Gluten Free Flour Guide
Gluten Free Flour Recommendations, Tips, and a Gluten Free Pastry Flour Recipe For Amazing Gluten Free Baking
Gluten Free Flour Guide
This is one of those topics that I get questions about every time I teach a gluten free baking class, and after pressing send on most of my newsletters that contain a gluten free baking recipe! There are so many things to consider with gluten free flours, why are there so many options? Are any of them truly a 1 to 1 swap for wheat flour in baking? How can I make the best choice and not waste my cash? Read on friends, I’ve tried so many gluten free flours over the years and tested them in so many ways, I give you the scoop on how to set yourself up for success in gluten free baking with the flour that you use.
Before we jump into the flours, lets talk about measuring them. No matter what gluten free flour you use, make sure you measure it for your recipe with a scale. I know, its not what many people are used to, but gluten free flours are sometimes ground really fine and will fit A TON in a cup measure, but another brand is ground really course, and a lot less will fit in a cup measure. This inconsistency makes the results vary widely if you measure your flours with a cup measure. If there is only ONE THING you take away from reading this today, let it be weighing the flours, you’ll be shocked at how much better and easier gluten free baking is if you do!
Single ingredient flours and starches, and premixed gluten free flour mixes, they both have their uses in gluten free baking.
Single ingredient flours include brown rice, millet, quinoa, sorghum, buckwheat, almond, hazelnut, coconut, tapioca and potato (flour and starch), and cornstarch as just the most popular options for gluten free baking. One of the most common questions I get is about substituting flours, I mean, its hard to keep all of these in stock, there are so many options. The answer is you can, but only between flours of the same category and the substitution must be by weight, NOT cup measure.
Protein rich flours like brown rice**, millet, quinoa, sorghum, buckwheat and gluten free oat flour (I only use purity protocol oat flour) can usually be substituted for one another (only by weight- cup measures will not work), the resulting product may be a slightly different color, and the flavor will vary (more oaty, sweeter for millet, etc.) but in most cases will still work nicely.
***Rice flour that is finely ground like Authentic Foods brand or Anthony’s brand will soak up the liquid in your recipe to create a dough much quicker than other brands of rice flour - which are ground much coarser. Coarser rice flours also have a sandier, crumblier mouthfeel. I highly recommend using one of these brands for the best results in your baking!
Starchy type flours like sweet rice flour, cornstarch, potato starch, and tapioca can be substituted for one another by weight as well (again cup measures will be very off), remember you will get variation in the final product, but it will still work.
Nut flours like almond and hazelnut flours substitute well for each other, but will make the final product greasy if you substitute for a different type of flour.
Coconut is really its own thing, and shouldn’t substitute for anything else.
Potato flour is also not a great substitute for anything, but dehydrated potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes) can be substituted by weight for the potato flour, since they are essentially the same thing, the flour is just ground up (confusingly potato starch is totally different and shouldn’t be a substitute for potato flour.)
What about gluten free flour mixes? You know the ones that claim to substitute wheat flour cup for cup- are any of them really a direct substitute? They are mostly formulated to substitute for all purpose flour at 130 grams per cup - so if you have a recipe that calls for one cup of a certain gluten free flour mix, you can substitute 130 grams of another gluten free flour mix, the results will be slightly different because of the difference in the ingredients, but it will work!
There are HUNDREDS of these mixes and they vary widely as to what is available across the world. I’ll list a few that I’ve worked with and had success and call out anything special about them. Please be aware that manufacturers change things all the time without warning so do your own research!
Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1
King Arthur Measure for Measure
Cup4Cup
Better Batter Original Blend
Better Batter Artisan Blend - can be used in yeasted recipes, already contains psyllium
Caputo Fioreglut - this one is a popular but very controversial flour - it contains WHEAT. Yes you heard me right, this gluten free flour contains gluten removed wheat starch, it is widely used in Europe. It is definitely not suitable for anyone who is allergic to wheat and some others say it doesn’t work for them, but some people can eat it and its just fine. I don’t want to sway you either way on this one. It makes great yeasted products but this is one you should do research on, and consult your medical team before proceeding.
There are so many more - Some I’ve tried and weren’t my favorite, and many around the world I just can’t get. Remember the 130 grams to a cup rule no matter which brand you prefer.
Do I have to invest in a premixed flour? I just bought all these individual flours for another recipe? No you don’t! In fact, I’ve included a recipe for my Gluten Free Pastry Flour below, this mix is a great swap for cup for cup flours in gluten free recipes, so scroll on down there, mix up a batch and get baking!
Ok, now you’ve invested in gluten free flours, you have a food scale and you’re going to weigh them into your recipes, now how to store them? I keep mine in an airtight container at room temperature. I do bake alot between our family’s needs, recipe development and cooking classes so if you think you’ll bake only a few times a year and you want to keep your flour fresh you can pop the bags in a big ziplock and keep them in the freezer - especially nut flours which go rancid much quicker than other flours due to their high fat content.
What about gums & fibers in gluten free recipes? Many gluten free recipes include xanthan gum, guar gum, and/or psyllium. These ingredients are not flours but are added in small amounts to add strength and stretch to the recipe that can’t rely on gluten. Some flours mixtures contain these ingredients already and some don’t. Most “cup for cup” mixes in the United States contain xanthan gum. Psyllium - a fibrous plant from India is an absolute GAME CHANGER for gluten free yeasted breads, pizzas and yeasted pastries like cinnamon rolls! Sometimes it’s used as a powder, and somtimes the whole “husk” - make sure you read which your recipe calls for and if you are substituting psyllium husk for powder or vice versa, do so by weight!
This flour is the perfect mix for the cookies, cakes, muffins, and quick-breads in your life. It’s light and feathery and gives you a light melting mouthfeel. Weighing your ingredients will give you MUCH better results! On a simple scale put a medium to large bowl, shake or spoon on the flours and hit that “Zero” or “tare” button after each one. Voila! Cleanup is nearly nonexistent and you’ve got a much more reliable GF flour! Note- this flour is not meant to be used in yeast based recipes, breads and cinnamon rolls need a bit more strength and not as much tenderness.
Gluten Free Pastry Flour Mix
yield: a generous 8 cups (1,177g)
2 cup (260g) sweet white rice flour (mochi flour or mochiko)
2 cup (256g) fine brown rice flour
2 cup (380g) potato starch
1 cup (118g) sorghum flour
1 cup (160g) tapioca flour
4 tsp (3g) xanthan gum
Scoop all ingredients into a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Store in an airtight container.
Download a PDF of the Recipe - Collect them all!
A few tools to help with gluten free baking
A food scale is my #1 pick. You can go simple or more bells and whistles
A dough scraper is a great gluten free baking basic that will make your life easier.
I cannot bake without my bench scraper.
If you use a thermometer to check your gluten free baked goods and they register at 205F you’ll avoid tons of soggy bottoms and gummy middles (That’s my band name. Ha!)