Yeast Converter
Swap instant, active dry and fresh yeast in grams, teaspoons or packets
Instant, active dry and fresh yeast are not interchangeable spoon for spoon. Instant is more concentrated; fresh is mostly water.
Yeast types compared
| Type | Also called | Amount vs active dry | How to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active dry | Traditional dried yeast | 1× (baseline) | Dissolve in warm liquid first |
| Instant | Rapid-rise, fast-action | 0.75× — use 25% less | Straight into the flour |
| Fresh | Cake yeast, compressed | 2.5× — use more | Crumble into warm liquid |
All three are the same organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. What differs is how much water is in the product and how the granules are made, and those two things decide how much you need.
Packet sizes, and why 7 grams keeps appearing
The standard US yeast packet holds 7 grams — about 2¼ teaspoons — roughly what one loaf of sandwich bread needs, so many American recipes are written around one packet. UK and European sachets are usually 7 g too, though 5 g and 11 g sachets exist; weigh yours rather than assuming.
In grams, one 7 g packet of active dry is equivalent to about 5.25 g of instant, or about 17 g of fresh yeast.
How to tell if your yeast is still alive
- Dissolve half a teaspoon of yeast and a pinch of sugar in about 60 ml of water at roughly 40 °C — warm, not hot.
- Wait ten minutes. Living yeast produces a visible foam layer and smells bready; no foam means dead yeast.
- Water above about 50 °C kills yeast on contact. If in doubt, err cooler — cold water only slows it down.
- Store opened yeast airtight in the fridge or freezer, where it keeps for months.
Salt, sugar and the things that slow yeast down
Salt slows yeast; around 2% of the flour weight is standard — 10 g of salt for 500 g of flour. Small amounts of sugar feed yeast, but the large amounts in brioche and cinnamon rolls pull water away from it, which is why enriched doughs use more yeast and take longer.
Frequently asked questions
How much instant yeast replaces active dry?
About 25% less. One teaspoon of active dry becomes ¾ teaspoon of instant.
How much is in a packet of yeast?
A standard packet holds 7 grams, about 2¼ teaspoons.
How do I substitute fresh yeast for dried?
Use roughly two and a half times the weight of active dry. Around 17 g of fresh yeast does the work of one 7 g packet of active dry.
Do I still need to proof instant yeast?
No. Instant yeast is milled finer and can be mixed straight into the dry ingredients. Active dry benefits from being dissolved in warm liquid first.
Can I use less yeast and let the dough rise longer?
Yes, and it usually tastes better. Halving the yeast roughly doubles the rise time and gives the dough far more flavour.
See also: Yeast Conversion Guide.