ChefSteps is a team of chefs, writers, and food lovers who develop recipes, techniques, and guides to help people cook better at home.

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What’s in a bag of flour? There’s more that meets the eye than finely milled wheat—from protein content to enrichments, wheat varieties, and harvesting seasons. These are the factors that differentiate all-purpose from bread flour, and influence your baking results. For as many differences there are between the types of wheat and flours themselves, there are even more variations and discrepancies between different brands, bags, and boxes. When should you use cake flour? Why don’t all pastry recipes call for pastry flour? Can you make a deliciously <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/recipes/amazing-chewy-bagels-from-scratch">chewy bagel</a> using only AP flour? Do you wonder what the heck “enriched” even means, or how to calculate the protein content if it isn’t provided on the packaging? Below, we dig into the details and give you a “decoder ring” of sorts, to help you purchase the right flour with the perfect protein percentage for your next baking project—whether you’re planning to make a hearty <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/recipes/french-country-bread-in-one-day">sourdough loaf</a>, fresh <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/recipes/scratch-english-muffins-the-fast-way">English muffins</a>, buttery <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/recipes/the-secret-to-mastering-croissants-at-home">croissants</a>, or a delicious <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/guides-tools/mastering-homemade-cakes">layer cake</a>.