Flour types for Cooking and Baking

Includes: from hardest to softest flours 

1. Durum wheat flour and semolina flour - typically used for making pastas
2. Whole wheat flour and
3. Graham flour - typically mixed with all-purpose or bread flour to make bread or baked goods
4. Bread flour - typically used for making yeast breads
5. All-purpose flour - can be used for breads and baked goods
6. Pastry flour - typically used for pastries
7. Cake flour - typically used for cakes

Substitutes for Wheat Flour

For general baking

• Barley flour - This has a mild flavor and works especially well in pancakes, cookies, and quick breads.  Replace up to half of any wheat flour in a recipe with this.  Contains some gluten.
• Buckwheat flour - This is especially good in pancakes.  It tends to make baked goods heavier and stronger tasting.  Replace up to half of the wheat flour in any recipe with this.  Contains some gluten.
• Oat flour - This is especially good in quick breads and cookies.  It makes baked goods moister, chewier, and more crumbly.  Contains some gluten.
• Rice flour, brown - This is especially good for those with wheat allergies; replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this.  Baked goods made with rice flour tend to be crumbly, so consider substituting a mixture of one part arrowroot or other thickener plus four parts rice flour.  Adding more eggs is another way to reduce crumbliness.  Since rice flour absorbs more moisture, you may need to add more liquid to recipe.
• Corn flour - This is a good substitute for those with wheat allergies.
• Millet flour - This has a more pronounced flavor than all-purpose flour, and it tends to make baked goods coarse and dry.  Replace up to 1/5 of any wheat flour with this.
• Potato flour - Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour in a recipe with this.  Substitute 5/8 cup Potato flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour.
• Soy flour - This is high in protein, but has a very strong flavor.  Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this, then increase the liquid in the recipe and reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
• Quinoa flour - This is higher in fat than all-purpose flour, so it tends to make baked goods moister.  Replace up to 1/2 of the wheat flour in the recipe with this.
• Rice flour, non-waxy - This is good for those with wheat allergies.  Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this.  Baked goods made with rice flour tend to be crumbly, so consider substituting a mixture of one part arrowroot or other thickener plus four parts rice flour.  Adding more eggs is another way to reduce crumbliness.   Since rice flour absorbs more moisture than all-purpose flour, you may need to add more liquid to the recipe or substitute only 7/8 C rice flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.
• Wheat germ - This makes for a more nutritious product.  Replace up to 1/3 of the flour with this.
• Amaranth flour - Amaranth is high in protein, particularly in the amino acid, Lysine, which is low in the cereal grains. In fact, Amaranth has the highest lysine content of all the grains with Quinoa coming in a close second. To make your whole wheat bread a complete protein, substitute about 25% of your wheat flour with Amaranth flour. Amaranth, by itself, has a really nice amino acid blend. Just 150 grams of the grain is all that’s required to supply an adult with 100% of the daily requirement of protein. Amaranth is one of the highest grains in fiber content. This makes Amaranth an effective agent against cancer and heart disease. Amaranth is also the only grain in this study that contains significant amounts of phytosterols which scientists are just now learning play a major part in the prevention of all kinds of diseases. This is higher in fat than all-purpose flour.
• Spelt flour - This tends to make baked goods heavier, so consider increasing the baking powder so that the product rises more.   Spelt is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies, and it's great for making pasta and bread.
• Kamut flour - This is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies, and it works well in pasta and bread recipes.  It works best if combined with other flours.
• Passover matzo, ground - A traditional substitution for JewishPassover.
• Potato starch - Another good substitution for JewishPassover.
• Cocoa - Substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons flour.

For yeast breads

• Rye flour, light - Replace up to 40% of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this and knead gently.  Try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.  Rye flour imparts an interesting, slightly sour flavor to breads.  Contains some gluten.
• Rye flour, medium - Replace up to one-third of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this and knead gently.  Try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.  Rye flour imparts an interesting, slightly sour flavor to breads.  Contains some gluten.
• Rye flour, dark - Replace up to one-fourth of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this and knead gently.  Try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.  Rye flour imparts an interesting, slightly sour flavor to breads.  Contains some gluten.) OR
• Triticale flour - Replace up to half of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this, knead gently, and let rise only once.
• Barley flour - This has a mild flavor.  Replace up to 1/6 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.  Contains some gluten.
• Rice flour, brown - Replace up to 1/5 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this, and try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.  This is a good substitute for those with wheat allergies.
• Buckwheat flour - This has a more pronounced flavor than wheat bread.  Replace up to 1/5 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.  Contains some gluten.
• Corn flour - Replace up to 1/5 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this, and try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.
• Millet flour - This has a more pronounced flavor than wheat flour, and tends to make breads coarse and dry.  Replace up to 1/5 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.
• Oat flour - Replace up to 1/4 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this, and try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.
• Potato flour - Replace up to 1/6 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.  Substitute 5/8 cup Potato flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.
• Soy flour - This is high in protein, but has a very strong flavor.  Replace up to 1/8 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this, increase the liquid in recipe, and reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees.  Also consider increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.
• Soya flour - Replace up to 1/5 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.
• Quinoa flour - This is higher in fat, so it tends to make bread moister.  Replace up to 1/4 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.
• Rice flour, non-waxy - Replace up to 1/5 of any wheat flour with this, and either increase the liquid in recipe or substitute 7/8 cup rice flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.  Also try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.
• Wheat germ - This makes bread more nutritious.  Replace up to a third of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.OR 
• Amaranth flour - Amaranth is high in protein, particularly in the amino acid, Lysine, which is low in the cereal grains. In fact, Amaranth has the highest lysine content of all the grains with Quinoa coming in a close second. To make your whole wheat bread a complete protein, substitute about 25% of your wheat flour with Amaranth flour. Amaranth, by itself, has a really nice amino acid blend. Just 150 grams of the grain is all that’s required to supply an adult with 100% of the daily requirement of protein. Amaranth is one of the highest grains in fiber content. This makes Amaranth an effective agent against cancer and heart disease. Amaranth is also the only grain in this study that contains significant amounts of phytosterols which scientists are just now learning play a major part in the prevention of all kinds of diseases. This is higher in fat than wheat flour.  Replace up to a fourth of the wheat flour in a bread recipe with this.
• Spelt flour (Triticum spelta) - Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a tasty alternative to wheat, with a similar flavor but with greater nutritional value. It contains more protein, amino acids, fiber and polyunsaturated fats than wheat, has large amounts of B complex vitamins and is easier for your body to digest and utilize. This tends to make bread heavier so try increasing the yeast so that the bread rises more.  Spelt flour is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies.
• Kamut flour - This is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies.

For coating fish and meat before frying

• Water chestnut flour - makes coating lighter and crunchier) OR
• Cornstarch or
• Tapioca starch

For general baking

• Whole wheat flour - Replace no more than half of the all-purpose flour with this and add half again as much baking powder plus a bit more liquid to the recipe.  Compared to all-purpose flour, Whole wheat flour makes baked goods denser and coarser in texture.  It provides more fiber but about the same nutrients as enriched all-purpose flour.
• Self-rising flour - Omit salt and baking powder from recipe.  Don't use this in yeast breads or pie crusts.
• Pastry flour - This doesn't work well in cookies.
• Cake flour - Don't use this in bread. It also doesn't work well in cookies, quick breads, muffins, and biscuits--it makes them very crumbly. In a pinch, substitute one cup of all-purpose flour with one cup plus two tablespoons of Cake flour.
• Barley flour - This has a mild flavor and works especially well in pancakes, cookies, and quick breads.  Replace up to half of any wheat flour in a recipe with this.  Contains some gluten.
• Buckwheat flour - This is especially good in pancakes.  It tends to make baked goods heavier and stronger tasting.  Replace up to half of the wheat flour in any recipe with this.  Contains some gluten.
• Oat flour - This is especially good in quick breads and cookies.  It makes baked goods moister, chewier, and more crumbly.  Contains some gluten.
• Rice flour, brown - This is especially good for those with wheat allergies; replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this.  Baked goods made with rice flour tend to be crumbly, so consider substituting a mixture of one part arrowroot or other thickener plus four parts rice flour.  Adding more eggs is another way to reduce crumbliness.  Since rice flour absorbs more moisture, you may need to add more liquid to recipe.
• Corn flour - This is a good substitute for those with wheat allergies.
• Millet flour - This has a more pronounced flavor than all-purpose flour, and it tends to make baked goods coarse and dry.  Replace up to 1/5 of any wheat flour with this.
• Potato flour - Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour in a recipe with this.  Substitute 5/8 cup Potato flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour.
• Soy flour - This is high in protein, but has a very strong flavor.  Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this, then increase the liquid in the recipe and reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
• Quinoa flour - This is higher in fat than all-purpose flour, so it tends to make baked goods moister.  Replace up to 1/2 of the wheat flour in the recipe with this.
• Rice flour, non-waxy - This is good for those with wheat allergies.  Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this.  Baked goods made with rice flour tend to be crumbly, so consider substituting a mixture of one part arrowroot or other thickener plus four parts rice flour.  Adding more eggs is another way to reduce crumbliness.   Since rice flour absorbs more moisture than all-purpose flour, you may need to add more liquid to the recipe or substitute only 7/8 C rice flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.
• Wheat germ - This makes for a more nutritious product.  Replace up to 1/3 of the flour with this.
• Amaranth flour - Amaranth is high in protein, particularly in the amino acid, Lysine, which is low in the cereal grains. In fact, Amaranth has the highest lysine content of all the grains with Quinoa coming in a close second. To make your whole wheat bread a complete protein, substitute about 25% of your wheat flour with Amaranth flour. Amaranth, by itself, has a really nice amino acid blend. Just 150 grams of the grain is all that’s required to supply an adult with 100% of the daily requirement of protein. Amaranth is one of the highest grains in fiber content. This makes Amaranth an effective agent against cancer and heart disease. Amaranth is also the only grain in this study that contains significant amounts of phytosterols which scientists are just now learning play a major part in the prevention of all kinds of diseases. This is higher in fat than all-purpose flour.
• Spelt flour - (Triticum spelta) - Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a tasty alternative to wheat, with a similar flavor but with greater nutritional value. It contains more protein, amino acids, fiber and polyunsaturated fats than wheat, has large amounts of B complex vitamins and is easier for your body to digest and utilize. This tends to make baked goods heavier, so consider increasing the baking powder so that the product rises more. Spelt is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies, and it's great for making pasta and bread.
• Kamut flour - This is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies, and it works well in pasta and bread recipes.  It works best if combined with other flours.
• Passover Matzo, ground- A traditional substitution for Jewish Passover.
• Potato starch - Another good substitution for Jewish Passover.

 

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