Wheat flour in short supply: 10 flour alternatives as a substitute

replacement products
No wheat flour on hand? You can use these alternatives for baking

04/28/2022, 16:05

5 min reading time

Due to the empty supermarket shelves that prevail in many places, gluten-free alternatives to wheat flour are more in demand than ever. But what are the substitutes actually made of and can they really replace conventional flour?

It doesn’t matter whether it’s made from wheat, spelt, rye or whole grain: flour is currently in short supply. This is not a problem for anyone who suffers from gluten intolerance (celiac disease) – after all, there are a large number of substitute products made from chickpeas or rice, almonds or red lentils. However, it was only a matter of time before the flour alternatives were also bought by people who tolerate gluten due to the high demand. After all, these are just as suitable for baking as normal flour. Nevertheless, they cannot replace the missing wheat 1:1. Why is that and how do you use the replacement products? We’ll tell you.

Here’s what you need to know about flour alternatives

The gluten contained in wheat flour can be understood as a kind of binding agent, which is responsible for the consistency and shape of classic baked goods. The question arises: If the alternative types of flour made from church heir or rice, almonds or red lentils are gluten-free – how can they then be used equally? It’s very simple: you combine the replacement product with a natural binding agent such as eggs, psyllium husks (ground) or linseed (crushed). Alternatively, you can also combine wheat flour with a flour alternative, if you can still get hold of some. However, you should keep in mind that they cannot replace the wheat content 1:1. In addition, the taste – depending on the variety – varies quite a bit. So you just have to experiment a little.

The following table gives you an example of how many grams of a replacement product you need to 100 grams of wheat flour to replace:

Flour alternative: These substitute products are available

1. Buckwheat Flour

Rich in iron, magnesium and zinc, buckwheat flour is very nutritious. It is particularly suitable for the preparation of sweet baked goods, such as waffles and pancakes, or for savory pizza dough. You can omit the wheat flour completely for the dishes mentioned, for other baking recipes you should use the wheat flour in a ratio of 1:2 with the flour alternative.

2. Chickpea Flour

To make flour from chickpeas, they are first roasted and then finely ground. Since it has a slightly nutty taste, it is equally suitable for sweet and savory recipes. To replace 100 grams of wheat flour you need 75 grams of chickpea flour, alternatively you can always replace 20 percent of your conventional flour with chickpeas.

3. Flaxseed meal

This (de-oiled) flour alternative is also known for its nutty flavor – and is equally suitable for baking bread or sweet baked goods. Good to know: Flaxseed flour is rich in nutrients and contains many vitamins in addition to fiber, proteins and minerals. However, due to its lack of stickiness, the substitute should only replace 25 percent of traditional flour.

4. Cornmeal

The corn also passes on its typical yellowish color to the flour, which is obtained from the summer grain. The gluten-free flour alternative has the advantage that it can replace 50 percent of conventional wheat flour – it is particularly good for making corn flatbread, nachos or tortillas. But it can also be used for bread or cakes.

5. Lentil flour

Flour can also be made from red lentils, which gives it a slightly reddish colour, which is also reflected in the dishes prepared – and a slightly sweet taste of its own. This makes it suitable for the preparation of both sweet pastries and savory dishes. Due to its good binding properties, soups and sauces can be thickened with the flour.

6. Coconut Flour

Coconut flour has a much more intense taste: It contains a lot of fiber and few carbohydrates – there are 20 grams of protein per 100 grams. Due to its strong character, this flour alternative is not for everyone, otherwise it is very well suited for the preparation of exotic dishes.

7. Lupine flour

Since it can taste bitter from the baking process, low-carb lupine flour should only replace your conventional flour by 15 percent. Rich in protein and amino fatty acids, this substitute can be used proportionately to make savory and sweet dishes such as bread or cakes.

8. Almond Flour

Although almonds have a typical taste of their own, the flour obtained from them should taste rather neutral. It is best used to make fluffy dishes such as bread or cakes. The de-oiled (or partially de-oiled) flour alternative can replace 20 percent of the wheat flour so that every recipe is a success. But be careful: it binds a lot of liquid.

9. Rice Flour

The substitute product derived from rice is rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins. The gluten-free flour alternative can be used for savory and sweet baked goods (e.g. cakes, muffins or biscuits), ideally with an additional binding agent such as psyllium husk.

10. Soy flour

At the bottom of this series is soy flour, which has very good binding properties and is often used as an egg substitute for vegan dishes. The product should replace a maximum of 30 percent of conventional flour when baking cakes or bread, as it is very rich.

Source: Utopia

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