10 Substitutes for All-Purpose Flour

In this Article (Index)

• Wheat
• Wheat Flour
• Substituting Wheat Flour
• Almond flour
• Rice flour
• Chickpea flour
• Chestnut flour
• Coconut flour
• Quinoa flour
• Oat flour
• Buckwheat flour
• Tef flour
• Amaranth flour
• Gluten-Free Flours and Baked Goods

Wheat

Wheat is, together with rice and maize one of the three top grain crops in the world.

Wheat spikes were collected by hunter-gatherers as part of their diet, and around 10,000 years ago wild varieties of wheat were cultivated in southeastern Turkey, from where cultivation spread across the Middle East.

It grows worldwide, from Scandinavia to Argentina, and is cultivated in temperate zones. About 95% of the wheat produced globally is bread wheat Triticum aestivum, and the balance is mostly durum wheat or pasta wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum)that is adapted to the hot, dry conditions of the Mediterranean area, and used for pasta, and couscous and bulgur in North Africa. There are some minor species of ancient wheat varieties known as einkorn, emmer, and spelt that are still grown in some regions. (11)

Wheat Flour

Wheat has been ground into flour since antiquity, using stone mortars, and stone saddle grinders as depicted in ancient Egyptian art. Later, gristmills appeared, with two millstones, one fixed, the other rotating on top of it, powered by water, wind, or animals.

Elastic and Flexible Thanks to Gluten

When water is mixed with wheat flour it activates its gluten protein, which forms long chains that create an elastic and extensible dough that keeps its shape. Gluten also forms a network that traps the carbon dioxide gas bubbles produced by yeast, allowing the dough to rise when baked.

Stone Milled vs. Refined Flour

Flour which until the mid-1870s was whole-grain flour, had a gray-white tint, and contained milled bran and wheat germ. It didn't keep long as the germ oils tended to turn rancid.
Modern roller mills, with steel cylinders, appeared in 1873 and replaced the old gristmills. It produced cheap white, refined flour and was quickly adopted as white flour had been a luxury until then.

Lacking the nutrients of the bran and germ, it provoked vitamin and nutrient deficiencies among the poor who relied heavily on bread as a fundamental part of their diet. In 1880 May Yates founded the Bread Reform League lobbying to return to wholemeal bread. In 1911 Gowland Hopkins stated that this bread may contain "unrecognized food substances" that were vital for health; later these were discovered and called vitamins. This deficit was finally solved after 1941 when enrichment was made mandatory by the U.S. government, and vitamins and minerals were added to the flour.

Refined flours are responsible for some adverse health effects like obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Wheat also causes reactions like intolerance (celiac disease) and allergies (wheat allergy).

Whole-grain flour is richer in dietary fiber, micronutrients, and phytochemicals and many studies have shown that consuming whole-grain flour has health benefits. (4)

Types of Wheat Flour

The all-purpose or plain flour is a blend of wheat flour with a protein content ranging from 9% to 12% and is used as a general-purpose flour. Cake flour is milled finely and uses soft wheat with a lower protein content between 8% and 10% (more protein tends to make cakes tougher).

Substituting Wheat Flour

Using different flours obtained from other grains like rice, or oats, pseudocereals like quinoa, or amaranth, and seeds, nuts, or legumes, will provide a variety of textures, and many combinations of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and phytochemicals.

Opting for wholemeal or whole-grain flour will provide additional benefits.

These are the Ten Substitutes for All-Purpose Flour, and all of them are Gluten-Free.

1. Almond flour
2. Rice flour
3. Chickpea flour
4. Chestnut flour
5. Coconut flour
6. Quinoa flour
7. Oat flour
8. Buckwheat flour
9. Tef flour
10. Amaranth flour

Gluten-Free Flours and Baked Goods

When using gluten-free flours you must remember that they lack gluten, so they will not trap the gases let off by yeast or chemical leaveners (soda). They will not rise. They will try to, and then flop flat.

You need to add a binder like xanthan gum; it is a powder that you dissolve in water and it turns into a thick viscous gummy gelatine that will trap the gases and allow gluten-free cakes and breads to rise and have an airytexture/p>

Gluten also gives dough elasticity and strength, a gluten-free dough will not stretch, instead, it will become crumbly and fall apart. The non-gluten protein found in these flours will absorb a lot of water, so you should increase the water content in your recipe so that it can hydrate and allow your dough to become moist. Xanthan gum also provides elasticity and will let you roll and stretch the dough.

Gluten-free pastries and cakes can be drier and crumble easily. Experiment with your ingredients. Weigh them. Write the recipes down till you get them right.

Start with a reliable gluten-free recipe and work with it to learn how different flours behave.

1. Almond Flour

Almonds overview

Almonds are the kernel of the fruit, known as drupe, of the almond tree (Prunus amygdalus) and belong to a genus that also includes peaches, plums, cherries, and apricots. It is not a true nut, it is a seed.

Almond flour is a byproduct of almond oil extraction. Almonds are washed, dried, and pressed to extract their oil, and the cake that is left behind is then milled into flour.

Compared to wheat flour, almond flour has twice the protein (26 g vs. 12 g), 3 times the fiber (9.3 g vs. 3 g), 6 times the minerals (3 g vs 0.5 g), and 50 g of oils vs only 1.7 g.

It is also more energy-dense, with 579 kcal per 100g vs. wheat flour's 332 kcal. So keep in mind that it has more calories than regular flour.

Its fatty acids are mainly oleic (76%), a monounsaturated fatty acid or MUFA, and linoleic (15%) a polyunsaturated fatty acid or PUFA, which is an omega-6, with roughly 6% palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid. (13)

It contains more potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and phosphorous (P) than wheat flour and is rich in copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn).

Almond flour contains many phenolic compounds, which are antioxidants like gallocatechin, quercitin, resveratrol, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, and ferulic acid. (12),(13)

Like all nut flours it can be made at home using your high-speed blender.

Substitution Tips

Use 3/4 cup of almond flour for every 1 cup of all-purpose flour.

Almond flour is denser, oily, and moist compared to wheat flour. Experiment with your recipe to adjust the substitution ratio.

Almond flour has a slightly sweet and rich taste.

Almond flour is gluten-free and can be combined with other flours, but a binder like xanthan gum will be necessary to ensure a fluffy dough.
Store it in the refrigerator in a closed jar as its oils become rancid in contact with oxygen and warmth.
Combined with wheat flour it reduces water absorption. As it is oily, you can consider reducing the oil or butter required by your recipe. Almond oils are healthier than butter.

2. Rice Flour

Regular white or brown rice grains are milled into flour and used for cooking (think oriental noodles), sauces, Japanese tempura and Korean fried chicken, desserts, and baked goodies.

Rice contains more lysine and glutelin than other cereals, but lacking gluten it can't form a network to retain the gas produced by baking powder or yeast during baking. You will have to combine it with a binder like xanthan gum.

Lacking gluten, baked food will be dryer and have a crumbly texture.

It can also be added to wheat flour or other gluten-free flours.

Substitution Tips

For thickening sauces, use a 1:1 substitution ratio.

In general, 3/4 cup of rice flour for every 1 cup of all-purpose flour is a reasonable starting point. Adjust as necessary.

If the recipe requires leavening (gluten), add 2 tsp. of xanthan gum for each cup of rice flour.

Try brown rice for whole grain health benefits; it can replace white rice flour 1:1.

3. Chickpea Flour

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) is a legume that has been cultivated for the past 10,000 years. Chickpeas have 10 g of dietary fiber per 100 g of flour, and a high protein content with well balanced amino acids. They are also rich in antioxidant polyphenols, vitamins (folate B9, thiamine, and vitamin B6), and minerals like phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and potassium (K). Chickpea flour contains 6 g of fat (1 g saturated, 2 g MUFAs, and 3 gPUFAs).

Used in Italy to make farinatta or fainá, an unleavened chickpea flatbread based on chickpea flour, olive oil, and water. It is known as socca in France's Provence though the socca flatbread is thinner, like a crepe.

It has a low GI (Glycemic Index), and it is gluten-free.

Wet gluten flour is binding and dense. In Indian cuisine it is used to make the spicy batter of pakoras (vegetables coated in batter and deep fried), and fluffy cakes made from chickpea batter known as Dhokla.

Substitution Tips

Substituting wheat flour with chickpea flour at a level of 10% to 20 % is almost similar to the wheat flour dough.
Work up from there and adjust as needed.
As it is gluten-free you will need to add xanthan gum as a binder.

Chickpea flour will add a golden or yellow color to the baked product. Biscuits become crispier, harder, and less brittle. (14)

4. Chestnut Flour

Chestnut flour is made from the seeds of the Sweet Chestnut tree (Castaea sativa). These are dried and ground into flour.

Whole chestnut flour has lower levels of rapidly digestible starch than wheat flour and a higher level of slowly digestible starch. It has between 70% and 85% of resistant starch plus 4% to 10% of dietary fiber. Its fat content is 2% to 4% and these are roughly 40% MUFA (oleic), and 34 to 40% PUFA (linoleic)
Chestnut starch is rich in antioxidant polyphenols like phytic acid that are anti-inflammatory and protect against cardiovascular disease. It also contains vitamins C and E, potassium (K), phosphorus (P), and magnesium (Mg).

Replacing white flour with chestnut flour in cakes lowers the speed of starch absorption and sugar spike in blood. (153)

Substitution Tips

Chestnut flour is used for non-rising flatbreads and pancakes.

Chestnuts are true nuts and are gluten-free. For baking leavened foods you will need a binder like xanthan gum and a rising agent like baking powder. Use it in banana bread, muffins, and cookies.

It has a slightly sweet flavor and a lower glycemic index (GI) than wheat flour.

If gluten isn't a problem you can substitute up to 50% of the wheat flour with chestnut flour without affecting the final product.

5. Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is made from a byproduct of coconut milk production. After the milk is extracted by cold pressing, the flesh is removed, dried at a low temperature, and ground into a soft, fine powder.
It has a slightly sweet taste.

Coconut flour is gluten-free.

It has far more protein, fat, and dietary fiber than wheat flour; and has more calories too: 21.4 g vs 10.3 g of protein, 10.7 g vs. 0.9 g of fat, and 35.7 g vs 2.7 g of dietary fiber. Values per 100 g of flour, and 429 kcal vs 364 kcal. (a),(b)

Over 95% of its fatty acids are saturated, mostly lauric acid, with a very small amount of healthy MUFAs and PUFAs.

It is a popular option among those following a Keto Diet, or a gluten-free diet. (10)

Substitution Tips

As coconut flour is higher in fiber it will absorb more liquid than wheat flour. So increase the amount of liquid in your recipe.

Start with 1/4 cup of coconut flour for 1 cup of all-purpose flour and work up from there. Experiment.
Sift to avoid clumps.

When coconut flour absorbs liquid it becomes soggy and the final product will be denser.

It may require more eggs to bind the dough together.

6. Quinoa Flour

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) is a pseudocereal like amaranth, native to South America's Andean region. Its grains have a very high protein content and are rich in minerals like potassium (K), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn), vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and biotin), and fatty acids. It also has dietary fiber and phytochemicals with antioxidant properties.

It is gluten-free.

Compared to wheat flour it has more protein (11.9 g vs 10.3 g), fat (6.6 g vs. 0.9 g), and dietary fiber (6.9 g vs 2.7 g). Values per 100 g of flour, and a similar energy content of 385 kcal vs 364 kcal. (a),(b)

Substitution Tips

You can replace up to 50% of regular wheat flour with quinoa flour.

You will need a binding agent like xanthan gum as it won't rise when baked.

Combine with other non-wheat flours and experiment. Use it in pancakes, waffles, muffins, cookies, cereal bars, gluten-free pizzas, and to thicken soups and gravies.

Quinoa disrupts the regular gluten network and increases hardness in leavened baked products, but it also provides slowly digestible starch and resistant starch that improve its glycemic index (GI) it also enhances the flavor. (9)

You can make it at home with a high-speed blender. Try red quinoa for colorful flour.

7. Oat Flour

Oats are rolled, steel-cut, and also milled into flour.
Oat flour is gluten-free if it contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten. Nevertheless, some celiac patients are sensitized to oat's gluten-like protein, called avenin, so they should not consume oats or oat flour.

Oat flour is suited for high-moisture baked goods and those that don't need gluten to rise like muffins, cookies, quick breads, brownies, pancakes, and waffles.

Substitution Tips

Start with a 20 to 30% substitution level, using both wheat and oat flour.

Oat flour is less dense than wheat flour so use 11/4 cup of oat flour to replace 1 cup of all-purpose wheat flour.

Oats contain more soluble fiber than wheat, it will thicken and absorb more liquids than regular wheat flour. Add more oil and liquid to your dough to obtain a moist final product.

Baked goods will have a darker color and a nutty flavor.

8. Buckwheat Flour

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) despite its name isn't related to wheat. It is a pseudocereal that belongs to the genus Fagopyrum of the family Polygonaceae. Its seed (not a grain) is milled into a grayish-brown colored flour.

Buckwheat is richer in protein than wheat or rice flours, it also contains twice as much lysine in its protein than wheat does (roughly 5.5%): it is also rich in two amino acids, arginine, and aspartic acid.

Lacking gluten, it is ideal for unleavened goodies like crepes, muffins, flapjacks, and Eastern European blinis that have traditionally been made with buckwheat flour.

It has a strong distinct flavor and a cereal/nutty aroma.

Substitution Tips

As it is gluten-free, if used alone or with gluten-free flours, you will have to add xanthan gum for baked products that require rising.

When substituting all-purpose wheat flour, you can't replace 100% of it with buckwheat flour.

Trials baking gluten-free bread using buckwheat and rice flours in 10:90, 20;80, and 30:70 (rice to buckwheat) ratios performed very similar to wheat-based breads. Muffins baked with buckwheat (33%), amaranth (50%), and wheat (17%) flours had a better fiber content than regular ones. (16)

9. Teff Flour

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a cereal native to Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. 90% of the global production comes from that area.

It is gluten-free and has a high fiber content (12.2 g of fiber per 100 g of flour).

It contains three times more iron (Fe) than wheat flour (15.7 mg vs. 3.7 mg), 3.5 times more calcium (C) with 147 mg vs 39.5 mg, and 80% more magnesium (Mg) with 184 mg vs 103 mg. (17)

Substitution Tips

It is used in a typical Ethiopian dish, a pancake called injera but it can be used combined with other gluten-free flours plus a binder like xantham gum, to bake cookies, loaves, and muffins. With yeast, you can bake pita. Test your recipes and adjust the quantities.

10. Amaranth Flour

Overview of Amaranth

Amaranth flour is made from an "ancient grain", they come from amaranths, that belong to the genus Amaranthus, cultivated for their grains in Central America for over 8,000 years. The Aztecs used it as food and in their religious ceremonies.

Amaranth is a pseudocereal so technically the grain is a seed. It is gluten-free.

Amaranth flour is rich in fiber with 7 g per 100 g and iron (Fe) with 7mg, which is higher than wheat's (3mg) or rice's (0.8mg) content. It also contains twice the amount of calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), folate, and vitamin B6 than wheat. They contain 7 g of oil, 3.5 times that of wheat. Roughly 25% Saturated fatty acids, 24% monounsaturated fatty acids or MUFAs, and 50% polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFAs.

Substitution Tips

Since it is gluten-free, it will not leaven, which makes it very suitable for producing unleavened breads like tortillas and chapatis. Use it alone or blend it with another cereal flour. Note that it has a dense texture and earthy or nutty taste.

For leavened baked products it will require xanthan gum to trap the carbon dioxide and rise. Alternatively, if gluten is not a problem, it can be blended with wheat flour.
10%-15% wheat flour can be substituted for amaranth flour on a 1:1 swap.

You can also use it as part of a mix of different flours. (18)

Closing Comments

Experimenting with non-wheat flours will allow you to taste richer flavors, natural textures, aromas, and colors. It will also add a wide variety of dietary fiber sources, different combinations of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and plant-based bioactive compounds. Minerals and vitamins in these flours are different from those found in all-purpose refined wheat flour.

Replacing refined wheat flour with whole-grain flour is a healthy alternative. You don't have to bake gluten-free goodies, but replacing part of your refined flour with another type of flour is healthy, tasty, and fun!