Gluten Free Flours

White rice Flour: White rice flour is a somewhat grainy, bland flour that is milled from polished white rice. It works best in combination with other flours, such as potato, buckwheat, or corn flour. It can be used in cakes, breads, and cookies. It stores well. Refridgeration is suggested but not required. There are different textures of white rice flour. The most common texture is fine, but regular is also available in health food stores.

Brown Rice Flour: Used in many recipes. It contains many nutrients. It is milled from unpolished brown rice. It has a nutty taste, and is used in muffins, cookies and cobblers. Store this flour in the fridge, as it contains more oils and has a shorter shelf life. It is also great combined with other flours such as sorghum, millet, garbanzo bean, or almond meal.

Bean Flour: Use garbanzo bean and lentil flours for cookies; they can also be added to other flours (rice, for instance) quite well. They offset the grainy texture of rice flour and give it a nice flavor. These flours make good thickeners as well. They do not need to be refridgerated.

Buckwheat Flour: Buckwheat is a member of the rhubarb family. Its name is very misleading. It is not related to wheat. It is not even a grain. It is rich in iron, vitamin B, and calcium. It has a strong grainy flavor. It is best used in waffles, pancakes, breads, and noodles.

Quinoa Flour: Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) flour is high in protein, containing 20 amino acids, including the 10 “essential amino acids”. It also contains vitamins A, C, D, B1, B2, E, folic acid, niacin, calcium, iron, and phosphorus. It can be used in cookies, pies, cakes and pasta. It has a light pleasant taste, and works well combined with other flours.

Almond Meal Flour: Almond meal flour is made up of blanched almonds that have been finely ground. It is a great source of protein and is rich in fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium. It adds a rich buttery flavor to cookies, muffins, cakes, pie crusts, and other desserts. It can also be used for breading. It should be stored in the refridgerator.

Tapioca Flour: Tapioca flour is also called tapioca starch, so if you are searching for it in the store, don't be dismayed if you can't find tapioca flour. Combine them with other flours. Tapioca mixed with brown or white rice flour and potato flour makes wonderful flour. Not recommended for pizza dough.

Amaranth Flour: This flour has a strong taste. It is good used in breading, thickening sauces, and baking. Mix 25% amaranth flour with other flours, such as brown rice flour, quinoa flour, or oat flour, to make up 100%. This flour is high in protein and fiber. It contains amino acids, high levels of lysine, vitamins C, B, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and niacin. Store this flour in the fridge, as the flour tends to develop a stronger taste as it ages.

Oat Flour: This flour isn't for everybody. Oat flour is a nice flour, and is good in cookies and muffins. It tends to brown, so use it with caution for sauces. It is too heavy to use for cakes, but does make nice cookies. This can be stored in a container in cupboard. Combine with other flours such as white and brown rice flour or soghum flour.

Potato Flour: Potato flour and potato starch are confusing. Potato flour is made from cooked potatoes. Potato starch is made from raw potatoes. This flour combines well with rice flours.

Sorghum Flour: Sorghum is a gluten-free flour that is very easy to work with. It closely mimics wheat four. It is one of the main food crops used in India and Africa, and is creating a huge following in U.S. for those with a gluten intolerance. Sorghum flour is high in soluble fiber, and tastes very similar to wheat. When baking with sorghum flour, you will need to add arrowroot or cornstarch to your recipes (½ to 1 tsp per cup) and also add xanthan gum (½ tsp per cup) to bind it together. It is great used in cookies, pie crusts, cakes, etc.

Soy Flour: Soy flour has a nutty flavor. It is high in fat and also protein. It is yellow in color and has a distinctive taste. Use it with other flours, such as rice flour. It tastes good in products containing nuts and fruits. It does not store well, so buy it in small quantities and store in refrigerator.

All substitute flours can be frozen, and the rice flours lasts longer if you keep them in the refrigerator after opening.