Each week I get several questions about where to find the various flours for my mix or how to use different flours or how to grind their own flours or how to bake without grains, etc. I thought I would create a spot that has all of the answers to help folks. Also, check this post for more information about how I created my mix, how to make it, and how to store it.
Where can I find the flours (and the xanthan gum) in your mix?
All of the flours are available online in the United States. I will admit, I’m not clear why people are reluctant to order flours online. I do it all the time. You can find them on Amazon, on Bob’s Red Mill, on Authentic Foods, and on a myriad of other sites. A quick google search will locate them for you. The one flour that folks seem to have the most trouble finding is sweet rice flour (also known as “glutinous rice flour). I often find Koda Farms sweet rice flour in the “Ethnic” section of my regular grocery store under the name of “Mochiko.” Take a look there if you can’t find it in the gluten-free flours section. You can also order it online from Amazon. I have Amazon Prime which comes with free two day shipping–this makes shopping for baking supplies a breeze!
If you don’t want to order flours online and your local grocery store doesn’t carry them, then you need to do some research for your particular town. You need to check your local stores to find out if they carry the flours. My local grocery store (QFC, a Kroger market) in Seattle carries Bob’s Red Mill flours, so I can get all of the flours there. In Seattle, I can also find them at Safeway, Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, Metropolitan Market, PCC (our local organic co-op), a few health food stores, and sometimes at Asian markets (although I don’t tend to buy flours at Asian markets because of the issue below).
A note about Asian markets: The challenge with buying flours at Asian markets is that many of the brands aren’t labeled gluten-free. If this is the case, you need to decide if you are willing to use it even though it might be cross-contaminated with gluten. You can also contact the company (do a web search for their phone number or email address) and ask them directly: “Is your [x] flour gluten-free?” This is what I would do–I can’t take the chance that something might be cross-contaminated with gluten. But, you need to make your own decision–I can’t make that decision for you.
Can I grind my own flours?
Sure! But be aware that unless you have a powerful grain grinder, you may or may not get the grain to the consistency you like. If you like your flours very fine, then this might not be the answer for you and I would recommend that you stick with a commercial flour. Again, it’s your call based on your preferences. I don’t have a grain grinder (or even a blender) so I don’t do this.
I can’t find or don’t like or am allergic to or don’t want to use [x] flour in your mix. Can I use more of [y] flour?
Again, the answer is, sure! Why not? My motto is: “try it and see!” But be aware that I developed my mix with the different flours for a reason. They aren’t in there willy-nilly. So if you can’t find sweet rice flour (for example) and want to substitute more tapioca flour or you don’t like white rice flour and want to substitute more brown rice flour–it will change the mix. It won’t be the mix I developed. You may or may not like it. But, be aware that by changing things, you change things (if you know what I mean).
I found or I like to use [x] gluten-free flour and wondered if it would work in you mix?
The answer is: it depends. It won’t probably work like the original flours. But, it may or may not create a baked item that you like. Chances are I haven’t tried it–so my answer (as always) is to for you to try it and see what happens. And then let me know. 
I love the hear how people’s experiments are going.
I can’t/don’t want to eat starch–do you have ideas for starch-free flours?
This is a hard one. One of the key reasons baked goods perform the way they do is because of starch. Starch makes up about 80% of all purpose wheat flour and it makes up the same percentage in my gluten-free mix. If you want to bake without starches, you need to be aware that your baked items will taste and perform quite differently from the way they will when you use my mix. I don’t really have any ideas on how to go completely starch-free, but I do have suggestions for a “grain-free” alternate mix, below.
I don’t want to/can’t eat tapioca flour. What should I substitute?
One of the following:
-Potato starch (not potato flour–different thing)
-Arrowroot starch
-Cornstarch
Please note that some people think they don’t like tapioca flour but it’s not the tapioca flour itself that is the problem–it’s tapioca flour that’s gone bad. Tapioca flour (same as starch) that has gone bad tastes bitter and metallic. Normal tapioca flour has a very neutral taste.
I am on a no-grain diet–what flours should I use as substitutes for the ones in your mix?
This question is one on which I’m just now doing research. So, I don’t have much current experience with no-grain flours ( I used them years ago but stopped for various reasons). Currently (as of 1/2013), I recommend the following no-grain adaptation of my mix:
1 1/4 cups Amaranth Flour
1 1/4 cups Quinoa Flour
1 cup Tapioca Flour (or potato starch–not potato flour)
1 cup Potato Flour (not potato starch)
2 scant tsp xanthan gum
Important note: The weights needed for each flour will correspond to the weight of that particular flour–not to the weight of the flours in my original mix (I will get the weights up soon). Please note that this is a denser mix than my rice mix so it will create heavier and denser baked goods. But, try it and see what you think (and let me know about how things are going). I’m still doing research on this (very slowly) so your feedback is helpful!
Can I use nut flours in your mix?
This is a difficult one to answer. Nut flours aren’t really flours. They are ground up nuts. So, they behave differently than actual flours. Also, no matter what, they will provide a gritty texture (which isn’t necessarily bad) to your baking. My husband, daughter, and I are all allergic to various nuts, so I stay away from these most of the time and I can’t really bake with these exclusively. I think this particular topic is better addressed by folks who use them more often. Please see this post for more info.
Can I use coconut flour in your mix or by itself?
I haven’t used coconut flour, so I can’t really answer questions about it. It is one of the foods that I don’t react to all that well, so I don’t use it. I might coconut flakes once in awhile for some sort of special thing (like a coconut cake), but I can’t use it on a regular basis as a flour. Also, it is categorized as a nut, so we need to be careful about it due to our family’s issues with nuts. All I can say is that I have heard the coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture–so you usually need to add more liquid to recipes.
Can you recommend a substitute for xanthan gum?
Right now, the answer is not really. So far, in my experience, guar gum doesn’t have the elasticity that one needs for the kind of baking I do (classic). And, in my experience, the seeds are too gummy and don’t provide the structure that is needed. And gelatin doesn’t work in the ways you need it to. (see this post for more on xanthan gum substitutions) If you want to try substitutes for xanthan gum in my recipes–go ahead! But right now, I can’t really provide much guidance. I will try to do more research on this issue this year. Also, be sure to let me know how your experiments are going!
Gluten-free flours and xanthan gum are so expensive!
Yes, it’s true. Gluten-free flours are more expensive than wheat flour. There are many reasons for this. One of the main reasons is that gluten-free flours are still considered “speciality” items and they aren’t currently made in quantities that allow for lower pricing. Also, in the United States, wheat is a subsidized crop–this means that the government pays the farmers to grow it–which allows the farmers to charge a lower price for their wheat. Which eventually leads to a lower price for wheat flour on the market. Also, processing gluten-free flours is more expensive because the processors have to get their equipment and buildings certified gluten-free in order to avoid cross contamination–and this is quite expensive for them.
All of this said, my flour mix is much less expensive than you might think.
Below is a breakdown of the ingredients for my flour mix, including the number of batches it makes and the cost. Prices are from the Bob’s Red Mill website as of 1/2013.
*
| Brand | Flour | Size | Price | Batches it Makes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | Bob's Red Mill | Brown Rice | 24 oz | $3.89 | 4 |
| * | Bob's Red Mill | White Rice | 24 oz | $2.89 | 3 |
| * | Bob's Red Mill | Tapioca | 20 oz | $3.59 | 4 |
| * | Bob's Red Mill | Sweet Rice | 24 oz | $3.29 | 4 |
| * | Bob's Red Mill | Xanthan Gum | 8 oz | $12.29 | 56 |
*
| Grams | Oz | Cups | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | 660 | 23.25 | 4.5 | $4.77 (w/o tax) |
Please note that I pay the same price you pay for flours. I don’t get any discounts and I haven’t found any magical place that has extremely cheap flours. I just build the cost of these flours into my grocery budget.
Updated 3/29/13
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2013 Jeanne Sauvage
{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Jeanne, I live in South Africa and cant find sweet rice flour. I have managed to find the other flours & xanthan gum. What can I use to replace the sweet rice flour?
Debra: Try potato flour (not potato starch). That should work fine!
Thanks I will try get some tomorrow and let you know how it worked. Thanks for your link and quick response!
Debra: You’re welcome! Let me know how it goes!
So because the flours cost so much and I haven’t ever cooked with them before I was wondering if someone can recommend a substitute for the tapioca flour. I am working on finding things for my sister to use and her husband has a sensitivity to tapioca so I can’t use that.
Allie: I just put up an answer to that in the post. Potato starch, arrowroot starch, or cornstarch.
Thank you! Sorry I tried for 2 comments I thought my 5 year old had shut my browser window… turns out I am just lame
Allie: No worries. And you’re not lame! My comment systems seems to be wonky at times..:)
@anile Oh shoot. Check out my grain free mix idea at: http://t.co/7yYfVdCklu
Hi Jeanne, I am just back to baking from scratch so I am trying the blends of gf flour listed by you. I have found the gf flour mix which the gluten free girl proposes to have too much quinoa/amaranth flour as part of its protein ratio. It is just too heavy and also makes the baked item taste like quinoa. I am going to try your blend and will get back to you. As an aside, I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance also after I gave birth to my first baby, who was just slightly heavier than a low birth weight baby. Luckily, she was fine, and thrived and made all her milestones early, and is in fact a newly graduated family physician now. This was in the days of terrible gluten free food, which was so dry it would choke you ! I am finding these days so much availability of gf food that shopping is now a matter of choice. I am concerned with the amount of low nutrient gf food out on the shelves, that I am looking forward to baking using the flours listed above and adding my own fruit, sugar, eggs, butter etc. Thanks for your posts. I will also give this resource to my brother who was diagnosed within the last 10 years, and lives in Europe and stocks up on products here at home in Ontario, Canada when visiting. Maureen
Maureen: Welcome! And congratulations to your daughter for graduating!! Very impressive. And I agree–I like to make my own things because I can be assured of the quality of the ingredients. Definitely let me know what you think. Happy baking!!
My question is about the process of mixing the ingredients. Do you think it is important to buy a flour sifter to put this together? Or is stirring with a spoon going to blend it enough?
SkyePurls: I just shake the jar or use a spoon. The other thing you can do to fluff it up is to use a whisk if you have one. No need for a sifter.
Thank you! Mix is whisked and shaken. Cookies in the oven! Can’t wait.
SkyePurls: Yay!
Jeanne, thank you so much for your hard work and sharing too. My journey is almost identical to the one you describe. With your recipe, yesterday I was able to bake perfect, yummy cookies that taste like they are supposed to, not like GF versions of yummy cookies! My entire household was happy all day. Now everyone is making a list of all the wonderful baked goods we have been missing for so many years that they want me to start on this week!
Short-time reader, HUGE new fan!! LOVED (and bought!) your book. Awesome! I agree with your comment in the book that if you can taste the grit, then use the superfine flours. Authentic Foods has branched out and now makes superfine grinds of several different grains (super fine white, super fine sorghum, etc). YAH!! Thanks for acknowledging that many people can taste that grit!
And as a price note, I recently ordered 50 lbs of superfine brown rice flour from Authentic Foods, but through my local GF store – so I didn’t pay the $90 shipping and it was QUITE affordable – like $90 or so for 50 lbs!! Thank you for ALL your recipes!
Ann: Ooo, good to know–thanks for the tip! And I’m so glad that I could be of help!
Thanks so much for all the information and recipes. As for a little less expensive way to purchase gluten-free flours: if you are fortunate enough, like I am, to have a gluten-free store nearby, you may be able to purchase gluten-free flours from a bulk bin at about half the price as those little boxes. Be careful though, if the store sells gluten-containing flours, it is very likely to be cross-contaminated. I’ve even heard of some bulk stores that put bulk gluten-free flours in a separate area of the store.
Lynn: Thank you for the tip! And yes–bulk bins are tough for us because of the high probability for cross-contamination. I think the concept of putting the gluten-free flours in a different part of the store is a good one. Thanks!
Interesting post. I have to disagree, in part, about nut flour..almond flour in particular. You are absolutely right that you can’t do a direct substitution in a recipe because it is not actually flour. However, I use almond flour in many cookie and biscotti recipes and they are not gritty at all. In fact, my sugar cookies are melt in your mouth smooth because of the almond flour. I can’t stand the texture of most of the rice flour blends…they are like eating tiny ball-bearings for me. I will say that I use Honeyville Farms almond flour exclusively. It is much more finely ground than the Bob’s Red Mill. The only non-almond flour blend I use is “Jules Gluten Free.” Its pretty darn good.
Thanks for your blog. I enjoy reading it.
Carol: Yeah, I think everyone has different reactions to the grittiness of different flours. And I’m glad you’ve found flours that work well for you! Happy baking!
Hi Jeanne,
Claire here, we met last fall in SF. I was wondering, is there ever a time NOT to add xanthan gum to a flour mixture? Say I was making a tart dough and I wanted it to be cookie-like, would it make sense not to add it? I was thinking about this the other day and figured you were the one to ask.
Cheers!
Claire: Not really. Not adding xanthan gum will create a crumbly cookie. This is better or worse with certain cookies than with others. But, I always use it. My rationale is that there is always gluten in wheat flour when you make cookies.
But, you can always experiment and see what your results are. The important thing is that you like it!
One more question: are there differences between xanthan gums? Does the producer matter?
Claire: According to food scientists, there aren’t differences (at least for the xanthan gums we use in baking). That said, they are grown on a sugar medium. Often that medium is corn sugar. Other times it’s wheat or beans or tapioca. Some people who are allergic to the growing medium feel that they react to the resulting xanthan gum (even though the food scientists I’ve spoken with say that the growth medium is gone by the time the xanthan gum is done growing). Also, Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum uses a wheat sugar growing medium for their xanthan gum. For what it’s worth, I use that, I am allergic to wheat (a true allergy–I go into anaphylaxis) and I don’t react to Bob’s xanthan gum.
I’m sure you know, but Manna Mills in Mountlake Terrace is a great source for flour, especially because you can buy it and other items in bulk.
Wildninja: Oh, yes–thank you for the reminder!!
Could I use your gf gluten free flour mix in other recipes that call for a basic wheat flour? If so would it be cup per cup? Thanks
Sue: the quick answer is: yes for most things other than yeasted breads. Yeasted breads are a whole different situation and require more tweaking. That said, there are always going to be recipes that are more complicated for various reasons and require more tweaking. My advice is to just do it and see what happens!!
We use bobs brown rice flour and my husband is extremely sensitive to corn and he never has any reaction. I’ll confirm that some of their mixes do include corn so they are not used here.
Great post, Jeanne. Your Safeway is much more progressive than ours….they barely carry any gluten free goods in our town, although they are getting better (we now have bread). For those of us out West, Natural Grocers/Vitamin Cottage carries all of the flours and the xanthan gum are all readily available – all, except the sweet rice flour, are packaged by Natural Grocers and most are stored in the coolers. I believe there are stores in New Mexico, Utah, Texas as well as Colorado. Check their website for locations: http://www.naturalgrocers.com When you break down the price, your mix is much, much less expensive than prepackaged gf flour mixes. I usually buy a couple of bags of everything and mix up double batches in large freezer bags. I store these in my freezer and have the flour mix available whenever I’m ready to bake. Just pull a bag out with the butter and eggs to bring to room temp.
On a side note, have you ever done a calorie/carb/protein/fiber breakdown for the completed mix? Or do I need to break out the calculator and figure it from the individual ingredients?
Linda: Ah, good information. Thank you! And no, I haven’t done a nutrition breakdown for the mix.
My 12 year old son was just recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and celiac. We not only have to cut out gluten, we also have to count every carb that goes into his mouth. I use http://www.myfitnesspal.com to enter in gluten free recipe ingredients because I cannot find one gluten free baking cook book with the nutritional breakdown of the recipes. I am so excited, Jeanne, to find your bread and cannot wait to try it because my son LOVES his bread…just like you describe from your childhood experience. Here’s what I got when I entered in all Bob’s Red Mill products for the ingredients:
Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
Total: 2590 583 10 37 45 4
Per Serving: 576 130 2 8 10 1
Please feel free to double check the numbers. I wasn’t sure how to figure the servings. The question My Fitness Pal asks is “how many people does this serve?” I know that will vary on the recipe, so I entered 4.5 to break it down to a single serving being 1 cup. Figuring out the carbs for the bread is a little harder because Jeanne’s flour mix is not a recognized ingredient by itself. I entered in the remaining ingredients into My Fitness Pal and figured 12 slices as the total serving size and came up with these totals:
Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
Total: 896 61 67 20 3197 48
Per Serving: 75 5 6 2 266 4
So, if using 3 C of Jeanne’s flour that is a total of 390 carbs for the recipe divided by 12 slices equals 32.5 carbs per slice for just the flour alone. Then add the carbs for one slice and the total is 37.5 carbs for one slice of bread.
My son has to have a minimum of 85 carbs and not more than 90 carbs for lunch. He pretty much could eat only one sandwich, which actually will work great on school days because he only has 15 minutes to eat his lunch! LOL!
Jeanne, please feel free to double check this information and let me know if there are any corrections. AND…if you do another cookbook it would be AWESOME for us moms of type 1 diabetics with celiac (more common than you’d think) to have that nutrition information!
Stephanie: Wow! Thank you so much for the information. You did a lot of work!! The problem with nutritional info in cookbooks is that the publisher decides what to put in–the author doesn’t have much control over that stuff unless it’s part of the contract. But, I will keep in mind to ask my publisher if we can put in nutritional info on my next cookbook. That is a very good idea! Hang in there!
Your bread was a hit! I actually have searched everywhere in the Salt Lake City area and still have yet to find the Sweet Rice Flour. Was too impatient to wait to order it online so I took a risk and made it with Potato Flour. It is very dense and didn’t rise (although that was my first time working with yeast so I could have messed that up too!). My son loved it and said he actually liked it better than regular bread! That’s all that counts in my book
I’ll probably still work at perfecting it, just because now I like the challenge! I do have another questions, what, if anything, would you do differently if you were baking at a high altitude. (Where I am is 4500 feet).
Thanks!
Stephanie: Yay! I’m so glad! I’m not baking at altitude, but from what I’m understanding from my readers who bake at high altitude, it’s actually easier to make gluten-free baked things. This is because there is less atmospheric pressure weighing down the items, which allows them to rise easier and better. So, I’m not sure why your bread didn’t rise. Hm. How is your oven temperature? Do you have an oven thermometer in there? Also, it’s important to make sure the yeast you’re using isn’t out of date. I’m glad you liked the taste! But, let’s figure out how to get it to rise, too!
Just an FYI, bobs red mill products, all of them, are cross contaminated with corn. So, if you have a corn sensitivity/allergy/intolerance, don’t use bobs.
Kathy: I haven’t read that. Do you have a link to a statement from Bob’s or a statement from a testing agency that confirms this that you can send to me?
On reason folks hesitate to buy flours online is the shipping cost. I am sensitive to what I think of as the weight per dollar ratio. The higher it is, the more the shipping will cost relative to the product value. For jewelry or electronic gadgets, shipping is a negligible part of the online cost. For gluten-free flours, not so.
Glenn: Ah, good point.
{New Post} Answers to Questions About/Substitutions for My Gluten-Free Flour Mix: http://t.co/YEETuFaQ
SkyePurls: Yay!! I’m so glad!
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