Before learning that I carry the gene for celiac disease, I never thought twice about the kind of flour I used for baking. Flour was simply just flour and little did I know I was in for a surprise. When my mother was first diagnosed with celiac 10 years ago the disease had just began to resurface. At the time resources and products were limited for those being newly diagnosed. Now, shelves are filled with numerous options including different flour blends.

For those unfamiliar with gluten-free flour blends, it is important to note that they are much different from your typical all-purpose flour. Gluten is a protein that can be in the form of:

• wheat
• barley
• rye.

It is a binding agent found in doughs, pastas, and so forth. The replacement for gluten is xanthan gum in many but not all gluten-free flour blends. Xanthan gum is actually a common food additive that is found throughout various foods that can act as a thickening agent and can also prevent ingredient separation.

Through my own trial and error, I have discovered that not all gluten-free flours can be substituted in baking recipes.

King Arthur: Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Mix

When it comes to baking this is my go-to flour! This blend has been great for making:

• breads
• cakes
• cookies
• and other treats

As of now, it is safe to say that this flour can be used for ‘all purposes’ as advertised. King Arthur seems to be reasonably priced for the amount of flour you get. On the King Arthur website, the 24oz box is being sold for $6.95, but I personally have purchased the same 24oz box for much less than $6 at other stores.

Bob’s Red Mill: 1 to 1 Baking Flour

This 1-to-1 baking flour has been successful in similar recipes. You may wonder why this is called a 1-to-1 baking flour. Well, that is because this particular flour can be substituted as a cup for a cup in any recipe that would normally contain wheat flour. Bob’s Red Mill can be on the pricer side depending on where you purchase their products. However, the quality overall does not disappoint. There is a similar gluten-free flour blend put out by Bob’s Red Mill that is an all-purpose flour. The main difference between that and the 1-to-1 is that the all-purpose blend does not include xanthan gum.

Lodi Unbaked: All-Purpose Lupin Flour

This high-protein flour is both gluten-free and certified vegan. Out of the other two mentioned this would have to be my least favorite, although I have only used this flour in pancakes and banana bread. The pancakes came out okay but they had a bitter taste which seems to be common when using lupin flour.

For the banana bread recipe, it was more or less an experiment to see how the bread would come out. It was not as bitter as the pancakes, plus the taste of the bread overall was not bad, but it did not rise as it normally would with other flours. This is when I decided to read the ingredients on the package…

and found that it does not include xanthan gum, which explains why the bread did not rise properly. If you’re looking to make a high-protein recipe, this may be your go-to flour! As well as being high in protein, this flour is also:

• amino acid-rich
• contains a low glycemic index (GI)
• high in fiber

If you would like to incorporate this flour in recipes for breads, cookies, and such, I would recommend using a combination of both the lupin flour and another all-purpose baking flour for the best results.

To answer the question “does the kind of gluten-free flour you use matter?” YES! The flour you should use will really depend on what you are trying to make. Particularly with baking, it is best to use a flour with xanthan gum to ensure that your ingredients bind well and that the right texture is achieved.

What are your thoughts on these flour blends? Do you have any other brands you would recommend for certain recipes? Comment your thoughts below.