All-purpose flour substitute

Also called plain flour.

For gluten-free baking, use a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend that already contains xanthan gum, cup for cup. King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill both say theirs suit non-yeast recipes like cookies, cakes and muffins. If gluten is fine, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour.

6 options, scored for what you are making · Checked

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  1. Gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend

    Great fit

    1 cup gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend (with xanthan gum)

    For this dish: King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill both make their 1-to-1 blends for cookies, cakes, muffins and brownies.

    How: Swap cup for cup. Use a blend sold as a 1-to-1 or measure-for-measure replacement, since those already contain a binder. Spoon it into the cup and level it.

    What changes: Gluten-free. Texture is often a little more tender or crumbly, and flavor depends on the blend's flours.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  2. Cake flour

    Great fit

    1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour

    For this dish: Tender crumb suits cakes and muffins; cookies spread a little more.

    How: Use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons per cup of all-purpose flour, as both Colorado State and Utah State extension charts list.

    What changes: Softer and more tender, since cake flour has less protein. Contains wheat and gluten.

    Contains wheat.

  3. Gluten-free bread flour (for yeast recipes)

    Works

    1 cup gluten-free bread flour blend

    For this dish: It works, but a 1-to-1 baking blend is the simpler choice here.

    How: King Arthur says its Gluten-Free Bread Flour swaps 1:1 for all-purpose or bread flour. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons more liquid per cup and rest the dough 20 minutes before kneading.

    What changes: Gluten-free and made for yeast doughs, which start out like a thick batter.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  4. White rice flour

    Works

    ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp white rice flour

    For this dish: Fine in crisp cookies and shortbread; cakes are more crumbly.

    How: Use 7/8 cup (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons) per cup, as in Colorado State University Extension's chart. On its own it has no binder, so it suits recipes with little structure.

    What changes: Gluten-free, but grittier and more crumbly than a blend. Extension charts warn that specialty flours make yeast breads smaller and heavier.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  5. Bread flour

    Works

    1 cup bread flour

    For this dish: Fine in cookies and quick breads; cakes turn tough.

    How: Use the same amount. Gold Medal says bread flour swaps cup for cup for chewier results.

    What changes: Chewier and sturdier. Gold Medal says it works for quick breads and cookies but not cakes and pastries. Contains wheat and gluten.

    Contains wheat.

  6. Cornstarch (for thickening only)

    Avoid

    ½ cup cornstarch

    For this dish: Starch alone has no protein to give baked goods structure.

    How: For thickening only, use half as much cornstarch as flour: 1/2 tablespoon for each tablespoon. Whisk it into cold liquid first, then stir it into the hot sauce and simmer briefly.

    What changes: Gluten-free and glossier than a flour-thickened sauce. Not a substitute for flour in baking.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

Scores are our editorial judgement from the sources below, not lab tests.

What all-purpose flour does in a recipe

All-purpose flour is a middle-protein wheat flour. Its gluten gives cakes, cookies and breads structure without much chew, and its starch thickens sauces and gravy. A gluten-free substitute has to replace that structure, which is why blends add a binder such as xanthan gum.

Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef

A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.

You ask Sous Chef

"I don't have all-purpose flour."

Sous Chef edits the recipe

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend (with xanthan gum)
Added to the steps: Swap cup for cup. Use a blend sold as a 1-to-1 or measure-for-measure replacement, since those already contain a binder. Spoon it into the cup and level it.
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When not to substitute

If someone has celiac disease, a single ingredient that is not certified gluten-free can make the whole dish unsafe. Swap the flour only if every other ingredient, like baking powder, oats and flavorings, is labeled gluten-free too.

Common questions

What is the best gluten-free substitute for all-purpose flour?

A gluten-free 1-to-1 or measure-for-measure blend that already contains xanthan gum, used cup for cup. King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill both say theirs work best in non-yeast recipes. For yeast bread, use a gluten-free bread flour.

Can I use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour?

Yes. Use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour for each cup of all-purpose flour. The result is softer and more tender.

Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour?

Yes, cup for cup, for chewier results. Gold Medal says it works for quick breads and cookies, but not for cakes and pastries.

What can I use instead of flour to thicken gravy?

Cornstarch, at half the amount: 1/2 tablespoon for each tablespoon of flour. Potato starch, rice starch or arrowroot work at the same half amount.

Is plain flour the same as all-purpose flour?

Plain flour is the UK and Australian name for the everyday wheat flour Americans call all-purpose. Protein levels vary by brand and country, so results can differ a little.

Related

Sources

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