All-purpose flour
A general wheat flour with a medium protein content, about 10 to 12%, suitable for most cakes, cookies, pastries and breads.
- Baking ingredients and additives
Also called: plain flour, AP flour
All-purpose flour balances strength and tenderness: it has enough protein for many breads but not so much that cakes and pastries turn tough. Bleached flour is slightly softer and whiter; unbleached has a little more strength.
One cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 120 to 125 g when spooned and leveled; scooping straight from the bag packs in more, so weighing is more reliable.
Tools for this
My Weigh KD-8000 Baker's Math ScaleHas a baker's percentage mode built in.See it on Amazon
Bellemain 3-Cup Flour SifterLump-free flour, cocoa and powdered sugar for lighter bakes.See it on Amazon
OXO Good Grips POP Baking Container SetAirtight, stackable storage for sugar, flour and vanilla sugar.See it on Amazon
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Related entries
Sources
Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
- 21 CFR 137.105 -- Flour, U.S. Government Publishing Office / Office of the Federal Register (eCFR)
- Choose the Right Flour When Baking, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension (Nebraska Extension Food)
- Meet the Flours - Wheat Flours, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (AnswerLine)
- All-purpose flour (Q95388739), Wikidata