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COMPLETE Guide to Gluten Free Flour and the Flour Mix

The COMPLETE guide to gluten free flour and gluten free flour blends. Learn about the properties of different flours and how to create your own gluten free flour mix at home. Updated 15th December 2025

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Note: The recipes to my 3 gluten free flour blends are in a separate dedicated recipe post: Click Here

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What is gluten free flour?

I’ve been asked many times ‘what is gluten free flour?’ and I admit, it’s a difficult question to answer. The world of gluten free flour is complex and can feel disorientating. If you take every packet of ‘gluten free flour’ and set the ingredients side by side, each one is completely different.

You see… there’s no such thing as one ‘gluten free flour’. Gluten free flours are a collection of ‘powders’ made from ground seeds, grains, fruits, nuts, legumes and even insects. Each has its own unique properties… From taste and texture, to nutritional content and how it reacts when used in baking and cooking. You can’t grab one gluten free flour, or even one gluten free flour blend to bake everything successfully. And at times, knowing which flours to pick and combine together for which recipe can become a little overwhelming.

In this post, I help make sense of some of the qualities of different gluten free flours. I also hope to show you how easy it is to start experimenting. And how to make your own gluten free flour blends at home.

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Flour before Coeliac Disease

Before we became a Coeliac family in 2011, baking was relatively straightforward. In the cupboard, we had bags of plain flour, self-raising flour and bread flour…. either brown or white. Okay, that may be a little simplistic. But wheat flour was a given in the kitchen and pretty much every recipe relied on its qualities, not least the gluten it contained. That gluten (a protein) is a remarkable and reliable thing. It provides structure, support, airiness and elasticity and gives infinite possibility to what can be baked. But for Coeliacs, it is also poison!

The moment gluten has to be avoided, baking becomes an alien world.  While there are dozens of individual gluten free flours out there, none come close to the glutenous qualities of wheat flour. And (regardless of what you are making) they rarely work effectively alone. That’s where the gluten free flour blend comes in…

What is a gluten free flour mix or blend?

A gluten free flour mix is exactly what it says… A combination of a few (or many) individual gluten free flours, carefully selected for their unique properties, which when mixed in a recipe, work together for the bake to be successful.

Now, you would hope that going to the supermarket and grabbing a pre-mixed bag of ‘gluten free flour’ from the shelf would be the answer to your prayers! Sadly, this is not the case. In my experience, each bag produces different results. Indeed, I’ve yet to find any one single bag of commercially blended flour that works for all recipes.

Of course, some are better than others in terms of nutritional content and reliability. But in the 15 years I’ve been baking gluten free, I’ve yet to be 100% happy with any single blend purchased. Even the best of them needs extra individual flours added to make some recipes work.

To be fair, there appears to be an increase in the variety of blends out there. But the ‘worst’ commercially available gluten free flour mixes tend to be heavily weighted with rice flour. (Incidentally, these are often the cheapest and stocked by big supermarkets). And too much rice flour results in a dry, crumbly, gritty texture, with minimal nutritional value.

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Concerns about rice flour

There is a growing body of evidence that consuming rice flour in large quantity could be harmful. This is due to concern that it contains arsenic from water and soil contamination.

Boiled rice carries less risk. The process of boiling it in water (particularly if soaked for several hours before rinsing and cooking (as advised in this BBC health article)), washes most of the arsenic out. Rice flour however, is not washed, but is mostly produced by grinding rice before it is cooked. Although some flours (particularly the Asian varieties) are made with rice soaked in water, research indicates that this does not, in itself, remove the risk. While levels of arsenic vary from country to country, there is no unaffected region (source).

When eating rice at low levels within a standard diet, the impact is relatively small. However, the majority of commercial gluten free baked goods contain a significant proportion of rice flour in replacement for wheat. Thus, for Coeliacs, the diet may quickly switch from damaging wheat to toxic rice. If you buy ready-made bakes, flours and mixes, take time to read the packaging. You may be shocked at how much potentially harmful rice you are consuming. Indeed, a scientific literature review (UK Food Standards Agency) on levels of arsenic in rice identifies those “adhering to… diets where rice is used as a substitute for other grains due to grain intolerances”… “may be at risk from excessive arsenic exposure through rice consumption” (p56).

More information on arsenic in rice:

Why make your own gluten free flour mix?

Regardless of arsenic risk, my personal dissatisfaction with the texture and results from most commercially-available flour blends (I became gluten free in my 40’s and thus still have a strong palate memory for what ‘normal’ food tastes like), led me to mix my own gluten free flour very early in my Coeliac kitchen journey. I quickly learned that the flours in the mix really matter to meeting the needs of each recipe. Indeed, some recipes demand uniquely-tailored flour blends. However, I also developed three standard ‘all purpose’ gluten free flour blends which I use across many recipes. Two of these are rice-free (one brown and one white). The third is a balanced option containing rice flour (which I still use for some treats and non-staple items).

The biggest reason to make your own gluten free flour mix, however, is that it gives you complete versatility and control over the quality, texture, flavour and success of each bake. And also, importantly, the quality of the nutrition in your diet. Given the amount of baked goods we consume, enjoyment and health are both important considerations. Many flours prove themselves to be fantastic sources of protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Surely that has to be better than empty carbs?

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Which ready-mixed flour blend for which bake?

As mentioned, ‘bespoke’ mixing is important for some bakes. However, I still use my 3 basic Gluten Free Flour Blends for many recipes (particularly cakes, biscuits and some pastries).

White blends A and C are a good choice for light-coloured bakes (eg. Victoria Sponge Cake; White Chocolate Blondies; Churros; Custard Creams), although C has a ‘smoother’ texture. Personal preference and degree of acceptable ‘riceyness’ may sway you towards one or the other. But both are pretty much interchangeable!

Blend B is highly nutritious (with particularly protein-rich and wholegrain flours). It is my ‘go to’ for darker bakes, including as a base-blend in some bread recipes. Indeed, it’s my favourite flour blend for versatility and results. Check my popular Gluten Free Brown Bread; its vegan cousin – Vegan Gluten Free Wholemeal Bread; Dark and Sticky Jamaican Ginger Cake; favourite Shortcrust Pastry; ‘go to’ Chocolate Cake; and BEST Banana Bread.

For carb ‘staples’ like bread and pastry, I generally err towards rice-free flour blends B and C as the base flour. Or I mix bespoke. This ensures the best nutritional quality and texture.

Regardless of bake, I’m obsessive in trying to make each one as close to, or better than its ‘wheat-filled’ cousins. I make no apology. I firmly believe that gluten free food is fabulous… But to achieve great results, flour blending is often necessary.

My 3 flour blend recipes are shared in a separate post: Gluten Free Flour Blends. They are also provided at the bottom of this post.

Is it easy to blend gluten free flour at home?

I appreciate that not everyone has a willingness to spend time weighing and mixing flours together. However, it’s really not as time-consuming as it sounds. Trust me… if it was, I wouldn’t be doing it! Once you’ve found a gluten free flour blend you’re happy with, it’s easy to stock up on the base flours and simply mix up batches of 500g to a kilo whenever the blend gets low. I weigh mine straight into an airtight container and shake vigorously to mix. It’s that easy and it gives you absolute control over what’s in there.

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Flour blending not for you?

If flour blending is not for you, then it’s fine to find a commercial mix you’re happy with. Many recipes at Gluten Free Alchemist (particularly those that use one of my 3 base blends (A, B or C) should work with any good standard commercial blend. The texture and hydration may vary slightly, but not in a way that causes the bake to ‘fail’. If the blend has a greater ratio of rice flour in particular, you may need to add a little more liquid. But the best advice is to judge for each recipe as you learn what works most effectively.

If you’re looking for a rice-free commercial blend, a handful are now available. Bobs Red Mill (for example) produce two rice-free flour blends… An All-Purpose Baking Flour (which is legume-based) and a Paleo Baking Flour (which is almond-based). I have not tried them however.

The Gluten Free Flour Larder

I admit to being rather OCD about gluten free flour. Indeed, I could be considered a bit nerdy when it comes to understanding it. When first diagnosed Coeliac, I spent hours researching individual flours and how to combine them to get the most from their unique qualities. In careful combination, they can be magic!

My flour larder is a veritable treasure trove of ingredients for gluten free alchemy. Tub after tub of powdered grains, beans, nuts and seeds lined up… each with different characteristics, flavours and textures… And many nutritionally superior to traditional wheat flour. How they’re used and combined dictates the lightness, denseness, texture, flavour, crispness, moistness and richness of the finished bake.

Of course, I’m not suggesting everyone should have as many flours in their larder as I do. But if you’re still reading this post, I guess you’re seriously considering the possibility of using a home-blended gluten free flour mix. Or even more exciting… creating your own gluten free flour recipe. That’s fantastic!

Arm yourself with some basic knowledge about the qualities of individual gluten free flours (most of which I outline below). And be ready to experiment and risk a few baking disasters along the way. You’re about to open the door into a world of culinary adventure…

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Where to source gluten free flour

While the full range of individual gluten free flours is overwhelming, a few basics are used more often than others. The ones I blend with most frequently (tapioca starch; corn starch (UK cornflour); potato starch; sorghum; white teff; gluten free oat; millet; buckwheat; cassava; white rice and brown rice) are ones you may choose to source (although there are many other options). I also frequently use maize flour and Mochiko (Asian sticky rice flour) for some recipes. If thinking about making a flour mix, it might help to choose one of my 3 base blends and source the flours needed as a start point… Or find a bake recipe you want to try and source the specific flours needed.

As with other gluten free products, be sure to buy base flours that are certified gluten free if you are Coeliac or need to avoid gluten for health reasons.

Local Supplies

Many key gluten free flours can be found or ordered into good health food, nutrition and whole food shops. To find stores, I recommend doing a bit of google research in your local area to check options. I also use a couple of great local farm shops, that often have an unexpectedly good range. Interestingly, I rarely find what I need in places like Holland and Barrett. This is because many of their products are not certified as Coeliac-safe. For Mochiko, white rice flour, tapioca and potato starches however, Asian supermarkets are a good option.

Buy Online

If you can’t source the flours you need on the ground, check the internet for suppliers. In the UK, Ocado has a reasonable range of some of the basics; as does Healthy Supplies (one of my favourite on-line ingredient stores); Pure Gluten Free (limited to absolute basics, but certified as prescription safe); Shipton Mill; and Your Health Store. Other Flours is a newer supplier that has an amazing range of safe (and often less available) options. However, there are plenty of other on-line sources, so check around.

Depending on where you live, diagnosed Coeliacs may still be able to order some flours on prescription. This option has, however, pretty much been removed for single flours, with updated prescribing rules.

For those of you who decide to give gluten free flour blending a go, I’d love to hear how you get on. Ping me a comment, e-mail kate@glutenfreealchemist.com, or tag me into your creations on social media (Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest).

Gluten Free Flour Categorised

Below is a list of single gluten free flours that can be used within a gluten free flour mix and in gluten free baking. The list is categorised into type of flour (starch; protein; nut; etc). It also includes a section on key gluten-‘replacing’ binders. While the list is extensive, it does NOT include every flour. There are many other options available around the world which can be region-specific and which are not necessarily widely available. But in the gluten free kitchen, every day is a school day! So… If you use a flour in your gluten free flour blend that is not listed, let me know!

For individual flours, I’ve also noted key substitutes below under each heading. Bear in mind that no one flour reacts exactly like another. Thus, substitutions may require slight recipe tweaks re hydration or binding. NOTE: I now have a detailed Gluten Free Flour Substitution Guide and Chart that you may find helpful. It should be read in conjunction with information below for flour blending.

Guidance on how to create a bespoke gluten free flour mix is further down the page.

Gluten Free Starch Flours

Brown and White Rice Flour

Rice Flour is often used as a staple base flour in gluten free products and particularly in commercial flour blends and bakes, not least because it is very cheap. Made from finely milled rice, it’s fairly versatile, easy to obtain and easy to digest. However, because the body breaks down the starch quickly, it may cause spikes in blood sugar if eaten in large quantity.

Rice flour is best mixed with other gluten free flours, to balance its nutrition as well as its baking qualities. It’s bland in flavour, but can create a dry and slightly gritty texture. For a finer grind (that is less gritty), sourcing basic (not ‘glutinous’) rice flour from Asian supermarkets is an option. Brown rice flour has a slightly higher protein content, although I wouldn’t place it as ‘significant’ on the ‘protein’ or ‘structural’ flour continuum.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests rice flour contains arsenic (see above). Thus, when eaten in large quantity and on a regular basis, it may be harmful to health. It’s my view, based on what I’ve read, that while it still has a place, it should be used in moderation within the overall diet. Brown rice flour is considered to be wholegrain, but also potentially more harmful.

Possible substitutes – For white rice flour: brown rice flour; UK maize/US corn flour (not starch). For Brown Rice Flour: UK maize/US corn flour (not starch); sorghum; millet.

Potato Starch

Potato starch is another excellent gluten free starch flour (different from ‘potato flour’). Made from washed, dried potato starch, it is a white, fine powder with a slightly clumpy appearance. Potato starch readily absorbs liquid, has a neutral flavour and good binding ability. Because of these qualities, it’s a helpful addition in a gluten free flour mix. Nonetheless, it is nutritionally limited and is quite a ‘heavy’ flour (needing high hydration). As such, it should be carefully balanced against other lighter starches (such as corn or tapioca starch). Too much potato starch in bread, for example, increases density.

Possible substitutes – Contrary to some internet advice, and because of the above, the lighter starches (corn; tapioca; arrowroot) are not (in my experience) good 1:1 substitutes for potato starch. Cassava flour however is a helpful replacement where potato starch is used at small ratio in recipes… For larger substitutions, try a combination of cassava 2:1 tapioca; or very fine white rice 1:1. 

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Tapioca Starch (Flour) – Paleo

A fine, white flour of dried starch extracted from Cassava (manioc) root. Tapioca Starch (aka tapioca flour) is very versatile, if nutritionally lacking. It is much lighter than potato starch, but has excellent absorption and binding qualities. It is an excellent addition to any gluten free flour blend. While it supports the lightness of cakes and biscuits, it also adds a little ‘stretch’ to bakes such as breads. Used in too high a ratio, it may give a chewy result. Tapioca starch has a slightly sweet flavour and combines easily with other flours. On its own, it works well as a thickener for gravies and sauces or as a flour coating.

While tapioca starch is best balanced with other wholegrain or protein-rich flours (both for nutritional value and texture), it can also be used as a lone flour when making specific bakes. One example is the addictively delicious Pandebono (also known as Pão de Queijo and South American Cheese Bread).

Possible substitutes: arrowroot starch; corn starch.

Corn Starch (UK Cornflour)

Corn Starch (UK Cornflour), is made from the finely powdered starch of the maize grain. Found in the baking aisle of supermarkets, it’s a very light and versatile gluten free flour and excellent lightening ingredient for cakes, biscuits and pastry. Because it does not absorb liquid easily, its qualities help to provide a crisper bake. It does however, have a tendency to be dry and powdery. Thus, it needs to be balanced alongside other, more moisture-retaining flours (such as potato starch, oat flour, maize flour, or almond flour). 

As corn starch (UK cornflour) is virtually tasteless with superb thickening qualities, it’s perfect for use in sauces. It is, perhaps, best known as the base flour of custard. But it’s also my ‘go to’ thickener when making roux sauce for dishes like Cauliflower Cheese, Mac and Cheese and Veggie Lasagne. For more information on corn starches and flours, see my Ultimate Guide to Corn Flour, Corn Starch and Maize Flour.

Best substitute: arrowroot starch; possible substitute: tapioca starch

Glutinous Rice Flour

Glutinous Rice Flour (from a short-grain variety of rice) is also called sticky rice or sweet rice and is mainly grown in East and Southeast Asia. In Japan it is called ‘Mochiko’. Despite its name, it does not taste sweet, nor does it contain any gluten. When cooked however, it becomes particularly sticky or gluey, giving excellent binding and structural qualities for some recipes. It’s low in fat and rich in carbohydrate and is widely available in Asian and Thai supermarkets. (Note: it’s stupidly expensive on Amazon… Buy local if possible!)

Glutinous rice flour is very fine in appearance. It has a higher starch content than other types of rice flour and thus, is helpful as a thickening or binding agent in soups and sauces. But it also works extremely well in a gluten free flour mix (used in small quantities) to give extra elasticity. I use it in my homemade Gluten Free Pasta; fabulous Yeasted Fried Doughnuts; perfectly laminated Gluten Free Puff Pastry; and several bread recipes, including my Crusty White Sandwich Bread.

Possible substitutes: There are no clear comparative alternatives other than other Asian glutinous rice flours. However, if you are intolerant to rice entirely, tapioca starch may work in some recipes.

Arrowroot – Paleo

Arrowroot is a white, starchy, flavourless gluten free flour. It is extracted from the root of the arrowroot plant, best known for its amazing thickening properties. When heated in liquid, arrowroot converts to a completely clear gel that does not break down when mixed with acidic ingredients. As such, it’s perfect for thickening a fruit coulis.

Although it can be harder to source in bulk (particularly in the UK), it is worthy of its place in the gluten free flour blending larder. It offers a light, starchiness for baking and is the best substitute for corn starch (UK cornflour).

Best substitute: corn starch (UK cornflour); or possible substitute:tapioca starch in a flour blend

Cassava Flour – Paleo

Cassava flour is a white, starchy flour made from grated, dried cassava root, native to South America (also known as yuca). It’s almost entirely carbohydrate, neutral in flavour and easy to digest. While it’s suggested elsewhere that it can be substituted directly for wheat flour in most recipes, I personally have not found this to be the case. It is, however, useful in some flour mixes and is a lesser component of my Gluten Free Alchemist Rice-Free Flour Blend C. It’s also the base flour in Paraguayan Chipa (cheese bread). Cassava flour may be helpful as a partial alternative for people unable to eat potato starch.

Concerns about cassava

A recent concern has been raised regarding the possibility of harmful lead levels in cassava products. This particularly relates to those made exclusively from cassava (eg. paleo-friendly cassava chips). At the moment, the response from food testing agencies isn’t particularly comprehensive however.

There is only one recipe on the blog (Paraguayan Chipa) that uses cassava as a single flour. And while it is a component in flour blend C, it forms only 6% of the blend. Thus, when translated into a portion of cake or a slice or 2 of bread, the level of lead risk should be exceptionally low (based on research as it currently stands). This reassures me.

So what about tapioca starch (also derived from yuca/manioc)? The information so far available, suggests that because it is extracted from washed, pulped cassava, the contamination risk is reduced. Thus lead levels are very low and deemed safer, particularly taking account of ‘dilution’ within any baked goods (set alongside all other ingredients).

I’ve tested possible alternatives for flour blend C:

Best substitute: green banana flour.

Green Banana Flour – Paleo

Green banana flour (NOT ‘banana powder’) is made from unripe, green bananas that are peeled and dried before grinding. The resulting fine, starch flour is high in resistant starch so low on the glycaemic index. This means it has positive benefits for keeping blood sugar stable. Additionally, it provides fibre and a wide range of vitamins and minerals, including high levels of potassium, zinc, manganese, phosphorus and magnesium.

While typically, banana flour is used in parts of the Caribbean and Africa, in recent years it’s proved itself another option in the general gluten free flour larder.

It’s not the cheapest, but it can be eaten raw, making it useful in both baked and ‘no bake’ recipes. In its raw state it offers gentle ‘banana’ undertones, although these honestly border on neutral. Indeed, on baking (particularly when blended with other flours) any banana flavour is unnoticeable. If anything, it brings a slight ‘earthiness’ to the bake.

In addition to use in a gluten free flour mix, green banana flour is fabulous for energy balls, breakfast bowls and as a thickener in sauces and casseroles. It also makes great pancakes!

For flour blends, Green Banana Flour is the best alternative to cassava flour (see notes above).

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Corn Starch (UK Cornflour) and UK Maize Flour (US Corn Flour)

Maize Flour

Maize flour (known in North America as Corn Flour – 2 words!) is produced by milling whole dried corn kernels. The resulting flour can be yellow or white (depending on the corn used). For flour blends and baking be sure to use products that are specifically ‘fine ground’.

Maize flour can be used to bake corn muffins and breads. It also works well as part of a gluten free flour mix. With a designation pitched part-way between starch and protein (it contains fibre, protein and a little fat in addition to starchy carbohydrate), it’s a good alternative to brown rice, buckwheat or millet flour in a blend.

It has a higher absorption capacity than many flours, so is perfect in the flour blend for Gluten Free Gnocchi. It’s also the perfect flour for stretching Gluten Free New York Pizza dough!

Best substitutes: brown rice flour; fine ground polenta. Possible substitute: millet flour

Polenta

Polenta is the name given to an Italian dish – a type of corn ‘porridge’, that is traditionally eaten with fish and meat. However, the dish itself is made from polenta flour (a native ground cornmeal). When finely ground, Polenta can be combined with other flours to give a slightly dense, nutty bite to baked foods.

For baking and to avoid a gritty texture, use fine-milled polenta rather than the coarser version (unless the recipe specifically calls for a coarse-mill). 

For more information on Polenta and other corn/maize starches and flours, see my Ultimate Guide to Corn Flour, Corn Starch and Maize Flour.

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Sweet Potato Flour – Paleo

Sweet Potato flour (not sweet potato starch) isn’t cheap, but does have its place in the gluten free flour larder. It tastes milder than the stark sweetness of a baked sweet potato and works particularly well in muffins, flat breads and wraps. When used in a gluten free flour mix, it is best kept at a lower proportion to avoid it over-dominating.

Sweet potato flour is a great source of vitamin A and fibre and contains no fat or cholesterol. Moreover, it’s low on the glycemic index, making it perfect for keeping blood sugar in check.

It is difficult to source in the UK and as such, I personally have little experience of baking with it.

Wholegrain & protein gluten free flours

Buckwheat Flour (structural)

Despite its name, buckwheat flour has no relationship with wheat. Rather, it’s a grain produced by grinding the kernels (groats) of the buckwheat plant (a relative of rhubarb) into a fine powder. It’s a favourite in the Gluten Free Alchemist kitchen both for its structural properties and nutrition, offering both protein and fibre. It’s also low on the glycemic index and packed full of antioxidants, minerals and vitamin B.

Buckwheat has a nutty, but slightly bitter, earthy flavour. Thus, it can become a little dominant in bakes, if used in high volume. For this reason, you may prefer to mix it with more neutral flours. Nonetheless, it’s a versatile, wholegrain gluten free flour which adds both colour and wholesomeness to breads and cakes. It is also often found in gluten free pancake recipes, batters and some pastas.

Unground buckwheat groats make a delicious, nutritious alternative to rice. For more information, take a look at my separate post on Buckwheat.

Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten free. However, ensure your source is certified Coeliac-safe to avoid any risk of cross-contamination from growing or milling practices. 

Best substitutes: sorghum flour, millet flour, oat or chestnut flours

Quinoa Flour

Quinoa Flour (pronounced Keen-wah) is milled from the quinoa grain. It is a rare plant-based source of complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids (including lysine). It’s also packed with vitamins B and E, calcium, iron and phosphorus. Being low on the glycemic index, it helps to keep blood sugar levels balanced.

Quinoa flour has a mild, nutty flavour. It combines well with other gluten free flours in all baked goods, but especially enhances breads, biscuits and savoury pastries. The high protein content supports bake structure and texture.

Best substitutes: amaranth or white teff flours.

Quinoa seeds (unmilled) can be cooked up as a delicious alternative to rice or couscous (which contains gluten). See my Guide to Cook Quinoa Perfectly. It also makes a nutritious alternative to breakfast porridge. Check out my recipe for Quinoa Breakfast Bowl. Cooked quinoa can be enjoyed either hot or cold and can be stored in the fridge to eat over several days.   

Oat Flour

Made from ground oats, Oat Flour is easy to make at home… Simply grind gluten free oats into a fine powder. Oat flour is one of my favourite flours both for flavour and for its fabulous structural properties. However, while oats themselves ARE gluten free, not all Coeliacs (Celiacs) tolerate them. This is because they contain a protein called Avenin with a similar structure to gluten.

If you can eat them, they’re fantastically versatile. And oat flour is a perfect addition to any gluten free flour mix. It offers a gentle oaty flavour and creamy, slightly chewy texture to a whole range of bakes. It’s also particularly helpful for bread, as it produces a slightly elastic, soft texture to the dough. I use it in many recipes, including my super-soft gluten free Oat Bread and traditional Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns…. It also makes wonderfully nutritious savoury Oat Pancakes.

Because oats have excellent slow-release energy sustaining properties (low on the glycemic index), they’re also good for breakfast recipes (eg. Cacao-Courgette Breakfast Cake and Blender Pancakes). Oat flour is high in protein, fibre, vitamin E, B-vitamins and calcium. There is some evidence that eating oats can also support the lowering of cholesterol levels.

IMPORTANT: Always make sure you buy gluten free oats/flour that are certified gluten free, to avoid cross contamination which may otherwise result from the growing and production process. 

Best substitutes: sorghum flour; buckwheat flour; or a combination sorghum 3:1 quinoa flours

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Sorghum Flour (structural)

Produced from the sorghum cereal grain, Sorghum flour is milled to a soft, fine flour. It’s a wholegrain flour with nutritious qualities and an important part of my rice free, gluten free flour blends B and C. Sorghum is high-protein and high fibre as well as being a good source of iron, some B vitamins and phosphorous. It has a slightly sweet flavour, light texture and good binding abilities.

Used in high ratio, it may add a slightly grainy texture. Thus, it is best combined with other gluten free flours in baking. In my experience however, it’s a good all-round flour which works well in a whole variety of bakes. I love using sorghum in sweeter bakes like these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and proper Yeasted Doughnuts. It also adds structure and flavour to my epic Gluten Free Yorkshire Puddings. Sorghum is my ‘go to’ substitution in any flour mix for those unable to tolerate oat flour.

Best substitutes: oat flour; millet flour; buckwheat flour

Millet Flour (structural)

Perhaps best known as ‘bird seed’, Millet is also a nutritious seeded grass that can be ground into a gluten free flour.  It’s used in many parts of the world for making beer, porridge (check out my post on Gluten Free Porridge), stews and in bakes. Millet flour is rich in B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron and some other minerals.

Depending on the cooking process, the texture of millet will vary. It can be creamy like mashed potato, fluffy like rice, porridgy like oats or add a nutty texture to bakes, crumbs and coatings. Millet is earthy, if slightly sweet in flavour. The grains can be roasted before grinding at home for extra nuttiness. When added to flour blends for baking, millet brings a crisp, dryness to the end result. Millet has a shorter shelf life than some gluten free flours, and is best stored in a cool, dark place.

Best substitutes: sorghum flour; oat flour; teff flour; quinoa flour

Teff Flour (structural)

Teff is another fantastically nutritious gluten free grain that is milled into wholegrain flours (white and brown). It’s massively rich in calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, as well as being a superb source of protein and fibre. Native to Ethiopia, Teff is a staple in the diet of Ethiopians. Locally, it is used to make a spongy, fermented sourdough flatbread called Injera.

Teff has quite a strong flavour and is also quite heavy in baking. Brown teff is richer, with a slightly malty, earthy, nutty flavour. White teff is slightly sweeter and milder. However, combined with lighter flours and some starches, it works extremely well as part of a gluten free flour mix, and offers good structure and nutrition. For this reason, it’s a good choice as part of a blend for bread bakes, vegetable cakes and muffins, wholegrain and fruit cakes, as well as chocolate and other ‘darker’ cakes and biscuits. Indeed, it holds a balanced, but important place in my very versatile GFA Rice Free Flour Blend B.

Possible substitutes: Quinoa, Sorghum, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Chestnut

Amaranth (Rajgira)

Wholegrain Amaranth flour is made from the ground seeds of the amaranth plant. The seeds, however, can also be used whole or flaked in a variety of ways. An unsung hero of the gluten free world, its versatility is found in some breakfast cereals; made into porridge; used as a meal accompaniment in a similar way to rice or couscous (note: couscous contains gluten); sprinkled on salads when sprouting; used to make ‘popcorn’; and when ground, added to a gluten free flour mix for baking. 

A pseudo-cereal, Amaranth is extremely nutritious, and is a complete protein (meaning it contains all essential amino acids (including lysine)). It’s also a good source of fibre and essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron and vitamin E. Amaranth has a strong, slightly peppery flavour which can overpower. Thus, it’s best used in savoury dishes or blended with other, milder flours.

Possible substitutes:white teff flour, quinoa flour, millet flour.

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Hemp Flour (Paleo)

Whilst hemp comes from a plant from the cannabis species, it should not be confused with the marijuana variety. Indeed, while not particularly ‘mainstream’, hemp flour is a high protein, high fibre gluten free flour rich in vitamins and minerals (particularly calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, the B vitamins and vitamins A, D and E). It is also a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Dark in colour, hemp flour has a deep nutty flavour. This lends itself to gluten free flour blends, particularly for making savoury breads, crackers and pasta.

Possible substitute: sunflower seed flour

Sunflower Seed Flour (Paleo)

Made from fine-ground sunflower seeds, Sunflower Seed Flour is a high protein, low carb flour that is also keto friendly and nut free. It’s relatively neutral in flavour (with a hint of sweetness) and a slightly nutty texture. Thus it is a good option within a gluten free flour mix, particularly for cakes, cookies, scones and as a crumb-coat. Sunflower seeds are nutritionally rich in healthy fats, fibre, vitamins (particularly vitamin E) and minerals (particularly magnesium, selenium, phosphorus and potassium). Sunflower seed flour can be made at home by grinding raw sunflower seed kernels.

Possible substitute: hemp seed flour

Pumpkin Seed Flour (Paleo)

Pumpkin seed flour is ground from the kernels of pumpkin seeds. It is another high protein, low carb, nut free, keto-friendly option for a gluten free flour blend. Nutritionally, it contains all 9 amino acids and also contains healthy fats and essential minerals (zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium).

The down side (from a baking perspective) is that it’s green! Commercially-sourced pumpkin seed flour is usually partially de-fatted.

As a nut free alternative, I use ground pumpkin seeds in one of my two Gluten Free Nut Free Marzipan recipes.

Possible substitutes: sunflower seed flour; ground almonds/almond flour.

Bean and Legume Flours (high protein)

Soya Flour

Soybean flour is full of protein and is produced from roasted, finely ground yellow soya beans (usually defatted). It retains moisture well and has good thickening properties. This makes it a helpful addition to bread mixes, pastry and sauces. It is, however, very strong in flavour, which is not to everyone’s taste. 

Personally, it’s not a flour I use. This is because I find it quite ‘heavy’ and because I’m not a fan of its taste. Either way, don’t discount it… It has some fabulous nutritional qualities being very high in protein and very low in fat. It is also an excellent source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, manganese and folate.

Possible substitutes: peanut flour (defatted); lupin flour

Gram Flour

Gram flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour, chickpea flour or Besan) is produced from ground chickpeas. It is an essential ingredient in Indian and other cuisines from the Indian subcontinent. Gram is the flour usually used to make pappadums, onion bhajis and North African socca flatbread. Indeed, it offers good texture, binding and a wholesome flavour, providing robustness and additional stretch to flat breads, pastry, etc.  It’s a key ingredient used in my Soft Roti Flatbread; no psyllium Indian Flatbread; soft flour Gluten Free Tortilla Wraps; and my bespoke Gluten Free Pasty Pastry.

Gram flour contains plenty of protein, but is also high in carbohydrate and fibre. It equally provides good quantities of calcium, magnesium, folate, vitamin B6 and potassium to the diet.

Best substitutes: pea flour; fava bean (faba) flour. Possible substitute: oat flour.

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Fava Bean Flour (Faba Bean/Broad Bean Flour)

Fava Bean Flour is made from ground Fava beans (also known as faba or broad beans). It has a distinctive earthy flavour, which is best matched with savoury dishes. Nutritionally, it has a high protein-low fat content and is also a good source of carbohydrate and fibre. It also offers plenty of potassium, manganese, folate and calcium.

Fava bean flour tends to be used in combination with garbanzo/gram and other flours for gluten free baking. However, it is not easy to source in the UK (gluten free). Thus, it is not a flour I know well.

Best substitutes: gram flour; pea flour.

Pea Flour (not pea protein)

Pea Flour is ground from dried peas. It may be green or yellow, depending on the variety of peas used. Like the other legume flours above, it’s high in protein and low in fat, but provides a good source of fibre and carbohydrate. It is also high in potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc and folate.

Pea flour is lighter and milder in flavour than either gram/chickpea or fava/broad bean flours. It lends itself well to thickening, offers robustness to flatbread, pastry, etc and can be used as a single flour to make batter recipes such as pancakes and fritters. It is an excellent substitute for gram flour.

Best substitutes: gram flour; fava bean flour.

Peanut Flour

Peanut flour has become more widely available in recent years and is made from defatted, fine-ground peanuts. It’s very nutritious, with an exceptional protein content, medium source of carbohydrate and a reasonable level of fibre. Although it contains less oil than the whole nut, it nonetheless remains a good source of mono-unsaturated fats (which help to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol), and is rich in minerals (particularly potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and folate), vitamins and antioxidants.

Peanut is from the legume family and is not a nut. However, it can be used alongside almond flour in some recipes to give a more peanutty taste. Given its unique profile and flavour, it tends to be used specifically to bring flavour and protein to bakes such as breakfast bars, protein bites, cookies, muffins and pancakes. It’s also popular used in smoothies and porridge/overnight oats and to make ‘instant’ peanut butter. It is not easy to substitute.

Possible substitutes: sunflower seed flour; soya flour; lupin flour

Lupin Flour

Although not popular in the UK, Lupin Flour is available in other parts of the world. Thus, it needs consideration towards the gluten free flour mix. Made with lupin beans (also legume), it’s a powerhouse for protein, with a high fibre content, yet low in carbs. It’s also a great source of potassium, zinc, magnesium, calcium and iron. Apparently, it has a slightly nutty and earthy flavour, with a gentle bitterness in the background.

It’s not a flour I’ve personally used. However, I’m told it works well as part of a blend for cakes, muffins, flat breads and pancakes. Do let me know if it is a flour you use regularly and what you use it for!

Possible substitute: soya flour, peanut flour (defatted), sunflower seed flour

Tigernut Flour (Paleo)

Tigernuts are also from the legume family. They have a sweet nutty flavour, which makes tigernut flour a gorgeous addition to the gluten free flour mix. It works particularly well in cakes, cookies and biscuits. Indeed, its natural sweetness means you can cut back the sugar a little without feeling deprived.

Although a bit of an outlier in the legume flour family with a lower protein content, Tigernut flour is still fantastically nutritious, being rich in healthy monounsaturated fat, iron, potassium and vitamins A and C, as well as being a good source of fibre. It works as a good nut-free substitute for almond meal (either in part or whole) in some recipes. Indeed, it’s an important element (alongside pumpkin seeds or pine nuts) in my Gluten Free Nut Free Marzipan Recipe.

Possible substitute: ground almonds; almond flour.

Nut Flours

Ground Almonds (blanched almond meal) (Paleo)

Ground almonds (coarse) aren’t cheap, but are well worth having in the Coeliac larder. Their properties, especially for cakes, muffins, pastries and biscuits mean they quickly become a mainstay in gluten free baking. Milled from raw, blanched almonds, almond meal has a higher oil content than non-nut flours. Consequently, it helps make cakes rich, moist and decadent. Their sweet, nutty bite can make the difference between a good and a great bake. Indeed, cakes made with almonds seem to improve with age!

Ground almonds are sometimes used as a stand-alone flour. In these recipes, they give a wonderfully dense, moist, nutty texture. (See recipes for the Frangipane sponge used in my Pear Frangipane Tart; Italian Ricciarelli Cookies; Lemon Amaretti Cookies; and Flourless Orange Cake).

When used as part of a gluten free flour mix, ground almonds offer structure and moisture. But they can also help ensure crispness in pastry and biscuits. See for example: Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake; Marble Cake; Battenberg Cake; Italian Biscotti (Cantuccini); and the best Banana Bread.   

Almonds are high in protein, low in carbohydrate and contain fantastic levels of healthy mono-unsaturated fat and vitamin E. There appears to be a growing body of research that suggests they may also have fantastic cholesterol-reducing and other health-improving properties (see this article from BBC Good Food).

Best substitutes: other ground true nut flours (eg. hazelnut, pistachio nut, etc); Possible nut-free substitutes: sunflower seed flour, tiger nut flour, hempseed flour.

Fine Almond Flour (Paleo)

Almond flour is made from FINELY ground, blanched almonds. It has all the nutritional value and qualities of its coarse-ground sister above. However, because it’s more dense in volume, it needs to be weighed with care. It cannot be substituted on a volume for volume basis with ground almonds. 

A fine-ground powder, almond flour makes a great addition to pastry and biscuit/cookie recipes. It is the base flour in some Macaron recipes, makes delicious gluten free Almond Shortbread cookies, and works well in my Oat Breakfast Bars.

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Ground Hazelnuts and Hazelnut Flour (Paleo)

Also known as the Cobnut or Filbert, Hazelnuts can be eaten shelled and raw. They can also be ground (either raw or roasted) into a flour or paste. Nutritionally, they are rich in protein and unsaturated fat, high in fibre and low in carbohydrate. They and are also high in vitamin B6 and thiamine.

Ground hazelnuts have a sweet, creamy nutty flavour. This makes them perfect in biscuits, cakes, pralines, crumbles and pastries. As with other nut meals in a gluten free flour mix, they not only add nutrients, but provide structure and moisture. Examples of bakes where ground hazelnuts shine include: Italian Baci di Dama Cookies (Lady’s Kisses); Hazelnut Shortbread; my Ultimate Nutella Cupcakes; and Nutella Thumbprint Cookies. As a paste, they make the most incredible Hazelnut Butter and Healthy ‘Nutella’.   

Best substitutes: ground almonds; other ground true nuts (not peanut)

Ground Pistachio Nuts (Paleo)

Ground Pistachio is a wonderful nut flour and a great substitute to ground almonds, especially in cakes and cookies. With its beautiful green hue, ground pistachio is easy to make at home. Simply grind shelled raw, unsalted pistachio nuts in the blender. Just be careful not to grind too far or they will turn to nut butter.

Like other nut flours, pistachio is a good source of protein and fibre as well as healthy monounsaturated fat, vitamins A and C and several minerals.

At Gluten Free Alchemist, I love using ground pistachios. Favourite recipes include: Pistachio, Lime and Olive Oil Cake; a divine Pistachio Marzipan; deliciously moreish Nutty Pistachio Cookie Bites; decadent Pistachio and Orange Fondant Fancies; a Rhubarb and Custard Cake made with Pistachio Sponge;  Pistachio Meringue Cookies; and even Pistachio Pastry.   

Best substitutes: ground almonds; other ground true nuts (not peanut)

Chestnut Flour (Paleo)

Chestnut flour is made from finely ground sweet chestnuts (botanically classed as nuts). A darker flour with a deep, rich, nutty flavour, it has a reasonable protein content and is high in carbohydrates (with a medium glycemic index), but with a surprisingly low fat content. It also provides a good source of vitamin B, iron, folate and fibre.

Chestnut flour offers an earthy, rich quality to the gluten free flour mix. In baking, it supports moisture balance, flavour and lightness. It is particularly popular used in Italian cooking. And is perhaps most familiar in the naturally gluten free Tuscan Castagnaccio cake. 

Possible substitutes: brown teff flour; buckwheat flour

Specialised gluten free flours with a place in the mix

Coconut Flour (Paleo)

Coconut Flour is fairly unique in the list of gluten free flours. Nonetheless, it has some amazing properties that should be highlighted for gluten free baking. It is not a ‘nut’ in the true sense… Its flour is made from dried, ground coconut meat. 

Coconut flour is low in calories and sugar, but reasonably high in protein and very high in fibre. Consequently, it’s difficult to digest, although has a low glycaemic index score, helping to stabilise blood sugar levels.

In baking, coconut flour is extremely dry with a very high absorption capacity. As a result, it is the flour I have found most difficult to work with. Due to hydration requirements, it needs lots of additional liquid when baking (and benefits from extra egg to bind), without which the results are dense and crumbly. Coconut flour adds a distinctly coconut flavour to bakes. Combined with other flours however, at a ratio of about 20% or less of the mix, it adds good nutrition.

Having said this, coconut flour can create amazing results when used well. Indeed, one particular baker (Elana Amsterdam, sadly no longer with us) used it with some degree of magic. One of her sponge recipes is in these Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes, made by my daughter when she was 10. I also use it in my Coco Banana Freeze Bites. These are a favourite frozen energy ball snack at GFHQ (and perfect for using up over-ripe bananas)!

No obvious substitutes due to very high absorbency.

Gluten Free Wheat Starch

There has been a huge rise in the use of Gluten Free Wheat Starch (aka Codex wheat starch), particularly in commercial gluten free bread and pizza products and flour blends. The most well-known gluten free flour mix relying on it is Mulino Caputo Fioreglut (an Italian brand). However, it’s now featuring as a distinct ingredient to add to home blends too.

Gluten Free Wheat Starch is devoid of nutrition and is produced from the processed endosperm of the wheat grain. The starch is extracted to form a fine powder with the gluten proteins removed.

Gluten Free Wheat Starch is neutral in flavour and does not add any elasticity to the dough. It is, however, non-soluble, forming a consistent, firm gel when cooled. Thus it’s primarily used to thicken, bind, stabilize and improve texture and volume in gluten free baking. It is essential to note that although gluten free wheat starch is designated ‘gluten free’, it is NOT wheat free. Thus it should not be consumed by anyone with a wheat allergy.

From a Coeliac perspective, it MUST (by law) in the UK, Europe and America, be tested to contain less than 20 ppm gluten to be labelled ‘gluten free’. In Australia, the requirements are much tighter than this. However, it should be noted that some people with Coeliac disease continue to show a reaction even at low levels. This raises the question ‘is it actually safe’?

Is gluten free wheat starch safe for Coeliacs?

Broadly, research reports consumption of gluten free wheat starch as safe without notable gut damage. However, as it is being increasingly consumed, some evidence is emerging from ‘outlier’ research, that 20 ppm may still be too high, particularly for recovering and highly sensitive patients and possibly when consuming significant amounts of baked products in which it is contained (source).

As someone who has personally reacted to wheat starch, any unchecked and cumulative consumption concerns me. Thus, while I consume it occasionally (primarily when eating out), I choose not to add it to my gluten free flour blends or to specifically develop recipes that contain it.

It is however, a matter of personal choice. If you choose to eat wheat starch products the advice is this… ONLY eat products that are labelled gluten free (tested to legal limits). And be alert to symptoms that could be as a result, treating these as a potential personal risk.

Masa Harina

This is a regional maize flour traditionally used in Latin American cuisine. Masa Harina comes primarily as a white flour, but can also be blue, yellow and even red. Traditionally used to make corn tortillas and tamales, it’s produced via a process known as nixtamalization (which treats maize with an alkaline solution) before grinding into a fine flour. I provide more detailed information on Masa Harina in my separate Ultimate Guide to Corn Flour, Corn Starch and Maize Flour.

Although predominantly a starch, Masa Harina is reasonably nutritious for protein and fibre. It also offers high levels of vitamin B6, thiamine, manganese and magnesium. It’s easy to buy online from Mexican ingredient suppliers.

When I make my own tortillas, I use a 70-30 (white to blue) flour ratio, because somehow, they just taste richer and yummier!

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Maseca Masa Harina
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P.A.N. Masarepa

Masarepa

Another specialist Latin American maize/corn flour is Masarepa (also known as masa de arepa; masa al instante; and harina prococide). It differs from masa harina (above) in that it is not nixtamalized and is more refined, a little starchier and is precooked. It has a high absorption capacity and this makes it perfect for making Venezuelan Arepas… A crisp-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside South American filled corn cake.

The most popular brand of Masarepa is P.A.N, which comes as either a white or yellow corn flour. You can read more about Masarepa in my Ultimate Guide to Corn Flour, Corn Starch and Maize Flour.

Binders, stabilisers and gluten replacers used in a gluten free flour mix

The use of a binder or gluten ‘replacer’ is essential to most gluten free baking. It helps provide the elasticity and structure which is lost by removing gluten. Without it, your bakes (in particular breads, cakes and pastry) may become dry, crumbly and very difficult to handle. The key binders and gluten ‘replacers’ added to a gluten free flour mix are listed below :

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Xanthan Gum

Xanthan Gum is an ingredient used across both food and non-food industries and for this reason, receives mixed views on its place in the gluten free diet. It is, however, actually a natural gum, produced by fermenting sugar and ‘friendly bacteria’. While it adds little nutritional value (and indeed is not tolerated by everyone), used carefully, it can give dough and bake-mixtures a sticky consistency, helping to bind, thicken and give structure and ‘stretch’.

Xanthan gum is a hydrocolloid, meaning it absorbs and retains moisture to form a gel. Thus it improves texture and crumb consistency and improves rise and shelf life.

I have written a complete guide on Xanthan Gum in Gluten Free Baking. This talks you through everything you need to know including possible substitutes and measurements for use.

Guar Gum

Guar Gum (made from guar beans) is more difficult to obtain in the UK. However, it does the same job as xanthan gum. While there are variable xanthan to guar conversion rates suggested on the internet, my own experimentation suggests that a ratio of 1:1 to maximum 1:2 (xanthan gum to guar gum) works well. A little experimentation for any new recipe should help gauge where to pitch amounts!

It is important to note that in bakes with a higher acid content (those with citrus for example), guar gum is less effective. As such, an alternative binder (or increased guar gum) may be required.

Psyllium Husk

Psyllium is the fibrous husk from the seeds of the Plantago Ovata plant (native to India and Pakistan). It is a great source of soluble fibre and also provides calcium. Psyllium husk is one of my favourite gluten ‘replacers’ because of the magic qualities it brings, particularly to bread bakes. As a powerful hydrocolloid, it holds in moisture exceptionally well. Thus, when added to a gluten free flour mix, it provides stretch and elasticity and improves structure and shelf life.

Psyllium Husk helps to mimic gluten and works particularly well in yeasted and dough-based recipes (allowing dough to be kneaded and shaped). Although slightly less effective in cakes and cookies, it can nonetheless be used as a substitute for xanthan gum at a slightly different ratio.

For detailed information on psyllium husk and how to use it, see my separate post: Psyllium Husk in Gluten Free Baking – A Complete Guide

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Psyllium Husk

Ground Chia Seed (Paleo)

Chia seeds come from a plant in the mint family that originates from central and southern America. Rich in Omega 3, fatty acids, protein, sodium, fibre and a host of other vitamins and minerals, Chia seeds have been identified as a ‘superfood’ for their nutritional qualities. They are nutty in flavour, with a distinct, almost globular texture (when wet). The seeds can be sprinkled into cereals and salads, on yoghurts, or added to energy bars.

Chia is also a powerful hydrocolloid that absorbs up to twelve times its weight in liquid when soaked. While this sounds like a potential benefit for gluten free baking, my own experience tells me that they should be used in moderation and with caution.

Too much chia will result in heavy, dense, tight and stodgy bakes. Thus, I am not personally a fan of using them in general gluten free baking. On the other hand, when finely ground and used carefully and with practice, chia can be a helpful addition to the gluten free larder, particularly for those who are gluten free and vegan (or egg intolerant).

Chia is effective used as an egg replacer (as ‘chia eggs’). To make a chia ‘egg’, mix 1 tbsp of ground chia seed with 3 tbsp (45 ml/g) water and leave to stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Again, I prefer the flax egg alternative (see below) as I find it gives a lighter result.

Flaxseed (Linseed) (Paleo)

Flaxseed (also known as Linseed) is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids. It is either brown or yellow/golden. Nutritionally, it has a low carb, high fibre content, is stuffed full of antioxidants and supports the lowering/balancing of cholesterol levels in the body. Flaxseed is often overlooked. However, in its ground form it is a fabulous addition to gluten free flour mixes for bread, buns and pastries in particular, offering flexibility and structure to the crumb. Indeed, I use it as an important ingredient in my gluten free Brown (Wholemeal) Bread recipe.

It also has excellent binding properties and can be used effectively as an egg replacer in vegan baking (as ‘flax eggs’). To make a ‘flax egg’, mix 1 tablespoon milled (ground) flaxseed with 3 tablespoons (45 ml/g) water and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Flax is by far my preferred egg-replacer, as it maintains a higher degree of lightness in the final bake.

Be aware that once opened, flaxseed can go ‘rancid’ if not used quickly. Its shelf life can be extended by refrigeration.

Konjac Powder (Glucomannan) (Paleo)

Konjac powder derives from the root of the konjac plant, grown in south-east Asia. It is perhaps best known as the ingredient used to make zero fat, very low calorie noodles. However, it is also an effective, naturally gluten free gum, that can be used to thicken and bind in gluten free baking.  

It is not an ingredient I have tested. But the broad advice from those who have (as a replacement for xanthan gum), is to use Konjac powder at a ratio of 1:1 (the same amount) up to a maximum of 1.5:1 (1½ times the amount) xanthan gum stated.

Gelatine and Agar Agar (Paleo)

Gelatine and it’s vegan equivalent agar agar may not be immediately considered as options for gluten replacement. When used carefully within a gluten free flour mix however, they offer support and elasticity, particularly to bread. Indeed, I use it with great effect in the ‘no psyllium’ version of my Gluten Free Oat Bread. And also in my beautiful Bread Bouquet made with Oat, Teff and Millet Bread.

Gluten Free Flour Blend Recipes at Gluten Free Alchemist

When I first started gluten free baking, I experimented with a standard set of (largely) white flours that were (at that time) available to us on prescription and were easy to source. The resulting Gluten Free Alchemist Flour Blend ‘A’, a white flour mix, was both neutral and versatile. Although it is a rice-based flour, it proved itself better than most commercial rice-based blends and has served me well. Indeed, I still use it in many of my bakes, particularly for cakes and biscuits. It produces a great crumb and mild flavour and will always be a part of my larder.

As my gluten free baking has become more sophisticated however, and as I have become more nutritionally aware, I have sought to develop general gluten free flour mixes that are more nutritionally balanced. This process has taught me much. I now have two general use rice-free flour blends: wholegrain blend B; and white blend C. All three of my general flour blend recipes are available on the blog. They can be found HERE, in my Gluten Free Flour Blends post (click the link).

More specialist gluten free baking however (particularly for bread, pasta, some pastries, etc), may demand bespoke flour mixes to meet a desired texture and flavour. Gluten free baking should never be limited! Thus, I often ‘play’ with new blends to suit whatever I am making. 

How to create a Gluten Free Flour Mix – Flour blending step by step

If you are a frequent baker, I urge you to try creating gluten free flour blends in your own kitchen. Not only is it fun, but you will inevitably find amazing ‘new’ ingredients that you love and that enhance what you eat. With a few basic principles, you can build knowledge and gain confidence. This will open the door to better bakes, better nutrition and a renewed love and enjoyment of eating.

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Basic rules and considerations

I’m sure I’m not alone in complaining about the quality of some commercially-baked gluten free cakes, biscuits, breads, etc… They can be mouth-suckingly dry, crumbly, dense and brick-like…. Some of them go stale exceptionally fast, or taste gummy, grainy or chewy… (I see you nodding guys. I feel your pain!). The trouble is (and despite the price we pay) they are often made with the cheapest flours, coupled with a lot of preservatives and that inevitably compromises quality.

When it comes to gluten free baking, the texture, flavour, freshness and fragility of the final bake is massively dependent on the choice of flours used to make it. The good news is that with so many different gluten free flours now available, the opportunity to experiment is endless.

Gluten is basically protein, which in wheat flour bakes, provides structure as well as elasticity to the crumb. It makes bakes soft, pliable, able to hold moisture, lasting and robust. As such, any good gluten free flour mix needs to do its best to mimic those qualities…

So… when deciding what to put in a gluten free flour mix, basic rules and considerations apply:

1. Include protein-rich flours

It’s important to include a balance of protein-rich and whole grain flours in any gluten free flour blend. Protein is required for structure and support. I use the word ‘balance’ however, with meaning. Too much protein and a bake can quickly become heavy, reluctant to rise and stodgy. Too little, and it may become overly starchy, devoid of goodness, unwilling to hold together or gummy.

Think about the texture and flavour you want to achieve. And try and match the protein flours that you have available, to the desired result. For example: Oat flour (if you can tolerate it) adds creaminess, support and texture. Ground almonds and other nuts add nuttiness and moisture (which often improves with age), but will also give a slightly denser crumb. Buckwheat, chestnut, teff, soya and bean flours tend to have a stronger flavour which unless used sparingly, can come to dominate and mask the key flavours of the bake itself. Bean flours also tend to be ‘heavier’, but have a reasonable ‘stretch’ quality to them (perfect for flat breads). In time, your flours will become your friends and you will learn how to use them to enhance what you make.

2. Be sure to add starch

Starch is also important to the flour mix in the majority of bakes. Best used as a combination of starches (they are NOT all interchangeable), starch flours such as corn starch (UK cornflour), tapioca, potato or arrowroot add lightness, but also offer a degree of binding to the bake, enabling better rise and a more balanced flavour.

3. Consider colour and flavour

Colour and flavour are hugely important to the end result. If you make (eg) a ‘white’ vanilla cake, too much dark flour may mask the cake’s visual appeal or flavour. A combination of white starches with a balance of protein from paler flours (such as sorghum, white teff or ground almonds) may produce a more ‘vanilla-coloured’ result. I tend to use my gluten free white flour mixes A or C. Then add other pale protein-rich supporters into the blend (as necessary), on a recipe by recipe basis.

Equally, save stronger-flavoured or more ‘earthy’ flours (eg. soya, brown teff and gram) for savoury bakes. Here, they blend better with the natural flavours of other added ingredients.

4. Think about texture

Texture is also governed by the flours you choose. The choice of protein, structural and starch flours combined in a blend will (to a significant degree), dictate the final texture and crumb. This holds for both protein flours and starch flours. Too much standard rice flour (for example) and the texture may be rough and gritty. Excessive potato starch and the texture may be heavy and stodgy. Think about the qualities of each flour added to the gluten free flour mix and tweak according to results.

5. Do you need a binder?

Most bakes need the addition of a binder. If you don’t add a binder (such as xanthan gum, flaxseed or psyllium husk), the bake may crumble. The exception to the rule is perhaps with a bake that has a significant ratio of ground nuts or similar moisture-providing flour, or where specifically aiming for a very crisp crumbly result (eg. some biscuits/cookies).

The amount of binder you add, will depend on the texture desired and the type of bake. Bread for example, requires more to achieve flex and springiness, with psyllium being the best option. Cakes require a lot less, and the choice of binder is more flexible. For more information, see my Complete Guide to Psyllium Husk in Gluten Free Baking; and Complete Guide to Xanthan Gum in Gluten Free Baking.

6. What about the rise (leavening agents)?

Ask yourself ‘what does a bake need to rise’? Gluten free flour mixes often require extra help to give them an upward boost. Thus, it’s important to consider what leavening agent (baking powder; bicarbonate of soda; yeast; kefir culture; etc) may be suitable. Sometimes a combination of leavening agents supports rise better. For example, yeast and a hint bicarbonate of soda in bread; baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in Banana Cake; Kefir/buttermilk alongside baking powder/bicarb in scones.

7. Ratios

For a well-balanced gluten free flour blend, I start with a broad 40 : 60 ratio (40% wholegrain/protein flours : 60% white starches as listed below). This seems to be a relatively safe starting point for a general blend.

If you want to aim for a more wholegrain gluten free flour mix, tip the balance in the other direction, as far as a 70 : 30 ratio (70% wholegrain flours to 30% white starches). It’s best to experiment in stages and shift the balance a little at a time until happy. I generally test on a few recipes I know well so that I can compare results.

Within those parameters (roughly), the freedom to experiment is yours. Play to your heart’s content to achieve the flavour and texture you are most happy with and for the bakes you want to create. Once you have a blend or blends you love and that work across a number of favourite recipes, write them down and mix them up in large airtight containers (shake vigorously to blend). Keep them topped up for whenever you need them.

gluten-free-flour-blend

Gluten free starch flours

Each brings slightly different qualities and should be chosen for overall balance and bake requirements:

  • White Rice Flour
  • Potato Starch
  • Tapioca Starch
  • Cornflour (starch)
  • Glutinous Rice Flour (Mochiko)
  • Arrowroot
  • Cassava Flour
  • Green Banana
  • Sweet Potato
  • Polenta (specialist) starch-protein
  • Gluten Free Wheat Starch

Gluten free flours offering protein from a moderate to higher degree

As fine-ground flours, all of these are good used as part of a broad-spectrum gluten free flour mix:

  • Brown Rice
  • (Maize: starch-protein)
  • Buckwheat
  • Quinoa
  • Oat
  • Sorghum
  • Millet
  • Teff (brown & white)
  • Amaranth
  • Hemp
  • Sunflower seed
  • Pumpkin seed

Bean or legume flours (count as wholegrain)

These require careful balance due to flavour strength and potential ‘heaviness’. Otherwise, they offer great nutrition and structure. Some of the flours (particularly soy; gram; fava and pea) also offer a little extra flex :

  • Soybean
  • Gram/Garbanzo/Besan
  • Fava Bean
  • Pea
  • Peanut
  • Lupin
  • Tigernut

Nut Flours (count as wholegrain)

With the exception of chestnut flour which is a fine ground ‘all-rounder’, most nut flours are best used as specific additional flours in recipes that will benefit for reasons of texture, moisture or flavour:

  • Almond – ground/almond meal
  • Almond Flour
  • Chestnut
  • Hazelnut
  • Pistachio
  • Coconut (not technically a nut, but requires care in use)

**If this all sounds too much to bother with, I have freely shared my 3 main gluten free flour blends in my post: Gluten Free Flour Blends (click here) and also below for convenience. I hope that others benefit from the many hours I spent combining and testing at home.

How to make gluten free Oat Flour

Gluten free oat flour can be pretty expensive bought ready-milled. The good news is that (if have a grinder or blender) it’s really easy to make at home. Just be sure you source oats certified gluten free to avoid any possibility of cross-contamination from growing or milling processes. These are now readily available in most supermarket ‘free from’ sections (often as ‘own brands’).

Grind gluten free pure oats in a food processor/blender to a fine powder. This takes about 10-20 seconds on full power (depending on the power rating and volume capacity of the blender).

gluten-free-oats
gluten-free-oat-flour

Either grind on a weight for weight ratio for individual recipes (same weight of oats as needed for stated oat flour quantity). Or to save time, grind half a kilo or so in one batch and store in an airtight container, so it’s ready when you need it. It’s also perfect for making Instant Porridge Pots!

Basic Gluten Free Alchemist Flour Blends

I have three base gluten free flour blends: Two are white (A and C) and one is brown/wholegrain (B). All are wheat-free and two (Blends B and C) are also rice free. All the blends are versatile as general gluten free flour mixes. That is, where ‘plain gluten free flour’ is stated as an ingredient in a recipe.

Although I have shared the recipe cards for the 3 blends below (for convenience), I advise reading the specific Gluten Free Flours Recipe post for more information.

The cost of blending a gluten free flour mix

I’ve worked out the cost of blending my 3 gluten free flour blends at home using Shipton Mill Organic gluten free flours + Coeliac UK certified gluten free supermarket corn starch (UK cornflour). Figures are accurate as at December 2025.

Blend A (my most ‘basic’ blend) works out a little more expensive than most other basic supermarket-available white baking blends (eg Doves Freee). However, it performs better in baking and is far less gritty (both in my opinion and according to feedback) than the other ‘favoured’ commercial mixes.

For my two gluten free, rice free blends (B and C)… Both are extremely versatile and perform exceptionally well in baking. But they are also nutritionally superior to Blend A and to other basic commercial blends. Compared to other rice-free mixes, the cost of each of these blends compares favourably, making it cost-effective to blend at home with minimal effort.

Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour (bean-based) works out (in the UK) at around £10.90 per kilogram.

Gluten Free Alchemist Blend B (rice free, gluten free wholegrain mix): £3.54 per kilogram (£1.77 per 500g)

Gluten Free Alchemist Blend C (rice free, gluten free white mix): £3.58 per kilogram (£1.79 per 500g)

GFA Flour Blend Recipes

** © 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – I have shared my flour blend recipes for the benefit of the gluten free community. I use them in recipes published on the blog, Feel free to use them in your baking. However, if you use them in any recipes that are published or publicly shared, please do so with full acknowledgement of Gluten Free Alchemist. Thank you**

GF-flour-mix-A
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4.74 from 26 votes

Gluten Free Alchemist WHITE Flour Blend A (all purpose gluten free flour blend with rice flour)

A simple white home-mixed gluten free flour blend. Made with cheap, easy-to-source flours, Blend A is close to standard commercial blends, but less gritty.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Ingredients
Cuisine: All
Keyword: flour blend, gluten free baking, gluten free flour
Servings: 13 x 50g
Calories per serving: 180.3kcal
Author: Gluten Free Alchemist – Kate Dowse

Key equipment

Ingredients 

  • 200 g white rice flour
  • 125 g brown rice flour
  • 95 g potato starch
  • 110 g UK cornflour (corn starch)
  • 120 g tapioca flour (starch)

Instructions

  • Weigh all the ingredients into an airtight container.
  • Seal the lid and shake well to mix.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container

Nutrition

Calories: 180.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 41.5g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 5.6mg | Potassium: 114.7mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 7.5mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @glutenfreealchemist #glutenfreealchemist

© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist

** © 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – I have shared my flour blend recipes for the benefit of the gluten free community. I use them in recipes published on the blog, Feel free to use them in your baking. However, if you use them in any recipes that are published or publicly shared, please do so with full acknowledgement of Gluten Free Alchemist. Thank you**

rice-free-mix-B
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4.52 from 27 votes

Gluten Free Alchemist BROWN flour Blend B : An All Purpose Wholegrain Rice Free, Gluten Free Flour Blend

An all purpose wholegrain (brown) rice free, oat free, gluten free flour blend, with a good nutritional balance containing wholegrain, protein-rich flours. Carefully balanced to create perfect gluten free bakes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Ingredients
Cuisine: All
Keyword: flour blend, gluten free baking, gluten free flour
Servings: 5 x 100 grams
Calories per serving: 353kcal
Author: Gluten Free Alchemist – Kate Dowse

Key equipment

Ingredients 

  • 100 g sorghum flour
  • 50 g white teff flour
  • 50 g buckwheat flour
  • 160 g tapioca starch
  • 60 g potato starch
  • 80 g UK cornflour (cornstarch)

Instructions

  • Weigh all the ingredients into an air-tight container.
  • Seal the lid and shake well to mix.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @glutenfreealchemist #glutenfreealchemist

© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist

** © 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – I have shared my flour blend recipes for the benefit of the gluten free community. I use them in recipes published on the blog, Feel free to use them in your baking. However, if you use them in any recipes that are published or publicly shared, please do so with full acknowledgement of Gluten Free Alchemist. Thank you**

white-gluten-free-alchemist-rice-free-flour-blend-c
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4.75 from 8 votes

Gluten Free Alchemist WHITE Flour Blend C : An All Purpose Rice Free, Corn Free, Gluten Free White Flour Blend

A NEW all-purpose rice free, corn free, oat free, gluten free WHITE flour mix. Made with a careful balance of starch and protein flours for perfect gluten free bakes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Ingredients
Cuisine: All
Keyword: flour blend, gluten free baking, gluten free flour
Servings: 5 x 100 grams
Calories per serving: 353.6kcal
Author: Gluten Free Alchemist – Kate Dowse

Key equipment

Ingredients 

  • 110 g sorghum flour (or buckwheat flour)
  • 90 g millet flour
  • 130 g potato starch
  • 140 g tapioca starch
  • 30 g cassava flour or green banana flour

Instructions

  • Weigh all the ingredients into an air-tight container.
  • Seal the lid and shake well to mix.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 353.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 81.1g | Protein: 5.6g | Fat: 1.6g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 16.2mg | Potassium: 375.8mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 1.8g | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 31.1mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @glutenfreealchemist #glutenfreealchemist

© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist

4.74 from 26 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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246 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Thanks for all of this info. I’ve tried baking GF bread on and off for years now with “never great” results, just OK. I think a lot of it is due to so many intolerances and having to substitute so many things in most recipes. Got a bread machine recently so I can try again and not heat up the kitchen in the summer. The additional literal sweat equity makes the failures a bit rougher. Read your pages and comments on substitutions and am ready to go but you mentioned giving your yeast an extra boost via baking soda. Baking soda/powder is on the large list of intolerances but you mentioned using kefir as a booster. I always have water kefir fermenting and have used it to help get GF sourdough starter boosted. How much water kefir would you suggest using to boost the yeast a bit?

    Reply

    1. Hi Karyn
      I’m sorry to hear you’ve had such a tough time with bread recipes. I’m happy to advise and trouble-shoot my recipes to try and make them work well for you as helpful.
      If a recipe is yeast only, I would advise trying it as stated to start with and only then using a boost if required. The booster is generally more helpful for vegan/egg free recipes.
      Baking soda is rarely necessary for bread, providing the structure and ingredients are otherwise well-balanced, so I shouldn’t worry too much about this.
      If you are using kefir as a boost, it should only be used as a replacement for part of the other liquids in a recipe. GF recipes need to be carefully balanced for hydration, so adding more liquid will result in likely failure. As for ‘how much’… you probably need to experiment with the chosen recipe and only if an extra boost is required.

      I don’t know whether you have seen my bread index, but all the recipes have been carefully tested and are almost entirely yeast-only. Some do use egg and many are vegan/egg free. Have a look through the recipes and see if there is any that grab you to try.
      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/24-bread-buns-scones/

      I also have a fabulous bread machine recipe that is our family ‘go to’. I make it at least once a week and it’s reliable, healthy and delicious. It’s loved by GF and non GF people alike. As all machines are slightly different, if you try it and find that your machine requires some hydration tweaks in the ingredients, I’ll advise as best I can.
      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-bread-machine-recipe-bread-maker/
      Note: there are two recipes… one with and one without oats (one below the other in the post).

      There is also a vegan version, so if you can’t eat eggs, let mw know.
      I hope that helps and gives you a start point
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  2. I use lupin flour to increase the amount of protein in my breads to make them comparable to a whole wheat flour bread (13% protein). It took me a year of experimentation, but I am happy with the final flour mixture. The hydration ratio also took some experimentation to achieve the best result. I use a 5.5 quart dutch oven preheated at 240ºC (460ºF).

    100 grams buckwheat flour (20% by weight)
    100 grams oat flour (20% by weight)
    75 grams chick pea flour (15% by weight)
    50 grams lupin flour (10% by weight)
    175 grams tapioca flour (35% by weight)
    25 grams ground psyllium husks (digestive fiber and helps as a binder)
    7 grams ground chia seeds (digestive fiber and helps as a binder)
    1 Tablespoon honey
    1 teaspoon salt
    7 grams rapid rise yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
    460 grams lukewarm water (92% hydration ratio)

    I bake for 30 minutes with the cover on and another 10-15 minutes with the cover off. The bread also has 13% digestive fiber as a result of the psyllium husk and chia seeds.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jeff
      Thank you so much for your fantastic comment. I’m impressed with your recipe and will be giving it a try as I can see from the ratios and ingredients that it makes a fabulous loaf. Lupin flour is a difficult one to source though, so may have to work a substitute on that.
      Bean and legume flours are amazing protein/structure providers in a flour blend. The main reason I don’t use them more often on the blog is that they are tricky to substitute of you rely on them for a recipe and it seems a lot of people struggle with them from an intolerance perspective.
      Having said that, they have been life savers for some recipes!

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Thanks for your reply I made puff pastry with blend c they are delicious and I need your advice for making gluten free pita bread what the best recipe

    Reply

    1. Hi Laila
      Blend C is pretty versatile and is good for general bakes (cakes and cookies) and pastry.
      When it comes to bread, gluten free is tricky and I wouldn’t advise using a single blend (C or any other) unless a recipe specifies to do so. Gluten free bread needs a very careful mix of flours in the blend for structure, texture, flavour and hydration and I’ve yet to find any single blend that does this.
      So use blend C for recipes that state ‘gluten free flour blend’ and for bread, mix the flours as stated in the recipe.
      I hope that makes sense.
      Kate x

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    I am so impressed about this guide. It truly is the complete guide. Wow. Thank you.
    I struggled with substitution/ making my own GF flour but you layed it out beautifully. I can not thank you enough!!!!!!
    I will be using up the GF store bought ones but will not buy anymore after that. Your blends are tasting so much better. I just make waffles with my favorite recipe and instead using the store bought GF flour I used Blend C . Omg. They are so much better and I really liked them before :))
    I have to buy you another coffee as a thank you!!

    Reply

    1. You are very welcome! Given the work I did on it, the least I could do was share with the community!
      I’m thrilled to hear that you are shifting over to home-blending too. It gives complete versatility and allows us to use ingredients which are better for us and nicer to eat!
      Thank you so much for coffee xxx

      Reply

  6. I haven’t tried these recipes yet. I’m gathering info! Can I make my own oat flour by using a food processer?
    Thanks Kate. I’m so enjoying reading this material and look forward to trying it in my GF Irish Soda Bread, to start.

    Reply

    1. Hi Marina. Yes absolutely! Just whizz the amount of GF oats you need in the blender-processor until it’s a fine powder.
      Irish Soda bread sounds fantastic. Do let me know how it goes x

      Reply

          1. Hi Kate,
            Re: my GF Irish Soda Bread – Using your advice on substitutions, I combined 280g Sorghum; 240g Oat (it was a bit coarse out of the food processer); 320g Potato Starch; 140g Sweet White Rice (included 27g of leftover Br Rice); 160g Tapioca Starch. The original recipe called for 2 tsp of Kosher salt. I used sea salt. And… well, I forgot the guar gum after all that. So it didn’t stick together, but it had a lovely golden brown, crispy crust. And here’s my question: It was saltier than other times. Was it the lack of GG? Or is sea salt more intense than Kosher? Thanks. I’ll be trying it again soon reducing the salt by half WITH the GG. No rush on this. Thank you!

          2. Hi Marina
            That’s an interesting question. Sea salt will definitely have a more ‘complex’ flavour and (I think) may dissolve slightly slower. Having said that, I use fine ground sea salt which seems to dissolve well. It shouldn’t be anything to do with the guar gum. But if it tasted too salty, then by all means reduce it!
            Do let me know how it goes xx

          3. Hello Kate! Thanks for your reply. I almost missed this! I’ll have to try grinding the salt finer, or go back to kosher salt by half or even less. But I’ve tried different things since last I wrote including switching to baking powder in the correct ratio, and it still is too salty for me. Maybe I’ll try increasing the guar gum, since wheat Irish Soda Bread, if I recall, doesn’t have that saltiness.
            I’ve tried a plain yeast-free quick bread recipe that was good – I’ll look at your recipes for that, too – and am coming back to your website to read about oat flour to add to it. Why I like this website so much!

          4. Thanks Marina.
            I look forward to hearing more!
            If the bread doesn’t have yeast in it, then you should be able to remove salt altogether with no textural impact.
            xx

          5. Hi, I’m in the USA, and wonder if you can recommend an equivalent to Healthy Supplies? Bob’s Red Mill can be pricey. Thanks Kate!

          6. Hi Marina
            Unfortunately, I am not personally familiar with the US flour market, so it’s difficult for me to specifically recommend a supplier. I’m really sorry.
            It may help to ask in a USA gluten free baking Facebook Group?
            Best wishes
            Kate

  7. 5 stars
    Hi Kate – season’s greetings and thanks for your support this as I grappled with home bread baking 🙂
    Just downloaded your GF blend B recipe. Next machine loaf I will try this for the flour. Do I still use
    18g milled flax seed, 35g ground psyllium husk and 24g coconut milk powder as per your GF bread-maker
    Wholemeal Bread recipe which has been successful to date ?
    kind regards
    Phil

    Reply

    1. Hi Phil
      I’m assuming that it is this recipe that you are referring to for the bread machine? https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-bread-machine-recipe-bread-maker/
      If so, the first of the two recipes (the one which also uses oat flour) uses Blend B as part of the mix. I’m therefore assuming you are wanting to go solo and use blend B only?
      If this is the case, I would use the recipe given as a base for ratios of flour to flax to liquid, etc. I’ve not tried the recipe with Blend B only… So do let me know how it goes.
      If I have got the wrong end of the stick and misinterpreted your query, let me know!
      Best wishes for the New Year.
      Kate

      Reply

  8. 5 stars
    I would love all this information in a book or leaflet so that I can refer to it probably all the time. I will probably have to order from the Internet as I live in a very rural area with no access to shops that I would find these various flours in.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Anne
      In the new year I plan to finish putting together a chart of flours and substitutions to accompany the information here which I will offer as a download. Hopefully, that will make it easier.
      Wishing you all the best for Christmas x

      Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Kate… this is a fantastic report THANK YOU!
    I tried many times to get the 5th star clicked but for whatever odd reason it wouldn’t.
    5 🌟 for sure!
    Thank you for this comprehensive list. I have many food strictions including sorghum. I have managed the corn and wheat “nos” but sorghum has thrown me. I am also experimenting with substituting. I was excited to see pumpkin seed flour as that was one of my “hmmm wonder if this would work”
    Also dappling with tigernut. Will keep you posted. Please know I deeply appreciate your hard work and kind heart!
    Merry Christmas!

    Laura

    Reply

    1. Thank you Laura. I hope it will be helpful to you and many others.
      The world of gluten free flour is vast and there are so many options.
      Merry Christmas to you and wishing you a happy, healthy 2026. xx
      (I have, on the back of your comment, cheekily upped the star on your behalf! Let me know if this is not ok and I will change it back).
      Kate xx

      Reply

  10. Good morning! For your flour blend B, is there a suggestion that could replace the Teff. I have all of the ingredients but am waiting on delivery of the Teff and that will be another week. I would love to make a loaf today and really don’t want a flop. I can’t wait to try it.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jennifer
      I think the best subs for Teff are probably:
      Quinoa, Sorghum, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Chestnut
      I hope that helps
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  11. Love this wonderful article, and join others in a desire for a hard book with your information and recipes. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your kind comment Rene. I’m so pleased you found the post helpful. x

      Reply

  12. Great recipes, thank you. I’m having trouble tracking down millet flour in less than 1k bags. As I only want it for use in flour mix C, I’m reluctant to buy something I’m not likely to use very often – I have already found it doesn’t keep well! Any suggestions for substitutes?

    Reply

    1. Hi Christine
      Thank you for your comment. In terms of millet substitutes, the best options would be Sorghum, GF Oat, white Teff, or Quinoa. Given that the blend already contains sorghum, I would probably go for one of the others.
      I hope that helps x

      Reply

  13. Which is the best mix for cakes. I would like to move away from rice flower, but I don’t know if blends B and C would work for cakes.

    As an aside, like you I tinker with the blends. I use your baguette recipe, but began tinkering with an Italian GF pizza flour blended in and Benne seed flour to cut down on the rice flour. Both are quite tasty, but I have to cook the loaves longer when I use the Benne seed flour (Anson Mills in South Carolina makes it).

    Reply

    1. Hi Coleman
      For cakes, I use either blend B or C. I love blend B in cakes, but because it is a darker flour, I tend to use it where ‘colour’ doesn’t matter… Chocolate, banana, carrot cakes etc etc.
      I use Blend C where the lightness of the cake is relevant – vanilla, etc. For some bakes with Blend C (cookies that need a structural shape), you may need to add a little more flour/less liquid… It’s only an occasional thing (linked to flour hydration) but worth bearing in mind if a cookie dough doesn’t feel right.
      I hope that makes sense.
      I’ve never heard of Benne seeds… It’s one I’ll have to look up! Everyday is a school day 😁

      Reply

  14. I have a challenge for you… I need a gluten free flour blend that does not involve potato starch. I have a celiac daughter, and a husband with a potato and onion allergy. It’s been an interesting culinary road, lots of simple recipes. Flour is the one thing that has stumped me. They both love carbs, and I really struggle making anything that is safe for both simultaneously. Any suggestions you believe might help me here? I’ve studied your page pretty hard, I have some ideas, but I’m not quite as educated and experienced on the subject as you are. Please help a mama out 🫶

    Reply

    1. Ooohhh… I love a challenge!
      My best suggestions for subbing out potato starch (although I’ve only tested them in small batch projects) are as follows… Sub with either

      Cassava Flour (small subs only)
      Cassava 2:1 Tapioca
      Fine white rice 1:1 tapioca/corn

      As I say, It’s not something I’ve tested extensively, but worth a try. Maybe give one or other a go with a small batch of a familiar recipe and see how it goes. Do let me know!
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  15. This is the most informative and thorough article I have ever seen on gluten.
    Excellent writing.
    Is this available as a book?

    Reply

    1. Thank you Patricia. I’m glad that you found it helpful.
      It is not available in a book, but I do have plans to update and add more information in the coming months, so maybe I could put something printable to take away then?

      Reply

      1. Hi, I was going to ask the same question. I honestly think you would sell many books! This content is excellent. Thank you!

        Reply

        1. Awww thank you so much Helen for your kind words. They genuinely mean a lot xx

          Reply

  16. Hi, Thank you for sharing such indepth knowledge on glutenfree baking.
    Do you know of a recipe for bread making that doesn’t use potato Starch please.
    Thank you
    Rachel

    Reply

    1. Hi Rachel
      You’re welcome.
      In terms of bread without potato starch, yes… you have options. Depending on how much potato starch is in the recipe, it can be subbed relatively easily. If it is a very small amount (20g and below (ish)) a straight sub weigh for weight to tapioca should work in most cases with minimal impact on the texture.
      If the potato starch amount is higher, I would suggest trying a combination of cassava flour + corn/tapioca/arrowroot. Potato is quite a ‘heavy’ starch in comparison to the others and a combination of cassava + one of the others is a better mimic (in my experience). Probably use a ratio of around two-thirds cassava flour + one-third other starch.

      In terms of bread recipes… My Ciabatta Rolls can definitely be made with a straight replacement of potato for tapioca starch (weight for weight). And my Ciabatta loaf (although more complex to make) has no potato. My while boule, should work with a replacement of tapioca for potato (weight for weight).
      If you are looking for something specific though, let me know and I will check what the options are.

      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-ciabatta-rolls/
      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-ciabatta-bread-with-biga/
      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-artisan-bread-boule-recipe-no-egg-optional-vegan/

      Reply

    1. If making a chocolate cake or for ‘darker’ cakes and muffins, I tend to use wholegrain blend B. For lighter coloured bakes, I use A. But C is still a good option if you want to avoid rice flour x

      Reply

  18. I am wondering: what would you recommend for a general-purpose kitchen flour for jobs like flouring chicken before crumbing with GF crumbs? Or for occasional use in a dish that develops a sauce after sprinkling over fried ingredients before adding the liquid? I dislike the texture when I use cornstarch or potato starch alone!

    Reply

    1. Hi Judith
      It should be fine to use any of the basic flour blends. I’ve used both Blends A and B in the past for a variety of general purposes (although Blend A is obviously whiter in colour, so won’t ‘discolour’ coatings or make sauces more ‘grey’). I haven’t tried blend C, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t work.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  19. Hi Kate,
    I made half the recipe amount (6 scones) today using your blend c and found them to be more like a cake than a scone. The mixture was wet but I did lightly press and cut the scones, placing gently onto the tray. Do you use blend b for a different structure inside, would they have been much different, do you think?
    I wasn’t sure about the flavour as I guess my brain was expecting a bun. I think i’ll stick to plain/fruit scones as I know where I am with those flavours and really enjoy the traditional taste.
    Thank you for the recipe, it was well worth trying this Easter.

    Reply

    1. Hi Sarah
      Can you let me know which scones you made? It’s possible that Blend B would have been structurally different, but regardless, they shouldn’t have been ‘cake’. I’m wondering if the mixture was over-blended/over-worked? Or it could have got to warm so that the butter flecks melted?

      Reply

  20. Hello! I’m guessing there are no issues in doubling or tripling the recipes so I have more on hand ready to go?!

    Reply

    1. You guessed right! You can make as much as you like. Just be sure it is thoroughly mixed x

      Reply

  21. Hi, can you kindly tell me which flours or flour mix to use to make a chiffon GF cake? I need it to rise and be light and fluffy at the same time. As you know, GF bakes tend to be gritty and dense so I haven’t had success with making chiffon cakes. Thank you for your time. Rachel

    Reply

    1. Hi Rachel
      Chiffon cakes are not something I have ever experimented with. But… I used the following combination when making an Angel Food Cake (The white, not layered type of ‘Angel Cake’), which is tall and light: 80g Corn Starch: 25g fine white rice flour: 25g Tapioca Starch: 15g potato starch. So that may be a helpful starting point. Corn starch is light and not too ‘rubbery’ so a good flour to slightly weight towards in terms of balance.
      My flour blend A is also lighter and less gritty than many commercial blends and I use it for genoise.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

      1. Thanks, Kate. I seem to do ok with corn and tapioca starches and white rice but not with potato starch or nightshades in general. Based on the comments here, I can sub potato starch with either cassava and/or tapioca, arrowroot, or cornstarch, but since you’ve already mentioned tapioca and corn starches, I guess I can go with either cassava or arrowroot. Also, do you think I also need to modify my recipes and add more baking soda/powder and some gum to the flour mix you mentioned? Besides the flour, I also have to learn to make dairy-free butter and milk; it’s like a cake makeover 🙂

        Reply

        1. Hi Rachael
          As a sub for potato starch, I would probably try a combination of cassava + corn/tapioca/arrowroot, as potato is quite a ‘heavy’ starch in comparison to the others and a combination of cassava + one of the others is a better mimic (in my experience). Probably use a ratio of around two-thirds cassava flour + one-third other starch.
          You shouldn’t need to add more leavening or binder unless you are subbing eggs.
          Best wishes
          Kate x

          Reply

  22. Hi thank you so much for this guide and recipes for the flour blends!

    For Blend A, is there any other substitute that i can use to replace brown rice flour ? It seems like i can’t find it anywhere else. Would like to create a recipe using the Blend A and wanted to make sure it’ll be perfect if i don’t use brown rice flour and just the substitution of it.
    Hope to hear from you soon! thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Meey
      You’re welcome!
      I think the best sub for the brown rice flour in Blend A is probably Sorghum Flour!
      Actually… I have a sneaky suspicion using sorghum may actually make it better!
      Let me know xxx

      Reply

  23. Hello Kate,
    I used my new bread machine on the gluten free setting to make a loaf using flour blend B. The taste is very good, but the bread is very dense, and I am wondering whether it would be less dense if I used something other than buckwheat in the blend? Also, would flour blend C work for bread in a bread-maker?
    Many thanks,
    Teresa

    Reply

  24. Buongiorno ,scrivo dall’italia, scoprire questi suggerimenti per me è una ricchezza.
    Spero di poter trovare aiuto.
    Sono sensibile al glutine e al lattosio, allergica al nikel, intollerante all’istamina . Sto lavorando da qualche tempo con la farina di sorgo in purezza.Utilizzo anche la farina di bucce di psillio.Ho creato crostate e bundt, ma avrei bisogno di un buon mix di farine per poter fare il pane , possibilmente senza farina di riso per via dell’arsenico.
    Grazie mille, Barbara.

    Reply

    1. Buongiorno Barbara
      Primo… mi dispiace, non parlo molto bene l’italiano. Spero che la mia risposta abbia senso!..

      Potete dirmi che tipi di farina potete mangiare?
      Entrambe le mie miscele B e C sono senza riso. Dai un’occhiata a quelli e dimmi quali farine puoi mangiare in ciascuna e posso aiutarti (si spera) a trovare le migliori alternative.

      Kate x

      Reply

  25. 5 stars
    Please could you recommend a substitute for teff flour. I it is not so easy to find here!
    Thanks, Teresa

    Reply

    1. Hi Teresa
      An alternative high protein flour should work fine. Millet or sorghum… but best to use one that isn’t already in the blend xx

      Reply

  26. Thank you so much for being so generous with your information… I can’t wait to get started now that I have a clear idea of how to !
    Flour fan club 👩‍🍳👩‍🔬😊🧚🙇‍♀️

    Reply

  27. Hi Kate, I’m newly diagnosed as needing to go GF and preparing to mix your flour blends, I’m strangely excited by the challenge lol! My question is can Blended A and C be interchanged freely in your recipes? I’ve mostly found A recommended but wonder if C works as well, given the improved nutritional value it seems preferable?
    Many thanks
    Ruth

    Reply

    1. Hi Ruth
      Welcome to the world of gluten free. Although I haven’t tested it on every recipe, it should be reasonably interchangeable for recipes recommending the A Blend. As C is a much newer blend, it hasn’t made its way onto recipe cards yet. It has however been tested with a variety of types of bake… from pastry (incredible) and pasta to biscuits and cakes.
      I hope that helps
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  28. Hi Kate you have put so much time and effort into your floor blends and the accompanying information. Thank you so much. Your research has made my life so much easier and given me more confidence with gf cooking.

    Reply

    1. You’re very welcome Wendy. I’m really pleased that I have been able to support the community and that the information is helpful x

      Reply

  29. What wouldn’t be a good substitution for potato starch in this gluten-free flour blend? Also what would be a good sub for corn flour? Sadly I’m sensitive to both and rice.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jennifer
      Corn flour is probably best subbed with arrowroot flour.
      Potato starch is slightly less easy, but using a combination of small amount of cassava flour + tapioca starch is a good option

      Reply

      1. I’m in the same boat. I cannot have corn- Would you sub arrowroot for corn flour at the same ratio? 1:1?

        Also, If I cannot have other specific grains (millet, oats and buckwheat) could I go to your list above of whole-grain flours and choose a different one from the same list to sub into your mixtures (so long as its not the same flour as one that already in the mix)? For example: Blend C could I use Brown rice, quinoa, or Amaranth in place of the millet? Or Bend B- could I use quinoa or Amaranth in place of buckwheat (to keep rice free) and arrowroot in place of corn flour?

        thank you for the help!

        Reply

        1. Hi Hannah
          Arrowroot is usually a good sub for corn starch. 1:1
          The best sub for oats is generally sorghum. And generally some switches are better than others for certain flours… but as a general rule, switching for an alternative protein/structural flour is the way to do it. I would avoid switching for bean/legume flours however as these have very different qualities and will change the bake massively but in flavour and texture.
          You may need to experiment a little to find your ‘happy’ blend… I suggest taking a simple cookie/cake recipe you are familiar with and testing on a half batch or less to compare results.
          I hope this helps x

          Reply

  30. Love the Blend B and use it for my breads. Want to try Blend C, but can’t tolerate millet (unfortunately). Is there another flour I can sub for millet? Would oat flour work? I have no issues with oat flour.

    Reply

    1. I love oat flour and it should be a good sub. The other alternative is maize flour (not corn starch).
      I suggest trialling a batch on a couple of recipes and then if you need more advice, come back! xx

      Reply

    1. Hi Tamara
      You could sub with millet flour or (if you can tolerate), oat flour is a good choice.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  32. 5 stars
    Hello
    Thank you for providing these recipes.
    I live at high altitude and have found that weight based measurements work best. Do you know the weight per cup of flour for mix B?

    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Hi Dawn. Thank you for the kind feedback.
      I agree that weight-based measurements work best, especially for gluten free baking, as it needs to be very accurate. Unfortunately I don’t know the weight of a cup of flour mix as I generally don’t use cups (due to the accuracy issue). I would stick with grams 😘 x

      Reply

  33. Hi Kate! I know you always stress about using ground psyllium husk rather than powder… but what if that is all I have? I know the result won’t be as good as it should be. But can it be actually used? How much less of psyllium would be necessary if its powdered vs coarse ground?

    Reply

    1. Hi Manuel
      If that’s all you have, you can still use it. I generally don’t suggest it in recipe cards as I want people to have the same success with consistent ingredients. But… If you only have fine powder, yes you can use it.. But I would reduce the amount by about 10%.
      I hope that helps. Best wishes and Happy Christmas
      Kate x

      Reply

  34. Good morning from Canada. I am unable to use most of the flours that you mention in blend B and I’m wondering if your choux pastry can be made successfully with blend A with a sub for the corn starch which I can’t have?

    Reply

    1. Hi Sara
      The Choux Pastry (Eclairs) recipe is made with Blend A. For the cornstarch, the best substitute is arrowroot (are you able to have that?).
      Let me know if this is not the recipe that you were looking at and I’ll have another think.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  35. 5 stars
    Hi, is it possible to use Arrowroot in blend B in place of cornstarch? I have a corn allergy as well 😵‍💫

    Reply

    1. Yes I think that should be fine. Although I haven’t tried it myself, arrowroot is definitely the best sub for corn starch. So I would think it will work well. x

      Reply

  36. Hi Kate

    A wonderful amount of information on your site thank you and I shall look forward to experimenting.

    I am looking to make a gluten free pinsa dough and wondered what combination of flours would work best and in what ratio? I don’t want to buy the wrong ones to mix and the recipe I found used two different types of Schar flour mixes but I would prefer to make my own mix.

    I shall definitely be trying out some of your recipes & suggestions!

    Sarah

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Sarah. I’m pleased that it has been helpful for you.
      Re Pinsa dough. I would suggest as a base flour blend looking at the flours used for my Gluten Free Focaccia Genovese or/and my French Baguette Recipes… Both of which would be a good starting point as they both offer a neutral flavour. You can then tweak from there in terms of the flavour and texture desired.
      The links are:
      Focaccia: https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-focaccia-genovese-italian-flatbread-recipe/
      Baguette: https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-baguette-crusty-french-stick-vegan/

      I hope that helps a little.
      Best wishes
      Kate x

      Reply

    1. Hi Heather
      I’m no expert on using guar gum… But as I understand it, for many recipes it can be subbed 1 for 1 (although the texture of the bake may be slightly different). However, guar gum is often recommended to be increased to 1½ to 2 times the amount, so you may need to experiment a little.
      Best wishes
      Kate x

      Reply

      1. I have found that a 50/50 mix of xanthan and guar gum work better than either on its own in cakes and pastry.

        Reply

        1. Thank you so much for sharing Peter. It’s really appreciated and helpful to know. I’m going to test your wisdom on a few trusted bakes next time I make them and see how they compare for me too! xx

          Reply

  38. Thank you for doing the hard work for us, it is much appreciated.

    What I wanted to know when making shortcrust pastry with blend b is it neccessary to use an egg to blend ingredients or can I just use water as when making traditional shortcrust pastry.

    Also can I freeze the raw dough and or the cooked pastry

    Jacky x

    Reply

    1. Hi Jacky
      Thanks for your query and apologies for the delay in reply.
      As my blend B shortcrust was developed with an egg for binding, I have not tested it without. My best advice would be to sub it for a flax egg if you cannot tolerate egg and that should work well.
      As for freezing… I have frozen the raw dough after it has been made into pies and it’s been lovely. I’ve never tried freezing it before rolling out.
      And yes… It can be frozen after baking too.
      Best wishes

      Reply

  39. 5 stars
    Thank you for all the information you’ve put forward here. It’s really helpful especially for someone who doesn’t like to bake. The thought of ‘playing’ with recipes does not produce good feelings. Your recipes are just wonderful.
    Thanks again!!!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Kerri. You are very welcome. Just shout if you need anything x

      Reply

  40. 5 stars
    This is the most impressive discussion of gluten-free flours and baking I’ve come across. Thank you for sharing your extensive efforts and knowledge.
    As an intermittent baker, my question is how long do you feel you can keep flours, and do you have any special storage methods to preserve them. (If it relies on smelling them, I’m out of luck.)

    Reply

    1. Thank you Hannah. I’m glad it was helpful for you.
      I keep many of my flours for a long time! In the larder (which is ambient, but not over warm)… In airtight containers (I transfer them from bags into containers once opened). Obviously some flours are topped up more frequently than others because they tend to be ‘staples’. But I have yet to experience any one flour going ‘off’. So I would say don’t worry too much.
      Just try and keep them coolish… airtight and make sure you use the whole container before re-filling so that old and new don’t get mixed up xxx

      Reply

  41. I`ve just made your flour blend A and was excited to start baking with it, but unfortunately I can`t seem to find a link for the recipes that use that blend 😮 !!

    Reply

    1. Hi Meg
      My Flour Blend A is fairly universal in how it can be used. Many many of my recipes use blend A and this will be stated in the recipe (along with alternatives where helpful). My recipes also make clear where a unique flour blend should be made (for example with my bread). But Blend A can also be used with recipes that are on other sites too (as a replacement for a general white GF flour blend).
      If you are looking for a recipe for something particular, I am happy to advise
      xx

      Reply

  42. Wow – you are a saint for the gluten free community! Thank you so much.

    I haven’t been able to find potato starch. Please can you suggest an alternative?

    Reply

    1. Hi Elizabeth
      You’re welcome.
      I always think potato starch is quite unique. But I know that some readers have successfully subbed with either fine white rice flour or cassava. Or you could also test arrowroot.
      I hope that helps
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

    2. You can usually find potato starch in the Kosher foods (or Ethnic Foods or International Foods) section of a U. S. supermarket, especially during the Passover season. It is typically labelled potato starch and contains nothing more. Good luck!

      Reply

      1. Thanks Wendy. That’s helpful to know. It’s a question I often get asked and unfortunately as I am not in the US, I can’t always answer! xx
        Sorry for the delay in reply. I’ve been out of action with Flu for over 2 weeks.

        Reply

  43. I am going to make your GF flour mix B as I have found that I am very sensitive to rice. But I am also allergic to corn, so I won’t be able to use the cornstarch in the recipe. What do you recommend as an alternative? I am ok with other types of starch. Will arrowroot work? Thank you for the in depth article!

    Reply

    1. Hi Rebecca
      Yes. Arrowroot would be the closest sub for the corn starch, so hopefully it will work fine.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  44. Kate,
    Thanks for sharing your thorough research and experience! I’m also learning bit by bit some of the ins and outs of gluten-free baking. I just wanted to share with you that I’d found another wonderful gf flour that I’ve used with great results: it’s light buckwheat flour! From what I’ve gathered it’s ground from raw buckwheat instead of roasted and so does not have the strong taste at all of your normal buckwheat flour. I found it (by mistake!) when I purchased “buckwheat flour” packaged by “Anthony’s” here in the US on Amazon. I was flumaxed when I found the flour was white, but I researched and found a recipe that called for it, made it and was sold! I use it all the time now interchangeably with sorghum flour. Here’s that recipe if you’d like to check it out; only the buckwheat flour and almond flour makes a lovely cake! https://www.crumbtopbaking.com/lemon-raspberry-almond-crumb-cake/#tasty-recipes-5948-jump-target

    Reply

    1. Hi Michele and thank you. Light buckwheat flour is not something I’ve come across before and sounds really interesting. I’m wondering if it’s similar to sprouted buckwheat flour? I have a box in the kitchen, which I am ashamed to say has been sitting there for way too long and needs to be tested. But I’ll do a bit of research too!
      And thank you for the recipe link as well… I’ll head over and check that out now. xx

      Reply

      1. I am in the U.S. and most all buck wheat flour available in stores here… is ‘dark buckwheat’ flour…although it is just called buckwheat flour – that has some of the outside hulls (dark brown/black) milled into the flour, along with the groats. This process, creates a strong/robust flavor in the flour – and a darker color when baked too. When one looks closely at the milled flour, tiny dark specs can be seen in the flour – that are from the milled dark colored outside hulls. LIGHT/HULLED/RAW buckwheat can be bought online in the U.S. for a light tasting and light colored flour ( no dark specs) – Anthony’s Foods is one such brand – there are others. However I am in a international baking group…and have found that in the U.K. and in Europe – GENERALLY, almost all the buckwheat flour available is the OPPOSITE to the U.S. and is what we call in the U.S…. LIGHT/HULLED/RAW buckwheat (bought online in U.S.) – but is just called buckwheat flour in U.K. and Europe. It does not have any of the outside dark colored hull – the milled flour is very light colored and light in flavor too. It is just milled buckwheat groats (NO outside hull). So yes it would be like sprouted buckwheat flour in a sense – in that, in order to sprout…one uses HULLED/RAW buckwheat – then dried and milled into flour.

        Reply

        1. Thanks for the helpful information Judy. It’s always tricky knowing what’s available from country to country and indeed keeping up with differences in names of ingredients too. x

          Reply

    2. Hi Michelle!

      I’m sort of new to this level of GF baking. I love the Anthony’s brand on Amazon!

      I was wondering if you made a flour blend with the buckwheat flour you mentioned and, if so, which blend?

      Reply

      1. Hi Valerie
        Welcome. Buckwheat flour is used in my Rice Free Blend B. The recipe is at the end of the post, but above the comment section.
        Best wishes
        Kate

        Reply

  45. I baked my first thing today. Oh, the mistakes but I still thought it tasted good. I used all ground oats. I am going for a healthier option in baking rather than strict gluten-free. Can you recommend a flour recipe with Oat flour, please? I realise I need something lighter. Making my own light flour seems to be labour intensive.
    What percentage to use whole grain flour with oat flour please?

    Reply

    1. Fabulous! That’s great to hear. The first bake is always the scariest and then you’re on your way!
      I LOVE baking with oats. What I usually do is to replace about 25 to 50% of a plain flour blend for cookies; use a ratio of 25 to 40% for bread; and 25 to 30% for cakes. But dependent on the bake, you’ll have to play to find out what works best for you.
      Be sure that the rest of the flour blend is a good balance of starches, with a little extra protein (Oats have good protein and structure already).
      As a guide… You could start with blend B and replace the sorghum (and possibly the teff) with oat flour.
      I hope that helps
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  46. Hi Kate,
    I can’t have corn. I’m interested in recipe B. I searched through a lot of the comments. It looks like cassava flour might replace cornstarch, or arrowroot, or a combo? What would be the best substitute? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Zona
      Arrowroot is generally accepted as the best replacement for cornstarch.
      I hope that helps
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

    2. Have you tried subbing for the cornstarch? My daughter can’t have corn and was wondering the same thing.

      Reply

  47. 5 stars
    Hello, thank you so much for all the information, however I have some questions, I need to make a gluten free carot cake and some sponge cake but I can not use rice, potato or corn. Would your mix b give me a light and fluffy consistency if I exchanged the potato and corn starch for arrowroot, or should i use a whole new recipe. I’m having trouble determinating the ratio of flours and starches. And also should I use some xantan gum for better results? What do you recommend for sponge cakes and what for tarts and cookies?
    Thank you so much for the help!

    Reply

    1. Yes, I would also like to know what I can use in place of rice flours and potato starch for making chiffon cakes. Corn starch can be replaced with arrowroot flour 1:1.

      Reply

  49. Wow! This is an invaluable resource. We recently learned that my husband has a wheat allergy, so he essentially needs to convert to a gluten free diet. I found your site because I was searching for whole grain bread options as most of the recipes I was finding were for white bread, and I knew there had to be something healthier! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and experience!

    Reply

    1. Hi Mandy
      I’m so glad you found us and have found the site helpful. You’re so welcome! Just shout if you need anything xx

      Reply

  50. 5 stars
    Hello, I’ve just came across your website but already feel your kindness and devotion to the gluten free community
    I’m located in Asia where gluten free diets are just becoming popular and receiving more awareness.

    I was diagnosed with Sjogren’s disease and I have been suffering from skin problems mostly on the face for quite some time, it has been a long time since I have truly felt confident in myself and really have the feeling of people around me really knowing how i feel and why i become depressed sometimes.

    Back to the main question, I am planning to make scones based on your flour blend B:

    I now can get access to buckwheat flour/ potato starch/ tapioca/ corn, and I also have ground almond which is required in you scone recipe,

    that leaves sorghum and teff, can it be replaced by white rice flour or simply adding more of the ones I already have above?

    P.S for 284ml of buttermilk, what would be the proportion if I have almond milk and lemon juice to create the same amount?

    Thank you for reading this I hope to receive feedback soon!!
    Sending lots of love. xo

    Reply

    1. Hi there
      Thank you for your lovely comment and query.
      Both Sorghum and Teff are very protein-rich flours, so I would try to avoid replacing with starch. If you can tolerate oats, then oat flour would be a good sub for the sorghum.
      For teff, you could increase the buckwheat, or possibly try quinoa flour of maybe even millet flour? Maybe even gram or BROWN rice.
      Otherwise, if you look at the list of protein-rich flours above and let me know what you can get, I’ll try and advise further. It may be that you have to do a little experimentation to see what works best for you.
      Re the buttermilk… I have a different recipe without the almonds, but which runs to similar proportions and for which I use 180 ml/g milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice. So I would start at that and if the mixture seems too dry, add extra milk a drop at a time, until you are happy and the dough comes together as a slightly sticky mass. Different flours have different hydration/absorbency, so you will have to use a bit of touch to test.
      The link for the other recipe, in case it helps you top compare… https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/christmas-scones-gluten-free-cream-tea-leftover-mincemeat/
      I hope that helps a little
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  51. Hi Kate. Thank you for the in-depth info! My husband is allergic to Rice,Oats,Tapioca flour and to some extent Cornstarch. It’s an uphill battle trying to find the right blend to make anything without breaking the bank. I am able to get and use sorghum, millet, buckwheat, cornstarch (in moderation), psyllium husk and potato. can you recommend a blend using a combination of these? Any help or direction would be appreciated.

    Reply

    1. Hi Laila
      The protein and structural flours you can get (sorghum, millet, buckwheat) are all good and should be a great base equivalent for the Blend B rice free recipe. You could then experiment with the potato starch and maybe arrowroot (which makes a reasonable sub for corn and tapioca) and a little cornstarch if it can be tolerated? Play with small batch quantities, making a note of the ratios on familiar recipes to see what works and what doesn’t.
      Psyllium is a great ingredient and is perfect for breads. If flax is a possibility, that too can be great in bread.
      For general baking… as a general rule… if a recipe states to use xanthan gum, it can be subbed with psyllium and twice the amount.
      I hope that helps a little. If there are other flours you can access, let me know and I will try and factor them in.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  52. Hello, thanks for the blends! I am in doubt about the flours/ starches.

    If all are starches, Isn’t it too much starch in the formula? Or do I read it wrong?
    160 g tapioca flour (starch)
    60 g potato starch flour
    80 g cornflour (cornstarch)

    I know cornflour to make polenta, and it is not the same as cornstarch.. really confused!

    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Claudia
      I am a little confused about your comment and wondered if you are seeing the whole recipe?
      In addition to the tapioca, potato and corn, there is a considerable amount of Sorghum, Teff and Buckwheat (all protein rich and structural).

      But yes… it is corn STARCH that is required, not the polenta meal.

      I hope that helps. If you can’t see the full recipe, let me know.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  53. 5 stars
    Thank you for all of your hard work and the time you’ve spent testing these blends and sharing them with us! I found out I was allergic to gluten about ten years ago and have ridden the wave of more awareness and more gf products in the stores. I have tried MANY blends of gluten free flour in the United States and in Europe. I moved to Asia not too long ago and was sorry to find that gf flour blends are much more few and far between here and they are expensive. I found your website while searching for good options. I’ve mixed up Blend A and have been using it in my favorite Sour Cream Blueberry Muffin recipe for a month or so and for biscuits and, just this morning, a Swedish oven pancake. I am VERY, very happy with the way these staples (in my cooking) are turning out consistently. Thank you so much!

    Reply

    1. Thank you SO much Laurajane. That’s lovely feedback.
      I am so glad that you have found the site and that the flour blends are working well for you.
      If there is anything you aren’t sure about or need, just shout.
      Best wishes
      Kate xx

      Reply

  54. I just found out that I can’t eat any rice at all anymore. I was having trouble articulating words and had a blood test. Arsenic poisoning! From all the rice I eat. The amount in my bloodstream was sky high! I was horrified! Most of the U.S. gluten free flours have rice flour in them. Plus I do occasionally use my own gf flour with rice flour! So now nothing at all, at least until my body processes all the arsenic that it has inside.
    That is terrifying, that it affected me that way. So now I can only use your whole grain mix. And I have to now go through all my gluten free recipes and weed out the ones with rice flour until I can figure out how to change them.

    Reply

    1. Oh my… That’s really scary! The rice free flour blend here has been pretty flexible with many recipes and I use it in my pastry recipe as well as breads too.
      I hope you feel better soon. xxx

      Reply

  55. We raved over your gluten-free rice flour-free bread. And your pictures were SO helpful. But the best is how rich and European this bread tastes. Like a flavorful German brown bread would taste. I didn’t have millet so I used buckwheat and I didn’t want to use tapioca so I used Cassava flour. Yum, yum, YUM! I can’t get over how much my hubby loved it. It has such a smooth mellow taste. We will be making much more of this. Does it freeze well? Oh, and I added rosemary. May add caraway seeds next. Or anise? Can’t wait to experiment. Thank you for all you do and share!

    Reply

    1. Hi Joanna
      Thank you so much for you amazing feedback. I’m so glad that you loved the bread. Your additions sound yummy. And the recipe is definitely versatile to playing!
      The bread does indeed freeze well… It will lose a little elasticity, but if you wrap it well, it is still really good. We freeze ours all the time x

      Reply

    1. Although I haven’t tried it, I would advise as an alternative, to use quinoa flour or millet flour.

      Reply

  57. Hi 💚Kate💚,

    You deserve “kudos” for this well researched, beautifully documented website. You truly are an “Alchemist”.

    My wife & I have taken your suggestions and experience to create some wonderful G.F. Vegan breads. It has brought a whole new world of delectable breads to our meals.

    Vegan for 15 years, G.F. – our health is amazing, literally boundless energy and vitality. In the last four months or so, we dumped the “oil” from our meals – hoping our new breads will slow our weight loss somewhat – they are easy to eat 😋

    Warmest regards from Perth Australia
    Mal & Lee

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for such lovely feedback Mal. I’m so glad you have found the site helpful. Bread is such an important thing to get right, so I’m really happy you’ve created ones you love xx

      Reply

    1. Hi Rosemary.
      Although I haven’t tried it, you could try substituting with either millet flour or oat flour (if you can tolerate it). I suggest making up a small batch and testing on a favourite recipe to check you are happy.
      Although it is a rice free recipe, it may also be possible to substitute with BROWN rice flour too as an alternative.
      I hope that helps 🤞

      Reply

  59. I am so happy to have found this website. I am just overwhelmed by the work and time you must have have spent preparing all this information. This is more than generous of you and I just want to say thank you and how appreciated it is. You are really « un petit bijou » for us who can’t eat gluten.
    I am just getting ready to prepare some of your suggested mixes, plus some of your recipes.
    Un gros merci!!!!

    Reply

    1. You are SO welcome Lorraine. If I can make a small difference to the gluten free community, then I’m super-happy xx

      Reply

  60. Hi Kate
    Could l make your A blend and leave out the brown rice flour. Im not keen on the nutty/gritty texture. Would it work if l use more white rice flour? I would like to make a vanilla and a chocolate sponge cake.
    Thanks for such a great informative page!

    Reply

    1. Hi Marion

      Rice flour generally makes the flour blend gritty (whether white or brown). However, if you’re making a vanilla sponge in particular, it’s better to use a whiter flour blend for visual reasons as much as anything else.

      The flour blend A gains protein structure from the brown rice, so I wouldn’t substitute with more white rice. However, I have tested the blend recently with a substitution of brown rice flour for buckwheat flour and have also been testing sorghum as an alternative too. Both have worked well (although not been tried on every recipe).
      I hope that helps.
      Best wishes
      Kate x

      Reply

  61. Thank you so much for this information. The amount of effort and time that must have gone into this post is amazing.
    I am in the process of sourcing some of the flours you have written about above. let the play commence quick question. In your Mix B, if you were to sub in Oat Flour for another flour, purely for cost reasons. I am on a tighter budget than I’d like and oats are very cheap by comparison. Which flour would you sub and what ratio could I put in?
    For example could I sub 50% of the sorghum with oat flour?

    Reply

    1. You’re welcome Melissa. I hope it helps.
      In terms of subbing the sorghum… I would expect (although I have never tried) that oat flour would be a good sub either in whole or in part. It is worth trying a small amount as a whole sub and then testing with a favourite recipe.
      And if not fully happy, you could then try half oat flour and half buckwheat (or maybe even test gram/chickpea flour).

      The main reason for not using oat flour (which I absolutely adore) is that lots of people in other parts of the world don’t have access to GF oats and some Coeliacs are intolerant. So I try to get a safer blend for universal reasons. But It will bring fabulous qualities to any flour blend, not least because of the Avenin it contains. xx
      Do let me know how you get on.

      Reply

  62. Job😊. Thanks a lot for this valuable information.
    I would like to make waffles for my family bit we cant hace gluten.
    The ones at the store are full of bad ingredients.
    I have this flours but I don’t know the ratios that I should use of each one and how much baking soda and baking powder to use. 😳
    MILLET, TEFF, BUCKWHEAT, SORGHUM, AMARANTH, QUINOA), TAPIOCA STARCH.

    That’s a lot. 😊

    Reply

    1. Hi Sonia
      This is my Waffles Recipe :
      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-belgian-waffles-for/
      It’s definitely much healthier than store-bought mixes.
      It’s made with my Rice-Free Blend B from the post above, which uses Sorghum, Teff, Buckwheat, Tapioca starch, Potato starch and Corn starch..
      You have all of those except the potato and corn starch.
      If you can get hold of the potato and corn starches then I would recommend you do, as this will balance the blend for versatility. Or failing that, do you have access to cassava flour or mochiko (sticky rice flour)?
      However, your alternative would be to maybe try replacing the potato and corn with a combination of additional tapioca and sorghum. Maybe sub the cornflour amount with additional tapioca and the potato amount with additional sorghum.
      I stress that this is guess work, But you could try a half portion of the waffles with the amended mix B and see how it goes?
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

      1. Thanks a lot 😊. I’m allergic to corn that’s why I have to omitted. But I will try your recommendation and let you know how it goes. Send you a hug ❤️

        Reply

  63. Regarding Blend B, is there a difference between teff flour and white teff flour? In my area I only seem to be able to find teff flour (for example, Bob’s Red Mill makes one here https://www.bobsredmill.com/teff-flour.html). I would love to know if I need specifically white teff, and if so where I can find it!

    Reply

    1. Hi Arianna
      Where I am, I can get both white and brown Teff Flour. The brown is darker and stronger in flavour which is why I recommend the lighter version for this. However for Blend B, using a darker Teff shouldn’t make much difference. I’m not sure which Bob’s Red Mill use, it may well be the lighter version. Either way, if that’s what is available, then it’s fine.
      Best wishes x

      Reply

  64. Great article!!

    I am new to the gluten free, egg free, dairy free, yeast free world.

    I have a few questions:

    1. Which alternative flours can you combine to make a mild and tasty bread or roti?

    2. What’s the best flour to make a roti?

    3. Which flours rise well with baking soda and make it soft? I know pakoras are made with chickpea flour and baking soda and they turn out really nice and soft. I just want to know if there are other types that work well.

    4. Also do you know which flour is soft on the stomach?

    Thank you so much!!!

    Sofia

    Reply

    1. Hi Sofia.

      So glad you found the article helpful.
      There are several recipes for gluten free bread on Gluten Free Alchemist that you may wish to look at either to make or for ideas.
      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/p-index/gluten-free-bread/

      I also have a very popular soft and flexible Roti that works well.
      https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-roti-soft-flatbread/

      As for baking soda + flour… Are you looking to make a Soda Bread? If so, you still need to combine some protein-based flour and starches to get the combination of structure and softness. If you can eat oat flour, this is always a good addition and tapioca flour adds positive stretchiness. Chickpea flour and sorghum as well as buckwheat flours are also favourite protein flours here.
      As for which flours are ‘soft on the stomach’? I think that very much depends on your body. What works well for one person is no good for another, so you’ll need to work out how your body responds and find your ‘happy’.
      I hope that helps
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  65. Hi Kate,
    If I wanted to incorporate Cassava flour into a mix what would it replace? The starch flour?

    I’m so keen to try your recipes but trying to use what I have.
    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Jennie
      Cassava flour would be a good substitute for the tapioca starch. Were you looking to replace other flours with it as well?

      Reply

      1. If you can eat sorghum, I would definitely have a go at sourcing it. It’s a lovely flour because it’s mild and brings great structural qualities to the blend. xx

        Reply

  66. Hi there,

    It is quite difficult for me to get gluten free flour when I live. I have managed to secure brown rice flour, flaxseed, tapioca, corn starch, chia seed, xanthan gum, so far.

    Can you please recommend a ratio for blending the above flours for me to start with?

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    1. Hi Florence.
      In terms of the ingredients you have secured, the key ones that you need to use as a base flour blend are (in my experience) the brown rice flour, tapioca starch and corn starch. I would not add chia seed or flaxseed to a base flour blend (as I tend to use them separately as binders and egg replacers where needed). Flax is helpful in bread bakes in particular. And xanthan gum I usually add recipe by recipe for greater flexibility as a ‘gluten replacer’.
      The brown rice flour will act as your protein base (although if you can obtain either buckwheat or sorghum that would be a brilliant addition too).
      With what you have available, I suggest that you try a version of the blend A mix. And sub all the rice flour weight with brown rice flour. As a starter, I would probably then split the potato starch weight between the tapioca and cornstarch, but not equally. So maybe (for 95g potato starch weight sub with 35 to 40g corn starch and the rest tapioca). If you can get hold of potato starch, I would definitely recommend it as a priority.
      The best thing you can then do is to test on some recipes and tweak as you feel helpful when you get a feel for what is working. It may be that a little more tapioca would be helpful. But have a play and see what works for you.
      I hope that helps a little
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  67. 5 stars
    Great fun to find your blog. thanks for this post! I am a longtime alternative flour baker with very particular sensitivities beyond gluten: nuts, seeds, nightshades, some GF grains. Almond flour is such a great sub for white gluten flour, but I can’t use it. I am a big fan of coconut flour for sponge cakes (1/2 cup to 6 eggs), buckwheat groats for sourdough bread (it’s a staple at our house and really honestly the best GF bread in the world), tigernut flour for lighter baked goods, banana flour for crackers (the best). I use 2 parts buckwheat flour to 1 part cassava for muffins and quick breads. I’ve never tried the ratio of 60/40 starch to flour and so I’m going to try that in some biscuits today. I always do 2 parts flour to 1 part starch and so this will be interesting 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your lovely comment Michelle. Wow! It sounds as though you are quite an expert.

      I’m really interesting in trying some of the blending you use. Where I am, it’s much harder to come by tiger nut flour and also banana flour, so I have less experience with them. I find coconut flour to be very drying, so limit my use of it. But I’m particularly interesting in the idea of using buckwheat groats in sourdough bread. Do you add them to the bread dough? Or are they a fundamental part of the bread dough? I would really love to try your bread if you are willing to share the recipe?

      How did the biscuits go?

      Best wishes

      Kate

      Reply

  68. Hi, I’m a little confused. Your blog post says:

    “For a wholegrain-white starch balanced flour blend, I start with a broad 40 : 60 ratio (40% wholegrain flours : 60% white starches as listed below). This seems to be a safe starting point for a general blend.

    If you want to aim for a more wholegrain gluten free flour mix, tip the balance further as far as a 70 : 30 ratio ( 70% wholegrain flours to 30% white starches).”

    So, for the 40-60 ratio, is that really 40% flours, 60% starch? Your language in the next sentence, as well as the recipes for your Mix A, Mix B, etc, seem to imply it should be the reverse–60% flours, 40% starches. Can you clarify?

    Reply

    1. Hi Dave

      Sorry to confuse you. I agree the sentence could have been better-written, but the ratios are correct. I’ll edit to word better.

      Best wishes

      Reply

  69. 5 stars
    Hello! I have a rice blend that works for baked goods but it was too binding for the entire family so i had to adjust our diets. i tried your whole grain blend with some adjustments and i am loving it. i just made some donuts for my kids and it came out so soft and they loved it. My son has multiple food allergies and it has been tough food journey. Thank you so much for posting your blends! it has been a huge help for us.

    Reply

    1. Thank you Thao.
      That’s absolutely brilliant. I love that people can find and make their own blends that work for them. So glad the information has helped for you and your family.
      And thank you so much for the feedback. xxx

      Reply

  70. Thank you for this post. I’m new to GF and I had previously been baking sourdough for 3 years. I’m now gluten free and I’m trying to find a lovely sourdough recipe to continue my love for baking sourdough. I have a sorghum starter that I’ve been keeping up with for over 3 months but I haven’t found anything really to actually bake a wonderful loaf. I love the break down for the wheat/white GF flour and I don’t want to use any rice flour. I will take your tips and try to start fiddling with it to try and make a comparable loaf to sourdough.

    Reply

    1. 5 stars
      How have you been doing with your sourdough experiments? I have used the Mix B with my own GF sourdough starter and its looking quite promising after several failed attempts with other mixes and ratios! I would love to know what you feed your starter with.

      Reply

      1. Hi Ryan
        I’ve just managed to get to the end of a very long road with GF Vegan Bread Machine Wholemeal…. Next I start on Sourdough! Watch this space xx

        Reply

    2. Thank you Jennifer.
      Really fantastic that you are fiddling with the flours to make it work for you. I love when people have the confidence to take their baking forward and if the information helps, then I am a happy woman!
      I too am about to start on a quest for a good sourdough (having just completed a long and arduous journey to GF Vegan Bread maker loaves). If you get any breakthroughs, do let me know xx

      Reply

    1. Hi Zoe. It depends what you are baking, but my go to’s would be tapioca starch, glutinous rice flour (Mochiko) or possibly corn starch.

      Reply

  72. I cannot eat nightshades and therefore potato starch. Can you recommend what I can use in it’s place in the flour blends?

    Reply

    1. Hi Linda
      In terms of replacement for potato starch. I would recommend trying Cassava flour (possibly in combination with some additional tapioca starch) as a substitute.
      I stress that I have not tried these combinations, but based on my knowledge of how the flours work, I would start experimenting using these and tweak as you need to, dependent on results.

      Reply

      1. 5 stars
        Great call, cassava flour is very good and i have used it increasingly to replace part of the tapioca starch as well. Perhaps a combination of cassava flour + glutinous rice flour + cornstarch would make a good substitute for the potato starch.

        Reply

        2. 5 stars
          I love this B flour recipe and have fiddled with it as well since I mostly use cassava flour. I have replaced the buckwheat with cassava and the potato with arrowroot. I don’t eat corn either so I have just upped the tapioca starch to replace it. I will agree, using a scale makes the difference….plus the discussion regarding potato flour and potato starch. There is a difference. I live in Germany and was trying to find potato flour. Every grocer handed me a box of potato starch…lol had to go on line to find potato flour for a specific Netherlands pound cake…crazy. Thanks for your hard work. I sure enjoy reading your post. I plan to make the rolls from your resent newsletter this week!

          Reply

          1. Thank you so much for the lovely (and very helpful) feedback. It’s so good to see people experimenting to create their own flour blends and making something great with the ingredients that are both available and that they can tolerate.
            Enjoy the rolls… They are yet another game-changer for me and have opened up a world of possibilities. If I was served them in a top restaurant (gluten free or not) I would be so happy xx

  73. Could you please clarify the potato starch flour ingredient? Potato starch and potato flour, to my knowledge, are two separate products (unlike tapioca starch/flour, where the terms are used interchangeably for the same product). I’m a bit confused as to which to use for Blend A – potato start or potato flour. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Maggie
      Yes of course…
      It is Potato STARCH that you need. The difficulty is that in different parts of the world, everything seems to have different terminology. When I first started getting GF flours in the UK too, the starch seemed to be called flour (with an under-heading saying ‘starch’). So in an attempt to try and be clear, I used the term potato starch flour thinking that it would help to know that it was potato starch that came as a flour.
      Clearly not very clear… Sorry for any confusion.
      Just shout if you need anything else x

      Reply

      1. Thank you! I’m going through and reading the whole page on flours and blends. Had I done so before posting my question it would have been clear, lol.
        On an unrelated note, I really appreciate that you include the nutritional information on your recipes (or at least the ones I’ve looked at). My son is type 1 diabetic, and we’ve eliminated gluten to see if it might help with severe behavioral issues. I bake a LOT and have gotten good at calculating and swagging (swag = scientific wild ass guessing) carbs for glutinous foods; but GF is new territory.

        Reply

        1. Thanks Maggie
          Yes. I have some extra software which helps to calculate the nutritional content based on specific ingredients. So glad that it is helpful.
          Happy New Year
          xx

          Reply

  74. Hi, I have a box of Compliments all-purpose gluten-free flour mix. Its ingredients are as listed; white corn flour, tapioca starch, modified potato starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan gum. Would this be a good substitute for your mix B?
    (for making your chocolate cake)

    Reply

    1. Hi Uzmaa
      It should be okay for the chocolate cake as a replacement for Blend A (which is used in the recipe). Keep other ingredients in the recipe the same. I see that the pack blend has xanthan gum already, so be sure to remove the xanthan from the recipe.
      I wouldn’t use the blend in place of blend B for bread however, as it is not as balanced for protein-rich flours.
      I hope that makes sense.
      Just shout if you need anything else.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  75. Hello. I love you’re recipes and have just downloaded your lovely Berry trifle recipe. But what I hope you can help with is rice substitutes in GF flour. As I said in a previous post, I’m on a low fodmap diet for IBS and they suggest the following as a go to all purpose flour :- 2 parts fine rice flour; 1 part soya flour; 1 part potato or tapioca or cornflour. What would be a good substitute for the rice (I’m a avoiding oats which isn’t low fodmap) ? Any suggestions would be most welcome as I don’t like the idea of so much rice flour. Many thanks and I wish you a Christmas filled with love and joy and good health for us all in ‘21.

    Reply

    1. Hi Augustine
      I’m so glad you are finding the site helpful.
      You may want to check out the ingredients in my B blend which is a high-protein, no rice blend.
      But in terms of replacement for the rice flour, I would suggest subbing with Sorghum flour (which I believe is low fodmap?).
      I hope that helps.
      Best wishes and have a fabulous Christmas.
      Best wishes
      Kate x

      Reply

      1. Thank you very much. Yes, I’ve used both your recipes with and without oats, quite successfully. And I’ve checked – and all the flours except oats are low fodmap up to 100 grs so that shouldn’t be a problem. All your information on GF flours, their properties etc is extremely helpful so thank you for doing all that hard work and sharing it. My next test will be sourdough using gluten free flour. I’ll let you know how that works. I discovered when I was in Sidney a few years ago, before my IBS diagnosis, that the local artisan sourdough even with wheat and rye was far easier on my digestion than added yeast bread. The trouble is supermarkets sell ‘ sourdough’ bread but it doesn’t taste or feel like the true artisan made stuff. Hardly surprising since it’s priced at £1.50 a loaf as opposed to £4 for the local organic artisan sourdough. But at least we are all learning what’s good and what’s not through helpful and fun websites like yours.

        Reply

        1. Fantastic. Thanks Augustine… and yes… let me know how you get on.
          So glad you have found the site helpful.
          As soon as I have perfected my vegan breadmaker loaf I’ll onto Sourdough too… so any wisdom gathered would be most welcome xx

          Reply

  76. Kate, I have enjoyed learning from your post and feel renewed that I could possibly mix my own gf flour
    (that tastes any good)!
    Have you made puff pastry before? I’m thinking your flour blend B.
    I have a craving for beef wellington for Christmas and I just refuse to pay the (USD) price for prepared gluten free flour to be shipped to Canada.
    It puts regular food out of reach for so many families, it’s just a shame.
    Thank you in advance, Cathy

    Reply

    1. Hi Cathy
      Apologies… I have only just seen this comment… I’m a little behind.
      I have made puff pastry and rough puff before. Blend B is good and should work well. It has for me.

      So happy you have found the flour information helpful. Absolutely you can make a flour blend of your own! Start from a point you are happy with and then tweak with a couple of well-honed recipes that are straight forward from your repertoire to find the best blend for you. xx

      Reply

  77. Hi,
    Thanks for all this helpful info. I’m new to the GF world and miss regular bouncy, chewy bread!!
    Would I use mix B to make Montréal/NYC style bagels? If so what else would I still need to add? Baking powder? Yeast? Egg or a binder?
    If not can you share a recipe that would help me achieve this type of bagel?
    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Rachel
      Thank you for your query. Apologies for the delay in response.
      I do apologise, but as yet, I haven’t tried Bagels. I would therefore hate to advise wrongly. Your best bet is to start with a basic recipe that you know or that seems traditional and then start to work on subbing ingredients… Try to use a good balance of protein-based flours with starch flours… although for the bagel texture, I would definitely be using a reasonable amount of tapioca flour within the start point. Bear in mind that GF flours tend to be more absorbent, so extra liquid may be required.
      You will definitely need a binder… psyllium husk is usually good for bread products as it gives a lovely spring. Beyond that, just tweak and play.
      But… I will put it on my list for development in the coming months.
      Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.

      Reply

  78. Hi
    Im wanting to start a dog treat bakery and have had so many issues with recipes that im exhausted and has cost me so much $.
    Im so glad i found you and hope you can help me please.

    With your flour mix above , which is best to make cupcakes using vegetables and meat broths or fruit, as plain gluen flour is making my muffins like glue😥

    And which flour blend to make hard flat cookies using just meat broths or fruit please. Ive been using rice flour and gluten free flour and they crack 😪

    I would appeciate your knowledge and help Thanku🌺

    Reply

    1. Hi Jacqueline. Apologies… I’m only just catching up with comments, so this may be a little behind.
      I don’t know much about dog treats, but I would suggest that for actual cake-type bakes, use the blend A. It’s pretty cheap. Give it a go and then when you know how it turns out, tweak from there. It may be that you can ‘lighten’ the blend slightly with a little extra corn starch if necessary. I think also it is about balance… the ratio of broth to flour may need tweaking? Also… has the flour blend that you have been using got xanthan gum? It can make things gluey sometimes.
      For hard flat cookies, maybe try subbing the extra rice flour for corn starch or tapioca?
      Sometimes these things are a case of trial and error. But if you start with Blend A and then let me know what happend with a small batch, I may be able to advise better from there.
      I hope that gives you a starting point. Let me know how it goes and we can think again… xx

      Reply

  79. Hi !

    I would like to try your mix A for cakes/cookies, but I don’t like using white rice flour (mainly because it upset my tummy), I only use it to dust my work space when I’m making bread or in the pan for baking. Strange enough, I’m ok with brown rice flour.

    Any idea how could I replace it? I do have available in my pantry teff, sorghum, tapioca, potato starch, arrowroot (I have successfully replace corn starch for arrowroot, as I have 2 kids who are intolerant to corn), coconut flour, brown rice flour and oat flour (self made as directed by you)…

    Thank you so much for your support, as always !

    Reply

    1. Hi Nathalie
      No worries. If you can eat brown rice flour, then you can just replace the white with extra brown. That would be your best bet. So combine the whole rice flour weight in the recipe and just use brown.
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

      1. thank you so much for your feedback !!! I will give it a try tomorrow 🙂

        Reply

  80. Thank you so much for this wonderful information. I am not sure how I missed it previously but our daughter was diagnosed celiac in August 2019 and we have been trying to find suitable gluten free substitutes and have managed to find some ready made breads which are quite good but ending up costing a small fortune. A pizza base is definitely on the cards – personally I love being able to kneed and roll out my pizza dough, spreading it out with a spatula doesn’t quite fill the void of a great pizza dough.

    Your thoroughness and dedication to this certainly is very much appreciated!

    Start a YouTube channel! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for the lovely feedback Craig. I’m really pleased that the information has been helpful to you.
      I totally agree with the kneading experience which gets missed.
      My Vegan artisan bread offered a little opportunity to ‘play’ with the dough… but my Roti Flatbread are very kneadable.
      I’m working on a ‘traditional’ pizza dough… Although I have a couple of great recipes re the final result, I’d also love to get to the ‘kneadable’ recipe.
      A YouTube Channel is certainly being considered xx

      Reply

  81. I have in my pantry arrowroot, cassava, amaranth and flax seed meal and Xanthan gum. At what ratios can I mix some or all of these flours for making pasta or for baking? I’ve just recently been told by the doctor to go on a gluten free diet. I don’t like all the premade gluten free products on the market. I like to make my own recipes. Of all the websites out there I’ve totally enjoyed yours. I like the science behind all your research.

    Reply

    1. Thank you Sandra.
      It’s not a combination I have ever tried before, so I would probably consider adding an alternative/additional protein flour to the mix. Amaranth is a fabulous flour, but can be quite strong in flavour. It would also help to add a ‘structural’ flour to the mix. Sorghum may complement well. I would also ensure the flax is fine ground for a flour blend and would limit the amount to maximum 10%. Maybe even less as it can be a little ‘gummy’.
      I would suggest starting with a 40-60 ratio as suggested in the post and just make a very small amount… test and then start tweaking. It can be a bit trial and error, until you fine the blend you are happy with for the food you want to make. It is also likely that you will need to vary the blend for different bakes too.
      Start with a trial and test and then if you need advice based on how it has come out, contact me again.
      I have to agree though. Home-blending is far more flexible and healthy x

      Reply

  82. I don’t see any reference to using raw buckwheat groats? I measure the desired weight, soak the raw groats for a couple of hours, rinse carefully and weigh again – reduce the liquid amount in recipe by the water absorbed. Then I toss it in the blender with the wet ingredients. It is nothing like buckwheat flour, but much more neutral in flavor and lends wonderful structure. I usually use it as roughly half of my flour requirements but that is for taste, not structure, because I like the flavor that oats bring. Have you tried this?

    Also, I find that when using red lentil puree (from lentils dot org) as fat replacement instead of applesauce, it ACTS as flour (sort of) and makes it easy to make thin, lovely crèpes. The only rule seems to be that the puree amount can not weigh more than the flour amount for the crèpes (they are whole foods plant based and thus egg free and oil free).

    Reply

    1. Sounds amazing Jenny. No I haven’t tried either of your suggestions, but I will make sure I do.
      Thank you so much for the information x

      Reply

  83. Hi Alison,
    Like everyone else has said before me, this is an incredibly good resource for making and blending gluten free flour recipes so thanks for going to all the effort. I have come across some good Italian gluten free flour (which I find really great for pizza with) and they include gluten free wheat starch. Is that one that you have ever investigated? Its a key ingredient in Chinese dumplings. I googled wheat starch and it seems to be gluten free but perhaps there are kinds that are not gluten free?

    Reply

    1. Hi Pete.
      Thanks for your comment. I’m Kate!
      I’m glad you have found the page helpful.
      I have been looking for a good pizza flour and have explored the Italian brands a little (although not managed to get hold of any to try).
      Regarding GF wheat starch (Codex), I try to avoid using it in recipes as despite having had the gluten ‘washed out’, it still impacts some people. I am aware that some of the major manufacturers (inc Schaar) use it in their products, particularly breads and pastry, but it can be a tricky one. Interestingly, I have reacted to some products and not others myself, so from a recipe perspective, it’s possibly better for me to stay clear. It’s a tricky one!
      What I aim to do instead is to find ways round the no gluten texture to bring all my recipes as close as possible to their glutenous cousins using variations of flour blending. My bread has been very successful with determination.
      Having said this, I would love to know what flour you have found for pizza! Could you let me know?
      Many thanks and kind regards
      Kate

      Reply

      1. Really sorry Kate (thats embarrassing).
        Thanks for the reply. The gluten free flour I was referring to is Caputo Gluten Free Pizza Flour. Here is a link – https://www.amazon.com/Antico-Caputo-Fiore-Glut-Gluten-Flour/dp/B00FXH8QFQ. Its the best flour i have come across for making pizza, pasta etc. I’m not celiac so I get mild symptoms when I eat the wrong thing so perhaps thats why wheat starch doesnt bother me.
        Caputo GF flour is not always available (and even harder due to COVID-19) so thats why i have been investigating making my own and given that wheat starch is the one key ingredient that this flour has that others dont i was wondering if thats why its particularly good for bread and pizza. I can buy the Bobs Red Mill flour so perhaps i give that a go with their pizza base recipe first.

        Reply

        1. Thanks Pete.
          No worries!
          I’ll check out the flour link. If you can tolerate GF wheat starch it’s a good option. I’m working on a pizza base that meets my high standards, but may take a while to get there…
          Best wishes xx

          Reply

  84. 5 stars
    This has been such a great resource! Thanks for all the great details and tips you’ve included. I would like to create a high protein all purpose blend using teff, oat and chia seed flours for use in cookies, brownies and possibly muffins. Do you think I can get away with not using xanthan, guar or pysllium? If I must use a starch can I use arrowroot only? Also in what proportion would you recommend I mix them? I hope you can provide some guidance and I look forwards to hearing from you!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Ann. That sounds like an interesting combination! I have never used chia as a flour before. It can be quite dense when used as a binder, so I would be tempted to go lighter on it. But I would think that using chia would probably eliminate the need for other binders. I would probably use oat as the highest ratio and then teff, with just a little chia flour. It may be worth seriously considering adding a starchy flour into the mix to lighten it (maybe some corn or tapioca?)… and then I would try playing with the ratios with a single recipe to see how it goes and how it changes with each tweak. Do let me know how you get on. But if it doesn’t work the first time, keep playing with it until you are happy. Do shout if you need advice after trying a couple of tests… x

      Reply

  85. Hello ,

    Firstly let me thank you so much for providing so much transparent info on GF flours and how to use them . I was so happy to find these .

    It will be grateful if you can please advice my below concerns :

    1.Now for Blend A , I am unable to get potato starch and tapioca starch in Dubai . Any alternative for these two flours ?

    2.For Blend B , we are not getting white teff flour , any alternative for these ?

    3.Could you please specify some baked goods where I shoud Blend A and Blend B ?

    Thanks in advance

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your comment. I am pleased you have found the information helpful.
      1. Regarding substitutes for potato and tapioca starches… My advice would be to try substituting with a combination of cassava flour; sweet rice flour (also known as Mochiko or sticky rice flour); cornstarch (or alternatively arrowroot). Use in combination rather than subbing with just one flour. I stress that I have not tried these combinations, but based on my knowledge of how the flours work, I would start experimenting using these.
      Don’t sub with extra rice flour. It won’t have the same qualities.
      2. To replace the Teff, you possibly have several options. You could replace with buckwheat flour or sorghum. But you could also try replacing with millet flour or quinoa flour (which are similar seeds). Obviously the flavour may influence choice as much as texture.
      As I haven’t tested myself, I would suggest cautiously trying out your favourite options from these to see what works best for you.
      3. In terms of what you would make with each mix, I tend to use Flour A where the colour of the bake is significant (it is much ‘whiter’ in terms of results) and for treats like cakes and biscuits.
      I use blend B when making breads and doughs, some pastries, crackers, etc. Although I also use for some cakes, scones etc too. It is a good versatile blend. The B blend with additional oat flour is used in my Wholemeal Bread for example https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-brown-bread-recipe/
      All the recipes on gluten free alchemist specify which flour blend I have used (A or B) or a separate blend if specific to the bake. If you are making a recipe from elsewhere, you can try cross-checking with a similar recipe here to see what I have used, or seek separate advice from the recipe developer.
      I am planning on updating the GF Flat Bread recipe soon and trying to improve it to make it more flexible.
      I hope that helps
      Best wishes
      Kate

      Reply

  86. 5 stars
    Hi,i

    I love this site, and the idea that you have created all these as a cookbook for your daughter, truly a labour of love. Thank you for sharing this with the world!

    Teff flour is not readily available in Malaysia, can I substitute with sorghum? Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much. What a lovely comment! It’s so nice to be able to share. I figure if I’m working it out for us, then other people should benefit too.
      To replace the Teff, you possibly have several options. You could replace with buckwheat flour or sorghum. But you could also try replacing with millet flour or quinoa flour (which are similar seeds). Obviously the flavour may influence choice as much as texture.
      As I haven’t tested myself, I would suggest cautiously trying out your favourite options from these to see what works best for you.
      Let me know how it goes x

      Reply

  87. Hello, I’ve got gastrointestinal issues and would like to make GF bread. Looking at Breadmix 2 I can’t have tapioca, potato starch or corn starch. What could I use in place of those please for a successful flour blend please? Thanks in advance

    Reply

    1. Hi Claire. Thank you for getting in touch.
      That’s quite a tricky combination because of the qualities that need to be replaced.
      However, based on my knowledge, the best replacement options would be Cassava (although this may not be something you can have?), glutenous rice flour (Mochiko) – found in Asian supermarkets (providing you are happy with using rice) and arrowroot (which is a perfect sub for corn starch). Let me know which of these options you can eat and I will try and suggest some ratios for you x
      Also wondering whether you can eat GF oats? They may also be helpful to replace some of the change. x

      Reply

      1. Similar to Claire I cannot have tapioca, and also cannot tolerate cassava or arrowroot. Potato starch in small quantiles seem okays does glutinous rice and cornstarch. So many recipes have tapioca or arrowroot. What is the best substitute for tapioca?

        Reply

        1. Hi Tess
          The starches are (I think) the trickier flours to sub. Because while they are all starches, they do actually all behave in very different ways and with very different absorption levels.
          However, based on what you have told me, I would suggest maybe playing with a combination of a little glutinous rice flour (which will offer the stickiness and stretch) alongside maybe some fine white rice flour and a little cornstarch.
          It will take a little experimentation, but if you have a recipe that you feel comfortable with, you can try in different ratios with the same recipe to see how it reacts.
          Fingers crossed for you
          And sorry for the delay in reply. I’ve been out of action with Flu for over 2 weeks.
          Best wishes
          Kate x

          Reply

          1. I too must avoid tapioca in all its forms. In general, is potato starch a good substitute as a rule of thumb to try or perhaps corn starch? I’m trying to come up with a good all purpose GF flour mix that will give pastries the desired “chew” but avoid tapioca. All ideas are welcome. Your overview of the various types of flours and mixes is superb. Thank you!

          2. Hi Liz
            In terms of alternatives to tapioca, I wouldn’t automatically advise either potato or corn starches on their own. Potato is quite ‘weighty’ with little stretch, and corn starch too ‘crisp’. My advice would be to try mixing in a little Mochiko Rice Flour (aka asian rice flour/sticky rice flour/sweet rice flour/glutinous rice flour). It is easily available in Asian supermarkets and on line. It offers far more stretch, chew and pliability in a way that is a helpful alternative to tapioca. But it is likely that you will need to use it in much lesser proportion than you might add tapioca starch or the bake make become too glutinous and chewy/gluey. So I would suggest combining with alternative white starches (for the starch element of a blend) alongside corn/white rice/potato/arrowroot.
            I hope this helps.
            Best wishes
            Kate x

    1. The most like for like substitute for cornstarch is arrowroot. This will work perfectly if using as a thickener for sauces etc. Depending on how thick you want a sauce, you may need to add a little extra arrowroot than you would cornstarch. It can also be used to replace the cornstarch in flour blends, but I would suggest experimenting by starting with 1:1 sub and then if need be (I have never directly used it myself) shift the sub ratio to part cornstarch part tapioca dependent on results. As some flour blends on the internet directly use arrowroot anyway within the mix, I would expect it to work pretty well 1 : 1
      Hope that helps xx

      Reply

  89. I’d like to make chocolate chip cookies – someone suggested equal parts teff, potato starch, and sorghum. What do you think? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Could work! However I would usually limit the amount of potato starch I add to cookies as it is a very heavy flour and not always great for bakes. Personally I would use some cornstarch in the mix and limit the amount of potato.
      I have quite a few cookie and biscuit recipes on the blog. If you can eat GF oats, this is a yummy recipe https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/oat-choc-chunk-cookies/

      Reply

    1. Thanks Barbara. I'll certainly look into them. Cassava and Tiger Nut I have used, but never green banana! I will be updating lots of stuff in the coming months, the flours included… xx
      Thank you for your suggestion! x

      Reply

  94. I am relatively new to gluten-free eating, going on about 2 years now. It is a choice for me that helps my IBS. I am finding that in experimenting with baking, gluten-free flour leaves me with a very heavy feeling in my gut. Even causing constipation issues (sorry for the info but necessary for question) which is mainly why I eat gluten-free to begin with. It's not just the pre-made flours that cause gastrointestinal issues, it is also when I have a recipe that calls for xanthan gum. The xanthan gum gave me an upset stomach so I tried guar gum. It is not as bad but still causes gas. So I started looking up how to make my own flour, but all the recipes have either guar or xanthan. I really am trying to eat well, but some foods cause the same issues I am trying to avoid. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jana. Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I have been away and am just catching up now…..
      Xanthan Gum does not suit everyone and there are many people who report similar symptoms when they use it regularly in their baking.
      In terms of substitutes, I have used ground psyllium husk (you can get it from health food shops and then just grind it in the blender) a number of times and it works well….. especially good in breads. It is natural and friends who have had difficulties with xanthan have transferred to using psyllium with better health results.
      Try substituting the xanthan with the same amount of the psyllium and see how it goes…. or I have found this link, which may be helpful to you : https://craftycookery.wordpress.com/substitution-charts/
      I hope that gives you a starting point. Good luck and let me know how it goes x

      Reply

  95. A fab article. I wrote one a while ago but never thought of adding it as a page rather than a post. This is great because it's easy to find! Thanks so much for mentioning my blend! 🙂

    Reply

  96. A great resource thank you. I try to keep by me a jar of GF flour mix 1, the mix ready to make cheese scones and the bread machine bread mix, I am hoping that the habit of preparing one batch to cook and freeze immediately and another to keep for next time will become ingrained over a period of time.

    Reply

        1. Hi Audrey
          The best alternatives would be to use either quinoa or millet I think, as they are both also high protein and of a similar weight/texture.
          I hope that helps
          Kate x

          Reply