Many people are on the lookout for alternatives to wheat flour, whether it’s because of dietary restrictions or simply a desire to try out new ingredients. It’s good to know that while these flours are wheat-free, not all of them are gluten-free, so let’s clear that up!
If you’re into making “quick bread,” you’ll be happy to know that many of these flours can also work wonders in flatbreads, crepes, crackers, cookies, and more! One of our favorite substitutes is buckwheat (just a reminder: not kasha!). It’s fantastic for swapping out wheat flour in a one-to-one ratio, especially when you don’t need gluten.
You might wonder when gluten is important—it’s mainly needed for making pastas, breads, and doughs that require that lovely activation. But for yummy cookies, quick breads, crackers, pancakes, and similar treats, you won’t miss it at all! In those cases, buckwheat is a delightful choice to make your baking adventures even more enjoyable. Happy baking!
| FLOUR | PROTEIN | GLUTEN? | TASTE | USES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond | High | No | Like almonds (mild, sweet and nutty) | Breads, cookies and pastry |
| Barley | Low | Yes | Earthy with a mild sweet flavour | Quick breads, cookies |
| Buckwheat | High | No | Earthy flavour that is mild and slightly sweet | Quick bread, noodles, dumplings, crepes |
| Kasha (roasted buckwheat groats) | High | No | Very strong earthy/woody flavour | Quick bread, noodles, dumplings, crepes |
| Chickpea (garbanzo, gram, and besan) | High | No | Mild, and neutral tasting | Quick breads, yeast breads |
| Corn | Low | No | Nutty, corn flavour | Quick breads, yeast breads |
| Millet | High | No | Mild, with a slightly nutty flavour | Quick breads, crumbly food (best combined with corn, oat and rye flour) |
| Oat | High | No (but unsuitable for celiacs) | Sweet and earthy | Quick breads, cookies, year breads |
| Quinoa | High | No | Mild, with a nutty flavour | Quick breads, yeast breads, pairs well with corn, oat, barley and buckwheat flour. |
| Rice | Low | No | Mild with an earthy (for white rice) or nutty (for brown rice) | Quick breads, dumplings and noodles |
| Rye | Low | Yes | Earthy, mildness is based on fineness. | Quick bread and yeast bread |
| Coconut | Low | No | Light coconut flavour | Cookies, crackers. Very dry flour that requires a lot of liquid. |










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