What to replace flour with in baking

Do you have a gluten intolerance or are you looking for other more nutritious (and tastier) alternatives to replace white flour in your desserts and hot dishes? Then you should pay attention to a list of 10 ingredients that can help partially or completely replace classic wheat flour. Starch, almond flour, oat bran, chickpea puree, and much more.

1. Starch

The first substitute known to all housewives is starch (corn or potato). Although 100 g of starch contains about the same number of calories as 100 g of white flour, its main advantage lies in the ability to use a smaller quantity. Thus, two tablespoons of white flour are equivalent to one tablespoon of starch. For example, if you want to make a cake. Then replace 1/4 or even 1/3 of the required amount of flour in the recipe with starch. Use this tip for all your dishes: baking, cookies, and even sides. Finally, if you are watching your weight, know that starch (unlike white flour) helps reduce hunger while simultaneously improving bowel function.

2. Legumes

Cooked chickpeas, beans, or lentils can replace flour in savory and even sweet recipes. For example, in the case of pies or pastries, the final result is more airy and also hearty. In addition, avocado pulp is also a great flour substitute. You can find many recipes for flourless chocolate cookies with avocado online.

3. Mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes or grated potatoes can also be a good substitute for flour in your recipes. They also contain starch, which swells when in contact with moisture and heat. If you decide to go for this unusual alternative, be careful and wait for the mashed potatoes to cool before adding other ingredients.

4. Nut flour

To replace flour and add more flavor to your sweet recipes, you can use nut flour. It is made from peeled nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts), which are ground into a fine powder. Although this flour is high in calories (for example, almond flour has 602 calories per 100 g), it is primarily much healthier and more nutritious because it is rich in antioxidants, microelements, vitamins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. When cooking, simply replace half the amount of flour with the same amount of nut flour.

5. Quinoa, buckwheat, or millet

Quinoa, buckwheat, and millet are rich in nutrients: fibers, mineral salts, and essential amino acids, making them essential elements of a healthy diet. Additionally, they can also replace white flour in muffins, cookies, pancakes, and pies. Replace the required amount of flour with the same amount of crushed or cooked quinoa, buckwheat, or millet, and besides the benefits, you'll also get a dish with a delicate aroma.

6. Oat or wheat bran

Very popular as a weight loss product, oat and wheat bran can also be used as a flour substitute in cooking. Bran is the outer shells of oats and wheat grains, making them harder but lower in calories. Furthermore, they are rich in soluble fibers and pectin, which facilitate bowel function. If you want to lose weight or just keep an eye on your figure, substitute the flour with the same amount of oat or wheat bran.

7. Semolina

Another well-known alternative that can replace flour in many recipes. Just let the semolina swell before cooking (pour with milk or water) and replace it with the same amount as white flour in the recipe.

8. Cookies

You can give a second life to slightly stale cookies by grinding them into a powdery state and incorporating them into savory or sweet recipes, adding more flavor to them. Want a delicious pie or sweet muffins? Use the cookie powder obtained to completely replace the required amount of flour. Additionally, since cookies already contain oil and sugar, you can cut back on those ingredients as well.

9. Oats

Crushed oats can also successfully replace flour. They are more calorie-dense than bran, but much more interesting in terms of nutrition and health. There are no restrictions for them in cooking, so use them to completely replace flour in savory or sweet dishes.

10. Grain flour

Grain flour is the last (but not the most economical) alternative for replacing white flour. Chestnut, coconut, rice, buckwheat, chickpea, rye flour, and many others are rich in fiber, and some are even gluten-free. Incorporate them into your recipes and enjoy a delicious, nutritious, and more energy-dense dish. When cooking, keep in mind that grain flour is denser, so to avoid ending up with a cake that is too tough or, conversely, insufficiently baked, divide the recommended amount of white flour in half.