Bread flour is similar to all-purpose flour, with one significant difference: the protein content. Because of the type of wheat it’s milled from, bread flour has a higher protein percentage (King Arthur’s is 12.7%) than all-purpose (11.7%). (For context, pastry and cake flours have less, about 8% to 10%, respectively.)
What exactly does protein content mean? When we’re talking about protein in flour, we’re talking about two very specific types of protein found in wheat: glutenin and gliadin. These two proteins are the building blocks of gluten. So basically, the higher the protein content in a flour, the more gluten-forming potential that flour has. The more that gluten develops, the stronger the dough. In addition, flours with higher protein content will absorb more liquid than those with less protein. (Learn more here: Protein percentage in flour: Why it matters.)
Bread flour’s higher protein enables strong, elastic bread doughs, resulting in high-rising loaves. That’s great for a recipe like Back-of-the-Bag Oatmeal Bread; the oats in the dough inhibit gluten formation, so using bread flour ensures the loaf still rises high. It’s also key for a high-hydration bread like Pan de Cristal — when the dough is first mixed, it’s so wet that it looks more like pancake batter than bread dough. But the high protein content in the bread flour transforms the mixture into a strong, silky dough with just a few series of folds.
Finally, you may be wondering: Is it okay to substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour, or vice versa? We always recommend using the flour that a recipe calls for, but in a pinch, it's OK to substitute in a bread recipe. The consistency of the dough and the structure of the bread may vary, but you’ll still be rewarded with a wonderful homemade loaf. See more here: How to substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour.
Learn more about different flours and how they're best suited to your baking in our Flour 101 guide.
Cover photo by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Lydia Fournier.
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