Is buckwheat flour gluten-free? Can you use another flour instead of cornstarch? Can you substitute xanthan gum? All these questions are whizzing around your brain. There are so many things to think about when baking with gluten-free flours.
What kind of flour doesn’t contain gluten?
There are many types of gluten-free flours which don’t contain gluten. Make sure to always buy gluten-free versions of the flour as flours can be cross-contacted with gluten. E.g. if there’s gluten-free millet flour and millet flour, buy the gluten-free millet flour.
Overview of the 4 types of gluten-free flours:
Starches
- Flours
- Arrowroot starch
- Corn starch
- Potato starch
- Tapioca starch
- More information
- Add bulk and texture
- Combine with other flours or else your baked goods will fall apart
- Essential to gluten-free baking
- Good for thickening
- Help make your baked goods tender and airy
- Tasteless
Neutral taste & low-protein
- Flours
- Cornflour
- Millet flour
- Rice flour
- More information
- Combine these flours with strong-taste low-protein flours
- On their own, they won’t hold baked goods together
Strong taste & low-protein
- Flours
- Amaranth flour
- Buckwheat flour
- Quinoa flour
- Sorghum flour
- Teff flour
- More Information
- Can be combined with high-protein flours
High-protein
- Flours
- Fava bean flour
- Garbanzo (chickpea) flour
- Soybean flour
- Other legume flours
- More Information
- Combine with 1+ low-protein flour
- Don’t use these flours in large quantities unless you want a strong bean flavour
- These flours are dense and heavy
- They help replace the gluten protein usually found in baked goods
- They taste strongly of beans
In-depth look at gluten-free flours:
Amaranth Flour
Flavour: Earthy & nutty.
Flour Type: Strong-taste & low-protein.
Nutrients: High in fibre and protein.
Other: Takes on the flavour of other ingredients.
Arrowroot Starch
Best For: Thickening.
Flavour: Flavourless.
Flour Type: Starch.
Note Well: As soon as it’s thickened, take it off the heat. This is because it will start to break down and the sauce will get thinner again.
Other: Gelatinises at low temperatures. It can stand acidic environments so it’s good for thickening fruit sauces & pies.
Brown Rice Flour
Flavour: Nutty.
Flour Type: Neutral taste & low-protein.
Nutrients: High in fibre and protein.
Other: It’s good for thickening.
Buckwheat Flour
Best For: Muffins.
Flavour: Earthy & rich.
Flour Type: Strong taste & low-protein.
Note Well: It’s not wheat even though the name has wheat in it. It’s actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb.
Nutrients: Rich in fibre and nutrients.
Cassava Flour
Flavour: Neutral.
Other: Texture is like chickpea flour. It’s from a starchy root vegetable.
Note Well: It’s easy to digest. And it absorbs more water.
Chickpea Flour
A.k.a. Garbanzo flour, gram flour & besan.
Best For: Browning & rising.
Flavour: Nutty.
Flour Type: High-protein.
Note Well: When it isn’t used as the main flour, you don’t get the aftertaste.
Nutrients: High in fibre and protein.
Other: It’s good for absorbing moisture. It can have a grainy texture.
Coconut Flour
Best For: Cookies & pastry. Use sparingly in cakes & muffins.
Flavour: Mild coconut.
Note Well: It absorbs lots of water so it’s best to use with lots of eggs. Too much coconut flour can make baked goods dry.
Nutrients: Full of fibre and healthy saturated fat.
Other: It’s good for absorbing moisture. It can have a grainy texture.
Cornflour
Best For: Giving cookies crunch. Adding nice crumb texture.
Flavour: Flavourless.
Flour Type: Starches.
Note Well: It breaks down in acidic environments, so use arrowroot starch for fruit pie fillings.
Nutrients: High in fibre.
Other: Good for thickening & soaking up liquid. Gelatinises at a higher temperature than arrowroot, tapioca, and potato starch.
Millet Flour
Best For: Cookies, muffins, pastries & scones.
Flavour: Mild.
Flour Type: Neutral taste & low-protein.
Other: Good for crumb texture.
Potato Starch
Flavour: Flavourless.
Flour Type: Starch.
Note Well: It’s not potato flour.
Other: It gelatinises at low temperatures. It adds moisture to your bakes and the starch leads to crispy baked goods.
Quinoa Flour
Best For: Cakes, cookies, and muffins.
Flavour: Strong nutty.
Note Well: It absorbs a lot of liquid.
Sorghum Flour
Best For: Muffins.
Flavour: Mild sweet.
Flour Type: Strong taste & low-protein.
Note Well: It’s a heavy and dense flour.
Nutrients: High in fibre.
Other: It has a smooth texture. It’s light in colour.
Sweet Rice Flour
A.k.a. Glutinous rice flour.
Best For: Using as a binder rather than a flour.
Flavour: Flavourless.
Note Well: It’s made from rice used in ‘sticky rice’ dishes.
Other: In small amounts, it can act like gluten proteins in baking to bind the batter.
Tapioca Flour
A.k.a. Tapioca starch.
Best For: Adding crustiness to bakes.
Flavour: Neutral.
Flour Type: Starch.
Note Well: It provides lightness to bakes.
Other: It gelatinizes at low temperatures. So, it’s a good thickener.
Teff Flour
Best For: Bakes with chocolate and spices.
Flavour: Light colours are mild. Dark colours are earthy.
Flour Type: Strong taste & low-protein.
Note Well: It comes in different colours.
Nutrients: High in fibre and protein.
Other: It has a fine texture.
White Rice Flour
Flavour: Flavourless.
Flour Type: Neutral taste & low-protein.
Best For: Cakes. Also great in batters & as a base flour.
Note Well: Use superfine rice flour so you don’t get a gritty texture.
Do I need to add xanthan gum to gluten-free flour?
To see if we need xanthan gum or other binders we need to understand a bit about what gluten does in baking.
What does gluten do in baking?
Gluten is a binding agent that holds baked goods together. It gives cakes structure.
Without gluten, baked goods tend to be dry and crumbly as there is nothing binding them.
This is where ingredients like xanthan gum step in.
Why do you need xanthan gum in gluten free baking?
Xanthan gum is the most common binder in gluten-free baking. It is often, but not always, found in commercial gluten-free flour mixes.
It’s made during a fermentation process which uses the strain of bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris. Then it’s dried and ground into a powder. When the xanthan gum gets mixed with liquid, it creates a gel consistency.
If you’re adding xanthan gum to your own flour blend or your blend doesn’t contain it, you can use different amounts for different baked goods. This can help reduce the effect of having too much xanthan gum which could result in a gummy texture.
- ¼-½ tsp of xanthan gum for 1 cup gluten-free flour for cookies.
- ½ tsp of xanthan gum for 1 cup gluten-free flour for cakes, muffins, and quick breads.
Substitute for xanthan gum in baking?
Guar Gum
Guar gum is a common substitute for xanthan gum. It’s made from guar beans. And the seeds from these beans are ground to create a powder. This can be high in fibre so watch out if you’ve got a sensitive stomach.
To use guar gum it’s the same quantities as using xanthan gum:
- ¼-½ tsp of guar gum for 1 cup gluten-free flour for cookies.
- ½ tsp of guar gum for 1 cup gluten-free flour for cakes, muffins, and quick breads.
Psyllium Husk Powder
Psyllium husk powder is another alternative. It’s made from the husks of the Plantago ovata plant seeds. It helps by giving structure and binding the dough.
- ½ tsp psyllium husk powder for 1 cup gluten-free flour for cookies, cakes, muffins, and quick breads.
Storing Gluten-free Flours
In the Cupboard
You can store them in air-tight containers. Air-tight tubs or glass jars with rubber seals are best. This is what I’ve always done with premade flour blends.
The average time you can store most gluten-free flours in the cupboard is 1-2 months.
In the Fridge
You can store most gluten-free flours for 4-6 months in the fridge. Make sure to seal the bags of flour and put them in air-tight containers.
In the Freezer
If you have space in the freezer, you can store the flour in there. Place the bags of flour in freezer bags or in tubs. Most gluten-free flours can be stored for up to 12 months in the freezer.
Gluten-free flours that are high in protein or fat will go off sooner (like bean flours, coconut, teff, amaranth). Coconut flour is particularly easy to go off so if you won’t use it up within 1 month, freeze it.
You’ll want to bring the flour to room temperature before you bake with it otherwise it could lead to dense, chewy baked goods.
When you come to bake with the flour:
- Measure out what you need.
- Spread it out on a baking tray for 20-30 minutes.
Gluten-free flour recipes
There are so many gluten-free flour blends available. You can buy a premade blend in a store. But you can also make your own. Here are some great flour blend recipes from around the web.
Eat or Drink | Gluten-free Self-raising Flour
Allergy Awesomeness | Gluten-free Flour Blend
The Heritage Cook | Gluten-free Light Flour Blend & Wholegrain Flour Blend
The Pretty Bee | All-purpose Gluten-free Flour Blend
Conclusion
There are many gluten-free flours you can use for baking. Make sure you buy the flours labeled ‘gluten-free’ so you don’t get cross-contact of gluten. You can swap different flours if they’re the same flour type. For example, swap cornstarch and arrowroot starch.
And if you can’t have xanthan gum, there are substitutes you can use.
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What are your favourite gluten-free flours?
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