When it comes to baking, it is an exact science, and adding just a bit too much or too little of an ingredient can completely change the recipe. Measuring flour seems really easy, but many people aren’t actually doing it correctly. If you’re just dipping your measuring cup into a bag of flour, you’re not getting the right amount of the ingredient, which can cause your baked good to come out dry, crumbly, or doughy. The spoon and sweep method is the perfect way to measure flour and here’s how to do it.
Spoon
Instead of dipping the measuring cup into the bag of flour, scoop the flour with a spoon into the measuring cup, making sure it’s piled slightly over the top. This technique prevents the flour from being too packed into the cup and having more flour than the recipe calls for. It also makes sure the cup is full and there aren’t any gaps on the sides.
Sweep
After the cup is filled with four, run the straight edge of a knife or spatula over the rim of the measuring cup to level the flour and sweep the excess back into the bag. This ensures that you aren’t wasting any flour and that you’re measuring the right amount.
