About the Desired Dough Temperature Calculator
This desired dough temperature calculator tells you how warm or cold to make your mixing water so that bread dough comes off the mixer at the temperature you want. Dough temperature controls how fast yeast and sourdough cultures ferment: a few degrees either way can change bulk fermentation by an hour or more, which is why professional bakers aim for a set desired dough temperature (DDT), typically 75–78°F (24–26°C).
Of all the ingredients, water is the easiest to adjust, so bakers use the DDT method: multiply the target by the number of temperature factors, subtract the room, flour, preferment and friction temperatures, and what is left is the water temperature. This calculator does that in °F or °C and, when your tap water is warmer than needed, works out how much of the water to replace with ice.
The friction factor is the heat added by mixing. It depends on your mixer, dough size and mixing time — machine mixing commonly adds 20–30°F (11–17°C), hand mixing much less. Measure your actual dough temperature after mixing a few times and refine the friction factor for your setup.
How to use the desired dough temperature calculator
- 1Choose °F or °C and enter your desired dough temperature.
- 2Measure and enter the room and flour temperatures (and preferment, if any).
- 3Enter your friction factor — start with 24°F (13°C) for a stand mixer.
- 4Mix with water at the temperature shown, using ice if needed.
- 5Check the dough temperature after mixing and adjust the friction factor next time.
Formula and method
The DDT method treats the final dough temperature as roughly the average of everything that contributes heat: room, flour, water, the preferment if used, plus the friction of mixing. Multiplying the desired temperature by the number of factors N (3 without a preferment, 4 with) and subtracting the known temperatures leaves the water temperature needed.
When the water must be colder than the tap, part of it is replaced with ice. Melting ice absorbs 80 calories per gram (144 BTU per pound), the equivalent of warming water by 80°C (144°F). Balancing the heat lost by the tap water against the heat absorbed by melting ice and warming it from freezing gives Ice = W × (tap − target) ÷ (tap + 80) in Celsius, or ÷ (tap + 112) in Fahrenheit.
- DDT
- Desired dough temperature
- N
- Number of factors: 3, or 4 with a preferment
- W
- Total water weight
- tap
- Cold tap water temperature
Worked examples
Straight dough with a stand mixer
Three factors × 76°F = 228. Subtracting room (72), flour (70) and friction (24) leaves 62°F. Tap water at 65°F is slightly too warm, so replace 700 × 3 ÷ 177 ≈ 12 g of the water with ice.
Sourdough with a levain
With a preferment there are four factors: 4 × 78 = 312, minus 75 + 74 + 72 + 26 = 247, leaves 65°F. The 60°F tap water is colder than that, so warm it slightly instead of adding ice.
Hot summer kitchen in Celsius
3 × 25 = 75, minus 26 + 25 + 13 = 64, leaves 11°C water. With 18°C tap water, replace 650 × 7 ÷ 98 ≈ 46 g of the water with ice to bring the rest down to 11°C.
Frequently asked questions
What is desired dough temperature?+
It is the temperature you want the dough to be immediately after mixing, chosen so fermentation runs on a predictable schedule. Most lean breads and sourdoughs target 75–78°F (24–26°C); enriched doughs are often a little cooler.
What is the friction factor in bread making?+
It is the temperature rise caused by mixing. Find yours by mixing a dough, measuring its temperature and subtracting: friction = (dough temp × N) − (room + flour + water [+ preferment]). Machines typically add 20–30°F.
Why use 3 or 4 in the DDT formula?+
The multiplier equals the number of temperature inputs. Without a preferment there are three: room, flour and water (friction is subtracted separately). Adding a levain, poolish or biga makes it four.
What if the formula gives a water temperature below freezing?+
Then ice water alone cannot reach your target. Refrigerate the flour, mix in a cooler spot, shorten mixing to reduce friction, or accept a warmer dough and shorten fermentation.
Can I use the same friction factor in Celsius and Fahrenheit?+
No. A friction factor in °F is 1.8 times larger than the same heat in °C, so 24°F of friction is about 13°C. Enter every value in the unit you selected.