Batter vs. Dough — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 25, 2023
Batter is a semi-liquid mixture used in baking, like for pancakes. Dough is solid, kneadable mixture used in baking, like for bread.
Difference Between Batter and Dough
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Batter: Semi-liquid consistency. Dough: Solid, kneadable consistency.
Batter: Used for pancakes, waffles, and cake. Dough: Used for bread, cookies, and pastries.
Comparison Chart
Consistency
Semi-liquid
Solid, kneadable
Common Uses
Pancakes, waffles, cake
Bread, cookies, pastries
Preparation
Poured or ladled
Rolled, shaped, cut
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Texture
Smooth
Can be smooth or textured, depending on recipe
Examples
Pancake batter, cake batter
Bread dough, cookie dough, pizza dough
Compare with Definitions
Batter
Semi-liquid mixture used in baking.
She whisked the pancake batter until smooth.
Dough
Solid, kneadable mixture used in baking.
He kneaded the bread dough for several minutes.
Batter
To hit heavily and repeatedly with violent blows.
Dough
Malleable mixture for bread, cookies, etc.
Cookie dough is easy to shape into balls.
Batter
To subject to repeated beatings or physical abuse.
Dough
Dough is a thick, malleable, sometimes elastic paste made out of any grains, leguminous or chestnut crops. Dough is typically made by mixing flour with a small amount of water and/or other liquid, and sometimes includes yeast or other leavening agents as well as other ingredients such as various fats or flavorings.
Batter
To damage, as by heavy wear
A shed battered by high winds.
Dough
A thick, malleable mixture of flour and liquid, used for baking into bread or pastry
Add water to the flour and mix to a manageable dough
Batter
To attack verbally, as with criticism.
Dough
Money
Lots of dough
Batter
To harass or distress, as with repeated questions.
Dough
A soft, thick mixture of dry ingredients, such as flour or meal, and liquid, such as water, that is kneaded, shaped, and baked, especially as bread or pastry.
Batter
To deliver repeated heavy blows; pound
Battered on the door with both fists.
Dough
A pasty mass similar to this mixture.
Batter
To coat in batter
Battered the vegetables and then fried them.
Dough
(Slang) Money.
Batter
To construct so as to create an upwardly receding slope.
Dough
A thick, malleable substance made by mixing flour with other ingredients such as water, eggs, and/or butter, that is made into a particular form and then baked.
Pizza dough is very stretchy.
Batter
A damaged area on the face of type or on a plate.
Dough
Money.
His mortgage payments left him short on dough.
Batter
The player at bat in baseball and cricket.
Dough
(transitive) To make into dough.
The flour was doughed with a suitable quantity of water.
Batter
A liquid or semiliquid mixture, as of flour, milk, and eggs, used in cooking.
Dough
Paste of bread; a soft mass of moistened flour or meal, kneaded or unkneaded, but not yet baked; as, to knead dough.
Batter
A slope, as of the outer face of a wall, that recedes from bottom to top.
Dough
Anything of the consistency of such paste.
Batter
To hit or strike violently and repeatedly.
The firemen battered down the door.
Dough
A flour mixture stiff enough to knead or roll
Batter
(cooking) To coat with batter (the food ingredient).
I prefer it when they batter the cod with breadcrumbs.
Dough
Informal terms for money
Batter
(figurative) To defeat soundly; to thrash.
Leeds United battered Charlton 7-0.
Batter
To intoxicate.
That cocktails will batter you!
I was battered last night on our pub crawl.
Batter
(metalworking) To flatten (metal) by hammering, so as to compress it inwardly and spread it outwardly.
Batter
(architecture) To slope (of walls, buildings etc.).
Batter
A beaten mixture of flour and liquid (usually egg and milk), used for baking (e.g. pancakes, cake, or Yorkshire pudding) or to coat food (e.g. fish) prior to frying.
Pancake batter
To the dismay of his mother, the boy put his finger into the cake batter.
Batter
A binge; a heavy drinking session.
When he went on a batter, he became very violent.
Batter
A paste of clay or loam.
Batter
A bruise on the face of a plate or of type in the form.
Batter
An incline on the outer face of a built wall.
Batter
(baseball) The player attempting to hit the ball with a bat.
The first batter hit the ball into the corner for a double.
Batter
(cricket) A player of the batting side now on the field.
Batter
(cricket) The player now receiving strike; the striker.
Batter
(cricket) Any player selected for his or her team principally to bat, as opposed to a bowler.
Batter
To beat with successive blows; to beat repeatedly and with violence, so as to bruise, shatter, or demolish; as, to batter a wall or rampart.
Batter
To wear or impair as if by beating or by hard usage.
Batter
To flatten (metal) by hammering, so as to compress it inwardly and spread it outwardly.
Batter
To slope gently backward.
Batter
A semi-liquid mixture of several ingredients, as, flour, eggs, milk, etc., beaten together and used in cookery.
Batter
Paste of clay or loam.
Batter
A bruise on the face of a plate or of type in the form.
Batter
A backward slope in the face of a wall or of a bank; receding slope.
Batter
The one who wields the bat in baseball; the one whose turn it is at bat; formerly called the batsman.
Batter
(baseball) a ballplayer who is batting
Batter
A flour mixture thin enough to pour or drop from a spoon
Batter
Strike against forcefully;
Winds buffeted the tent
Batter
Strike violently and repeatedly;
She clobbered the man who tried to attack her
Batter
Make a dent or impression in;
Dinge a soft hat
Batter
Smooth, pourable baking mixture.
Cake batter should have a silky texture.
Common Curiosities
How do you prepare batter for pancakes?
Mix flour, eggs, milk, and other ingredients until smooth.
Can you give an example of a dish made with batter?
Pancakes are a classic example made from pancake batter.
What is batter in baking?
Batter is a semi-liquid mixture used for making pancakes, waffles, and cakes.
What's the difference between cake batter and cookie dough?
Cake batter is more liquid, while cookie dough is solid and moldable.
Is batter typically smooth in texture?
Yes, it should have a smooth, pourable consistency.
What is dough in baking?
Dough is a solid, kneadable mixture used for making bread, cookies, and pastries.
How do you shape cookie dough for baking?
Roll it into balls or cut it into desired shapes before baking.
Can you provide an example of a baked item made from dough?
Bread is a common product made from bread dough.
What distinguishes pizza dough from bread dough?
Pizza dough is typically thinner and may have different ingredients.
Is dough always kneaded?
Yes, kneading is often required to develop gluten and texture.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.