UtilibyWritten by the Utiliby editorial team · Last updated October 23, 2026 · Rules and formulas reviewed October 2026
What this free yeast conversion calculator does
Recipes call for yeast in many different forms, and the jar in your cupboard is rarely the one the recipe names. This free online yeast conversion calculator turns any amount of instant, active dry or fresh yeast into the other two, and shows the answer in grams, teaspoons, tablespoons, packets and cakes so you can measure it however your kitchen is set up.
It also answers the next two questions bakers ask: how much yeast do I need for my flour (as a percentage of flour weight, with typical starting points for pizza, sandwich bread, bagels, focaccia and sweet dough) and how long will the dough take to rise at a given yeast level and temperature. Everything runs in your browser. No sign-up, no data leaves your device.
How to use the yeast converter
- Convert yeast. Enter the amount in the recipe, choose the unit (packets, teaspoons, grams and so on) and say which yeast the recipe uses. The table shows the same amount of rising power for all three types, plus a quick chart of common amounts.
- Yeast for your flour. Enter the flour weight, pick the dough type and, if you like, change the yeast percentage. You get instant, active dry and fresh yeast amounts for that dough, and a table for other batch sizes.
- Rise time. Enter the yeast percentage and the dough temperature to see an estimated total rise time and how it changes from the refrigerator to a warm kitchen.
- Export. Print, download a CSV or copy the summary for the tab you are viewing.
Instant, active dry and fresh yeast: what is the difference?
All three are the same living organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sold in different forms. The differences are moisture, particle size and how they are used.
| Type | Also called | Form | How to use | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instant yeast | Rapid-rise, quick-rise, bread machine, SAF Red | Fine dry granules | Mix straight into the flour | Strongest dry form (1 part) |
| Active dry yeast | Dry yeast, baker's yeast | Larger dry granules with a coating | Dissolve in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes first | About 1.25 parts |
| Fresh yeast | Cake yeast, compressed yeast | Moist block, about 70% water | Crumble into liquid or flour | About 3 parts by weight |
Instant yeast has smaller granules and a higher share of live cells, which is why you need less of it. Fresh yeast contains water, so the same rising power takes more weight. Fresh yeast also has a short shelf life and is harder to find in many places, which is why recipes written for fresh yeast are often converted to dry.
Yeast conversion ratios and formulas
The calculator uses the ratios most bakers rely on and lets you switch between three variants:
| Ratio set | Instant : Active dry : Fresh | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 1 : 1.25 : 3 | Default. Dry yeast is 25% more than instant, fresh about three times instant. |
| 3:4 rule | 1 : 1.33 : 3 | Some manufacturers say to use three quarters as much instant as active dry. |
| Gentler fresh | 1 : 1.25 : 2.5 | Uses less fresh yeast; common in British and European recipes. |
Formulas. Active dry = instant × 1.25. Fresh = instant × 3. Instant = active dry ÷ 1.25 = fresh ÷ 3. For example, a recipe that calls for 21 g of fresh yeast needs 7 g of instant yeast or about 8.75 g of active dry yeast.
Packets, teaspoons, tablespoons and cakes
Weights are the most accurate way to measure yeast, but most recipes use spoons and packets. These are the usual figures:
| Measure | Grams (about) |
|---|---|
| 1 packet of dry yeast (¼ oz) | 7 g (2¼ teaspoons) |
| 1 teaspoon dry yeast | 3.1 g |
| 1 tablespoon dry yeast | 9.3 g |
| 1 cake of fresh yeast (0.6 oz) | 17 g |
| 1 oz fresh yeast | 28 g |
| 1 oz dry yeast | 28 g |
Spoon measures vary with how packed the yeast is, so a level spoon is a guide, not an exact amount. For small batches, or for slow doughs where a few tenths of a gram matter, a kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g is a worthwhile tool.
Yeast grams to teaspoons and tablespoons
The calculator uses 3.1 g per level teaspoon of dry yeast (instant or active dry) and 3 teaspoons per tablespoon, so 1 tablespoon is about 9.3 g. Fresh yeast is measured at 3.0 g per teaspoon. The table converts common weights from recipes, such as 14 g, 10 g, 7 g, 3 g, 20 g and 25 g.
| Dry yeast (grams) | Teaspoons | Nearest spoon | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 g | 0.32 | ⅜ tsp | 0.11 |
| 2 g | 0.65 | ⅝ tsp | 0.22 |
| 3 g | 0.97 | 1 tsp | 0.32 |
| 4 g | 1.29 | 1¼ tsp | 0.43 |
| 5 g | 1.61 | 1⅝ tsp | 0.54 |
| 6 g | 1.94 | 1⅞ tsp | 0.65 |
| 7 g | 2.26 | 2¼ tsp | 0.75 |
| 8 g | 2.58 | 2⅝ tsp | 0.86 |
| 9 g | 2.9 | 2⅞ tsp | 0.97 |
| 10 g | 3.23 | 3¼ tsp | 1.08 |
| 12 g | 3.87 | 3⅞ tsp | 1.29 |
| 14 g | 4.52 | 4½ tsp | 1.51 |
| 15 g | 4.84 | 4⅞ tsp | 1.61 |
| 20 g | 6.45 | 6½ tsp | 2.15 |
| 25 g | 8.06 | 8⅛ tsp | 2.69 |
| 28 g | 9.03 | 9 tsp | 3.01 |
| 30 g | 9.68 | 9⅝ tsp | 3.23 |
| 40 g | 12.9 | 12⅞ tsp | 4.3 |
| 50 g | 16.13 | 16⅛ tsp | 5.38 |
To do it yourself, divide the grams by 3.1 for teaspoons, then by 3 again for tablespoons. For example 14 g ÷ 3.1 = 4.5 teaspoons, which is about 1½ tablespoons. Spoon measures vary with how loosely the yeast is packed, so treat them as a guide and use scales for small or slow doughs.
Spoons to grams
| Spoon measure | Dry yeast, grams | Fresh yeast, grams |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ tsp | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| ½ tsp | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| ¾ tsp | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| 1 tsp | 3.1 | 3 |
| 1½ tsp | 4.7 | 4.5 |
| 2 tsp | 6.2 | 6 |
| 2¼ tsp (1 packet) | 7 | 6.8 |
| 1 tbsp | 9.3 | 9 |
| 1½ tbsp | 14 | 13.5 |
| 2 tbsp | 18.6 | 18 |
| 3 tbsp | 27.9 | 27 |
| 4 tbsp | 37.2 | 36 |
A standard ¼ oz packet holds about 7 g, which is about 2¼ teaspoons. This table works for instant and active dry yeast alike.
Fresh yeast to dry yeast, and dry to fresh
With the standard ratio of 1 : 1.25 : 3 (instant : active dry : fresh), fresh yeast to dry yeast is a division and dry yeast to fresh yeast is a multiplication. Fresh yeast weighs three times as much as instant yeast and 2.4 times as much as active dry yeast.
Fresh to dry
| Fresh yeast (grams) | Instant yeast | Active dry yeast |
|---|---|---|
| 5 g | 1.7 g | 2.1 g |
| 10 g | 3.3 g | 4.2 g |
| 15 g | 5 g | 6.2 g |
| 17 g (1 cake) | 5.7 g | 7.1 g |
| 20 g | 6.7 g | 8.3 g |
| 25 g | 8.3 g | 10.4 g |
| 30 g | 10 g | 12.5 g |
| 42 g | 14 g | 17.5 g |
| 50 g | 16.7 g | 20.8 g |
| 100 g | 33.3 g | 41.7 g |
Rule of thumb: divide the fresh weight by 3 for instant yeast, or by 2.4 for active dry yeast.
Dry to fresh
| Active dry yeast (grams) | Instant yeast | Fresh yeast |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 g | 2 g | 6 g |
| 3.5 g | 2.8 g | 8.4 g |
| 5 g | 4 g | 12 g |
| 7 g (1 packet) | 5.6 g | 16.8 g |
| 10 g | 8 g | 24 g |
| 14 g | 11.2 g | 33.6 g |
| 15 g | 12 g | 36 g |
| 20 g | 16 g | 48 g |
| 25 g | 20 g | 60 g |
| 28 g | 22.4 g | 67.2 g |
One 7 g packet of active dry yeast equals about 5.6 g of instant yeast or about 16.8 g of fresh yeast, close to one 17 g cake. Some bakers use gentler ratios, such as 2.5 times instant for fresh yeast, so the calculator lets you switch between ratio sets.
How much yeast per cup or gram of flour
Bakers describe yeast as a percentage of the flour weight. It makes recipes easy to scale and compare. The right amount depends on how long you want the dough to rise.
| Dough | Instant yeast (% of flour) | Per 500 g flour |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza, same day | 0.5% | 2.5 g (about ¾ tsp) |
| Pizza, 24 hour cold ferment | 0.25% | 1.25 g (about ⅜ tsp) |
| Pizza, 48 to 72 hours | 0.12% | 0.6 g (a pinch) |
| Sandwich loaf | 1.0% | 5 g (about 1½ tsp) |
| Lean bread, baguette | 0.8% | 4 g (about 1¼ tsp) |
| No-knead overnight | 0.15% | 0.75 g (a tiny pinch) |
| Sweet or enriched dough | 1.4% | 7 g (one packet) |
| Bagels, pretzels | 0.8% | 4 g |
These are starting points. A cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 125 g, so 500 g is four cups. One packet of yeast (7 g) is plenty for up to about 4 cups of flour in a same-day dough, which is why most recipes call for a single packet.
How yeast amount and temperature change rise time
Yeast feeds on sugars in the flour and releases carbon dioxide and alcohol, which inflate and flavour the dough. The speed roughly doubles for every 15°F (8°C) of warmth between a cold refrigerator and a warm kitchen, and it is roughly proportional to the amount of yeast. Halve the yeast and the rise takes about twice as long; raise the temperature by 15°F and it takes about half as long.
The rise time tab uses this to estimate a total rise (bulk fermentation plus proof) of about 2 hours ÷ yeast percentage at 68°F (20°C), adjusted for temperature. At 1% instant yeast and 75°F that is about 1.5 hours; at 0.2% and 68°F it is about 10 hours; at 0.12% in the refrigerator it stretches to days. Treat the answer as a range, not a timer, and watch the dough: it should look puffy, jiggle slightly and spring back slowly when poked.
Proofing yeast and mixing it in
Active dry yeast is the form that benefits most from proofing: stir it into water at about 100 to 110°F (38 to 43°C) with a pinch of sugar and wait 5 to 10 minutes. A thick foam means the yeast is alive. Instant yeast does not need this; mix it into the flour. Fresh yeast can be crumbled into warm liquid or rubbed into the flour.
Liquid above about 120°F (49°C) starts to kill yeast, and salt in direct contact with it slows it, so mix the salt into the flour rather than dropping it onto the yeast. For long, cold ferments the water can be cool; for same-day doughs, aim for a dough temperature of about 75 to 80°F (24 to 27°C).
Worked examples
Recipe asks for fresh yeast, you have instant. The recipe uses 25 g of fresh yeast. Instant is one third of the weight: 25 ÷ 3 = 8.3 g, or about 2¾ teaspoons.
Recipe asks for one packet of active dry yeast, you have a jar of instant. One packet is 7 g. Instant is 7 ÷ 1.25 = 5.6 g, or about 1¾ teaspoons.
Pizza dough for four 250 g balls. About 600 g of flour with a 24 hour cold ferment at 0.25% needs 1.5 g of instant yeast (about ½ teaspoon), 1.9 g of active dry, or 4.5 g of fresh.
Will it rise by dinner? A loaf with 500 g of flour and 4 g of instant yeast is 0.8%. At 75°F the tool estimates 1.5 to 2.5 hours in total, so mixing it at 3 pm is realistic for a 6 pm bake.
Yeast substitutes and what does not work
- Baking powder or baking soda cannot replace yeast in a yeast dough. They are chemical leaveners for quick breads and cakes.
- Sourdough starter can replace commercial yeast, but it is a different recipe with a much longer rise. A common rough guide is 20 to 30% of the flour weight as an active starter.
- Brewer's yeast and nutritional yeast are not the same product. They are inactive or deactivated and will not make bread rise.
- Expired yeast can be tested: stir a teaspoon into ½ cup of warm water with a pinch of sugar. No foam after 10 minutes means it is dead.
Storing yeast so it stays active
Heat, moisture and air shorten the life of yeast. Keep unopened packets in a cool, dry place. Once a jar or bag is open, close it tightly and keep it in the refrigerator (about 4 to 6 months) or the freezer (a year or more); frozen dry yeast can go straight from the freezer into the flour. Fresh yeast should be wrapped, kept cold and used within a week or two, and it can be frozen in small pieces if you accept some loss of strength.
Common yeast mistakes
- Swapping fresh for dry by weight 1 for 1.
- Using water that is too hot, which kills the yeast.
- Dumping salt directly on the yeast.
- Using too much yeast in a slow, cold ferment and ending up with an over-proofed dough.
- Measuring yeast by heaped spoons rather than level ones.
- Judging by the clock rather than the dough.
Troubleshooting a dough that is slow or too fast
If the dough is slow, check the temperature first, then the age of the yeast and the water temperature. Move the bowl somewhere about 78°F (26°C), such as an oven with only the light on. If the dough rose too fast and smells strongly of alcohol, it was warm or had too much yeast; shorten the next rise or reduce the yeast by a third. A dough that has collapsed has over-proofed; knead it briefly, shape it and give it a shorter second rise.
Privacy
The calculator runs entirely in your browser. The amounts you enter are not sent to a server or stored. Reloading the page returns the example. Downloaded files are created on your device.
Related free tools
Use these free online tools together with this one:
- Scale a pizza dough, including yeast, with the pizza dough calculator.
- Convert cups, grams and ounces for any ingredient with the cooking measurement converter.
- Work out the right pan for a recipe with the baking pan size converter.
- Calculate baker's percentages and scale quantities with the percentage calculator.
- Compare the price of yeast jars and packets with the unit price calculator.
- Time the rise and bake with the pomodoro timer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert active dry yeast to instant yeast?
Use about 25% less instant yeast than active dry. For example, 1 packet (2¼ teaspoons, 7 g) of active dry yeast is about 5 to 6 g, or roughly 1¾ teaspoons, of instant yeast. In practice many bakers simply swap them 1 for 1 and accept a slightly faster rise.
How do I convert instant yeast to active dry yeast?
Use about 25% more active dry yeast than instant (multiply by 1.25). One teaspoon of instant yeast is roughly 1¼ teaspoons of active dry. Active dry yeast is also best dissolved in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes first.
How much fresh yeast equals one packet of dry yeast?
One 0.6 oz (17 g) cake of fresh yeast replaces one 2¼ teaspoon (7 g) packet of active dry yeast in many recipes. By pure weight, fresh yeast is about 2.5 to 3 times the weight of instant yeast, so check which ratio your recipe uses.
How many teaspoons are in a packet of yeast?
A standard packet of dry yeast is about 7 grams, which is roughly 2¼ teaspoons. A 4 oz jar holds about 36 teaspoons, and a 1 lb bag about 144 teaspoons of dry yeast.
Is rapid-rise yeast the same as instant yeast?
They are very close. Rapid-rise, bread machine and instant yeast are all fine-grained strains that can be mixed straight into the flour without dissolving first. Some brands use slightly different blends, but you can treat them as the same in this calculator.
Do I need to proof (bloom) yeast?
Active dry yeast should be dissolved in warm water (about 100 to 110°F / 38 to 43°C) with a pinch of sugar for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. Instant yeast can go straight into the dry ingredients. Fresh yeast is crumbled into liquid or flour. Proofing also proves the yeast is alive.
How much yeast should I use per cup of flour?
As a rule of thumb, about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of instant yeast per cup of flour (125 g) for a normal same-day dough, which is roughly 0.8 to 1.2% of the flour weight. Slow, cold or overnight doughs need far less, often 0.1 to 0.3%.
What is the yeast percentage in baker's math?
It is the weight of yeast divided by the weight of flour, times 100. A dough with 500 g of flour and 5 g of instant yeast has 1% yeast. The tool lets you pick a dough type, set your own percentage and see instant, active dry and fresh equivalents.
Can I use less yeast and let the dough rise longer?
Yes. Halving the yeast roughly doubles the fermentation time at the same temperature, and the flavour usually improves. Use the rise time tab to see how yeast percentage and dough temperature interact.
Can I use baking powder instead of yeast?
No. Baking powder and baking soda work by a chemical reaction and make quick breads rise, but they do not ferment dough, so the texture and flavour of a yeast bread will not be the same. Use yeast, or follow a recipe designed for chemical leavening.
Can I substitute sourdough starter for yeast?
You can convert a recipe, but it is a recipe change, not a simple swap: the starter adds flour and water and the rise takes much longer. A common rough starting point is replacing the yeast with 20 to 30% of the flour weight as active starter and extending the rise by many hours.
Why did my dough not rise?
The usual causes are old or dead yeast, liquid that was too hot (above about 120°F / 49°C kills yeast) or too cold, too much salt touching the yeast directly, and a cold kitchen. Test the yeast in warm sugar water, and check the dough temperature.
How long does yeast last, and how should I store it?
Unopened dry yeast lasts until the date on the packet. After opening, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 to 6 months or in the freezer for a year or more. Fresh yeast lasts only 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Does the conversion change for sweet doughs?
The ratios stay the same, but sweet and enriched doughs (lots of sugar, butter and eggs) rise more slowly, so they usually start with more yeast, about 1 to 1.5% of flour. Osmotolerant instant yeast is made for this and can be swapped in the same way as instant.
Is this calculator accurate for every brand?
It is a very good guide, but not an exact one. Brands differ in activity and how finely they are ground. Use the numbers as a start, then adjust the next bake by how fast the dough rose.
Can I print or save the result?
Yes. Print / save as PDF prints only the conversion or estimate for the tab you are viewing, CSV downloads it and copy summary puts it on your clipboard. Nothing is uploaded.
How many teaspoons is 14 g of yeast?
14 g of dry yeast is about 4½ teaspoons (4.52 tsp at 3.1 g per teaspoon), or about 1½ tablespoons. That is two 7 g packets.
How many teaspoons is 10 grams of yeast?
10 g of dry yeast is about 3¼ teaspoons (3.23 tsp), or a little over 1 tablespoon.
How many teaspoons is 3 g of yeast?
3 g of dry yeast is just under 1 level teaspoon (0.97 tsp).
How many teaspoons and tablespoons is 20 g of yeast?
20 g of dry yeast is about 6½ teaspoons (6.45 tsp), which is about 2 tablespoons (2.15 tbsp).
How many tablespoons is 7 grams of yeast?
7 g of yeast is a standard packet: about 2¼ teaspoons or three quarters of a tablespoon (0.75 tbsp).
How many tablespoons is 25 grams of yeast?
25 g of dry yeast is about 8 teaspoons (8.06 tsp), which is about 2.7 tablespoons (2.69 tbsp).
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of yeast?
One level tablespoon of dry yeast is about 9.3 g, and 2 tablespoons is about 18.6 g. The calculator uses 3.1 g per teaspoon and 3 teaspoons per tablespoon.
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast?
One level teaspoon of active dry yeast is about 3.1 g. Instant yeast is about the same by the spoon. Spoon measures vary a little with how the yeast is packed.
How do I convert fresh yeast to dry yeast?
Divide the fresh weight by 3 for instant yeast, or by 2.4 for active dry yeast (the standard 1 : 1.25 : 3 ratio). For example 30 g of fresh yeast is about 10 g of instant or 12.5 g of active dry yeast.
How do I convert dry yeast to fresh yeast?
Multiply instant yeast by 3, or active dry yeast by 2.4. One 7 g packet of active dry yeast is about 16.8 g of fresh yeast, close to one 17 g cake.
How many teaspoons are in a ¼ oz packet of yeast?
A ¼ oz packet holds about 7 g of yeast, which is about 2¼ teaspoons. Quarter of an ounce by weight is 7.1 g, so the two figures agree.
Sources and further reading
- Manufacturer guidance on dry yeast packet sizes and substitution, such as Red Star Yeast and Fleischmann's, for the 7 g packet, 17 g cake and 25% conversion figures.
- King Arthur Baking and SAF Instant resources on instant versus active dry yeast, proofing and yeast percentage in baker's math.
- Standard baker's percentage practice for expressing yeast as a share of flour weight.
- Food science references on yeast fermentation rates rising with temperature (the rise time estimate is a simplified planning model, not a measured result).
Sources were consulted in October 2026. Standards and rules can change, so always check the official page for your situation.