Your Guide to 13 Alternative Flours

We live in a world full of grain free and alternative flours and you don’t need gluten to have fun. You can eat your cake and get your beans. But figuring out the difference between spelt, buckwheat, and oat flour can be tricky, and some wheat flour substitutes may contain gluten. Instead of getting lost in the dust or accidentally eating an allergen, use this simple guide as an introduction to the world of alternative flours.

The word “flour” may have originally referred to ground wheat flour in the Western eye, but the definition has expanded to cover a wider range of powdered foods and will no doubt expand even further. Here it is understood that “flour” can mean a powder, usually made from finely ground vegetable material, which makes up the bulk of batter when baked and thickens, binds, coats. Most of these flours can be found in the grocery store’s baking section with alternative flours or in the gluten-free section if appropriate.

Amaranth flour

Not only from starchy tubers and grains excellent flour is obtained, but also from seeds. Amaranth is obtained by finely grinding the seeds of the amaranth plant. The flour is gluten-free, has a tan light brown color and a subtle nutty malt flavor when used in baking. Like potato starch, amaranth flour is commonly added to recipes in addition to other auxiliary ingredients because it does not provide much structure on its own. But don’t let that stop you from trying. Even if you can’t make a tall pie from 100% amaranth flour, you can definitely make pancakes from it . It is also used in flatbread such as rajgira aloo roti or amaranth flatbread .

barley flour

Although barley is not wheat, but a grain, it is not a viable substitute for people with allergies or gluten sensitivity – it is low in gluten, but not gluten free. It is made by grinding dried barley or whole barley grain and is similar in color and texture to whole grain wheat flour. Barley flour has a noticeably earthy, nutty flavor when used in baking. It contains five to eight percent gluten, so it can be used as the sole flour in cakes, cookies, and breads with decent results .

bean flour

Bean lovers will never be short of flavorful and versatile flours to choose from. Almost any bean can be made into flour, but chickpeas, black beans, pintos, chickpeas, fava, navy blue, and mung beans are popular. Bean flour is made by soaking whole beans, drying them, and grinding them into a fine powder. They can vary in color and flavor, but often have a nutty, earthy flavor and a thick texture that makes the dough bulky. Generally, the taste will reflect the taste of the beans in their original form, so if you like whole chickpeas, you will probably like their flour. Bean flour is gluten-free and can be used in baking with other auxiliary ingredients to make up for the lack of structure. Try recipes like Vegetarian Pakoda or Bean Cakes .

Buckwheat flour

Don’t let the name fool you; buckwheat flour is not wheat flour. It is obtained by grinding the heart-shaped seeds of the common buckwheat plant into a powder. Mottled brown flour is gluten and grain free and has a relatively strong flavor when used in baking. This hearty flour has a strong nutty flavor, almost like peanut butter, and an earthy, slightly sour taste. I especially enjoy making sourdough bread with a percentage of buckwheat flour.

You’ve probably noticed the gluten-free flour trend on this list: they can’t replace all-purpose flour on their own in a 1:1 ratio, and they’re usually accompanied by other ingredients that help bind and build. compound. Buckwheat works the same way. I recommend using special recipes for buckwheat so that it does not crumble and become dense. However, if you just want their complex flavor in your coffee cake recipe, substitute a couple tablespoons of all-purpose flour for an equal amount of buckwheat flour. Its earthy, nutty qualities pair well with other strong flavors such as chocolate, cinnamon, nuts, caramel, and roasted fruit. It is especially popular in pancakes .

cassava flour

What do cassava, potatoes, corn and rice flour have in common? All of them have starch, from which another product is obtained, which can be confused with flour. Cassava flour is different from cassava starch (also called tapioca starch). The flour is gluten-free, grain-free and is made from the whole cassava tuber, including the starch. It is dried and processed into a fine white powder with a neutral to mild flavor. Unlike other gluten-free flours, which can be granular or sandy, cassava makes a powdery flour more like all-purpose flour. You will find that many recipes work great using just cassava flour , without the help of any additional binders or auxiliaries. The natural starch in this flour also makes for a tempting crust when used in baking, so try it as a gluten-free breading or in yeast-leavened bread like this pizza crust .

coconut flour

Coconut flour is made by processing the white “meat” of mature coconuts. It is dried and finely ground into a powder that is gluten and grain free. The texture of coconut flour is more free-flowing and friable than all-purpose flour. Replacing all-purpose coconut flour is more difficult than with other substitutes. Firstly, although it tastes mild, it is still similar to coconut, so if you are not a fan, you should skip it.

Another issue is absorption. Coconut flour is fibrous and highly absorbent. It absorbs moisture so much better than all-purpose flour that Arrowhead Mills suggests using only 25% of the amount listed for wheat flour in the recipe. With so little coconut flour and no gluten or starch binding power, you’ll have to change the recipe and increase the amount of a binder like eggs. At the moment you have a brand new recipe. Rather than trying to use this as an easy substitute, you’re better off looking for recipes that have been developed to make coconut flour.

Corn flour

Not to be confused with cornstarch, cornmeal is made by grinding the whole dried grain of corn into a fine-textured flour. It is gluten free and comes in a variety of colors. Yellow and white are very common (the white variety is usually sold as masa harina), and you can also buy red and blue cornmeal . The texture is even thinner than cornmeal, so it provides a stickier texture. Although mild in taste, cornmeal still imparts a delicate corn flavor to cakes, cookies, tortillas, and tortillas. Try using it in combination with other cake flours or as a flavorful breading.

Nut flour

Like beans, many types of nut flours are now sold in grocery stores. While almond flour has become a household name, there are also pistachio, hazelnut and walnut flours. Nut flour is gluten-free, grain-free and tastes wonderful. Each flour is made by grinding the nut of the same name into a powdered form, so the flavor of that nut is present in the final product. Nut flours tend to have a grainy texture even when finely ground, so baked goods can be too tender or crumbly. Mix the nut flour with auxiliary binders or starch to hold everything together.

Oat flour

Oatmeal is made from the same building block as old-fashioned and ground oats, from finely ground oatmeal. It is gluten-free and has the same nutritional profile as a bowl of oatmeal. Oat flour is an excellent substitute for wheat flour in baked goods as the taste is neutral and the starches found in oat flour bind well after adding liquid. Oatmeal pies and cookies will rise well, but the texture can be a bit more hearty. You can use it in gluten free bread , but be aware that the texture won’t be as chewy as high gluten bread.

There is no perfect ratio for replacing wheat flour with oatmeal, but the general advice is to replace equal parts by weight , not by volume. Oatmeal is available at most grocery stores, but you can easily grind it in a food processor, although the powder may not be as fine.

potato flour

Potato flour is a fine powder made from powdered, dried, peeled potatoes. Since it’s made from the whole potato, the flour contains the starch, proteins, and fibers that are naturally present in the tubers. Potato flour is different from potato starch, which is pure starch extracted from potatoes. The flour is gluten-free, grain-free, has a light yellow hue and a pleasant potato flavor. The starches in potato flour hold moisture well and can be used to make equally moist cakes and breads. However, when used alone, it will not be able to provide enough structure to hold the water it absorbs and may cause it to collapse. It is not recommended to completely replace potato flour with all-purpose flour. Most recipes include other flours, so it’s best to find a recipe specifically made for potato flour.

Rice flour

Rice flour is made from finely ground rice. It usually refers to the variety made with white rice and is ground while it is dry. Brown rice flour (which contains the bran, endosperm, and germ) and sweet or glutinous rice flour are also available and are made by grinding the appropriate type of rice. Rice flour is different from rice starch, which is strictly starch extracted from rice grains using a different process.

All rice flour is gluten free, even glutinous rice flour. The taste is soft and floral, and is well suited for background lighting to highlight other flavors. It is commonly used in Asian cuisine to make a sticky and chewy or light and fluffy dough. Rice flour is also a great thickener and binder, so you can use it to add substance to gravies, soups, and sauces. Use sweet rice flour to make a luxurious gluten-free gravy . You can find rice flour in the baking section of most grocery stores or Asian grocery stores.

Rye flour

Rye, barley, and wheat are the three main cereal grains, and like our other three gluten flours, rye flour is gluten-free. Rye flour is made by grinding rye berries into a fine powder. It is a light brown flour that gives a rich texture to baked goods, especially bread. Rye has a characteristic taste that I would call an acquired taste. It has earthy, caramel notes and a slight sourness. It is not for everyone, but if you like it, you can replace it in baked goods in equal proportions with all-purpose flour. King Arthur’s Flour has some tips on how to add rye flour to your baked goods.

teff flour

The writing on the wall of an Ethiopian restaurant in Brooklyn first told me about teff. I quickly learned that it was the smallest grain in the world and that it made a soft, spongy bread with an incredible taste called “ingera”. Even though teff is a grain, it could very well be a gluten-free option. The flour can be light cream in color or slightly darker, and the flavor is mild, nutty and slightly sweet. It is made by grinding tiny grains into a powder that can be used in baked goods such as pancakes, muffins, cookies and, of course, the springy, deliciously sour injera bread. Teff flour is commonly added to recipes in addition to other ingredients that can add texture. Most recipes recommend substituting teff flour for up to 25% of the recipe’s total flour to add depth of flavor, but more than that can make the product thick.