All-purpose flour vs Whole wheat flour
Whole wheat keeps the bran and germ, so it is heavier in flavor, a little lighter per cup, and soaks up more liquid. Swapping it 1:1 for all-purpose makes a denser, nuttier result. Start by replacing about half the all-purpose with whole wheat; go higher and you may need a touch more liquid. White whole wheat is the milder option if you want the nutrition without the strong taste.
At a glance
| Ingredient | Grams per cup | Type | Key trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120 g | Flours & Starches | Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off — scooping straight from the bag packs it down and can add up to 20% more flour than a recipe intends. |
| Whole wheat flour | 113 g | Flours & Starches | Whole wheat flour is slightly lighter per cup than white flour because the bran keeps it from packing tightly. |
How to swap all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour
- Replace up to 50% of AP flour with whole wheat by volume (King Arthur Baking)Substitute by volume, not weight; whole wheat absorbs more liquid and weighs less per cup. Going above 50% needs recipe reformulation.
Full conversions: All-purpose flour converter · Whole wheat flour converter. More swaps: All-purpose flour substitutes · Whole wheat flour substitutes.
More comparisons
* Conversion figures are typical average weights for one US customary cup (236.6 ml), based on the King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart and cross-referenced with the U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central database. Actual weight varies with packing, brand and humidity — see our methodology.