Your Essential Guide to Gluten-Free Flours

23 Apr 2025

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Adopting a gluten-free lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite baked goods. It’s now easier than ever to find gluten-free recipes for everything from bread and muffins to cookies and pizza dough. Often, all it takes is switching to a gluten-free flour!

Explore our gluten-free flour guide to learn about some of the most popular, gluten-free alternatives to wheat-based flour. We've included a few gluten-free recipes to try with each flour type, along with general substitution ratios. However, you should also read the product label for specific substitution instructions, as some brands may differ. Additionally, each recipe is unique, so experimentation is key to find the perfect gluten-free flour ratio for your favorite recipes.

Almond Flour

Almonds are a source of healthy fats, relatively high in protein, and low in carbohydrates. The mild, nutty flavor of almond flour makes it an ideal choice for cakes and cookies.

Almond flour is produced by grinding almonds to a fine consistency. You can make it at home by pulsing almonds in a food processor. It's important to pulse because blending too quickly or extensively will result in almond butter.

Almond flour can generally be substituted 1:1 for wheat flour, although some recipes might need additional egg or binder to maintain structure, and a slight reduction in other liquids. Baked goods made with almond flour are often slightly denser.

Almond Flour to Try

NOW Foods Raw Almond Flour
A raw, gluten-free, low-carb flour substitute and a natural source of healthy fatty acids.

Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour
This gluten-free almond flour is a natural source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium.

Recipes to Try with Almond Flour

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is high in fiber and a source of healthy fats. It's also moderately high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Made from dried, defatted, and ground fresh coconut meat, its mild coconut flavor can easily blend with other flavors. Due to variations in the manufacturing process, not all brands of coconut flour perform the same. When you find a brand that suits your needs, stick with it!

Since coconut flour is incredibly absorbent, a little goes a long way. Most recipes require a 1:4 ratio (use ¼ cup of coconut flour for every cup of wheat flour). When experimenting, add coconut flour one tablespoon at a time and monitor the consistency of the batter or dough closely.

Coconut Flour to Try

NOW Foods Organic Coconut Flour
100% USDA certified organic, providing more fiber than wheat and perfect for all your baking needs.

Coconut Secret Coconut Flour
Made from unheated coconut, this high fiber, low carb, unbleached flour is also Non-GMO Project Verified.

Nutiva Coconut Flour
Produced in small batches and at low temperatures, Nutiva coconut flour offers 4 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving.

Recipes to Try with Coconut Flour

Arrowroot Flour or Arrowroot Starch

Arrowroot flour, also known as arrowroot starch, is rich in protein compared to other starches like sweet potato, plantain, and cassava. It also contains moderate levels of B vitamins, copper, iron, and potassium.

This light flour is made from pulverized arrowroot and is commonly used as a thickener similar to cornstarch—for thickening soups, sauces, or puddings without needing to reach a rapid boil. It is effective for thickening acidic sauces or fruit jams and prevents large ice crystals from forming in homemade ice cream. Additionally, arrowroot flour is versatile for baking.

To substitute for cornstarch, use a 1:1 ratio. As a gluten-free flour, use 1 teaspoon of arrowroot flour for every tablespoon of wheat flour. You can also mix it with heavier flours to produce lighter baked goods.

Arrowroot Flour to Try

Bob’s Red Mill Arrowroot Starch/Flour
This arrowroot flour contains no added sulfites and is flavorless and easily digestible.

Recipes with Arrowroot Flour

Tapioca Flour or Tapioca Starch

Tapioca flour, also known as tapioca starch, shares a similar consistency with arrowroot flour and can be used as a thickener and as a light flour in gluten-free baking. It also imparts a springy texture to baked goods and is a moderate source of iron.

Tapioca is typically used in the same ratio as arrowroot flour (1 teaspoon of tapioca flour for every tablespoon of wheat flour, or 2 teaspoons for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch if substituting for cornstarch). Tapioca flour has a slightly sweeter taste than other flours. For less dense baked goods, mix it with a heavier gluten-free flour, making it ideal for crispy crusts and browning.

Tapioca Flour to Try

Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour
A finely ground Tapioca Flour from Bob's Red Mill. It promotes browning and creates crispy crusts while lending a springy texture to baked goods.

Recipes with Tapioca Flour

Fudgy Grain Free Brownies
Paleo Pizza Crust (also uses almond flour)
Banana Waffles

Chickpea Flour or Garbanzo Bean Flour

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are legumes high in protein, iron, and fiber, making this an exceptionally healthy option. Chickpea flour imparts a sweet, rich, slightly “beany” flavor to baked goods, making it more suitable for savory dishes, although it can be masked by other strong flavors such as chocolate. This flour is excellent for batters and for thickening soups, sauces, or gravies.

When substituting chickpea flour for wheat flour, use slightly less—7/8 cup of chickpea flour for every cup of wheat flour.

Chickpea Flour to Try

Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour
This stone-ground garbanzo bean flour is perfect for gluten-free baking, providing 6 grams of protein per serving.

Recipes with Chickpea Flour

Rice Flour

Rice flour, available as white or brown rice flour, is a good source of fiber. It has a fine consistency and a neutral flavor, making it an excellent flour substitute. Brown rice flour has a slightly nuttier flavor compared to white rice flour, which creates a light, delicate, spongy texture in baked goods. Like many gluten-free flours mentioned, rice flour can also be used as a thickening agent.

The differences between rice flour and wheat flour are most noticeable in baked goods. For most other uses, you can substitute rice flour without significant changes in your recipes. When used in baking, it’s typically best to mix rice flour with other gluten-free flours to create an all-purpose flour blend. Substitute rice flour for wheat flour at a ratio of 7/8 cup of rice flour for every cup of wheat flour.

Rice Flour to Try

Bob’s Red Mill White Rice Flour
This stone ground white rice flour has a smooth texture and gentle flavor. It is free from preservatives and additives.

Bob's Red Mill Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour
Bob's uses only the finest whole grain brown rice to produce a delicious flour with a mild, nutty flavor.

Recipes with Rice Flour

Cornmeal and Corn Flour

The primary difference between cornmeal and corn flour lies in their grind; corn flour is ground more finely. Depending on your texture preferences, substitute some cornmeal recipes with corn flour using a ratio of ¾ cup of corn flour to 1 cup of cornmeal.

Cornmeal, an extremely versatile gluten-free option, is commonly used for batter, breading, tortillas, grits, porridge, bread, and pancakes. It is high in fiber and contains modest amounts of iron and zinc.

It's best to use cornmeal in recipes that specifically call for it, such as cornbread or corn muffins, to fully utilize its unique flavor profile and texture. If you wish to substitute cornmeal or corn flour for regular flour, use a 1:1 ratio for cornmeal and ¾ cup of corn flour for each cup of wheat flour.

Cornmeal to Try

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornmeal
This stone ground, whole grain cornmeal produces cornbread with superb flavor and texture.

Corn Flour to Try

Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina Golden Corn Flour

Masa is a traditional Spanish ingredient used to make homemade corn tortillas. It is made from dried corn kernels that have been cooked and soaked in lime water and then ground into masa.

Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Corn Flour

This finely stone-ground flour is perfect for breading and in combination with other baking flours.

Recipes with Cornmeal

Old-Fashioned Gluten-Free Cornbread
Savory Cornbread Waffles
Gluten-Free Corn Tortillas (also uses rice flour)

Recipes with Corn Flour

Potato Starch vs. Potato Flour

Potato starch and potato flour are distinct products and cannot be used interchangeably. Adding to the confusion, potato starch is sometimes labeled as potato starch flour, though they are the same. In contrast, potato flour is different.

Potato starch is produced solely from the starch of potatoes, while potato flour is made by cooking, dehydrating, and grinding whole potatoes. Potato starch contains minimal nutrients, whereas potato flour retains many of the same nutrients found in whole potatoes, including potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and dietary fiber.

Both can be used for baking, depending on the recipe, but be mindful of which one your recipe specifies. Potato flour results in firmer, heavier baked goods, while potato starch is better suited for softer items like dinner rolls or sandwich bread.

Potato starch can be substituted at a ratio of ¾ cup per 1 cup of wheat flour, or use 5/8 cup of potato flour for every 1 cup of wheat flour in your recipe.

Potato Starch to Try

Bob’s Red Mill Unmodified Potato Starch
This potato starch is made from top-quality high-starch potatoes through a water filtration process.

Potato Flour to Try

Bob's Red Mill Finely Ground Potato Flour
Bob's Red Mill Potato Flour is finely ground from 100% dehydrated whole potatoes. It's perfect for use in sauces, gravies, and soups.

Recipes with Potato Starch

Recipes with Potato Flour

Easy Homemade Flatbread (gluten-free and dairy-free, also uses coconut flour)
Gluten-Free Banana Bread (also uses brown rice flour)

Buckwheat Flour

Rich in fiber and protein, with relatively high amounts of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, buckwheat flour has become a favorite among those avoiding gluten. Using buckwheat imparts an earthy, nutty flavor. Although fairly heavy, buckwheat flour will result in dense baked goods unless mixed with lighter flours.

Buckwheat flour can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio with wheat flour. It does not rise at room temperature like many other flours. If you’re baking something that needs to rise, add extra time to your bake time so it can rise in the oven or bread maker. Buckwheat flour also pairs well with other gluten-free flours for cakes and bread, making the goods less dense.

Buckwheat Flour to Try

Arrowhead Mills Organic Buckwheat Flour
Organic Buckwheat Flour from Arrowhead Mills® offers buckwheat,

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Your Essential Guide to Gluten-Free Flours