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5 Gluten Free Flours That Pack a Powerful Punch

By Christine February 12, 2013 Updated May 10, 2016 9 Comments

gluten free flours

Gluten free almond flour

Whether baking or cooking, it seems like flour is used for just about everything. Actually flour is such a staple that when a food or recipe says “flourless”, it immediately draws attention. But just because flour, and in particular wheat based flour, is the default flour used in the majority of recipes doesn’t mean that gluten free goodness is out of reach. In fact, gluten free flours are more common now than they ever have been.

And some of them are better suited for certain recipes than even a wheat based flour.

If you’ve been curious about the different types of flours and not sure which one to try out, here is a list of some of the top gluten free flours and their defining characteristics.

Almond Flour

The basics: Almond flour is made from blanched almonds and is a nutrient rich powerhouse. Just a ½ cup of it adds 12% of your daily calcium requirement. Almond flour is also high in vitamin E. It’s a great source for monounsaturated fats, which help to reduce cholesterol levels. Plus it’s high in protein and low in carbohydrates.

How to use it: Almond flour is very moist and wonderful in baked goods like cookies, sweet breads and biscotti.

Arrowroot Flour

The basics: Arrowroot flour is very low in calories. It’s a good source of fiber and has a bit of calcium. Not a whole lot of other pluses as far as nutritional value. Arrowroot flour is ground from the root of the arrowroot plant.

How to use it: It is very useful for thickening recipes. It is tasteless, and the fine powder becomes clear when it is cooked, which makes it ideal for thickening clear sauces. Arrowroot flour is more dry and so it performs beautifully in cakes and cookies.

Brown Rice Four

The basics: Brown rice flour is heavier than its relative, white rice flour. It is milled from unpolished brown rice so it has a higher nutritional value than white rice flour. It’s also high in fiber, protein, and also calories. There may also be a noticeable texture, a bit grainy.

How to use it: Brown rice flour does have a slight nutty taste, which will sometimes come out in recipes depending on the other ingredients. The texture will also contribute to a heavier product than recipes made with white rice flour. It is not often used completely on its own because of its heavier nature.

Store your brown rice flour in the refrigerator and if you are going to buy it in bulk, make sure to freeze it.

Hemp Seed Flour

The basics: Hemp seed flour is made from ground hemp seeds. It boasts twice as much protein (about 20 grams) in just ½ cup of flour. And there is three times more cholesterol-busting fiber than whole-wheat flour. Hemp seed flour contains all essential amino acids, making it a good source of protein for vegetarians. Compared to other flours, hempseed contains more alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may reduce the risk of heart attack, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Oleo Science.

How to use it: Hemp flour has a mild, nutty flavor and tastes delicious in breads, muffins, cookies and pastries. Even pancakes and waffles are wonderful with hemp seed flour. One word of caution though – don’t use all hemp seed flour in your recipe – try replacing a little at a time in your gluten free baked goods.

Sorghum flour

The basics: Sorghum flour is one of the most commonly used flours in gluten free baking. It comes from ground sorghum grain, which is similar to millet. Sorghum flour is a great source of fiber and protein. It is about average on calories and also packs a nice punch of iron.

How to use it: Sorghum flour was traditionally used in cereals and pancakes. However, it is becoming more and more common to use it in a variety of baked goods and breads. The mild, almost bland flavor is very beneficial in making delicate breads and rolls. When recipes call for sorghum flour, it is almost a given that it will also contain more oil or fat as it has the tendency to be a dry flour.

Baking with gluten free flours

Gluten free flours are tasty, nutritious alternatives to baking with white or wheat flours. But because gluten free flours are missing gluten, they do not get the structure and texture that gluten gives breads and other baked goods. The solution to your gluten free baking endeavors is to experiment with these flours and with the binding agents to get that just right, perfectly textured bread.

Additionally, here are a couple flour combinations that you can use to start your gluten free baking:

Flour mix for quick breads  - makes 3 cups
2 cups rice flour
⅔ cup potato starch
⅓ cup tapioca starch/flour

For use in light, tender breads, try this one out:
Makes 3 cups
1 cup rice flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup tapioca starch/flour
1 Tbsp. potato flour

Either of these recipes can be doubled or even tripled, just multiple the ingredients accordingly. And of course, feel free to substitute your favorite flour.

Happy baking!

Filed Under: Gluten Free Flours Tagged With: almond flour, arrowroot flour, brown rice flour, flour, gluten free flour, hemp seed flour, sorghum flour

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Comments

  1. Hina

    February 04, 2014 at 3:59 pm

    Hi,
    Can you suggest me gluten free,low carb flour mix for making soft tortillas without starches and gums.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Chrissy Lane

      February 06, 2014 at 1:15 pm

      Hi Hina,

      Try this one... http://www.holdthecarbs.com/lc-foods-gluten-free/gluten-free-baking-flour

      I've not ever used it for tortillas though.

      Would love to know how they turn out!

      Reply
      • Ludi

        July 30, 2020 at 11:43 pm

        Great article but way to much adds on it..

        Reply
        • Christine

          July 31, 2020 at 11:23 am

          Hi Ludi,

          Thank you - sorry about that, my ad network had a glitch in their system and went over board for the past couple days - should be corrected now.

          My apologies.

          ~Christine

          Reply
  2. Mike

    February 03, 2016 at 12:18 pm

    Torillas..we use a flax seed ...my grandkids even like

    Recipe Ingredients:
    1 cup Ground Flaxseed
    1 cup Tapioca Flour
    1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
    1/2 cup Olive Oil
    1 1/2 cups Cold Water
    3 Egg Whites

    Cooking Directions:
    1. Place dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and blend well. Make a small hole in the middle of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Mix wet and dry ingredients until well blended.

    2. Heat a small non-stick frying pan at medium heat. When hot, pour about 2-3 tablespoons of the batter in the middle of the pan and quickly rotate pan to move the batter into a round shape. Fry until the top looks dry, and then flip. Let stay on this side for about 1-2 minutes and move to a cookie sheet. Repeat until batter is used up.

    If not dry enough for you.. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place fried tortillas in the oven for about 20-30 minutes. This will dry them out a bit so they are more like the grain tortillas.

    Reply
    • C.J. Brady

      February 07, 2016 at 2:09 pm

      Hi Mike,

      This sounds great!

      Thanks for sharing!

      ~Christine

      Reply
  3. Mike

    February 03, 2016 at 12:21 pm

    American test kitchen put out a flour mixture that they tested as the best replacement for flour..

    Reply
  4. Carol J Hunt

    January 12, 2021 at 11:13 am

    Hi GF is how I have to eat now, and I've tried and tried to make bread with 100% failure I hope I can get it right with your recipe. I'll let you know!

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 12, 2021 at 9:02 pm

      Hi Carol,

      Glad you're here - this is a great recipe to start with - https://zestforbaking.com/amazing-gluten-free-white-bread-without-xanthan-gum

      Happy Baking!

      ~Christine

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Christine, a gluten free baker living in sunny Texas! Zest for Baking is where you'll find gluten free (and dairy free) recipes, tips for substituting ingredients and help navigating the world of gluten free baking.

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Since 2013, Christine has been creating delicious gluten free baking recipes that no one would guess are actually gluten free. Her Zest For Baking recipes have been featured on The Daily Meal, Bloglovin' and Dr. Axe, to name a few. When she's not hanging out on Facebook or sharing pictures on Instagram or pinning on Pinterest, you can find her in her kitchen, creating more ZestForBaking.com recipes!

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