The Common Mistake People Make When Measuring Flour

You’ve probably heard that if you're not weighing your flour, it’s crucial to spoon it lightly into your measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. The common mistake many make is scooping the flour directly from the bag and shaking off the excess, which leads to packing more flour into the cup than necessary.

While using a kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure flour (or any dry ingredient), I often stick with volume measurements if the recipe calls for them. My reasoning is that if the recipe was developed using dry cups, using the same measurement method ensures I get as close as possible to the intended result. That said, before I begin, I always take one important step: aerating the flour.

Anyone who’s cranked up a stand mixer too quickly knows that flour can be surprisingly light and airy. But as flour sits on the shelf, it settles and becomes compact. Even if you're careful when transferring it into a measuring cup, it’s easy to unintentionally pack it down if it’s already compressed.

The solution is quick and simple. Just grab a whisk (or a fork if that's what you have) and gently fluff the top layer of flour you’ll be measuring. You might need to repeat this if you're measuring multiple cups. This quick action adds a bit of air to the flour, preventing it from packing down, and ensures it’s in its perfect state to mix with the other ingredients. This is why many recipes call for sifting dry ingredients together.

Even when measuring by weight, this simple pre-measuring step is still worth doing. You can aerate flour directly in the bag, but I prefer to keep mine in a wide-mouthed plastic bin, making both aeration and spooning easier.

Is this step absolutely essential? Probably not. It’s not a make-or-break move, but it can improve the texture of your baked goods. Ultimately, it's these small, thoughtful habits that help us grow into better, more skilled bakers.