Can I substitute regular flour for gluten free flour? - Claire Elizabeth Creates (2024)

FAQs

Can I just replace regular flour with gluten free flour? ›

If the original recipe calls for 260 grams of all-purpose flour, substitute with 260 grams of your blend. Beat the batter more. Because gluten-free flours provide less structure than all-purpose, the batter or dough you make with them may require more beating than that which you are accustomed.

The truth is, not all baked goods can handle a straightforward cup-for-cup sub. Each gluten-free flour blend reacts slightly differently with ingredients, and some desserts are too delicately calibrated to handle a blind substitution.

Almond flour is a little more moist than wheat flour, and doesn't have quite the same binding qualities. You'll do best to substitute 1:1 to begin with, as many recipes respond well to this direct replacement. But be prepared to add more almond flour as you go to compensate for the wetter batter.

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

No, all-purpose flour is a refined flour made from the endosperm of whole wheat grains. However, the gluten content may vary from one type of wheat to another. For example, soft wheat may have less gluten than hard wheat, and spring wheat has more protein than winter wheat.

"But, if I'm trying to sub a regular traditional flour, I tend to grab oat flour since that mimics wheat flour beautifully." She also attains fluffiness by mixing blanched almond flour and oat flour, adjusting the amounts for each recipe.

If you want to buy just one gluten-free flour, we highly recommend the Pillsbury all-purpose gluten-free flour. Not only is it our favorite gluten-free flour, and easy to use in gluten-free recipes, but it's also one of the few gluten-free flours currently on the market that is recommended for baking with yeast.

Without xanthan gum in a gluten-free bread or cake recipe for instance, the dough or batter would be dry and crumbly and would not rise, despite the presence of a leavening agent.

Gluten-free goods tend to brown faster and take longer to cook through. So they need to be baked at a slightly lower temperature, for a slightly longer time. Every recipe is different, but in general, try lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and baking the item for 15 minutes longer.

Should you add baking powder to gluten-free flour? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

Gluten-free baked goods have earned the reputation of being dry and gritty. That grit—that evil grit! —is the result of gluten-free flours that are often high in starches and rice flour, which take longer to absorb moisture than regular “gluten” flour.

Since baking powder contains baking soda, baking powder cannot be used in almond flour baking. Instead, eggs (or applesauce or bananas) can be used as the leavening agent to help baked goods rise and achieve a light and fluffy texture.

It's nutrient dense and rich in monounsaturated fats (the good ones!) It is also a good source of protein and fiber and gives a moist texture to baked goods. Almond flour is versatile — its nutty flavor and delicate texture work beautifully in all kinds of cookies, cakes, and breads.

Gluten is what holds regular dough together, allowing the dough to be manipulated and creating structure for the dough to rise. Without gluten you need to add a binder as a substitute. The most popular binders are xanthan gum, guar gum and psyllium husk powder.

For every cup of self-rising flour called for in your recipe, start with 1 level cup (weight varies by brand) 1:1-style gluten-free flour. Add 1½ tsp. (6 grams) baking powder and ¼ tsp. (1 gram) kosher salt.