🍞Yeast Converter

About this tool

Choose the yeast your recipe uses and enter the amount in grams, teaspoons or US packets. The tool shows the equivalent amounts of the other two types, including teaspoons and fresh-yeast cubes, and a rough sourdough starter swap.

Swapping yeast types

The three common bakers' yeasts differ in strength by weight. Instant yeast (fast-action, rapid-rise or bread-machine yeast) is the most concentrated and can go straight into the flour. Active dry yeast has larger granules with more dormant cells: use about 25% more, and traditionally dissolve it in warm water first. Fresh yeast (cake or compressed) is about two-thirds water, so you need roughly three times the weight of instant. A US ¼-oz packet (7 g, about 2¼ teaspoons) of instant equals about 8.75 g of active dry or 21 g of fresh, and a 42 g European fresh cube equals about 14 g of instant. To swap in a sourdough starter, a rough guide is 200–300 g of active 100%-hydration starter per 7 g of instant yeast, taking half that weight each out of the recipe's flour and water. Expect a much slower rise and more sour flavour. Honest limits: conversions are approximate, since yeast vigour depends on age, storage and temperature. Judge the dough by how it looks and feels rather than the clock, and check yeast is in date. The baker's percentage calculator and the sourdough calculator are related.

Frequently asked questions