German bread culture is so deeply rooted in everyday life that it was added in 2014 to Germany’s nationwide inventory of intangible cultural heritage by the German Commission for UNESCO. Flour is one of the key ingredients behind that tradition, shaping everything from rye bread and sourdough to Brötchen, pretzels, cakes, pastries, Spätzle, and dumplings.
German baking depends heavily on choosing the right flour. The flour used for a tender cake is not always the same flour used for crusty Brötchen, rye sourdough, Spätzle, pasta, dumplings, or hearty whole grain bread. German flours are often labeled with type numbers, such as Wheat 405, Wheat 550, Rye 1150, or Spelt 630, which can be confusing for American home bakers.
This guide explains the most common German flour types, how they are milled, what the type numbers mean, and which flours work best for cakes, pastries, breads, rolls, sourdough, pasta, Spätzle, and dumplings. You can find a large variety of ready-to-eat whole grain breads, mixes and baking products at our store. You can also shop German wheat flour, rye flour, spelt flour, bread mixes, sourdough starters, and baking products from The Taste of Germany.
German Flour at a Glance
German flour labels often look different from American flour labels. Instead of names like all-purpose, bread flour, pastry flour, or cake flour, German flour is often labeled by grain and type number. The most familiar examples include Weizenmehl Type 405, Weizenmehl Type 550, Roggenmehl Type 1150, and Dinkelmehl Type 630.
In general, lower type numbers are lighter and more refined, while higher type numbers contain more mineral content from the outer parts of the grain and are darker, heartier, and more suitable for rustic breads.
What Do German Flour Type Numbers Mean?
German flour type numbers, or Mehltypen, refer to the mineral content of the flour. A lower number, such as Type 405, means a lighter, more refined flour. A higher number, such as Type 1050 or rye Type 1150, means a darker flour with more mineral content from the grain’s outer layers. Spektrum’s nutrition lexicon describes Mehltype as a flour classification term used in milling technology and lists common wheat and rye types such as 405, 550, 812, 1050, 1700, rye 997, rye 1150, rye 1370, and rye 1800.
German Flour Types and Best Uses
| German Flour Type | German Name | Best Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat 405 | Weizenmehl Type 405 | Cakes, cookies, pastries, pancakes, waffles, lighter baked goods |
| Wheat 550 | Weizenmehl Type 550 | Yeast dough, Brötchen, white bread, pizza dough, pretzels, everyday baking |
| Wheat 812 | Weizenmehl Type 812 | Mixed breads, rolls, rustic wheat breads |
| Wheat 1050 | Weizenmehl Type 1050 | Darker wheat breads, hearty loaves, mixed grain breads |
| Wheat 1600 / 1700 | Weizenmehl Type 1600 / Backschrot | Coarse, darker breads and specialty baking |
| Whole Wheat | Weizen Vollkornmehl | Whole grain breads, seeded loaves, hearty baking |
| Rye 997 | Roggenmehl Type 997 | Light to medium rye breads and mixed breads |
| Rye 1150 | Roggenmehl Type 1150 | Sourdough rye, Mischbrot, Bauernbrot, hearty German breads |
| Rye 1370 / 1740 | Roggenmehl Type 1370 / 1740 | Dark rye breads and rustic loaves |
| Rye 1800 | Roggenschrot / Rye Groats | Coarse rye breads and specialty whole grain loaves |
| Spelt 630 | Dinkelmehl Type 630 | Cakes, pastries, rolls, Spätzle, lighter spelt baking |
| Spelt 812 / 1050 | Dinkelmehl Type 812 / 1050 | Spelt breads, rustic loaves, heartier baking |
| Whole Spelt | Dinkel Vollkornmehl | Whole grain spelt bread, seeded loaves, hearty baked goods |
Smooth Flour, or Glattes Mehl
Glattes Mehl means smooth flour. It is very finely ground, soft to the touch, and almost “dusty” in texture. Smooth flour is often used for delicate baking, including cakes, pastries, cookies, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and other light baked goods. German Wheat 405 is the most familiar example for many home bakers.
Medium-Ground Flour, or Griffiges Mehl
Griffiges Mehl and Doppelgriffiges Mehl are more coarsely ground than smooth flour. The word griffig suggests that the flour has a texture you can “grip” or feel between your fingers. They include “hard” winter durum semolina wheat. These flours are useful for foods that need structure an dhlep soak up gravies and sauces, such as pasta, Spätzle, dumplings, and some yeast doughs.
Universal Flour, or Universal Mehl
Universal Mehl is a blend of fine and medium-fine flour. It is meant to be versatile enough for everyday baking, including breads, cakes, cookies, rolls, and pastries. Depending on the blend, it may include wheat, rye, spelt (an ancient grain related to wheat), or a mix of grains and consist of very fine and coarsely ground flour. The most commonly available German flours are:
Wheat 405 – the classic household all-purpose flour with enough gluten for high bonding power, often used for cakes, white breads, and “Brötchen (German breakfast rolls)
Wheat 550 – flour with even higher binding power, ideal for baking with yeast and sourdough. The best bread making flour, mixes well with rye, spelt and buckwheat flours.
Rye 1150 – A robust flour that’s dark in color, used in making sourdough breads and mixed wheat/rye breads (Mischbrot);
Specialty German flour (coarsely ground)
Wheat 812, 1050, 1600 – different grades of ground wheat
Wheat 1700 (Backschrot, or wheat groats) – coarsely ground, dark flour without germ
Whole Grain Wheat – Vollkorn, whole grain flour with wheat germ.
Rye 815, 997, 997, 1370 and 1740 – different grades of ground rye
Rye 1800 – Backschrot or rye groats – coarsely ground, dark flour without germ
Spelt 630, 812 und 1050 – different grades of ground spelt
German Flour vs. American Flour
German flour labels and American flour labels do not match perfectly. American bakers often see names like all-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour, pastry flour, and whole wheat flour. German bakers usually see grain names and type numbers, such as Weizenmehl 405, Weizenmehl 550, Roggenmehl 1150, or Dinkelmehl 630.
As a rough guide, Wheat 405 is often used for cakes, cookies, and lighter baking; Wheat 550 is useful for yeast doughs, breads, rolls, and pretzels; Rye 1150 is a common choice for German rye breads and sourdoughs; and Spelt 630 is a light spelt flour used for both sweet and savory baking.
Which German Flour Should I Use?
For cakes and cookies: Wheat 405
For Brötchen and white breads: Wheat 550
For pretzels: Wheat 550
For rye sourdough: Rye 1150
For Bauernbrot or Mischbrot: Rye 1150 mixed with Wheat 550 or Wheat 1050
For Spätzle: Griffig flour, Spätzle flour, wheat flour, or spelt flour
For pasta and dumplings: Medium-ground flour, semolina-style flour, or griffig flour
For whole grain bread: Whole wheat, whole rye, whole spelt, or higher-type flours
For spelt baking: Dinkel Type 630 for lighter baking, Dinkel whole grain for heartier loaves
German Flour for Popular German Recipes
Bavarian Pretzels: Wheat 550 works well for yeast dough and pretzel texture.
Brötchen: Wheat 550 is a classic choice for German rolls.
Bauernbrot: A mix of rye and wheat flour gives farmer’s bread its hearty flavor.
Pumpernickel: Rye flour and rye meal are essential for dark, dense loaves.
Spätzle: A medium-ground wheat or spelt flour helps create a tender but structured noodle.
Apple Strudel: A smooth wheat flour works well for thin, elastic dough.
Butterkuchen: Wheat flour supports the soft yeast-dough base.
Franzbrötchen: Wheat flour works well for soft, enriched pastry dough.
Dumplings: Medium-ground flour, semolina-style flour, or potato-based mixtures may be used depending on the recipe.
FAQs About German Flour
What do German flour type numbers mean?
German flour type numbers indicate the mineral content of the flour. Lower numbers such as 405 are lighter and more refined, while higher numbers such as 1050 or rye 1150 are darker and contain more mineral content from the grain.
What is German flour Type 405?
German Wheat 405 is a light, finely milled wheat flour commonly used for cakes, cookies, pastries, pancakes, waffles, and lighter baking.
What is German flour Type 550?
German Wheat 550 is a stronger wheat flour often used for yeast doughs, Brötchen, breads, rolls, pretzels, and sourdough baking.
What is German rye flour Type 1150?
Rye 1150 is a robust German rye flour used for sourdough rye breads, mixed rye-wheat breads, Bauernbrot, Landbrot, and other hearty loaves.
What is German spelt flour?
German spelt flour, or Dinkelmehl, is made from spelt, an ancient grain related to wheat. Light spelt flour such as Dinkel Type 630 can be used for breads, pastries, cakes, rolls, and Spätzle.
Is German flour the same as American flour?
Not exactly. German flour is often labeled by type number and mineral content, while American flour is usually labeled by use, such as all-purpose, cake flour, bread flour, or pastry flour. Substitutions are possible but may vary by recipe.
Which German flour is best for bread?
Wheat 550, Wheat 1050, Rye 1150, and spelt flours are all useful for bread. German breads often combine wheat and rye flour, especially for mixed breads such as Mischbrot or Bauernbrot.
Which German flour is best for cakes?
Wheat 405 is often used for cakes, cookies, pastries, and lighter baked goods.
Which flour is best for Spätzle?
Spätzle can be made with wheat flour, griffig flour, special Spätzle flour, or spelt flour. A slightly more structured flour helps the noodles hold their shape.
What flour is used for German rye bread?
German rye breads often use rye flour such as Type 997, Type 1150, Type 1370, or whole rye flour, sometimes mixed with wheat flour and sourdough.
