As a gluten free food blogger I provide my readers with great recipes that are simple and easy to make and that have been tested thoroughly in my kitchen. However, sometimes a recipe that has worked out well for me turns out a little less perfect for readers. I am always willing to help my readers to figure out what may have caused a variance in the recipe’s texture, flavor etc. Because as a food blogger I learn from your experiences and my own.
Here’s a list of flours and (some grains) that I use in my gluten free cooking and baking. I buy certified gluten free grains and flours in bulk from specialty store and put most of them in refrigerator or in cold dark place.
Important – I use the “spoon and level” method to measure flours. Here’s how it is done: Use a spoon to lightly scoop flour from its container into a measuring cup. Use a knife or other straight edge to level the flour with the top of the measuring cup.
BROWN RICE FLOUR
Brown rice flour is milled from the whole grain which lends to its creamy almond color. It can go rancid very quickly because of the natural fats and oils in the grain. So it is good to store it in fridge in an airtight container. It can be used as a sauce thickener or combined with other flours for baking. It lends a strong, nutty flavor in food. If you are concerned about this then white rice flour would be the ideal choice.
Strawberry and chocolate chip scones
Skillet Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie
Chocolate walnut snacking cake
Rosewater Strawberry shortcake
WHITE RICE FLOUR
White rice flour is produced by grinding uncooked polished rice into a powder. It contains high levels of protein but very less vitamins, minerals and fiber than brown rice flour. It can be used as a thickening agent for sauces and a suitable option in baked goods in combination with other starches.
Skillet baked Chocolate Chip Cookie
GF ALL PURPOSE FLOUR BLEND
I make gluten free all purpose flour blend by using brown rice flour and white rice flour. Whenever I want to adapt something, this flour blend is typically my first step as a sub. and then second time try the recipe by adding gluten free whole grain flour, such as sorghum, buckwheat, millet, or quinoa.
To make Gf all purpose flour, you need
2 cups white rice flour , 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca starch, 1 1/4 tsp xanthum gum
In some recipes I replace white rice flour with 1 cup brown rice flour and 1 cup oat flour then I specifically mention it in the ingredients.
Other than the homemade Gf all purpose flour I also use store bought flour blend from Bob’s Red Mill. I love their 1-1 Baking flour which I used so far in Gluten Free Naan and GF Cinnamon Snails
SWEET RICE FLOUR
QUINOA
I ground fresh flour from quinoa seeds when ever required. It is delicious in baked goods, such as breads, crackers and cookies. It has a strong flavor so best use is with other flours.
Quinoa pilaf with berries and soaked almonds
Coconut Quinoa pilaf with chestnuts
Roasted acorn squash with quinoa and chickpeas medley
Mushroom masala with quinoa tabbouleh
Lentil salad with citrus salmon and quinoa
Burger patty with quinoa and beans
Quinoa salad with beans, roasted corn, and vegetables
Gluten free chicken and sprouted rice soup
SORGHUM FLOUR
Of all the gluten free grain flours, I love sorghum flour. It is a powerhouse of nutrition and adds a superb flavor to gluten free baking and cooking. It is coarser in texture and vary in color from white to a light grey or even purplish red, depending on the variety of grain. It has a neutral flavor and and absorbs other flavors really well. Hence, I use sorghum flour for making breads, flat breads and even cakes.
3 types of Pizza ( meat balls, zucchini pesto, kale and curried chicken)
Skinny panini with sorghum chapatti
SOY FLOUR
Soy Flour is made from whole dry soy beans. It is often dry roasted after grinding to improve flavor and digestibility. It is available in full fat, low fat and defatted version. Soy flour is yellowish gold in color, the higher the fat the deeper the color. It has pungent, nutty slightly bitter flavor and is widely used to make moist tender baked goods that stay fresh longer.
Indulgent Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
CORN FLOUR
Corn flour comes in yellow and white color and is generally used in combination with other flours in baked goods. It is milled from the whole kernel, unlike corn starch which is obtained from the endosperm portion of the kernel. Corn flour is highly rich in protein and very low in fat. In India yellow corn flour is often referred to as maize flour and used for gluten free flat breads. There are several other popular varieties of corn flour available and some may be regionally popular than others such as masa harina and harnilla.
Cornmeal is a coarse flour ground from dried corn (maize).
Chapatti using white corn flour blend
Makki ki roti (Maize flour/yellow corn flour)
Polenta Upma (cornmeal)
Methi wali makki ki roti (maize flour/yellow cornflour)
Polenta Cakes with crunchy cilantro pesto
Scrambled eggs with polenta scraps
Herbed broccoli soup with cheesy polenta croutons
Red lentil and kale soup with polenta croutons
CHICKPEA FLOUR : Read here.
AMARANTH FLOUR
Amaranth flour is very fine and has a light cream color with nutty, toasted taste. Because of its high moisture content goods baked with it are moist and dense, but some added starch helps to lighten the texture. Baked foods with amaranth flour also tend to brown quickly and may need to be tented during the last third of the baking time.
Breakfast cake with pecans and cinnamon filling
White chapati flour (below)
WHITE CHAPATI FLOUR MIX
I call it white chapati mix because wheat chapati is a staple in north Indian homes and the gluten free chapati flour blend I made is quite close in appearance. Mix 5 cups white corn flour (please note its not corn starch), 3 cups amaranth flour and 2 1/4 cup of soy flour. Store in a air tight container in refrigerator. You can keep a small amount in cupboard for regular use.
Everyday white flour chapati (Updated version with yellow corn flour)
OATS / OAT FLOUR
I grind gluten free oat flour from old fashioned rolled oats (from Cream Hill or Bob’s red mill). They are certified gluten free, I often use oats and oat flour in baking cookies and muffins for its sweet nutty flavor.
Strawberry and chocolate chip scones
Healthy Blueberry and Almond Muffins
Oats and peanut butter energy balls
Gulgule – A rainy day sweet snack
POTATO STARCH
Unlike potato flour with strong flavor and heavier weight, potato starch has a neutral taste. When combined with other gluten free flours it adds moistness to baked goods and gives them a light and airy texture.
TAPIOCA FLOUR/STARCH
Tapioca starch gives a transparent high gloss to fruits and makes a perfectly smooth filling. It lightens baked goods and gives them a slightly sweet, chewy texture. Hence it is good for thickening soups, fruit pie fillings and custards etc.
FLAX SEED MEAL
Flax meal is made by grinding flax seeds. If you just crack the outer coating of flax seeds in coffee grinder it result cracked flax seed. It is more easier to digest than whole flax seed.
ALMOND FLOUR and Almond meal
In my opinion they both are different. Flour made from whole almonds with skin is fine (you have to sift), and give baked goods more dense texture than blanched almond flour (meal). I use both flour in my recipes depending what I am trying to make.
Lemon Blue berry buttermilk Pound Cake
Sweet And Savory Vegan Cumin Cookies
Almond Cupcakes With Rose Scented Icing
Chocolate walnut snacking Cake
No Sugar added Bluberry Banana Sheet Cake
HAZELNUT FLOUR:
Orange scented hazelnut flour cake
Raspberry Chocolate Ice cream Roulade
Millet and Millet Flour
I love pearl millet grain as an alternative for rice and have used it in salads and sweet recipe. But I don’t have much experience using the flour. I have only used it in bread and flat breads in little proportion.
Warm millet salad with kale, lentil and roasted sweet potatoes
Coconut Flour
Thai Inspired Healthy Brownies
Dark chocolate cake with cape velvet ganache
Sweet N Savory Vegan Cumin Cookies
Buckwheat groats and Flour
Cabbage and Sprouted Mung Bean Fritters
Sabudana Thaleepeeth/ Sago Flatbread
Carrot Date and Nut Cake (with buckwheat honey)
Date, Nut and Seed Squares (with buckwheat honey)
Buckwheat Crepes with Summer fruits & Chocolate Fudge sauce
Teff Flour
Apsar
Hi….I am really glad to see your website of Gf foods. I just can’t tell you that I’m really excited to prepare indian foods n breads with GF flours….my husband is gluten intolerant so I can do try your recipes for him. Thanks a lot…..
Balvinder
I am happy if I can help people with my gluten free recipes, sorry though for replying so late. do let me know if you try anything.
Jeannie
It seems that most of what I bake has an underlying strong flavour, not a nice one. My husband described it as almost metallic. It seems it may be rice flour, brown rice flour in particular. Reading some of the comments about rancid flour, I’m wondering if that is it. I go through the flour quite quickly, so although I don’t store it in the fridge, it seems this wouldn’t be the problem. But I’m not sure. What do you think?
Balvinder
Hi Jeanie,
I am gluten free from 5 years and pretty happy with what I bake using brown rice flour and never noticed any metallic taste that you are talking about. Its usually bean flours that give the off taste. Is it the brown rice flour mix or just brown rice flour? Sometimes a particular brand doesn’t taste good. I store all my flours in the fridge as soon as I buy, whether or not I finish in 3- 12 months. There are some grains like quinoa, oat and amaranth that I grind myself as needed, so they are not necessary to be refrigerated. If you and your husband strongly think it is brown rice flour then I would suggest you, adding some sorghum flour in whatever recipe you bake. It adds a lovely flavor, closest to wheat. I am sure you will love it. Check out my recently posted cake recipe using sorghum flour.
Anupama
what a treasure trove of information. I am sure to be visiting this page many many times. thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Balvinder
Anu, I also use buckwheat and masa harina flours but haven’t yet posted any recipes with it. Will add it to the list once I post.
Anupama
would like to share this on facebook. thank you 🙂
Balvinder
Thank you for sharing!
Rukhsar
I love your website, I have tried the ricotta cheese burfi and it was so tasty. My Abba ji has to have a gluten free diet so these recipes are so helpful especially your gluten free pantry page thank you so much!
Balvinder
Thanks Rukhsar for liking my blog and trying out ricotta cheese burfi. Next time you try anything send me a photo.
Jordan
Hi
I’m a bit confused: when you give the components for the flour mix, you have ” 1 cup white rice flour, 1 cup brown rice flour” etc. Does this mean that you use either white OR brown? Because above that you say you use three flours. I’m really looking forward to trying your Samosa recipe.
Thanks
Balvinder
Hi jordan I am here to clear your confusion. If you read it carefully I use three types of rice flour blend for my recipes.
If I want to use just white rice flour blend for a recipe (as in aloo samosa) I use 2 cups of white rice flour, 2/3 cup of potato starch and 1/3 cup of tapioca + xanthum gum. If I am making something for the breakfast ( as in these scones) and want to use a healthier blend then I replace white rice flour with brown rice flour. The ratio for tapioca and potato starch remains the same. Sometimes I just mix and match both white and brown rice flour and make a third blend. Again the ratio for tapioca and potato is the same. Hope it makes sense.
Parminder
Hi Balvinder
I thought I saw a GF panjiri recipe on your blog but can’t find it. Do you have one (not with turmeric)?
Can I use sorghum or amaranth flour instead of atta?
Balvinder
Hi Parminder, its been long time since you visited.
I only have turmeric panjiri recipe posted on my blog. However, I do have urad daal pinni and dry parshad recipes to give you some ideas. Of course, you can use sorghum and amaranth flour instead of atta. Keep the ratio of sorghum more than amaranth.
Aparna
Can we replace Xanthan gum with flax or Chia ? Pls help me how much to substitute in the blend ?
Balvinder
Yes, you can replace Xanthum gum with ground Flax seeds and Chia seeds but you have to experiment to determine the right proportions for different flours and recipes. Some recipes work better with Xanthum gum than Chia seeds or Flax seeds, its just my opinion because it helps in forming air pockets in bread and a better crumb in cakes. You won’t need any of this if a particular cake recipe has other ingredients to give structure and airiness, like my Lemon pound cake and Buckwheat flour muffins.
Hope this helps.
Isha
Hi! What type mill grinder, do you use to make flours at home? Please let me know. Thanks!
Balvinder
I use Vitamix machine and bought a dry grinder jar. It has a different blade, specifically for grinding grain into flour.
Isha
Hi Balvinder! Do you have a replacement for the xantham gum ? Thank you.
Balvinder
There are several options. You could use psyllium husk, flax seeds, chia seeds, besan, guar gum or arrowroot. Though I use all these options mentioned in my recipes but I am not against using xanthun gum.
It is used in tiny amounts and helps better with binding, thickening, and providing structure, in gluten-free baking.