If I had a pretty penny for every time a recipe called for a random flour I didn’t have… Well, I might not be rich, but I’d definitely be getting there! Throw catering for dietary requirements into the mix – things can get tricky.
So, what flours can be subbed, cup-for-cup, and which swaps should be avoided? For home cooks, (particularly those with limited pantry space – myself included) it’s the ultimate question.
That’s why I’ve been tinkering with just about every flour variety I could get my hands on in recent weeks and months to try to get to the bottom of it.
And I think I’m there! At least almost. As more flour varieties cross my kitchen counter and make their way into my cooking, I’ll endeavour to continue to update this list, but it’s a start, and I think most of the more common offenders have been covered.
As far as substitutions go, I’ve found flours are not always a one stop shop, so I’ve noted where recipes may benefit from a little mixing and matching to find their sweet spot.
If there are any flours I’ve missed that you want to know more about, please let me know in the comments below.
| Flour | Free-from | Texture/tastes like | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| White all-purpose | Nuts | Light and fluffy | Try a 50/50 split with another flour to increase fibre |
| Whole-wheat | Nuts | More textured and slightly denser than white, but still quite light and very versatile | A straight swap works well in most recipes |
| Gluten-free | Gluten, wheat, nuts – check the packet for preservatives or stabilisers if you have a specific sensitivity, intolerance or allergy | Very fine – some brands can be chalky. Neutral flavour | Can vary by brand – check the packet. Try a 50/50 mix with another gluten-free flour like buckwheat for added fibre and depth of flavour |
| Spelt | Nuts | Lighter than whole wheat but denser than white. Mild nutty flavour | Depends on the recipe – but I have had a lot of success with straight swaps, particularly with flavoured foods (i.e.: chocolate or spiced recipes). A 50/50 swap with whole-wheat works well too |
| Buckwheat | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Denser and slightly more textured than whole-wheat, with a nutty/earthy flavour | Can be subbed cup-for-cup in heavier recipes – like brownies or cookies. For lighter foods, like cakes and breads, try adding ½ tsp baking soda per cup and use a 50/50 mix with another gluten-free flour, or whole-wheat if gluten/wheat isn’t an issue |
| Quinoa | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Textured consistency and bold, earthy and at times bitter flavour | Can be subbed cup-for-cup in heavier recipes – like brownies or cookies. For lighter foods, like cakes and breads, try adding ½ tsp baking soda per cup and use a 50/50 mix with another gluten-free flour, or whole-wheat if gluten/wheat isn’t an issue |
| Green banana | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Can be very dense and dry if other ingredients are not balanced | Substitute 1.5 cups of green banana flour for every 2 cups of white or whole wheat flour called for in a recipe. Try adding ½ tsp baking soda per cup and make sure there’s enough liquid/binding agents, like eggs |
| Chickpea/garbanzo bean/gram | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Heavy and savoury | Substitute 1.5 cups of gram flour for every 2 cups of white or whole wheat flour called for in a recipe. When baking, try adding ½ tsp baking soda per cup and consider a 50/50 mix with another gluten-free flour, or whole-wheat if gluten/wheat isn’t an issue. I wouldn’t recommend this flour for sweet recipes |
| Oat | Uncontaminated oats are gluten-free, wheat-free and nut-free – but check the packet | Dense texture with a neutral flavour | Best used in combination with another flour in lighter baked goods – try a 50/50 split with buckwheat or whole-wheat if gluten/wheat isn’t an issue |
| Almond | Gluten, wheat | Dense and nutty | Try a 50/50 split with another flour to avoid weighing down your recipe |
| Coconut | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Dry. Dry. Dry. Did I mention dry? I don’t recommend trying to substitute another flour with coconut flour. Recipes which use coconut flour need plenty of moisture/oil | Honestly, don’t try to sub it. I’ve been there, and it never works out. However, I find coconut flour works great with nut butters or very moist mixtures where there’s lots of liquid to absorb, if you want to experiment |
| Arrowroot | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Very fine and neutral flavour | Technically a starch. Best used as a thickening agent in soups, pies, sauces, crumbles or custards, and in some baking – but stick to a majority flour (at least 3:1 flour to arrowroot) |
| Tapioca | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Very fine and neutral flavour | Technically a starch. Best used as a thickening agent in soups, pies, sauces, crumbles or custards, as well as in crepes, and some baking – but I couldn’t recommend substituting tapioca flour in recipes that don’t already call for it |
| Corn starch | Nuts, gluten, wheat | Very fine and neutral flavour | Best used as a thickening agent in soups, pies, sauces, crumbles or custards |
