How Do I Measure Sifted Flour?

Emma Christensen
Emma Christensen
Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories
published Mar 27, 2012
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Q: I’m just getting into baking, and while I know I need to invest in a scale, I’m not there yet. When a recipe calls for 1 cup of sifted flour, do you sift and then measure out 1 cup or do you take a cup of flour and then sift it? Thanks!

Sent by Virginia-Marie

Editor: If the recipe says “1 cup sifted flour,” then that usually means that you should sift the flour first and then measure it (or sift the flour directly into the measuring cup as you sift). On the other hand, if the recipe says “1 cup flour, sifted,” then that usually means to measure it first using the dip-and-sweep method and then sift it afterwards.

Also, if you’re baking from a cookbook, check the introductory chapters to see if the author gives instructions on how they expect you to measure the flour.

Readers, do you have any other advice on measuring flour without a scale?

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Related: Basic Techniques: How to Sift Flour

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Baking
Ingredient
Tips & Techniques
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