My Favorite Gluten-Free Flours

In this day and age, it is SO much easier to eat a gluten-free diet. Whether that be because you have a gluten sensitivity or allergy, or because you are wanting to try something a little different. My boyfriend has recently cut out gluten, per his doctor, to try and help with migraines. That means it has been some fun gluten-free cooking and baking on my end! Definitely a silver lining.

One thing that I can say for sure is that each gluten-free flour is NOT made equally and most are not like regular AP flour. I had to take that learning curve the hard way! But what I can say is that there are many great choices out there to choose from. I am very impressed not only with the variety, but truly how exceptional and easy access these choices have become.

I know often times living that gluten-free life isn’t easy, props to those who have been doing it before this became trendy! But through trial and error, here are my top 3 gluten-free flours:

Almond Flour

I would say that almond flour is the most well-known and common gluten-free flour choice out there. With the fat content in the almonds themselves I think this flour provides the best texture for baked goods. Plus, I would say it doesn’t have a strong almond flavor either, so it works in a lot of different kinds of recipes!

I have not found success in using this in cooking recipes like using it for thickening or breading yet, I mainly use it for baking and it is quite the success. I prefer it in more bread-y products like banana bread or muffins. Brings in a subtle earthy flavor that really helps balance sweetness out in baked goods.

Some brands to try: Whole Foods 365 brand and Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour

Oat Flour

Okay, so not as common but one of my favorites to use if I don’t have a gluten-free flour on hand or I am trying to be cost effective. All you do is place whole oats into a blender and food processor and pulse until a flour, powdery consistency. That is it! Super simple to make, does a great job of binding and also has a very mild taste to it. Plus, you cannot beat the price.

I enjoy using this in baking as well as cooking! It is a great binder (you can see it being used as that in my turkey meatball recipe) and really keeps the moisture in what you are cooking. Think about oats when you make them, they suck up ALL that water and it acts the same in cooking and baking as well. This will make for a more tender bake and won’t taste as “traditional”.

Some brands to try: Any oats! I prefer the texture of old fashioned oats and get the organic ones from Whole Foods. I personally use my magic bullet to pulse these oats a few times until there is a smooth powder consistency.

All Purpose 1:1

So this 1:1 option has to be my favorite of all time when it comes to gluten-free baking. The 1:1 refers to using one cup of gluten-free flour for what you would use a regular AP flour for. So this can really open up a whole new world of opportunity when it comes to recipes!

Any recipe that calls for regular flour you can use that flour for. Usually it is a blend of a few different types of flour and starches like rice flour, tapioca flour and maybe even a potato starch. It varies brand to brand, so take a peek at the ingredients to make sure all of those ingredients work best for you!

I typically use this in any kind of baking where I am trying to make it seem not gluten-free, so recently things like cakes and cookies where it doesn’t change the texture too much. I have also recently been using it as a thickener in cooking for things like a beef stew. 10/10 would recommend! The only downside I have with this product so far is that it is usually the most expensive option, so it may not be doable if you use a lot of it often.

Some brands to try: Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Flour and King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Both are pretty big bags and for me last a while, great quality as well! Usually a bit cheaper online rather than the store so save a few bucks and order online if you can.