—no matter what brand of flour you're using (the standards listed on the nutrition panels of King Arthur, Gold Medal, and Pillsbury are different from ours).