The “T” number on French flour (type) measures how much mineral ash the flour leaves when burned, roughly ash × 1,000: T55 leaves about 0.55% ash. Lower numbers are whiter and more refined. For cakes and pastry use all-purpose or pastry flour for T45; for most French recipes all-purpose matches T55; bread flour stands in for T65; whole wheat matches T150.
| French type | What it is | Used for in France | Closest US flour |
|---|---|---|---|
| T45 | Whitest, most refined (“farine de gruau” when high-protein) | Pastry, brioche, cakes, crêpes | Pastry flour or all-purpose; for brioche, all-purpose or bread flour |
| T55 | Standard white flour | Everyday baking, tarts, baguette | All-purpose flour |
| T65 | White with a little more bran | Country bread, rustic loaves | Bread flour, or all-purpose plus a spoon of whole wheat |
| T80 | “Bise”, light wholemeal | Rustic bread, sourdough | High-extraction or “light” whole wheat; or 3 parts bread flour to 1 part whole wheat |
| T110 | “Semi-complète”, semi-wholemeal | Wholesome breads | Half bread flour, half whole wheat |
| T150 | “Complète”, whole wheat | Whole wheat bread | Whole wheat flour |
The T number is not protein. Two T55 flours can differ in protein, and US flours are labeled by protein instead. The matches above are the closest common substitutes, not exact equivalents.
Background: the French type is defined by ash (mineral) content on a dry-weight basis; see the discussion at The Fresh Loaf. Weights for US flours are on our grams to cups chart.
Questions people ask
What is T45 flour in the US?
There is no exact match. Pastry flour or all-purpose flour works for cakes and pastry; all-purpose or bread flour for brioche.
Is T55 the same as all-purpose flour?
Close enough for most French recipes. Use unbleached all-purpose.
What does “farine de blé” mean?
Wheat flour. Without a T number, assume T55 and use all-purpose.
Cite this page: Mangez Moi, “French Flour Types: T45, T55, T65 and US Equivalents,” mangezmoi.com, updated October 6, 2026, https://mangezmoi.com/french-flour-types/. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with credit and a link.