Best Gluten Free Flour To Bake With

Amaranth Flour: Best For Boosting Micronutrients

This gluten free flour has a nutty, earthy flavour and tends to absorb the flavours of other ingredients. Rich in fibre and protein, amaranth flour also contains plenty of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and iron. It is also particularly high in folate, a nutrient that is very important for pregnant women. Amaranth flour also provides about twice as much calcium as milk per serving. Baking with amaranth flour is a little tricky because it is best combined with other gluten free flours, particularly for recipes like bread, pie crust and tortillas. When baking with this flour, youll need to stick to a ratio of 1 part amaranth flour to three parts other gluten free flours. When making substitutions, youll need about 1 cup of amaranth flour per 1 cup of wheat flour. Amaranth flour browns quickly, so keep an eye on your oven temperature and your bake time.

The 8 Best Gluten Free Flours For Baking In 2021

Madison TaylorGroceryKitchen Gadgets“Disclaimer: Thank you for reading our post and in full transparency, we may earn an affiliate commission when you buy products through our links. This will not cost you anything extra, but the small commission we receive helps keep funding our reviews and articles. Learn more about our review process here.”

Thankfully, the days of tasteless gluten free foods are mostly gone, with a number of manufacturers offering a range of certified gluten free products suitable for those with celiac disease or gluten/wheat sensitivity as well as ideal for those of us who want gluten free for other dietary or lifestyle reasons.

Best Pick

The Better Batter all purpose flour mix is our best pick certified gluten free flour which can be used as cup for cup.

Budget Pick

Pamelas Products all-purpose flour is our budget pick certified gluten free flour which is also produced in a certified gluten free facility.

Comparison Chart For Best Non Gluten Flour

62923 reviews were considered when writing our recommendations for the Non Gluten Flour in this article.

• King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour is gluten-free but also 1:1 substitute for wheat flour an essential gluten-free pantry staple for bakers.
• This gluten-free flour is fortified with iron, calcium and Vitamin B and comes in a re-sealable bag.
• King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour is Non-GMO Project Verified Certified Gluten-Free by The GFCO, a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group Certified Kosher and Non-Dairy.
• King Arthur Baking Company is a 100% Employee-Owned Company and a founding B Corporation
• We are King Arthur Baking Company.

Recommended Reading: Honey Baked Ham Harrisonburg Va

Cassava Flour Baking Tips

Cassava flour is a fantastic grain-free, nut-free, and Paleo gluten-free baking flour that has made baking a breeze.

Like many gluten-free flours, this one closely resembles white flour in appearance and taste. Despite their similarity, and they are not the same thing at all.

There is a minor difference in density and powderiness between cassava and white flour.

The following are a few baking tips for using this flour:

Cassava flour soaks up more water than other flours and therefore is denser than other flours. You may need less cassava flour than you thought.

High-flour recipes tend to bake faster on the surface but are still doughy in the middle.

There is a lot of dust in cassava flour. Be mindful of this if you want to use it like all-purpose flour and fling it around.

This flour is made from the cassava root, it might give some dishes a slightly nutty flavor, but its not overbearing.

For the final flavor of whatever baking endeavor you pick, youll want to keep this in mind. Even though cassava flour is created from mashed-up root vegetables, cassava flour has an earthy, faintly nutty flavor.

Provides Satiety And Reduces Appetite

It is a source of complex and quickly digested carbs, which aids in appetite suppression and fullness.

There are several other advantages of utilizing cassava flour in your everyday baking.

Other Cassava Flours Benefits:

Cassava flour benefits are many due to its high nutritional content, and it is impossible to list them all here.

Some of the most important health advantages of eating cassava include:

• promotes healthy skin and a radiant complexion
• helps wound healing and may reduce the appearance of scars/spots and
• stimulates hair development and combats hair loss.
• It is soft on the digestive tract and can help with digestion.
• has the potential to improve eye health and vision
• lowers inflammation and can help with diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
• strengthens your immune system
• can help to improve brain health
• A high-fiber diet can help reduce blood pressure.

Read Also: Jewish Baked Goods Cut In Diamond Shapes

Removing Gluten From Baking

So what happens if we want to remove gluten from all our baked goods? In many cases we still need some sort of flour in our recipe to give our bakes structure.

Not always, see this post on 11 Flourless Bakes for amazing tips and recipes which dont use any flour.

What flours can we use to replace wheat and still achieve successful results?

We need to find flours that mimic the same function that gluten and regular flour provides in our baked goods.

Bakers Tip: There are other ways to replicate gluten in baked goods, not just the choice of flour. For more information please read this Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Cakes which gives even more expert tips for successful gluten-free baking.

Bake Then Bake Some More

Gluten-free baked goods often benefit from extra liquid to hydrate the flour blends, eliminate grittiness, and achieve a less dense or dry texture. However, its very important to drive off this extra moisture during baking, or youll wind up with a gummy texture. The best way to do this? Longer baking times. Some of our gluten-free recipes even instruct you to bake beyond the time that a toothpick inserted into the baked good comes out clean. We found that whole-grain coffee cake, below, is such a recipe if you pull this cake out of the oven too soon, it will have a very mushy texture.

• COFFEE CAKE BAKED UNTIL TOOTHPICK COMES OUT CLEAN

• COFFEE CAKE BAKED 20 MINUTES PAST POINT THAT TOOTHPICK COMES OUT CLEAN

Don’t Miss: Honey Baked Ham Willow Grove

Is Buckwheat Flour Gluten

Despite its name, buckwheat flour is not a form of wheat buckwheat flour is gluten-free and related to rhubarb. The small seeds of the plant are ground to make flour. It is not generally used on its own in a recipe, as its strong nutty taste can leave the finished product overpowering, and a little bitter.Storage: You can store buckwheat flour in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 months and up to 6 months in the freezer.

Chia FlourMade from ground chia seeds. Highly nutritious, chia seeds have been labelled a ââ¬Åsuperfoodââ¬ï¿½ containing Omega 3, fiber, calcium, and protein, all packed into tiny seeds.

Tip: If chia flour isn’t readily available then put chia seeds in a food processor and make some at home. If used in baking, liquid levels and baking time may need to be increased slightly.

Storage: You can store chia seeds or chia seed flour in a sealed container in a dark cool place for several months.

Chickpea Flour This is ground from chick peas and has a slightly nutty taste. It is not generally used on its own. Chickpea flour is high in protein and is especially good for gluten-free baking. It can also be used to thicken soups, sauces, or gravies.

Storage: You can store chickpea flour in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 months and up to 6 months in the freezer.

Storage: You can store corn flour in a sealed container in cool, dark place for up to one year and longer in the freezer.

Oat FlourI have a post on How to make Oat Flour.

What Is The Best Gluten Free Flour

The answer depends on what you want to do with the flour. While buckwheat flour or white rice flour might be the best all-purpose flour choices, there are a host of other options whose different properties lend themselves to varying uses and combinations. Read on to find out which is the best gluten free flour for baking, making bread, cakes, frying and thickening your sauces.

Recommended Reading: How To Bake A Butterball Turkey

Low Protein Gluten Free Flour

Grains such as corn, rice and millet are low protein which gives a low protein flour when they are ground. Although these grains are fine for use in baking, they do not hold baked goods together well so often need to be combined.

Brown and/or white rice flour is a popular low protein gluten free flour which is also one of the lower costing gluten free flours. Although it can be on the gritty side, it has quite a neutral taste. Millet flour and corn flour do have better textures than rice flour but also a stronger taste.

Grains such as quinoa, amaranth, sorghum and buckwheat are strong tasting, so these are best used where the taste is acceptable such as in bread. Smaller amounts of these can also be mixed with a higher protein gluten free flour.

Low protein gluten free flours are best used for coatings, as thickeners and for baking flatbreads or making tempura.

Uses Of Cassava Flour

Gluten-free cassava flour is a fantastic baking and culinary alternative to wheat flour. Cassava flour is gluten-free and can be replaced in place of wheat flour.

In terms of flavor and texture, many people consider it the closest gluten-free equivalent to wheat flour.

Its widely used in a variety of baking and culinary processes.

Cassava flour can be used in the following ways

In baking, cassava flour is used to get the desired results. To substitute wheat flour in several recipes, including:

• Cakes

In pasta: cassava flour is used in producing pasta dough.

Thickening: Helps in the preparation of a sauce, pie filling, or gravy

Farofa: this meal is similar to couscous using cassava flour and is popular in Brazil and the Caribbean.

Flatbreads: Cassava flour may be used to make flatbreads and tortillas that can be toasted or grilled, as well.

Read Also: Honey Baked Ham Wake Forest

Gluten Free Baking 101

Long before gluten free baking became a craze, European, Middle-Eastern and African cultures have used gluten free flours in their traditional cooking. From desserts , to breads , rice flours in Japanese desserts and many many more.

Why? Simply because gluten free flours lend great flavors and interesting textures to the mix.

Wheat aint all that. ??

You also might not have realized that gluten is not always a friend in baking . Think muffins and cakes, where instructions state to not over-mix. They are essentially asking you not over-develop the gluten, or youll risk ending up with a tough crumb.

So gluten free flours are actually particularly good in any baked good which is not meant to be hard as a rock. I.e. in most sweet treats if you think about it.

Bread, pizza and pastas pose the biggest hurdles for the gluten free baker, but as they say: there aint no mountain high enough. And here is where binding agents and flours such as teff, sorghum and garbanzo come in. Their flavor profiles and varying hardness do a killer job in yeasted loafs to achieve rise, texture and proper browning.

Get A Premium Subscription To The Food Network Kitchen App

Download Food Network Kitchen to sign up and get access to live and on-demand cooking classes, in-app grocery ordering, meal planning, an organized place to save all your recipes and much more.

Going gluten free is no longer just a trendy thing to do. With more awareness around gluten intolerance and celiac disease, adopting a gluten-free diet has become so widespread, most likely you or someone you know is doing it, has tried it, does it sometimes, or all of the above.

But, of course, the desire or need to go gluten free doesnt erase the cravings for baked goods, pancakes, breaded foods and the like hence the onslaught of gluten-free flour blends and baking mixes that have flooded the market.

There are about as many different brands of gluten-free flour as there are reasons to go gluten free, but not all of them are worth your hard-earned cash. Some have less-than-optimal ingredients, some contain items that may work for some people and not others , some just dont work as well or impart a flavor you might not want. So how do you know which flour blend to buy?

Beth Lipton

You May Like: Frito Lay Baked Chips Variety Pack

Best Flour For Gluten

• Blessing Kolawole

Based on interests, there may be arguments about the best flour for gluten-free baking, but I will show you my honest review after 8years of baking.

Having tried numerous flour types and mixes, cassava flour is the most appropriate baking flour for gluten-free baking.

I am choosing Cassava flour. Let me tell you why

Cassava flour is 100% scientifically proven to be the best and most widely used flour for gluten-free baking.

Lets see together why cassava flour is the best, the properties that make it the most appropriate, and the nutritional and health benefits it brings to you with the different recipes you can try.

Cassava Flour: The Cooked Root Option

Made from the same root as tapioca flour, cassava flour is made from the entire cassava root . Cassava flour is gluten free, grain free and nut free while also being low in calories, sugar and fat. It is rich in vitamin C, manganese, potassium, folate and magnesium but not particularly high in fibre. The 1 thing to be wary of with this flour is that cassava must be cooked to neutralise some of the toxins, so make sure any cassava flour you purchase is made from the cooked root. You should be able to use it at a 1:1 ratio for wheat flour. It has a neutral taste and texture, so it works well as a direct substitute or when blended with other gluten free flours. If you choose to use cassava flour as a direct substitute, bear in mind it is best for recipes that dont need to rise it doesnt produce a fluffy outcome like wheat flour.

Read Also: How Long To Bake Pork Loin

Function Of Flour In Baking

Flour is a powdery substance, ground from a larger source and used in baked goods to provide structure.

The most common flour used in baking is ground from wheat which has a neutral taste, meaning it can be used in sweet or savoury recipes and across many cuisines. You’ll know it as either plain flour or all-purpose flour .

However, the true function of wheat flour lies in a powerful group of proteins found within its structure. When this group of proteins is introduced to a liquid they form gluten a network of strong interlocking bonds which are highly elastic.

Due to the strength of these bonds gluten gives excellent structure to all manner of baked goods. The elasticity between the bonds mean the end results also have a wonderful soft and bouncy texture.

How Much Does A Cup Of Flour Weigh

Unfortunately there is no consensus among the baking world for how much a cup of flour weighs. The range can be anywhere from 120 grams to 150 grams per cup of all-purpose flour, even from official sites! Now this may not make much difference if youre only using one cup of flour in a recipe, but when you scale it up to larger proportions, the discrepancy can make a signifcant difference in the outcome of your baked goods. There are different ways to fill a measuring cup , so human variation can make a huge difference. How much do you shake a cup to level it? How packed is your flour? Not to mention that different measuring cups can vary significantly in size and different brands of flours can be heavier or lighter depending on how finely theyre ground or how compacted they are in their bags. Humidity can also affect the weight. This is why using a scale and weight measurements for flour in your recipes will help you get much more consistent results.

I find that using 135 grams or 140 grams as a weight measurement per cup of flour works best in all the recipes I use.

With a jar of this gluten free all-purpose flour mix ready to use in my cupboard, I dont think gluten free baking sucks anymore. Its actually a whole lotta fun!

Don’t Miss: Honey Baked Ham Bentonville Ar

Visual Cues Are Not Reliable Use An Oven Thermometer And A Timer

Knowing when a cake or bread is perfectly done and ready to come out of the oven can be tricky. This is especially true with gluten-free baking because traditional techniques arent always accurate indicators. Even when fully cooked, gluten-free baked goods often look underdone, are slightly wet inside, and feel soft to the touch. Only when they cool do the starches set and firm up. Thats why we often find that timing is a more foolproof way that visual cues to determine doneness. And remember: Baking times are only as accurate as your oven. If your oven runs hot or cold, a recipes times will not be accurate, so be sure to use a good oven thermometer.

• 1. A timer is often the best way to tell when your gluten-free baked goods are done because visual cues can be misleading.

• 2. A well-calibrated oven is crucial for gluten-free baking. Use a good oven thermometer and place it as close to the center of the oven as possible.