What is the order of protein in flour?

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

Did you know that flour protein content can vary significantly, with different types of flour having a protein percentage ranging from as low as 6% to over 16% depending on the wheat variety? Understanding what is the order of protein in flour is crucial for achieving the perfect texture in your baking, whether it's a chewy loaf of bread or a delicate cake.

Quick Summary

The spectrum of flour protein content directly influences gluten development, determining the structure and texture of baked goods. High-protein flours yield chewier results, while low-protein flours produce tender products.

Key Points

Flour Protein Order: Flours are ordered by protein content, from lowest (cake flour) to highest (high-gluten flour), which determines their baking characteristics.
Low Protein = Tender: Low-protein flours like cake and pastry flour produce tender, soft, and delicate baked goods due to minimal gluten formation.
High Protein = Chewy: High-protein flours like bread and high-gluten flour create strong, elastic gluten networks, ideal for chewy, structured bread and bagels.
Gluten Activation: Protein in flour only forms gluten when mixed with liquid and agitated through kneading; the more a dough is worked, the stronger the gluten network becomes.
All-Purpose is a Middle Ground: All-purpose flour is a versatile, medium-protein flour suitable for a wide range of baking, offering a balance of structure and tenderness.
Whole Wheat Nuance: Despite its high protein content, the bran in whole wheat flour interferes with gluten development, often resulting in a denser final product.

The Role of Flour Protein and Gluten

Flour is not just a uniform white powder; it's a carefully milled product whose characteristics, particularly its protein content, determine its best use in baking. While flour contains glutenin and gliadin, the two proteins that form gluten, gluten only develops when these proteins are hydrated and agitated through mixing or kneading. The protein content, therefore, indicates the flour's potential for gluten development, directly impacting the final texture of your baked goods. High-protein flours create a strong, elastic gluten network, ideal for chewy breads. Low-protein flours result in a weaker network, perfect for tender, light cakes and pastries.

The Spectrum of Flour Protein: From Weak to Strong

Understanding the order of protein in flour involves categorizing common types from the lowest percentage to the highest. This hierarchy helps bakers choose the best flour for a specific recipe to achieve the desired outcome.

Low-Protein Flours (6-9%)

These flours are milled from soft wheat varieties and have the lowest protein content, leading to minimal gluten formation and a very tender crumb.

Cake Flour (6-8%): Finely milled and often bleached, which further weakens the gluten proteins. It is extra-absorbent and is the best choice for delicate cakes, muffins, and pastries.
Pastry Flour (8-9%): A happy medium between cake and all-purpose flour, producing a flaky and tender result. It's used for pies, tarts, and biscuits.

Medium-Protein Flours (10-12%)

This category represents the versatile flours, milled from a combination of hard and soft wheat.

All-Purpose (AP) Flour (10-12%): The workhorse of the baking world, suitable for a wide range of recipes, from cookies and pancakes to some breads. The exact percentage can vary by brand.

High-Protein Flours (12-16%)

Made from hard wheat, these flours have a high protein content, enabling them to form strong, elastic gluten networks.

Bread Flour (12-14%): Designed specifically for yeasted breads, this flour develops the strong gluten structure needed to trap gas and create a high-rising, chewy loaf.
Whole Wheat Flour (13-15%): Although high in protein, the sharp bran particles cut gluten strands, resulting in a denser crumb. It provides a nutty flavor and higher nutritional value.
High-Gluten Flour (14-16%): This is the highest-protein flour available and is used for extra-chewy items like bagels and artisan pizza dough.

Factors Influencing Gluten Development

While protein content is the primary factor, several other elements play a crucial role in controlling gluten development:

Hydration: Gluten cannot form without the presence of liquid, as water allows the proteins to bind. Higher hydration often leads to a more extensible, but stickier, dough.
Mixing/Kneading: The more a dough is kneaded, the more the gluten network is strengthened, increasing elasticity and chewiness. Over-kneading can, however, damage the network.
Fat and Sugar: Ingredients like butter, oil, and sugar can coat the protein strands in the flour, which inhibits the formation of long, strong gluten chains.
Salt: Salt helps to strengthen the gluten network, leading to a more elastic dough.
Resting Time: Allowing dough to rest helps the gluten strands relax, making the dough easier to work with and shape.

Flour Protein Comparison Table


Flour Type	Protein Content (%)	Typical Uses	Texture Result	Gluten Potential
Cake Flour	6-8%	Cakes, Muffins, Scones	Tender, Soft, Fine Crumb	Low
Pastry Flour	8-9%	Pie Crusts, Biscuits, Tarts	Tender, Flaky	Low
All-Purpose Flour	10-12%	Cookies, Pancakes, Breads	Versatile, Balanced	Medium
Bread Flour	12-14%	Breads, Bagels, Pizza Dough	Chewy, High-Rising	High
Whole Wheat Flour	13-15%	Rustic Breads, Buns	Dense, Nutty Flavor	Medium (Affected by bran)
High-Gluten Flour	14-16%	Bagels, Sturdy Breads	Extra Chewy, Very Structured	Very High

Choosing the Right Flour for Your Bake

Knowing the protein order in flour empowers you to make informed decisions for your recipes. For light, delicate baked goods, you must minimize gluten development. This is achieved by using low-protein flour and avoiding overmixing the batter. Conversely, for chewy, structured breads, you want to maximize gluten development by using a high-protein flour and kneading the dough sufficiently. Even with all-purpose flour, you can influence the final texture by adjusting how much you work the dough. For example, a quick bread recipe using AP flour is mixed just until combined to prevent a tough texture, while a sandwich bread recipe will require kneading to build a strong gluten network. For more detailed information on gluten and how it behaves, check out King Arthur Baking's guide to gluten.

Conclusion: The Final Flour Decision

Ultimately, the order of protein in flour is a baker's fundamental tool for achieving predictable and delicious results. By selecting the correct flour based on its protein potential, you can control the crucial variable of gluten development. From the tender crumb of a cake made with low-protein flour to the hearty chew of a bagel made with high-gluten flour, understanding this key ingredient property is the first step toward mastering your baked creations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The general order from lowest to highest protein is: cake flour, pastry flour, all-purpose flour, bread flour, whole wheat flour, and high-gluten flour.

Yes, a higher protein content in flour indicates a greater potential for gluten development when the flour is mixed with liquid and kneaded.

Using high-protein bread flour for a cake can result in an overly chewy, tough, and dense texture due to excessive gluten development, which is undesirable for a tender cake.

Yes, but you may get a slightly less chewy and lower-rising loaf. For best results, use a brand with a higher protein content, like King Arthur, and you can also add vital wheat gluten to mimic bread flour.

Whole wheat flour is high in protein, but the sharp particles of the bran in the flour can cut the developing gluten strands during kneading, which interferes with the gluten network and results in a denser crumb.

Fats like butter and oil tenderize baked goods by coating the protein strands in the flour, which inhibits the formation of long, strong gluten chains.

Yes, some brands like King Arthur have a higher protein content for their all-purpose flour (11.7%) than others, making it behave closer to a bread flour and better suited for certain recipes.