My Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix is the easiest, most economical, and truly best substitute for “regular” gluten-full flour in my opinion. It’s the best!
One of the shocks that we face when going gluten free is learning that a single flour usually doesn’t work as a substitute for the gluten-full all-purpose flour that most of us were used to using in the past. Sure there was also cake flour and whole-wheat flour, but most recipes called for all-purpose flour.
We had it in our canister, our pantry, and our freezers, and used it 5-lb bag after 5-lb bag, right?
In the gluten-free world, however, you’ll find a multitude of gluten-free flours … like bean flours, buckwheat flour, sorghum flour, rice flour (white, brown, and sweet/glutinous/mochiko), potato flour, and then there are starches … tapioca starch (which is the same as tapioca flour), potato starch (which is not the same as potato flour), and so forth.
When we start out, we know nothing of these ingredients and being faced with learning about them and how to use—and even store them—can be overwhelming.
Some of you really don’t want to buy a bunch of gluten-free flours and gluten-free starches. We want something simple that we can use every time for every recipe. Or most recipes anyway.
Because of that, many of us turn to ready-made gluten-free all-purpose flour mixes. But, sadly, many of you have tried a number of ready-made gluten-free all-purpose flour mixes and have not been pleased. And you’ve spent a lot of money trying all these mixes.
Some are still at the back of your pantry. Others are taking up space in your freezer. (Tip: Pass those along to someone else who uses them or let them go. They’re not going to transform into your Cinderella of flours after sitting in your pantry.)
While there are some excellent ready-made gluten-free flour mixes, many of us find them too costly and some of us have additional intolerances to some of the individual ingredients that are included in such mixes.
Previously I’ve shared the homemade two-ingredient best gluten-free all-purpose flour mix that I use in the notes section of all the recipes that I use it in. However, I’ve never shared it by itself before.
I want to do that today so it’s easier for everyone to find—those of you who are new to gluten free and those of you who have been gluten free for years, but are still not happy with their flour choices.
The mix that I’ve adopted as my own “go-to” flour mix came either from a user on a gluten-free forum or from a gluten-free individual that I talked to in person. I honestly can’t remember the source, but I absolutely love the simplicity of this recipe.
I have been using it successfully for years now. I quickly discovered that I could substitute it for gluten-full all-purpose flour in almost all my old recipes, and it worked beautifully. (Note: In most cases, I do have to add a small amount of xanthan gum when I use this flour mix.)
This gluten-free flour mix really is made of only two ingredients—a gluten-free flour and a gluten-free starch. The starch is cornstarch, which you can find in your regular grocery store—and pay the same price that everyone else is paying, I might add.
The gluten-free flour in this mix is finely ground white rice flour, which can be found at your local Asian market or online here. (Note that this is NOT sweet rice flour, which is also known as glutinous rice flour or Mochiko.) Asian white rice flour is very inexpensive and I’ve found it to be safe for me.
When you’re not buying a multitude of gluten-free flours and starches, making your own gluten-free flour mix is super easy. With only two ingredients and much lower cost ones at that, this mix is also very economical.
I pay a little over $1 per pound for both the Asian white rice flour and cornstarch. And, most important of all, this Two-Ingredient Best Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix works!
Okay, there are two types of recipes that I have not had good luck using this Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix recipe in … pancakes and yeast-based breads. I think the ingredients in this flour mix are just too finely ground and not substantial enough for these two uses.
But with everything else, I’ve had great success in using this recipe for my gluten-free flour mix when I am not interested in creating a grain-free recipe. (I’ve increasingly used almond flour and coconut flour for baking the last several years, and more recently cassava flour, tiger nut flour, and banana flour.)
Some reading will not like this gluten-free flour mix recipe because they say it lacks nutrition. That is true. I will not argue that point.
However, that’s no different than the gluten-full all-purpose flour that most of us used to rely on in the past without a second thought. Those endless 5-lb sacks of bleached white flour. And most ready-made gluten-free flour mixes are a mix of rice flour and starches as well so they are usually no more nutritious than my mix.
Plus my gfe baking recipes are often flourless and crustless. The crustless ones use only a very small amount of my gluten-free all-purpose flour when it’s needed.
I often bake grain-free now, so I’m not using this flour mix that often and am not going to worry about it lacking in nutritional content when I do.
Last, I am actually intolerant of/sensitive to a number of the other gluten-free flour options that are considered healthier and/or are included in other gluten-free flour mixes (e.g., sorghum, buckwheat, Expandex), but I do just fine with this flour mix.
By the way, some members of the paleo/primal community say that if you are going to eat a grain, go ahead and eat white rice as it is pretty mild on the digestive system—passing through one’s system quickly and harmlessly.
Some of you might be wondering about xanthan gum or guar gum for binding. These ingredients are, in fact, often included in homemade or ready-made gluten-free flour mixes to aid in binding. For most recipes in which I use this flour mix, I do add a small amount of xanthan gum, but I add it at the time of mixing.
I usually add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour mix used in the recipe. So if a recipe calls for 2 cups of gluten-free flour mix, I add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
I would use the same amount for 2 ¼ cups of gluten-free flour mix, but if the recipe called for 2 ½ cups, I would bump up the xanthan gum a bit, to 1 ¼ teaspoon.
If you use guar gum instead of xanthan gum, you would probably add it to the recipe in the same proportion. I don’t do well with guar gum when it’s included in ready-made products, so I haven’t tried using it with this flour mix.
Other binders that you might use in place of xanthan gum (e.g., Pixie Dust) would probably work in conjunction with this mix as well. Please let us all know if you give them a try.
Some of the Gluten-Free Recipes in Which I Use This Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix
~ Cinnamon-Sugar Crusted Popovers
~ Mediterranean Chocolate Cake
Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix Recipe
The rice flour used in this mix is NOT sweet rice flour, which is also known as glutinous rice flour (due to its sticky nature) or Mochiko. You can make any size batch that you want. The proportions are as follows: 3 parts white rice flour, finely ground; 2 parts cornstarch. If you prefer brown rice flour, you can substitute finely ground brown rice flour for white rice flour, but please know that it will not be a true gluten-free all-purpose flour in that case. The brown rice flour-based version provides a heartier taste, closer to that provided by whole wheat. You can also choose to do a mixture of white rice flour and brown rice flour as your rice flour “part,” if you want to do some experimenting. This mix does not require refrigeration. If you want a finely ground, certified gluten-free rice flour, Authentic Foods is a great choice in my opinion. Gritty rice flour is the bane of gluten-free baked goods. Some individuals like grinding their own rice flour from rice or buying rice flour but then processing it more to ensure that it’s finely ground. I like the white rice flour that you can buy at international or Asian grocery stores. It’s labeled gluten free, but it is not certified gluten free. However, I know that some individuals have tested Asian white rice flour and it has tested gluten free. I have used it safely for years, but please use---or don’t use---to your own comfort level. I measure the rice flour and cornstarch by stirring, spooning into measuring cup, and leveling off with a butter knife. I also measure this way when adding the gluten-free grain-based flour mix to recipes. For most recipes in which I use this flour mix, I do use xanthan gum, but I add it at the time of mixing. I usually add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum per cups of flour mix used in the recipe. So if a recipe calls for 2 cups of gluten-free flour mix, I add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. I would use the same amount for 2 ¼ cups of gluten-free flour mix, but if the recipe called for 2 ½ cups, I would bump up the xanthan gum a bit, to 1 ¼ teaspoon. If you use guar gum instead of xanthan gum, you would probably add it to the recipe in the same proportion. I don’t do well with guar gum, so I haven’t tried it. Other binders that you might use in place of xanthan gum would probably work in conjunction with this mix as well. Many recipes will work fine without xanthan gum, but you often won’t know until you give them a try.Large Batch of Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
The rice flour used in this mix is NOT sweet rice flour, which is also known as glutinous rice flour (due to its sticky nature) or Mochiko. You can make any size batch that you want. The proportions are as follows: 3 parts white rice flour, finely ground; 2 parts cornstarch. If you prefer brown rice flour, you can substitute finely ground brown rice flour for white rice flour, but please know that it will not be a true gluten-free all-purpose flour in that case. The brown rice flour-based version provides a heartier taste, closer to that provided by whole wheat. You can also choose to do a mixture of white rice flour and brown rice flour as your rice flour “part,” if you want to do some experimenting. This mix does not require refrigeration. If you want a finely ground, certified gluten-free rice flour, Authentic Foods is a great choice in my opinion. Gritty rice flour is the bane of gluten-free baked goods. Some individuals like grinding their own rice flour from rice or buying rice flour but then processing it more to ensure that it’s finely ground. I like the white rice flour that you can buy at international or Asian grocery stores. It’s labeled gluten free, but it is not certified gluten free. However, I know that some individuals have tested Asian white rice flour and it has tested gluten free. I have used it safely for years, but please use---or don’t use---to your own comfort level. I measure the rice flour and cornstarch by stirring, spooning into measuring cup, and leveling off with a butter knife. I also measure this way when adding the gluten-free grain-based flour mix to recipes.For most recipes in which I use this flour mix, I do use xanthan gum, but I add it at the time of mixing. I usually add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum per cups of flour mix used in the recipe. So if a recipe calls for 2 cups of gluten-free flour mix, I add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. I would use the same amount for 2 ¼ cups of gluten-free flour mix, but if the recipe called for 2 ½ cups, I would bump up the xanthan gum a bit, to 1 ¼ teaspoon. If you use guar gum instead of xanthan gum, you would probably add it to the recipe in the same proportion. I don’t do well with guar gum, so I haven’t tried it. Other binders that you might use in place of xanthan gum would probably work in conjunction with this mix as well. Many recipes will work fine without xanthan gum, but you often won’t know until you give them a try.Small Batch of Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
If you want to try this Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix out in a recipe before you make a larger batch, this is the amount you should make. The rice flour used in this mix is NOT sweet rice flour, which is also known as glutinous rice flour (due to its sticky nature; it does not contain gluten) or Mochiko. You can make any size batch that you want. The proportions are as follows: 3 parts white rice flour, finely ground; 2 parts cornstarch. If you prefer brown rice flour, you can substitute finely ground brown rice flour for white rice flour, but please know that it will not be a true gluten-free all-purpose flour in that case. The brown rice flour-based version provides a heartier taste, closer to that provided by whole wheat. You can also choose to do a mixture of white rice flour and brown rice flour as your rice flour “part,” if you want to do some experimenting. This mix does not require refrigeration. If you want a finely ground, certified gluten-free rice flour, Authentic Foods is a great choice in my opinion. Gritty rice flour is the bane of gluten-free baked goods. Some individuals like grinding their own rice flour from rice or buying rice flour but then processing it more to ensure that it’s finely ground. I like the white rice flour that you can buy at international or Asian grocery stores. It’s labeled gluten free, but it is not certified gluten free. However, I know that some individuals have tested Asian white rice flour and it has tested gluten free. I have used it safely for years, but please use---or don’t use---to your own comfort level. I measure the rice flour and cornstarch by stirring, spooning into measuring cup, and leveling off with a butter knife. I also measure this way when adding the gluten-free grain-based flour mix to recipes. For most recipes in which I use this flour mix, I do use xanthan gum, but I add it at the time of mixing. I usually add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum per cups of flour mix used in the recipe. So if a recipe calls for 2 cups of gluten-free flour mix, I add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. I would use the same amount for 2 ¼ cups of gluten-free flour mix, but if the recipe called for 2 ½ cups, I would bump up the xanthan gum a bit, to 1 ¼ teaspoon. If you use guar gum instead of xanthan gum, you would probably add it to the recipe in the same proportion. I don’t do well with guar gum, so I haven’t tried it. Other binders that you might use in place of xanthan gum would probably work in conjunction with this mix as well. Many recipes will work fine without xanthan gum, but you often won’t know until you give them a try.Very Small Batch of Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Sofy says
Thank you for the simplicity of your gf all purpose flour.
Can you replace cornstarch with another starchy flour? I don’t trust corn as most of it is GMO.
Thank you!
Shirley says
Hi Sofy–Welcome to gfe and you’re welcome, of course! 🙂 There are brands of cornstarch that are non-GMO. They are more expensive, of course, but the cost can vary quite a bit so you could potentially find a brand that might be feasible for you. It’s possible that a starch like tapioca starch or arrowroot will work in place of the cornstarch, but I don’t know if either sub will work all the time and I haven’t experimented with either myself. I’d recommend making up small batches and doing some experimenting in your favorite recipes that use gf ap flour. That way you’ll know how the results differ from those you’re used to. I’d love it if you’d come back and share the results of any experimentation, and I’m sure all the gfe readers would, too.
Thanks for taking the time to comment! Hope to hear from you more soon.
Shirley
Faith says
I’ve always known about your flour mix, but never paid attention until now that you have singled it out. How awesome! Since I can’t do almond flour anymore, I have gone back to rice flour and have been looking for a great mix. I don’t do cornstarch, so I may use arrowroot instead. The light bulb just turned on. Thanks Shirley!!
Shirley says
Faith–Yay! I’m so glad I decided to do a dedicated post. 🙂 Arrowroot *should* work fine, but I haven’t tried it myself. Please let me know what you think after you try it and I’ll update the recipe if it’s a good option.
Thanks, Faith!
Shirley
Faith says
I will definitely let you know. I might do tapioca starch also – maybe be split it. I don’t have much arrowroot at the moment. Either way I’ll let you know.
Shirley says
Thanks, Faith. 🙂
Glennie says
Is there another flour that can be used other than rice? Dad has dentures & rice flour causes a grit under them. Have tried it in a few different baked goods.
Shirley says
Hi Glennie–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Rice flour is only going to cause grit to get under dentures if it’s gritty to begin with because it’s not finely ground. Sadly that is true of so many brands of rice flour and, therefore, also flour mixes. However, there are some very finely ground options. How finely ground? As finely ground as cornstarch. There is NO grit in such flours. I recommend the rice flour from China that you can buy at an Asian or international market or Authentic Foods Finely Ground White Rice Flour. You can order the latter from Amazon here. To go back to your original question though, I have not tried any other flours in place of the rice flour in this mix, Glennie. I don’t think there’s another single gluten-free flour that would work and allow the recipe to be used as an “all-purpose” flour mix.
Hope that helps!
Shirley
Sam says
I found that if rice flour causes a gritty texture , then if you leave the mixture to sit for 20 mins before you put it in the oven, this allows the rice flour to soften and prevent grittiness. however if the recipe contains bicarbonate of soda then leave that out and add just before baking.
This worked a treat for a brownies recipe I used.
Can this flour mix be used to make bread?
Shirley says
Hi Sam–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 That’s interesting that you’ve experienced/discovered those results. Thanks for the tips. I’m sure that info will help others. Personally I prefer starting out with a mixture that has no grittiness whatsoever. I honestly don’t understand why there are any gritty flour products. It’s a simple matter of grinding the grain a bit longer to achieve the fine texture.
I don’t think this mix is substantial enough to work for typical loaf bread recipes. It works fine for “bready” recipes like popovers, muffins, etc. though.
Shirley
Joanne says
Are there any other options for the gums ?
I want to try the rice mix but don’t feel good about the gums
Shirley says
Hi Joanne–It’s good to see you here again. 🙂 As I shared in Notes in the recipe, if folks have had good luck replacing gums with psyllium husks, chia seed meal, etc., those will *probably* work when using this mix. But here’s another solution you might want to check out, Dr. Jean Layton’s xanthan gum replacer, her “Pixie Dust.” You can find that recipe here. Hope that info helps …
Shirley
Laurie says
1:1 potato starch and rice flour works fine as a GF all purpose flour
Shirley says
Hi Laurie–Welcome to gfe. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your simple recipe as well. I’m sure that folks who prefer potato starch over cornstarch will want to give it a try. 😉
Shirley
Anna says
Thank you! I have issues with corn in general and have relied on mixes with corn starch which is often hard on my tummy. As we live in Asia, rice flour is not an issue. I can easily get potato starch. I think I will try that first!
InTolerant Chef says
So wonderfully simple indeed- thanks Shirley!
Shirley says
InTolerant Chef–Well, you know I love simple! 😉 And you’re welcome, of course. 🙂
Shirley
Vicky says
Sometimes you require a gluten free flour mix like this. Certain cakes and breads do not work well with “healthy” grains. Personally I don’t do millets often because they are goitrogens.
In the UK many of the celebrity gluten free chefs use this type of blend in they’re cookery books. Whereas I wouldn’t choose to use it all the time, I would certainly consider using a blend like this in a sponge cake or an angel cake for special occasions.
When I first started gluten free baking, I didn’t use the starches but they are necessary if you want a light result. I use a gluten free mix now which has Rice Flour, Buckwheat flour, sorghum and potato starch if I’m making a cake. I don’t have problems with buckwheat, thank goodness, and the small amount of sorghum in the mix is OK now and again even though it’s a millet.
In the UK you have to be very careful to choose a gluten free buckwheat flour or sorghum flour, apparently not all buckwheat or sorghum flours are gluten free because of the contamination. I wonder if that’s why you’ve had problems?
This is an ideal starter recipe and an economical recipe for many people on a gluten free diet.
Great post, as usual!
Shirley says
Thanks, Vicky. I really appreciate you sharing your perspective and experience with us all. I’d be happy to use your mix that you use to make cakes if I could tolerate it. Sounds great! The same is true in the U.S. about gluten-free grains or pseudo grains like buckwheat. A study conducted in 2010 and led by Tricia Thompson (The Gluten-Free Dietitian and founder/operator of Gluten-Free Watchdog) showed that 32% of “gluten-free” grains actually contained more than 20 ppm gluten and in some cases MUCH more. You can read about that here. Although it was a pilot study and a small study, nothing more has been done in this area to my knowledge. That’s a shame because clearly it’s an issue and needs more attention. It was actually a study like this (also conducted by Tricia and the same other folks) that proved that mainstream gluten-free oats contained gluten and that gf individuals needed to consume certified gluten-free oats only. I’d like to see a second larger study conducted and the same info/process be followed for these other grains. Anyway, another battle to be fought for the gf at some point. Thanks again, my friend! 🙂
Shirley
Cheryl Harris says
Shirley,
Saw your post–a bigger study was done in Canada in 2013 that replicated Tricia’s study and found that 10% of flours had over 20ppm-and 1% were ones marked GF.
Koerner, T, Cleroux, C, Poirier, C. et al. (2013) Gluten contamination of naturally gluten-free flours and starches used by Canadians with
celiac disease, Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, 30:12, 2017-2021
Shirley says
Thanks, Cheryl. I do remember that study now, but I really appreciate these specifics and I know that other readers will as well. I’d like to see something more done in this area. I don’t think our new “gluten-free” labeling laws are enough to protect us and those only come into play if these products are labeled gluten free, of course. I still see lots of gf individuals using buckwheat, soy flour, cornmeal, etc. without gluten-free labels, simply thinking that they are gluten free without further research/consideration.
Shirley
Judith says
Why are the proportions for the very small batch different than the proportions for the small and large batches?
Shirley says
Yikes, Judith, that was an error on my part. Thanks for catching that! Fixed now. And welcome to gfe! 🙂
Thanks again!
Shirley
Nancy says
So what to use? 1-1/2 cups white rice flour and 1/2 cup cornstarch
(3 to 1)? and not one cup cornstarch? I noticed difference, too.
Love your site. I’m new to all this.
Shirley says
Hi Nancy–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind words, too. I sincerely can’t tell you how much I appreciate your lovely feedback. 🙂 As far as the recipe, the smaller batch amount is the corrected amount. It would be 1 1/2 cups white rice flour and 1/2 cup cornstarch. That’s 3 to 2 with each part being 1/2 cup. So 3 parts would be 1 1/2 cups and 2 parts would be 1 cup. You’d mix those together to have your small batch. (Remember to add your xanthan gum when you make the recipe as well.) Does that make sense now?
Shirley
Nancy says
Maybe I’m not clear. Seems to me that 1-1/2 flour and 1/2 cornstarch is 3 t0 1.
And mix what together to have a small batch? two different recipes, or just talking about one? The 3 to 2 is what? Sorry for my misunderstanding of your response.
Shirley says
Nancy–You’re clear, but you’re mistaken. I know it can be confusing! That’s why I made a mistake in my original post. Let me explain. If one part is half of a cup. Two parts would be 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup, which equals 1 cup, and three parts would be 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup, which equals 1 1/2 cups. So three parts to two parts would be 1 1/2 cups of white rice flour and 1 cup of cornstarch. (I had to come back and edit this! See how confusing it can be! LOL) Make more sense now?
Diana R. says
Thanks for posting this mix I really enjoy the simplicity of your recipes. I don’t tolerate many whole grain flours and I notice most end up going bad before I get to use them because I dont bake often. I made a recipe that used a mix similar to this in yellow cake with really good results. I was wondering if this works good for cookies? I have a problem with cookies always spreading when I try to convert to gluten free. Do I need to increase the xanthan gum?
Shirley says
Hi Diana–First, thanks so much for the kind feedback! I don’t think I’ve ever officially welcomed you to gfe–thank you for being here! 🙂 I used this recipe for cookies, specifically ones that I’ve converted to gluten free and it’s always worked fine. I’ve never increased the xanthan gum when I did. But after converting a recipe and making up your batter, you could just bake one test cookie to make sure it did not spread excessively. The funny thing about this whole discussion is that when I first read about this mix, the person sharing it said you did not have to add xanthan gum to it when you made cookies and I read the same advice (no need to add xanthan gum to cookies) on another friend’s gf blog just the other day. That has definitely not been my experience. I’ve tried it and even on occasion forgotten the xanthan gum initially (as I was just referencing the gluten-full recipe that obviously wouldn’t include xanthan gum) and every time the cookies would just spread into one big mass. Great for cookie brittle sometimes, but never for actual cookies. So I’m not sure why others have been able to make cookies without using xanthan gum or at least some other binder like psyllium, etc. Hope this mix works out for you!
Shirley
April says
You mentioned that if you use brown rice flour it is not a true gf ap flour. Why is that?
Shirley says
Hi April–Welcome! Well, that’s my personal opinion based on the differences between the two types of rice flour, but most likely many others would agree with me. An all-purpose flour mix obviously means you can use it for all purposes, or at least many. If I made this mix with brown rice flour, I wouldn’t be using it in nearly as many recipes, because I wouldn’t like its slightly heavier taste and texture since it’s whole grain, and that just wouldn’t work in all of my baking recipes. (Much like whole wheat flour wouldn’t work for all recipes that required all-purpose flour in our gluten-full days.) Of course, you might feel differently and try this mix made with finely ground brown rice flour (the “finely ground” part is very important as well) and love it. 😉 Just note that because brown rice flour is whole grain, you’ll need to refrigerate this mix so the brown rice flour component won’t go rancid. Hope that helps!
Shirley
Connie says
I am trying to go gluten free, but I am a diabetic, so I have concerns about using the rice flour and cornstarch both, as rice and cornstarch raises blood glucose levels. Can anyone speak to this issue?
Shirley says
Hi Connie–Personally I would not recommend this mix—or really any mix that contains grains because they’re high glycemic—for someone who is diabetic, especially if they wanted to bake a lot. You might want to look at grain-free low-carb lower glycemic flours like almond flour and coconut flour for your gluten-free baking. I have a number of those types of recipes here on gfe, but you’ll find tons of such recipes on more paleo-friendly blogs like my friend Elana’s blog, Elana’s Pantry. Grain-free baking is still delicious though! 🙂
Shirley
Beth says
Hi Shirley! Have you used this gf flour mix to make bread? Do you have recipes where we can use this mix?
Shirley says
Hi Beth–It looks like you’re new here at gfe—welcome! 🙂 And that’s a good question. Admittedly, I’m not much of a bread baker. I make grain-free bread and mostly bread options like rolls and biscuits. That’s why my Bountiful Bread Basket series (first post herewith the links to all the posts to date), especially the posts on bread loaves, is mostly recipes from other bloggers, skilled bread makers! Bread loaves tend to be their own beast if you know what I mean. Most call for a unique combination of flours, starches, and yeast. However, if a bread recipe calls for gluten-free all-purpose flour mix, I’d definitely give this mix a try in it. I use it all the time in bread recipes like popovers, muffins, and such. As far as recipes where I use the mix, they are all over my blog. I state in the recipe “Notes” if I’m using this mix. If it’s not a grain-free recipe requiring flour, 99% of the time, I’m using this mix. Hope all that info helps!
Shirley
Beth says
Thank you for the info, Shirley! I’ll take a look at the link. Your recipes look so yummy!
Shirley says
You’re welcome, Beth, and thanks so much for the lovely feedback! Hope you find some new gfe recipes that you will simply love! 🙂
Shirley
Lisa says
Can I substitute the corn starch with tapioca starch?
Thank you 🙂
Shirley says
Hi Lisa–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I personally have not tried that, but it would be easy to make up a small batch with tapioca starch and make a recipe and see what you think. 😉 Please let us know if you give it a try!
Shirley
Helen says
Hiya Shirley. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I am no fan of using the gums and I believe that it’s not necessary to use it. If and when you use rice flour you get the same results when using xanthan gum or guar gum.
I have used a mix of 3 ingredients GF for all purpose flour mix and I always use rice flour. No gums and no problem.
Shirley says
Hi Helen–Welcome! I use gums as little as possible myself. However, your universal experience has not been my universal experience. I have had great results with leaving gums out of quick breads, but not with other recipes in which I use this mix. It’s possible that the other ingredients in the mix you’ve used have more binding power. I know there are others who have different gf ap flour mixes who almost always leave out any gum, especially in cookies. In my experience with this mix, xanthan gum is critical in cookies. Thanks for commenting. These discussions help us all. 🙂
Shirley
Beth says
I’d love to hear what’s in your 3-ingredient mix and what recipes you use it in!
Susan Seefeld says
It’s best to get rice from CA and NOT from Japan (radiation problem). Make your own flour, if possible.
Shirley says
Hi Susan–Welcome. This rice flour is from Thailand, not Japan, but I suppose that possibility exists there, too. Thanks for sharing your concern so that other readers can investigate and use which products they feel most comfortable with.
Shirley
Catherine says
Be careful of CA rice as Fukishima radiation has been heavier in CA than other parts of the US.
Shirley says
Hi Catherine–Welcome to gfe. 🙂 Thanks for making that point … hmmm. Definitely worth consideration and some research.
Shirley
Karen Taylor says
I discovered last weekend by accident! I have been trying to make an acceptable gf buscuit off and on for the last month. After going through a dozen or so recipes and throwing most of the end results I came across a recipe that used a gf all purpose flour and potato starch. All I had was an gf allpurpose baking mix so I gave it a try since adding baking powder in the other attempts with GFAP flour gave them a metallic taste. It worked beautifully. I was so excited. Now to find out I can buy just white rice flour in bulk is a godsend. Do you think your recipe would work well to coat chicken and fry it? I live in Alabama and southerners love their biscuits and fried chicken!
Shirley says
Welcome to gfe, Karen! Yay on discovering a simpler way, huh? 😉 I’ve used my gf flour mix for fried chicken. It’s been a while and I know I added other spices/seasoning to the mix, but it worked just fine when I did it. Hope your results are just as good. 🙂
Shirley
Michelle says
Have you used this mix for pie crust with success?
Shirley says
Hi Michelle–First, welcome to gfe. 🙂 I do use this flour mix to make my Never-Fail, No-Roll, Press-In Pie Crust and also to make roll-out cut-out cookies, but I’m not one to make traditional pie crusts (I prefer crustless pies or the no-roll crust I mentioned). So the answer is I’ve never tried it with a traditional roll-out pie crust. I think it would work, but I can’t say for sure. Please let us know if you give it a try!
Shirley
Kim says
My daughter cannot have coconut or almond flour and alot of paleo recipes have that. She also can’t have corn so I am glad that you posted this. I will look for an alternative to the corn starch. Thanks!
Shirley says
Hi Kim–Welcome to gfe! Well, many paleo folks would not allow rice flour, but as I stated in the post some do allow white rice products on occasion. Hopefully, you’ll find a cornstarch sub that works for you and this recipe. If not, there are some other non-coconut and non-almond flours that are paleo that you might want to try. In any regard, happy baking! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Shirley
Carolyn says
I have to say this two ingredient gluten free flour mix is the best recipe I have found. It is inexpensive, easy to make, and great to have on hand for those last minute recipes. When I first went gluten free I, like so many others, was confused with all the different types of gluten free flours and how and when to use them. Now I take a gluten filled recipe and substitute this two ingredient gluten free flour mix and I am never disappointed.
Thanks Shirley, for a great recipe.
Shirley says
Carolyn–Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this comment so that others will see it! I know that many use this flour mix and love it, but they’ve not left a review. So, again, yours is much appreciated! I love that this recipe has made your gluten-free life easier! 🙂
Shirley
Sarah says
Hi! I just saw this recipe and am looking forward to trying it out, is it used cup for cup when replacing all purpose flour? (I might have missed that in reading over the blog!)
Shirley says
Hi Sarah–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Yes, that’s how it works, cup for cup. As I said in the post, most recipes will also require the addition of xanthan gum as well. I simply add 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum per cup of flour mix at the time I mix together the other ingredients. Hope you have great success with this recipe!
Shirley
jen says
I do something similar to this. The same rice (Asian packaging), but I use tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. Both sell for 99 cents per package at my grocery store or sometimes they go on sale for 79 cents. A slightly more complicated but better results mix includes using those same ingredients but also adding in sweet rice flour and Bob Red mill white rice flour. Ratios are 1 part Asian rice flour, 1 part tapioca starch, 1 part Bob Mills rice flour, 1 part sweet rice flour. The Bob Red mill stuff is the most expensive but it is “substantial” and makes great pancakes, etc. The sweet rice flour helps the texture of th baking. Overall, very cheap to make an safe for my celiac family. I also add xanthan gum then to each recipe individually as needed.
Jen
Shirley says
Hi jen–First, welcome to gfe! I made the corrections to your original comment and deleted your second comment re: those annoying auto corrections 😉 Thanks for sharing what works for you! Some of my friends use sweet rice flour in their mixes and I do use it from time to time and enjoy it in certain recipes. I’m not a fan of any of the BRM products. I find them gritty and don’t react well to them, but I’m glad they work for you. Again, I appreciate your comment as others might find your tips very helpful for their family if this mix and the ingredients aren’t a perfect match for them.
Thanks,
Shirley
Linda says
Hi I came across your website while searching for a recipe for gluten free cream puffs. Thank you for sharing the gluten free flour mix recipe you use. I want to make some sugar free cream puffs and/or eclair a for Thanksgiving. I can eat gluten but I eat mostly a Paleo type diet. I try to convert recipes to sugar free using good sugar free sweeteners like erythropoietin and xylitol and stevia. Can’t wait to make some eclairs! I wanted to comment about the recipe but more so about your post about your Dad. Sorry to hear about him going to the land of fishing , hunting and eating anything you want!? my Dad passed 7 years ago at 89 and although we were never close, the last 3 months of his life we became close due to him finally having some respect for me when I fixed his computer that was inoperable. We had a great relationship during those last three months and he was home and in good shape until a week before he passed. Hardened arteries from smoking from 12-55. I was at his hospital bed the night before he passed and we chatted a bit and when I was saying bye for the night, he squeezed my hand and tried to reach me to give me a kiss on the cheek, and I met him half way and he squeezed my hand again and said: ” I love you.” He had never said it to me and it was so good to hear. I was so happy I was with him that night. We lived in Cocoa Beach, Fl., and he made homemade beach buggies so we kids had a blast growing up driving in the beach, in the wilderness and all around town back in the early 70’s. My mom is 94 now and still in good shape. I live with her now and keep her fed a Paleo, grass fed, organic diet, with a little chocolate and homemade sugar free sweets. I am extremely close to her and don’t know how I will live without her. But I read stories like yours and it helps. The quote about your dad saying something about moving on to get over something really hit home for me. That’s what I will need to do. Keep moving forward and don’t give up and things will be ok. Anyways, thanks again for the cream puff recipe. Going to surprise my mom with some healthy cream puffs this week! … Her all time favorite sweet! ?
Shirley says
Hi Linda–Welcome to gfe! I’m so glad you found my site and my puff recipe plus this flour mix!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment on the loss of my dad and share your own personal story with your dad and mom. I truly love the idea of my dad “going to the land of fishing, hunting and eating anything you want!” 🙂
What a heartwarming story on you and your dad coming together near the end of his life, and especially with his words before his passing. I am so happy that you had that time together! You are taking great care of your mom, too! What a gift to have that close relationship with her. I hope she will love those cream puffs! I hope she stays healthy and is with you a very long time, Linda.
Hugs to you!
Shirley
Janice Taylor says
I have just stumbled onto your site & LOVE your recipes & writings about your family. Also love your helpful advice. I most definitely want to be on your e- mailing list. The coconut pie is delish as I’m sure that apple is. Gonna give it a try soon & also use that to make a rhubarb pie.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Janice–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Thank you so very much for the wonderful feedback! You can subscribe to my email list by going to my home page by clicking here and following instructions from there. I’m so happy that you loved my coconut pie and I hope you’ll love the apple pie just as much! I’m guessing that it will work just fine with rhubarb. I’ve never worked with rhubarb myself, but others have used other fruits in that recipe and were happy with the results.
Thanks again, Janice. I so appreciate you taking the time to leave such a sweet comment!
Shirley
Raia says
Its amazing how easy gf mixes can be! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Allergy Free Thursdays Shirley! Hope to see you back this week!
Shirley Braden says
That’s true, Raia! 🙂 Congrats on the new Allergy-Free Thursdays event! I’ve already linked up this week. 😉
Shirley
Judy says
I am gf, and also found out I am allergic to several gluten free products. One is rice……how will that affect me if I use it as the rice flour and corn starch?
Shirley Braden says
Hi Judy–Welcome to gfe. If you have learned that you are allergic to rice, you cannot use this flour mix! However, the good news is that there are lots of other recipes for simple gluten-free flour mixes online.
Shirley
Mina says
Most sincere thank you for this flour blend recipe.
I was so tired from packaged flour blends. They are extremely expensive and just do not taste good, some of them even have a bad odour or aftertaste and it can be difficult getting the right results with them.
Mixed up your flour blend recipe and used it to bake a bread. Results was the best I have had with any Gluten Free flour Ive tried. Risen perfectly and so delicious with a nice crunchy crust.
Here is my recipe:
60 ml Milk Powder
1 flat teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Sunflower Oil
550 grams Gluten Free flour mix
60 ml Psyllium Husk
Add water until the dough becomes sticky, but still easy to kneed.
1 teaspoon Yeast (I use quickyeast)
I place the dough in my pan and then transfer it to a plastic box filled with about an inch or two warm water. Close the lid. Put it on a heatpad, switch on the heat and cover the box with a thick blanket.
The moisture and heat generated inside the plastic box helps the dough rise very well.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Mina–Welcome to gfe! I’m thrilled that my gluten-free flour mix is a success for you and allows you to make wonderful bread! I really appreciate you sharing your recipe, too. What temperature do you bake your bread at and for how long?
Thanks so much,
Shirley
Luna says
Do you know if this works with white rice flour? In my country i’ts the only type of rice flour I’ve ever found, and when I make the flour myself at home (for stuff like brown rice or millet flour), it’s never fine enough.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Luna–It looks like you’re new here. Welcome to gfe! This recipe actually calls for white rice flour. That is the kind readily available to me and the kind that’s finely ground so it works perfectly in this mix and the mix works perfectly in baked goods. I will add that if you’re grinding your own flour, you actually want to run it through the mill (or whatever you are using) twice to get it more finely ground. I’m not sure that the results will ever be as fine as the packaged Asian white rice flour that you can buy though. They use commercial grade equipment, which does a much better job. Anyway, hope my answers are helpful and you enjoy using this mix!
Shirley
Kimmy says
Hi,
Thanks for the 2ingredients gluten-free all purpose flour recipes.
As a newbie in gluten-free, I have heard about using “sweet rice flour” supposedly have better binding effect.
If so, can this be used in place of Xanthan gum?
Shirley Braden says
Hi Kimmy–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 You’re welcome for the recipes, of course. 🙂 Sweet rice flour is also called mochiko, glutinous rice flour, and sticky rice flour. It does have a sticky nature and a bit of a binding because of that. It also adds moisture to recipes, which folks appreciate. Personally, I would not try using it in place of xanthan gum. You may add a small amount of sweet rice flour in place of the white rice flour in this recipe if you like. Some recipes don’t need xanthan gum. For example, most of my muffin and quick bread recipes can be made without it. Are you just curious or purposely avoiding xanthan gum?
Thanks,
Shirley
Susan says
This looks good except it looks like the ratio error snuck back in on the very small batch recipe. Can you check it, please?
Shirley Braden says
Hi Susan–It’s good to see you again. I don’t see a problem with the recipe. It’s 3 parts white rice flour and 2 parts cornstarch for all of the recipes. Could you tell me why you think the very small batch recipe is in error?
Thanks,
Shirley
Shirley Braden says
Susan–Thanks for emailing me after my comment and setting me straight! Goodness, I can’t believe I missed that error. I—and my gfe readers–will be forever indebted to you!
Shirley
Tamara says
Hi Shirley, I bought one of your cookbooks as a treat for myself. Right before Thanksgiving I called ARGO to ask about their cornstarch, specifically to ask if it is truly gluten free. I was told that the smaller size jars 16 OZ and smaller are made in a gluten free factory but the larger ones are processed in a factory that also processes wheat. I came on and clicked the link for cornstarch tonight and saw it was for the 32 OZ jar so may not be safe for someone extremely sensitive. Thought I would let you know in case you wanted to let your followers know as I have had reactions from this very same thing with other “gluten free” foods. PS.. Thanks for all the great recipes, it makes transitioning to GF a lot easier, I’m pretty much a newbie.
Tamara says
sorry not your cookbook, looked for one and didn’t find one, had to get another. similar name.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Tamara–I actually don’t have any cookbooks but I’m glad you treated yourself! Thanks for sharing the info that you were provided by Argo. I had not contacted them and had no idea since they are all labeled the same. That said, the labels that share info on “processed in a shared facility” and “processed on shared equipment” are voluntary and not “policed” in any way. Still, I would most likely believe what a company’s reps told me when contacted. I only use the 16-ounce containers because that’s what I buy at my local grocery store. I’m so glad you pointed out this concern because not only do I want to share the size made in a gf factory but also because I had accidentally linked to the 35-ounce container (it’s 35 ounces, not 32 ounces) and while that’s not much difference, the proportions would obviously be different and I don’t want them to be different. I am in the extremely sensitive category so thanks so much on all! Last, I really appreciate your kind feedback, too. That always keeps me going! 🙂
Happy Holidays, Tamara!
Shirley
Tamara says
I knew you were sensitive and would want to know. I only called Argo because I needed to make gravy and that’s what I had in the cupboard. I’ve only known about my intolerance for about 18 months, it’s been a real eye-opener and having to re-learn cooking/baking at my age has been a test but finding so many places to find answers and recipes has really helped so thank you again for all the great recipes. And if you ever do make a cookbook I’ll be in line to get one.
Shirley Braden says
Tamara–What a lovely thing to say regarding a cookbook from me! Thanks so much! Yes, going gluten free comes with a big learning curve at first but it’s surprising how quickly one can start living gf “like breathing.” I believe that taking my gfe approach (focusing on real food that’s naturally gf, using easy recipes (flourless and crustless for example), using some mainstream products that are gf, and using just a few gf specialty products) definitely helps one get there faster. It sounds like you’re doing well!
Jamie says
Got the products in the cart ! Thanks for the post ! Can’t wait to try the flour mixture out !
Shirley Braden says
Hi Jamie–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it as much as I and so many others have! Today I made this mix using Authentic Foods Superfine Brown Rice Flour and cornstarch. Then I made my Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies. They taste the same or better than they do when I use Authentic Foods White Rice Flour in the mix. 🙂
Shirley
Jamie says
thank you !
Shirley Braden says
You’re welcome, Jamie. 🙂
Joyce says
Thank you ever so much for this very simple recipe for gluten free AP flour! I’m 66 years old, and newly diagnosed as being not only gluten intolerant, but extremely allergic to dairy, all refined sugars and yeast, as well as being lifelong insulin resistant. I’ve endured a lifetime of constant pain, with no doctor ever understanding what was causing it. I figured it out on my own one month ago after my new doctor told me I’m now Type II diabetic, and if I would change my diet drastically, I could likely avoid insulin for the remainder of my life.
Now, having to learn to cook and bake in an entirely unfamiliar way has been a bit overwhelming, especially using GF all purpose flour, but with your recipe, and using xanthan gum in it, I think I can get some sort of normalcy back into my diet. One benefit of having to so drastically change my way of eating is that I’ve lost 23 pounds in a very short few months :-). For someone who has been cooking and baking since she was eight years old, this is quite a challenge.
Shirley Braden says
Hi, Joyce–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I’m glad you’ve found a lot of answers to your health issues. This is a great gluten-free substitute for the all-purpose flour that we used to use before going gluten free. Note that it is not low glycemic though. So you may find that you’ll want to use this flour mix on a somewhat limited basis. There are grain-free flours that are more often used for a lower glycemic lifestyle. They take some getting used to and can’t be substituted one for one for all-purpose flour. But when you’re ready to experiment with those, you might want to check out sites like Elana’s Pantry and All Day I Dream About Food.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. All the best to you on your journey, Joyce!
Shirley
Roses1 says
I have read many articles stating that xanthan gum can cause a whole lot of health problems, but others stating it is perfectly fine.
I use psyllium husk powder instead with similar results and it is just fiber which is not harmful. You have to use quite a bit more than xanthum gum 3:1 but I’d rather be safe than sorry. Unflavored gelatin can also used as well as other alternatives you can find online.
(link removed by site owner)
The following are some common products that contain xanthan gum:
Toothpaste
Creams
Lotions
Shampoo
Industrial Products
Xanthan gum is used in many industrial products due to its ability to withstand different temperatures and pH levels, cling to surfaces and thicken liquids, all while maintaining good flow.
Common industrial products containing xanthan gum include:
Fungicides, herbicides and insecticides
Tile, grout, oven and toilet bowl cleaners
Paints
Fluids used in oil drilling
Adhesives like wallpaper glue
Summary:
Xanthan gum is included in many foods, personal care products and industrial products because of its stabilizing and thickening properties.
Shirley Braden says
Roses1–Yes, some folks have issues with xanthan gum but many do not. I leave it up to individuals to make that choice. But because of the issues with it, I do identify recipes that are gum free in many of my recipe roundup posts. There are quite a few subs for xanthan in recipes and to be honest, many recipes like a lot of gf muffins and quick breads do not need xanthan gum at all. In addition, gluten-free recipes that are also grain free very rarely require xanthan. For gf recipes that do require additional binding, there are quite a few substitution options, such as psyllium husk powder, chia seed, flax seed, and more–and sometimes combinations of those. I know folks who have issues with psyllium husk powder and flax seed and I personally have issues with chia seed and gelatin. There is no one-size-fits-all for individuals or recipes when it comes to substituting for xanthan gum, eggs, etc. Experimentation is needed.
Shirley
Roses1 says
Very informative! We have those challenges in our own family in regards to different ingredients, so I know what you’re saying.
Thanks for the info that you’ve researched. It’s always good to have many options.
Pamela Hammond says
I came to your site looking for an alternative to gluten based flours for Chicken ALa King. I appreciate your in depth research. I would however like to point out that next to gluten, “corn” based anything is also taboo in the US due to the fact that it’s the most highly GMO content of any added ingredient.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Pam–Yes, anyone who is avoiding GMOs should avoid corn in most every form. Cornstarch is included in quite a few flour mixes (it’s actually the majority of the Cup4Cup gluten-free flour mix, first ingredient listed on the label) because it works so well but there are certainly other gluten-free flour mixes online that are free of corn.
Shirley
Roses1 says
Check out the Clabber Girl brand, Non-GMO Corn Starch online.
z.n.ahmad says
can you use this flour for any recipie?
Shirley Braden says
Hi–As I stated in the post, z.n., I’ve had success using this recipe in everything except pancakes. It seems too “light”—for lack of a better word—for pancakes without adding a heartier flour/starch. I also thought that might be the same for yeast breads but readers have shared that they’ve had success using this flour mix in simple yeast bread recipes. What type of recipe did you use wish to use the flour mix in?
Shirley
Amy says
Hi! I use almond flour & corn starch with success & at high altitude. Everything gluten free is so complicated & expensive with the fancy exotic flours & seeds & stuff I’ve never heard of. I love this simple easy economical recipe. Thank you!
Shirley Braden says
Hi Amy–Thanks for commenting. It looks like you’re new here at gfe–welcome! 🙂 Do you use your almond flour and cornstarch for most baked goods? Actually “converting” gluten-full recipes to gluten-free by using it? Normally, xanthan gum is not needed when using almond flour but most likely would be needed with a cornstarch mix. Do you use it with your almond flour and cornstarch mix? Last, you’re welcome regarding this recipe. I definitely love “simple” and “less expensive”!
Shirley
Amy O'Bryan says
Sorry I didn’t see your questions! I use xantham if the recipe requires it. I have replaced non gf recipes 1:1 with minimal difference. I use a bread maker & a basic bread recipe & your flour mix works great! Better than store bought bread. So far the only flour that didn’t perform well in your mix to make bread was coconut flour. Thanks again!
Shirley Braden says
Hi Amy–Thanks for answering my questions. 🙂 I’m so glad this mix works so well for you! And yes, coconut flour is a very different beast so I would not expect it to work in this mix.
Shirley
Marie Fievert says
I continue to search for a recipe for a white sandwich bread-type of homemade loaf that the entire family will eat and enjoy. I am the one with all the food intolerances/dislikes so I do not want soy, grains, sweet taste, starches, all the husks and foreign substances in my bread. Nor do I want a loaf that is heavy as a load of bricks and the texture is too dense. Considering all my quirks, is there anything “out there” that might be more easily adapted to suit me and that will not require a fortune in products in the pantry? Some of the sites I visit make me think of a mad scientist!
Shirley Braden says
Hi Marie–It looks like you’re new here. Welcome to gfe! 🙂 To be honest, I don’t know that there is a homemade grain-free white sandwich bread recipe that can satisfy all your requirements. I say that because when a bread is made gluten-free and grain-free, it’s often ingredients like grain-free starches and psyllium husk that are used to make it work and palatable. The best place to look would be my Bountiful Bread Basket series. I’d start with this post and this one. These posts are labeled for some of the ingredients that you can’t tolerate but not all. Still, it shouldn’t take you long to do a quick check of the links to see if the recipes will work for you. By the way, all the links for the series are here. When you have so many intolerances and dislikes, sometimes you have to embrace something new, like a different type of way to get your bready fix, so to speak. Best of luck in finding something that will work for you!
Shirley
Ms Flavia Tassara says
Hello Shirley,
thank you so much for your advice. I just opened a little cafe in Scotland and a few people have asked for gluten-free cakes. I tried a couple with success but I now want to try my most trusted cake recipes and I need some guidance…
The mixture of cornflour + rice flour can be used in the same proportion as I’d use normal wheat flour? For example: if my almond cake calls for 75 grams of 00 flour, would I need 75 grams of your mixture, or quantities would be different? I’d be really grateful if you could help me in this.
Many thanks and kindest regards from bonnie Scotland.
Shirley Braden says
Hi Flavia–Welcome to gfe and congrats on your new cafe! 🙂 It’s wonderful that you want to accommodate the gluten-free community. First, I have zero experience in weighing flours. However, from what I’ve read, that is what you would do, use the equivalent by weight. There are two other considerations. In most recipes that you convert from “gluten-full” to gluten-free, you also need to add some xanthan gum as noted in my gluten-free flour mix recipe. However, if your almond cake is mostly almond flour/almond meal, you may not need any xanthan gum. It’s not usually required for grain-free recipes and I don’t think the small amount of gluten-free flour in the recipe would necessitate it. I did want to mention that though, in case you plan to do some more experimenting using my gluten-free flour mix. Last, if you plan on making gluten-free baked goods for individuals who eat gluten free for medical reasons (such as celiac), you will need to take many other precautions to ensure that your final product is truly gluten free and safe for them to enjoy. You will need to ensure that you’re preparing and making the cake in an area where there is zero gluten. So you have to use mixing bowls, baking pans, and utensils that have been used only for gluten-free food or have been cleaning thoroughly (that can’t always be done … non-stick pans would need to be replaced with new ones). If you’re baking with gluten-full flour in your cafe, that flour will stay in the air up to 48 hours and when it lands, it could land on your gluten-free cake, which would make it no longer gluten free. Some restaurants that serve both gluten-free and gluten-full baked goods like to do a thorough cleaning after gluten-full baking and bake their gluten-free baked goods first and then cover them and put them away from the gluten-free items. This is just a glimpse into what’s needed to ensure your almond cake ends up truly gluten free.
All the best,
Shirley
Ms Flavia Tassara says
Thank you Shirley, much appreciated. I will try using the same quantities, see what happens… I’ve been successful so far with a rich chocolate gateau and I made tiramisu using a gluten-free sponge. Also thank you for the tip about mixing flours. The kitchen in the cafe is really small but I do clean thoroughly between dishes/bakes exactly for the reason you mention. I know about xantham gum and bought it, so will be able to use it. I have to say that the chocolate gateau came out really good without any of it; it remained very supple and moist, which is great. I will continue with the gluten-free version because it’s much better.
Thanks again for your kind reply and for your advice. Ciao, Flavia
Shirley Braden says
You are so very welcome, Flavia! And I’m thrilled to hear that you’ve already had such success, even without xanthan gum. Xanthan is a funny thing. Some recipes are perfectly fine without it and in fact, if you added it to them, the results would be gummy. 🙁 And some others simply won’t work without it (or another binding agent–there are plenty of folks who don’t use xanthan who use other ingredients such as psyllium husk, extra eggs, chia seeds, flaxseed meal, to name a few). But once you figure out what works for one recipe, you can simply keep doing that, of course! Your chocolate gateau sounds incredible! Whenever I ever make it to Scotland, I will most definitely come visit you and your cafe. 🙂
Best,
Shirley
Laura A Chan says
I enjoy your site! Great recipes and tips!
Shirley Braden says
Hi Laura–That’s wonderful to hear! 🙂 I’m so happy to have you here at gfe. 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Shirley
Kim says
My son has recent been diagnosed with MRHFR and the dr has him on a gf and dairy free diet. So I’m extremely new to gf cooking! Thanks so much for your easy recipe. I tried brown rice flour but did not care for the taste. I do have a question. Pre gf I made pizza dough with so flour, salt, yeast and water. It sat on the counter overnight. Would your gf flor recipe work for this pizza dough? I wasn’t sure how it would work with yeast. Thanks so much!
Shirley Braden says
Hi Kim–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 I’ll reply to both of your comments at once. First, no worries on the typos/autocorrect issues (they’ll be the death of all of us, won’t they? they make me crazy—I think I’d do far better on my own!). I’m not a fan of brown rice flour either. Yes, this flour mix will work fine with yeast, etc. in making pizza dough. I’ve used it in this gf/df+ pizza crust recipe in place of the other flours as I note in the post. Some folks prefer a heartier flour mix but as you’ve said you don’t care for the brown rice flour taste that probably isnn’t you. Good luck with your pizza experimenting (FYI: You’ll find lots of other pizza solutions on gfe–we use Follow Your Heart or Violife df cheeses when cooking gf/df for my son) and best of luck overall with the new diet for your family!
Shirley
Kim says
Thanks for the super quick response! I’m off to our local health food store to purchase some white rice flour and non-gmo cornstarch. Can’t wait to try it in our Friday night pizza dough 🙂
Kim
Shirley Braden says
You’re welcome, Kim. I really recommend brands of white rice flour that are finely ground, such as Authentic Foods or Anthony’s. Choosing a quality flour makes all the difference. Also, don’t forget to add xanthan gum as noted in my flour mix recipe. Good luck! 🙂
Shirley
Kim says
Oops I few spelling mistakes in my comment. My son was recently diagnosed with MTHFR it should say. And further down the ingredients for the pizza dough should be ap flour. Autocorrect changed it to so flour 🙄. Sorry for those mistakes.
Sitara says
What kind of mix could I use for a yeast bread dough recipe since this one probably wouldn’t work? I can’t use store bought GF flour bc I’m allergic to Tapioca.
Shirley Braden says
Sitara–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 Yes, I don’t use this flour mix for yeast bread. There are some gluten-free flour mix recipes online that don’t include tapioca. Here’s one from The Loopy Whisk. Be sure to read the entire recipe because she offers notes on substitutions if the main ingredients don’t appeal to you. (It does not include tapioca but I don’t know if there are other ingredients that you don’t prefer.) Here’s another flour mix recipe that would work for you. This flour mix recipe from Bakerita allows you to use arrowroot flour/starch in place of tapioca. That’s a substitution you can you use in other flour mix recipes.
Happy safe gluten-free baking! 🙂
Shirley
Katie Vandersluys says
Hello,just wondering for self raising flour do you add bi carb soda ?
Shirley Braden says
Hi, Katie–To turn my flour mix into self-rising flour, I’d follow my friend Jeanne’s instructions here. Also be sure to add xanthan gum, 1/2 teaspoon per cup of my gluten-free flour mix.
Happy baking! 🙂
Shirley